Volume 5 – Chapter 27 (in-editing v3)

Volume 5 – Chapter 27

(Spot an error/typo/mistake/something I forgot/inconsistency? Let me know in the comments, so I can fix it! Thanks!!)

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An unknown amount of time later, on the Second Layer…

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Shuck.

Shuck.

Shuck.

Prime carefully peeled back layer after layer as he shucked a large red fruit, removing its thick fleshy skin. The fruit was a strange thing, as big as a bowling ball, and glowing a deep, dark red, with a large, green stem that struck out at an odd angle from its roof.

“You’re cheating, aren’t you?”

Yvvtal’s rough, gravelly voice echoed in the dark air as he grumbled, glaring at Prime.

The former Toren was a sight to see, wearing the body of a pale human with the Celestial Silverback Type. He had the rough features of a large, muscular human male, with thick gray fur peeking out under the edges of the black leather garments he wore. In his hands was a large green knife, and a similar glowing red fruit.

“Of course not.” Prime lied without missing a beat, blonde curls of hair shifting as he wiped his brow.

He absolutely was cheating, stopping time to ensure each cut was perfectly performed.

“Geh. You humans are so frail.” Yvvtal snorted, with a shake of his head as he resumed slicing.

“Alas. That’s a curse you will have to bear.” Prime chuckled as he continued shucking.

Yvvtal’s Spirit Body had hardened, solidifying around his current form. This was both good and bad for the former Toren. The good was that his body no longer rejected his Soul, and he had fully returned to a life among the living. The bad was that if this body died, then he died with it.

The former Toren also had to get used to living as an entirely different species – a Human, specifically, a Human with the Celestial Silverback Type.

It was an interesting phenomenon. Despite possessing a human body, Yvvtal was unable to access the Shop. Clearly, the strange, magical Shop must have its origin tied to the human Soul.

“Why those foolish Dragons made such an impudent test I have no idea.” The Fallen Deity grumbled as he continued to peel back fruit.

Prime only chuckled, pausing as he considered his current circumstances.

The duo were currently resting inside the Tomb of Hapthos, one of the Twelve Tombs, within an eerie underground pavilion filled with fruit trees. Above them, a fake blue sky spread out, chiseled into the roof more than 15 meters high. Small crystals were set into the roof, glowing with golden light at intervals, evenly spread out.

The Twelve Tombs were a series of ancient Inheritances left behind by the Blue Drakes many hundreds of years ago, here on the Second Layer.

These Inheritances had remained sealed off, locked away from even the most fervent of Byren Martial Artists… until humanity got to them.

‘It is most curious.’ Prime thought as he continued handling the knife, pausing time every now and then to get the angle just right.

The golden hue of Master Tier Sword Energy flickered on his knife, showcasing Prime’s newfound advancement.

True to his word, or at least, Micheal’s Recorded Clone’s word, the teachings the man had offered had been incredibly poignant. The Life Orb Master was incredibly skilled when it came to Sword Energy, far and beyond Prime’s own level.

It was purely thanks to his direct, guided teachings, inside Tallanoran’s Inheritance, that Prime had finally advanced into becoming a Master.

This advancement had proven enormously useful, especially here on the Second Layer.

The native Byrens were a martially inclined species – they respected strength, and Weapon Mastery was seen as the peak of their culture. Becoming a Master had opened doors for Prime, making his journeys though the Ancient World significantly easier.

‘The Blue Drakes have a complex history.’

This was the second Tomb of the Twelve Tombs he had managed to infiltrate, though he was still in the midst of unravelling its mysteries.

The first, the Tomb of Iguel, had required a long and complicated string of specific puzzles that he had needed to solve in order to gain entry. Prime had lost count of the number of days he had spent frozen in time, whiling away at the First Tomb’s tests.

‘I had to learn an entirely new language.’ Learning how to read the tongue the Blue Drakes left behind had taken a herculean effort, for it was a dead language, held secret by their kind till the bitter end.

