Chapter 258: The Clue (Part 1)

"So, it really is the *Vast Codex*... What a lucky individual you are, to have obtained such a treasure and even brought it before me. If it were anyone else, breaking the runes on the codex might have been impossible. But for the great Didymos, such a feat is within reach!"

The arrogant black cat's voice grew sharper as it spoke. Merlin then noticed that the massive stone monument standing on the beach began to tremble slightly. A series of mysterious runes appeared, gradually enveloping Didymos in their glow.

Simultaneously, Merlin sensed a surge of immense mental energy radiating from the black cat. This power was so intense that it left him with an involuntary sense of awe and trepidation.

Mental energy was inherently intangible and incapable of directly causing physical harm. Yet, the mental force emanating from Didymos made Merlin feel as if he were completely vulnerable. If Didymos had directed that power against him, Merlin knew he would be utterly powerless.

"Inscription, break!"

Didymos uttered a series of ancient, arcane words. Suddenly, the runes on the stone monument began to etch themselves onto the *Vast Codex* in Merlin's hands.

The codex glowed with a blinding white light, writhing as if in resistance. But soon, the radiance dimmed and eventually faded away.

To Merlin's astonishment, the codex now appeared transformed. The once cryptic pages now revealed lines of Morta text, brimming with information. As Merlin skimmed through it, he felt a surge of excitement. These newly uncovered passages contained clues pointing to the location of the second and even third volumes of the *Vast Codex*.

"It's done. Breaking the runes on the codex was exhausting. I'll probably need a few months of sleep to recover. Merlin, your elemental crystals are delicious, but the great Didymos has done you a tremendous favor today. Whether or not you find the second or third volumes will now depend entirely on you..."

With those words, the black cat Didymos dissolved into a cloud of black mist and disappeared back into the stone monument.

Merlin bowed slightly toward the monument, understanding that Didymos had exerted significant effort to break the codex's runes. After all, the *Vast Codex* was a legendary artifact, and its protective enchantments were not easily undone.

"Teacher, what just happened...?"

Emma, who had been standing silently nearby, was utterly stunned by the scene she had just witnessed. The enigmatic Didymos, a talking black cat with extraordinary powers, had shattered her understanding of what was possible.

Merlin didn't explain much and instead stowed the *Vast Codex* back into his ring. "Let's go. Didymos is the spirit of a rune array created by the great Archmage Fidel, the founder of the Dark Spirit Realm. It's an extraordinary lifeform, older than any spellcaster in the Dark Spirit Realm."

Though Emma still seemed to only half-understand, she grasped that Didymos was an exceptional being in the Dark Spirit Realm. Bowing toward the stone monument in reverence, she then followed Merlin into the heart of the realm.

---

"This is the Dark Spirit Realm!"

Merlin exhaled softly as they stepped into the familiar landscape. The sight of towering spires rising into the sky brought him a sense of ease and belonging. Over time, he had grown to see the Dark Spirit Realm as his home, much like Pughas City once was.

Emma, her curiosity piqued, peppered Merlin with questions about the spires and the realm. Merlin patiently answered each one.

"Alright, Emma. You'll need time to familiarize yourself with the Dark Spirit Realm. Since I'm not a fourth-level spellcaster, I haven't built my own tower, so I can't officially take you in as my student. You'll need to undergo an assessment by the Gray Robe Spellcasters, who will assign you to a tower."

Merlin had already explained the process to Emma. Despite not being directly under Merlin's tutelage, he reassured her that he would always remain her teacher.

"Go ahead. I'll wait for you outside," Merlin said.

Taking a deep breath, Emma nodded and entered one of the towering spires. Inside, her abilities would be evaluated, and she would be assigned to a mentor's tower.

As Merlin waited, he mused about Emma's likely placement. Given her limited mental energy and her successful construction of only three zero-level spells, she would most likely be assigned to Leo's tower—a common outcome for spellcasters with weaker potential.

If that were the case, it would simplify matters for him.

