Eps 174 Kerugo Autonomous Region (6)
Shirone was right. Just like the difficulty level of the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice indicated, the people of Kerugo were not looking for just anyone.
A person who can prove their strength to Miro of Time and Space all eight at the same time. Without that level, one couldn't even enter the autonomous region, let alone access the gate to heaven.
- Canis, it seems like it's time to bring that out. If Shirone doesn't go, we won't be able to go to heaven either.
- But it’s unexpected. I never thought I would be this scared.
- If we look at it positively, it would be insight. Seems like they're acting on instincts based on the information they've heard. Anyway, let's get started.
Taking Harvest's suggestion into consideration, Canis looked around at everyone. Then he held out his hand and said something vaguely.
“What if I have a way... a way for us to return here, what would you do?”
The Gate of Gorphin (1)
As if electricity was flowing in the room, a light flashed in the eyes of Shirone and the others. It was a new phase.
The reason Shirone perceived heaven as dangerous is because the probability of returning is significantly low. However, if there's a way out, the story changes.
"Explain in detail. What do you mean by a way to return?"
"As you know, we were robbed of our inheritance by the Magic Association after our master passed away. We ended up sitting on the street. However, we didn't want to receive help from Alpheas either. Anyway, while thinking about what could be done, Harvest brought up an old memory of his. During your time at school, Arin and I traveled. We discovered a secret place that the Archmage Viltor Arcane never wanted to be revealed. Because the memories were erased, even the Magic Association couldn’t find this place.”
"You mean there's a way to return from that secret place?"
"No. This is beyond that. I'll show you directly."
Arin took out a cubic box from her bosom.
The surface was carved with intaglio and relief patterns. It was close to black, but depending on the direction from which the light came, it gave off a rainbow color. There was a gap like a cube, so it seemed like it would spin if he turned it with his hand.
Tess had never seen anything Arin was holding. However, she was well familiar with the iridescent color and the unique patterns that were impossible to imitate.
"That’s an ancient relic. It is made of a metal that does not exist in the world, and a pattern imbued with magical power is engraved on its surface. I've heard it's unusable until its powerful locking mechanism is unlocked. Am I right?"
"Yes. And to add, this one’s locking mechanism is already unlocked. It can be used immediately."
Tess's eyes gleamed.
The reason the Elzain family collects information on ancient weapons is because they have a power so powerful that they can shake the foundation of the nation.
As far as she knows, unsealing ancient artifacts is an international taboo. If a country unlocks an artifact, that country is essentially making a gesture that it is prepared to wage war against the world.
“Can I take a look?”
At Shirone's request, Arin handed over the ancient relic. Friends gathered around Shirone's bed.
Shirone rubbed its surface and examined the seams. As he was twisting it around, some mechanism was triggered, and the cube split along its central axis, revealing a glass tube.
Startled, Shirone pressed the cube, but it didn’t close back; it seemed to be fixed in place.
Unintelligible characters appeared inside the glass tube. Without knowing what the device was used for, they couldn't rule out the possibility of it exploding.
"Wow, it's so beautiful."
Tess, on the other hand, was captivated. Having grown up hearing stories of relics instead of fairy tales, her heart swelled with excitement.
After receiving the cube from Shirone, she asked Canis.
"But what is this for? I can't figure out how to use it, no matter how I look at it."
"I don't know the details either. Arin found it. Toss it here."
Tess cradled the cube and carefully passed it over. But Canis, seemingly having experimented before, nonchalantly tossed it to Arin.
Shirone, watching Arin handle the cube, realized that she hadn't just luckily figured out how to use it.
When most people see an ancient artifact for the first time, they will try to make inferences based on what they know about the object. Shirone himself thought of a cube or a bomb. However, Arin, free from the obsession with form, could discern the peculiarities of the object.
Feeling the power of Initial State, Shirone paid attention to Arin's explanation.
"I don't know why, but when you press certain things, it operates. Like this... then press here, and it seems to work."
A red light burst from the glass tube, bathing the room in a blood-red hue. As Arin set it down, Amy shielded her face with a pillow and yelled.
"What? Is it going to explode?"
She didn't know how useful the pillow would be in preventing an explosion, but she seemed fully prepared, peering over the pillow and waiting for a reaction.
The beeping sound from the machine quickened and then transitioned into a tone as the red light vanished.
Arin, who picked up the ancient artifact, pointed to the floor where the cube was placed and continued her explanation.
"This is spatial input. The cube memorizes the place where it's positioned. Now, let's try it again."
As she touched the cube, this time, the glass tube emitted a blue light.
Arin looked around to see if there was a suitable place and placed the ancient artifact near Shirone.
The glass tube turned into a blinding white light, and a giant, dark sphere materialized in the air where the cube had been. A sphere of the same shape and size floated in the spot Arin had pointed to earlier.
"Huh, what's this?"
Shirone was taken aback.
It was the black hole he had seen in Miro of Space and Time. The ability to compress space and penetrate through it. The goal of this ability was clear.
"Now I get it. It's a portal. This is a portal. A portal that penetrates time and space.”
"You're exactly right. It's a device called a Meta Gate. This device will be our trump card. Let's demonstrate with Harvest first."