The automatic translation feature that came with the Shop was something Prime had taken for granted, he’d realized, once he stumbled upon the First Tomb. It translated all verbal communication, letting humans make free contact with the alien species of the 7 Layers without issue… but written communication was an entirely separate matter, only working for Earth-based languages.

‘Yet, the reward was worth it.’ Among other things, he was now able to independently verify at least some of the information Micheal had given him, learning more about the ancient history of the Dark Wraiths, the Blue Drakes… and the Torens.

‘Orion.’ The name evoked powerful emotions.

Fighting against Orion Thunderfist had felt akin to fighting a force of nature.

The ancient warrior was incredibly skilled, to a point where it was truly, genuinely impressive. He was the single most dangerous entity Prime had ever encountered.

And yet, the fact that Orion was now a Titled Deity was even more shocking.

The thought stuck with Prime, to the point where he frowned and came to a halt.

The world flickered as Prime froze time, activating his World Matrix Type Ability.

Prime calmly set his knife and half-shucked Dragonfruit aside, before tapping on his Spatial Ring, and bringing out the journal Micheal had passed off to him, turning to a specific page.

In the background, Yvvtal sat frozen mid shuck, angrily glaring daggers at the fruit in his hand.

This particular test was understandably frustrating – Blue Drakes possessed a special characteristic, according to the records Prime had obtained from the first Tomb: when they bathed themselves in their own Draconic Flame, their entire musculature underwent a series of temporary enhancements.

These enhancements allowed the Dragons to manipulate not only their claws, but their entire bodies, with incredible precision. This test was meant for a Blue Drake to pass, by perfectly shucking the native Dragonfruits that were a common part of a Blue Drake’s diet.

It was a surprisingly difficult test to pass, especially for those unable to read the Borandi instructions, the name for the written language Blue Drake’s used when they transformed into their humanoid-ish bipedal forms.

“How am I going to face any of you, when I could not defeat Orion alone…” Prime muttered as he stared down the open journal, to a list titled 'The Five Calamities.'

Jay sol Arget.

Sion Swordsoul.

Bosmond Jingleton.

Ashroth.

‘…’ He gazed at the final name with a hint of trepidation.

Navir.

This list alone had changed his entire mindset.

Petty things like emotional grudges no longer seemed that important, not in the face of the horrors that humanity was set to encounter.

A lesser man might shy away. They might say ‘Why should this be my responsibility? I just want to survive,’ and indeed, even Prime felt tempted, once he realized the full scale of the difficulties ahead of him. The future, as it currently stood, seemed almost hopeless.

However.

‘I made my choice long ago.’

Step by step.

Moment by moment.

No matter how long it took.

He would continue to walk forward.

This was the path he chose and…

He would not give up.

A few seconds passed as Prime pondered in silence. Those seconds passed into minutes as time stretched on, frozen in a world that only moved when he allowed it.

Finally, Prime sighed.

“How indeed.”

Prime flipped through a few pages in the journal, settling on a page near the back.

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—- Nameless Mana Breathing Method used by Typhon, a Transcendent Dragon —-

Rank: SSS+

Effects: Allows specialization in either the development of Mana Circles or of a Mana Heart, or both. Vastly strengthens Mana density and capacity, greatly enhances the user’s body, and grants unique properties to one’s blood.

Successful practice of this Mana Breathing Method shifts a creature’s body into a state of constant evolution and growth that only ceases with death.

Successful practice of this Mana Breathing Method to Completion grants its user the ability to transform into a Dragon.

Note: Only a Dragon, the descendants of a Dragon, or a being in possession of Draconic Blood can practice this Mana Breathing Method.

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This Mana Breathing Method paved the way forward, in his eyes. It was his answer to the question of how he could possibly face what was to come.

‘Once I finish with this Tomb, I’ll begin a Ki Transferal.’ It was a decision he had made after he achieved Mastery, as he began to plan for the long term.