After some time, Emma emerged, looking dejected. She hesitated, as if unsure whether to speak.

"How did it go? Which tower were you assigned to?" Merlin asked with a faint smile.

Emma shook her head. "My aptitude was deemed poor, so I was assigned to Leo's tower... Teacher, I've embarrassed you."

To Emma, Merlin was a prodigious talent—a spellcaster of extraordinary strength even at the first level. Being assigned to Leo's tower felt like a stark contrast, something unworthy of her teacher's reputation.

Merlin, however, felt relieved and even smiled. "As expected, you've been placed in Leo's tower. There's no need to feel down about it. In fact, I hadn't mentioned this before, but I'm also a student of Leo. I currently live in his tower. Your placement will save us a lot of trouble. I'll explain everything to Leo."

"What? You're also in Leo's tower? But the other spellcasters said only the weakest spellcasters are sent there..." Emma still found it hard to believe.

Merlin's expression grew serious. "Aptitude isn't everything. Besides, Leo is one of the most powerful spellcasters in the Dark Spirit Realm. You should consider yourself fortunate to be in his tower. The rest you'll understand with time. For now, follow me to Leo's tower."

Emma nodded and followed closely behind Merlin.

---

Before long, they arrived at the entrance of Leo's tower. The sight of the familiar structure brought Merlin a sense of comfort.

"Let's go," Merlin said, leading Emma inside.

On the first floor, they found Hall Spellcaster engrossed in his alchemical research. Merlin knew Hall was deeply passionate about alchemy. At one point, he had thought Hall's status as a first-level spellcaster in the Dark Spirit Realm was a sign of strength.

But as Merlin's own understanding deepened, he learned more about Hall's circumstances.

Hall had managed to construct a spell model and advance to the first level, but the process left significant flaws in his model. These flaws required constant alchemical intervention to maintain stability, much like the plight of Spellcaster Hill.

It was no surprise that Hall was obsessed with alchemy, hoping to cure his shortcomings. Yet, after years of effort, he remained stuck at the first level, his alchemical pursuits yielding no solution to his plight.

Merlin sighed softly, feeling a twinge of sympathy for Hall. Such flawed advancement left spellcasters trapped, their potential unfulfilled.

"Let's go. I'll take you to meet Mentor Leo. He's at the top of the tower," Merlin said, leading Emma to the rune array on the first floor. Activating the array with ease, a flash of white light enveloped them, and they vanished from sight.

As they disappeared, Hall briefly glanced up from his work, his expression tinged with helplessness before returning to his alchemical experiments.

---

"It's Merlin, isn't it? Come in!"

Before Merlin could knock on the door at the top of the tower, Leo's voice called out from within.

Merlin entered to find Leo in high spirits, his face brimming with energy.

"Mentor Leo!" Merlin greeted with a respectful bow, though he couldn't help but wonder why Leo seemed unusually cheerful today.

"Merlin, you've done well—defeating Viss and Bluebird. You've killed two of Osm's talents! Ha! Your reputation now surpasses even mine!"

Leo's blood-red vertical eye gleamed faintly, a sign of his genuine excitement. Merlin, familiar with Leo's mannerisms, could tell his mentor was in an exceptionally good mood.

Merlin was surprised by how quickly the news had spread. He had only just returned to the Dark Spirit Realm.

Leo, noticing Merlin's expression, chuckled. "The news spread so quickly not just because of you, Merlin, but because of Osm. We recently signed a pact with them, so their movements are closely watched. Viss and Bluebird weren't nobodies—we kept tabs on them."

Merlin nodded in understanding. The scrutiny of Osm explained how his actions had been reported so swiftly.

"Mentor Leo, there's something I've kept from you... regarding my Pandora spells."

After a moment of hesitation, Merlin decided to reveal the truth about his spells, including *Extreme Frost Finger* and *Annihilation Flame*. His trust in Leo had grown immensely after their shared experiences, and he no longer felt the need to keep secrets from his mentor.