Canis knew that nobody would readily throw themselves into the black sphere. Harvest, devoid of life, was perfect for such experiments.
When Harvest inserted his hand into the black hole, a hand emerged from the other side's black hole.
Amy and Tess jumped onto the bed in astonishment.
The distance between portals is 3 meters. Harvest was 3 meters apart and spread across both sides. If the experiment had been conducted on humans, an even more bizarre scene would have been produced.
"Kekekek, this is always fun, right?"
"Harvest, it's dangerous. Come out now."
Arin said worriedly. According to the experiment, the portal could be sustained for 1 minute.
After Harvest exited and the portal disappeared, Canis picked up the cube again and smugly said,
"How is it? It is a warp device that remembers the location of a specific point and connects time and space. Remember this location, use it in heaven, and we can come back anytime."
As the impossible situation changed into a possible situation, ripples arose in the minds of Shirone and the others.
Tess sai spoke in a trembling voice, overwhelmed with emotion.
"This... This is incredible, isn't it?"
It was an ancient relic that the Archmage Arcane, having risked his life to visit heaven, had possessed. That alone was enough for it to be classified as a top national secret.
Even more remarkable was that the seal was broken.
Should the existence of this artifact be revealed, it would undoubtedly lead to diplomatic friction.
It wasn't on the level of the magic circles used by the Parrot Mercenaries.
Imagine if a spy infiltrated the castle and activated the Meta Gate. Armies would invade like a flood, and the kingdom would be on the brink of being overturned. Such was the nature of ancient relics.
Amy came to the same conclusion. Not just its utility, but its monetary value was beyond imagination.
Although she didn't know how much inheritance Arcane had left Canis, there was no doubt that this one item was worth several times more.
"This… Can this be sold?"
She knew it was an absurd questio. But it was also true that she was curious.
Honestly, she was dying to know. 10 billion? 100 billion? If it could be sold, even her 12th generation granddaughter would be bowing every night before Amy's portrait. She understood why Canis had kept it a secret.
Tess seriously considered it. As if appraising it like an expert, she rested her chin on her hand and examined the Meta Gate before shaking her head.
“Honestly, there is no one who can afford this. At the very least, it would have to be a state-level transaction. Not just the money, the repercussions would be huge. Excluding nations, the most ideal buyer would be the Ivory Tower."
A mage residing in the Kingdom of Thormia couldn't escape the jurisdiction of the Magic Association. And other countries had their own Magic Associations.
But the Ivory Tower wasn't a place approached with such a notion. They were an organization dedicated to the study of magic, independent of world politics. It was a supranational organization, and its military force was not pushed back even when fighting the world.
"The Ivory Tower is known as the pinnacle of the world. Even if it's an ancient relic, it doesn't seem like they would be moved."
“From a mage’s perspective, you might think that way. First of all, it's an object. But there's a good chance. Just look at the Ex Machina incident 70 years ago."
“Ex Machina?”
"The name of the ancient weapon owned by the state of Kotria. I heard from my dad that Kotria was enhancing the security of Ex Machina by relocating it. It was a move from its original location to a newly constructed bunker 30 meters away, and it caused an uproar in the international community. It seemed like a world war was about to break out at any moment. You get what I mean? Just the fact that an ancient weapon moved 30 meters caused such a situation."
"That's terrifying. What kind of weapon is it?"
"The Elzain family also participated in the intelligence war but couldn't find out anything. We don't know its form, size, or even the principle of activation. But judging from the reaction of the surrounding countries at the time, it's likely a map weapon."
“Map weapon?”
"It's not a weapon used on the field. The name comes from the fact that it's decided upon by the top brass with a map. They say the seal hasn't been broken yet, but you never know. 70 years have passed, after all."
Map weapons have no humanity. This is because nothing is displayed on the map. It doesn't depict who lives there, what culture they enjoy, or what needs to be protected. It's a world calculated only with a protractor, compass, and pencil.
Canis had been listening to the assessment of someone else's possession.
He had no intention of selling his master's relic. His silence was to engrave the sacrifice he was willing to make. His determination to go to heaven, even if it meant revealing the ancient relic.
"Hmm, Ex Machina. And this is the Meta Gate."
Shirone murmured, then turned to Canis.
"But how do you know its name? Arcane erased his memory, didn't he?"
"It was written on a note. Just a list of words. Probably to ensure that even if the secret place was discovered, it is designed so that no one can infer what it is about. Typical of the meticulousness of our master."
"What else was written there?"
"Nothing particularly significant. There was hardly any description of heaven. Seems he really didn't want to reveal that. But we can explore it. Thanks to the Meta Gate. How about this, is this a good deal for the Immortal Function?”
There was room for consideration. The fact that the fear of heaven had transformed into a slight excitement was evidence of that. With Canis, the probability of survival increases dramatically. But…. what does he gain from it?
"Why do you want to go to heaven? Just because Arcane went there isn't convincing enough. You don't even have detailed information. I need to hear your motives for going to heaven to make a judgment."
In Shirone's thorough consideration of the possibility of a trap, Canis felt a sense of trust. If one has to venture into dangerous territories, it's several times more efficient to go with Shirone than with a half-witted magician.
Tags:
Infinite Mage (Novel)