Ki was a simple energy, easy to cultivate, without requiring any expansive Breathing Methods or rituals - though the danger of Heart Trials proved a daunting aspect to some. Cultivating a Mana Breathing Method was often seen as carrying less risk.

Therein, however, lied the problem.

As Prime learned more about Mana Breathing Methods, and the countless years of research and development that had established them, he had made up his mind about his future goals.

If Prime had the luxury of many, many years to work with, he might have considered maintaining his Ki Cultivation. The slow, steady progression was a powerful balm, enhancing his body and Soul at a core level over time. The Heart Trials were manageable, and the simplicity of Ki made it incredibly versatile as an energy source.

Alas, the future came all too quickly – should he tarry too long, countless humans that had climbed on ahead would fall to evils they could not defend against.

He could not allow that.

He owed it, not just to himself, but to those who had believed in him, and the mission he carried.

Prime flipped through a few more pages, landing on one page in particular, near the middle of the journal.

Mana and Ki were incompatible within the same body… however, because of the simplistic nature of Ki, it was possible to convert one’s Ki into Mana.

Outlined in this journal was an entire methodology describing, in great detail, an incredibly dangerous process that let one convert Ki into Mana, a technique humanity wouldn't discover for many years.

The process required a fully fleshed out Mana Breathing Method, and a very strong control of one’s Ki. It was also impossible to revert – Ki could transform into Mana, thanks to its simple nature, but Mana could not transform into Ki.

According to Micheal's future sight, most humans would rather simply disperse their Ki if they were opting to switch over to a Mana Breathing Method - Ki Transferals were dangerous and experimental, coming with a load of restrictions and burdens that they placed on one's body.

Taking this path meant forever giving up on Ki Cultivation. Once you accepted a Mana Heart into your body, it was virtually impossible to cultivate Ki. The two opposing energies would clash and destroy one’s body from the inside out.

‘A Ki Transferal requires minute perfection in every breath.’ A single misstep could prove fatal… but Prime wasn’t particularly worried.

His ability to pause time meant he could take every single step at a steady, measured pace, turning what was normally a dangerous and unfeasible process into something relatively safe.

Prime ruminated for a few minutes, taking his time as he enjoyed the solitude and quiet here in his own private world.

It was one of the perks of his World Matrix Type Ability – if he ever found his patience tested by Yvvtal’s incessant grumbling, he could simply freeze time to blow off steam. It made him appear far more sociable than he really was.

‘Telekinetic Push.’ Prime activated an Ability in his frozen world, causing the Dragonfruit to float up off the ground and into the air in front of him.

“I suppose I should focus on the present.” He nodded to himself as he grabbed the fruit in one hand, while holding the journal in the other.

Prime flipped to a page, near the back of the journal Micheal had given him.

The List of Legends.

A collection of the most powerful Artifacts humanity ever observed, at some point in the future, according to Micheal's future sight.

Prime’s gaze scrolled down the list, his eyes narrowing as he passed over the Artifact ranked 6th – the Crown of the Angel King.

A few ranks down, however, his scrolling stopped, landing on the Artifact ranked 8th.

Ignister – the Skysplitter Axe.

This Legendary Artifact, according to the notes in the journal, was supposed to show up on the Fifth Layer several years from now – it was an incredibly powerful Artifact that exponentially enhanced the power of any swing made with it. For it to have obtained Legendary status based off that alone meant it was an Artifact of true, enormous power.

An image of each Artifact had been inscribed into the journal, in exacting detail, as if transferred perfectly from memory.

And in that image of Ignister, the Skysplitter Axe…

A series of runes ran along the heft of the Artifact, glowing with orange light.

Runes that Prime now recognized, thanks to the countless days he had slaved away, learning an entire dead language from scratch.

‘A Borandi cipher.’

He had paused time for more than a month in order to break this very code.

‘Makatesh’ gu Guiven Wyrn tol vn Shosh.’

Prime stood up, calmly placing the journal back in his Spatial Ring out of habit.

He then began to walk forward.

He passed by Yvvtal, frozen mid-shuck, and soon found himself near the edge of his awareness, before a large, black door, hewn out of some mystical crystal substance he didn’t recognize. It was set into the dark grey stone walls, all lined with tens of thousands of Borandi glpyhs. A bowl was carved into the door, the place where there Dragonfruits were tested and, in every one of their previous attempts, had been rejected.

This Inheritance, like all of the Twelve Tombs, was heavily enchanted, covered in layer after layer of magical restrictions crafted with the inherent magical knowledge of the Blue Drake species. According to local Byren sources, attempting to damage the Inheritance would set off layers of dangerous defense mechanisms that would bathe entire forces in waves of immolating fire, annihilating any intruder. Local Byren Sects had tried for centuries to crack the magic on these Inheritances, all to no avail.

However…

Prime slowly began to stretch his arms, as he brought out a fine metal sword and one of his Memory Journals, one of the rare few Artifacts that actually had a usecase, here in his world of frozen time.

He left the Dragonfruit floating in the air behind him.

‘If I can’t brute force my way through this test…’ Even with his perfectly aimed cuts, he was having trouble reconstructing exactly what the test sought. There appeared to be some hidden aspect of the test he was unaware of, perhaps something only a real Blue Drake would know.

‘I simply have to understand how it functions.’ Prime set his Memory Journal to the side, leaving it floating in the air around half a meter away from him.

Golden energy lit up Prime’s blade as he began to hack and saw away at the door. While the Sword Energy couldn’t interact freely like it would in real time, the powerful cutting force was still useful as an enhancer to his weapon’s sharpness.

Slowly, bit by bit, Prime began to hack his way through the magically sealed walls.

Each bit of progress he made was incredibly small, thanks to the absurd enchantments shielding the Inheritance. The sheer redundant forces blocking all invasion were truly a spectacle to see, the strange, inherent Magic of the Blue Drakes at work.

His measured progress came in the form of millimeters, stab after stab, cut after cut.

Yet, because the world was frozen in time, no alarms went off, no fire came to wash the world in death, no traps were sprung. The walls simply gave way, bit by little bit.

Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours.

Eventually, after nearly 2 hours of dedicated effort…

A glint of blue light flashed free.

Prime’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the fruit of his labors.

A small, crudely bored hole, pierced fully through the side of the thick stone wall. On the other side of the hole, he could just barely make out several large, glowing blue glyphs.

With a grunt, Prime leveraged his sword into the hole. He moved carefully, sliding the tip of the blade along the edge.

Another 20 minutes of effort went into widening the damaged section, until, in one rough motion, Prime ripped out a huge chunk of the wall.

The bits of stone floated in the air just a few inches from his face, hovering. Prime pushed them out of the way, peering now into the bowels of the enchanted wall.

With his left hand, he snatched up his Memory Journal, his lips pursing as he eyed the results.

Inside the wall were hundreds of complex, glowing Borandi glyphs, all corded along several rope-like lines of glowing purple crystal.

‘Does it travel along the entire wall?’ Prime began to decipher the inner workings, copying down everything he saw into his Memory Journal.

‘I’ll need to uncover the entire wall.’ He took the realization with a steady pause as he turned to gaze at the entirety of the nearly 50 meters wide underground pavilion.

It was an enormous undertaking, requiring a truly unfathomable amount of effort, yet if his estimation was correct…

Prime began to smile.

He had found a method to cheat his way through this test.  

“Makatesh’ gu Guiven Wyrn tol vn Shosh.” He repeated the line that was inscribed into the heft of the Skysplitter Axe.

‘Entombed, herein lies the Heart of the Twelve.’

Before he left to climb up to the Third Layer…

Prime had a mystery to solve.

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