Chapter 63: Tying Up Loose Ends (1)

Chapter 63: Tying Up Loose Ends (1)

What is he doing? Why isn’t he coming out yet? He has just been sitting quietly for quite a while already. Isn't everything here done? Why aren’t we leaving? Growing increasively restless, Aidan peered out of the window and observed Karyl's back. From what Aidan could tell, he had been sitting in a meditative posture for at least twelve hours.

"What kind of training could it be?"

"I have no idea," Mikhail replied, equally perplexed.

A full day had passed since Karyl had returned to his room from the lord's manor, and he hadn't emerged since. Aidan and Mikhail had gone upstairs to check on him, but the dense mana emanating from the room made them hesitant to even touch the doorknob.

What's with this intense magic? Aidan wondered, feeling a tingling sensation on his skin. He nervously swallowed and knocked on the door, hoping for a response. "Karyl, it's Aidan."

Yet, there were greeted by silence, causing Mikhail and Aidan to exchange anxious glances.

Mikhail was the first one to speak up. "This... this is Karyl's magic?"

"It must be."

Now that Mikhail had reached the 3rd Class, he had also now had the ability to sense the flow of external magic. Karyl, who had disappeared for a few days only to return seemingly transformed, was like a different person to both of them.

Looking at Karyl, Mikhail wondered, Well, aren’t I the same? Could I have ever imagined reaching the 3rd Class? I thought magic had nothing to do with me. My life completely changed after coming to Azor.

He smirked, thinking about the tremendous impact Karyl had on his life. Becoming a mercenary seemed like a distant memory now. He knew after all, that this was just the beginning. If he followed behind Karyl, he knew he could one day reach unimaginable realms. Any dissatisfaction he had from leaving the mercenary gang had long since vanished, replaced by a hunger for knowledge and power.

"..."

But before Mikhail could dwell further on his thoughts...

"Mikhail."

Startled, Mikhail jumped at the sound of his name, without even turning around, Mikhail yelped.

"Yes? Yes, what is it?!"

"There should be a man named Thomson downstairs. Bring him here."

"Understood."

As Karyl slowly stood up and opened the door, Aidan did his best to hide his surprise.

"How long has it been?"

"Um... about a day and a half. Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine. Hmm, more time seems to have passed than I expected."

Karyl's appearance reflected the tol it had taken on him. Pale and famished, Karyl looked as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks, when it had only been a day.

"Shall I prepare some food for you?" Aidan offered, a hint of concern in his voice.

"That would be good," Karyl replied, hunger evident in his eyes.

"I'll prepare it right away."

Aidan found it difficult to meet Karyl's eyes, unlike before when he had been actively searching for any gaps in Karyl's demeanor. He quickly made his way down the stairs, when halfway down his steps suddenly faltered. Unbeknownst to him, his grip on the railing tightened.

Was I...? His face contorted with a mix of confusion and fear. Was I overpowered by his aura just now?

His hasty action to prepare food wasn't just a friendly gesture, it was rather instinct—an excuse to flee.

"Damn."

Karyl seemed completely different from before. Every time he leaves, he returns a completely new person. What even happens in his getaway trips?

Aidan looked back up the stairs, his curiosity piqued. Yet, his steps continued downward, he couldn't muster the courage to go back up.

***

"It's been a little over a day since we left the Gray Training Ground. And I must admit, Allen, just as you said, creating this space has proven to be quite useful. It allows me to train anywhere I want."

[Of course I was right. Also It's partly because your mana is so vast. Still, aren't you pushing yourself a little too hard?]

"Hmm, actually..." Yet, unlike the excited Allen, Karyl's response was subdued. "I don't see any need to name it."

[Huh? Why not?]

From lowly warriors to great knights, swordsmen considered naming their own sword forms a moment of great honor—an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

"Even with the adjustments, I don't see myself using it much. It's simply borrowing elements from the frameworks of magic and swordsmanship. Why would I name an imperfect sword form? That would be embarrassing."

Whoosh—

Karyl swung the Freezing Talons, slicing through the air.

"I don't deny the power of Colorless Air Sword. Yes, without the dragon's magic, it’s useless. But, its power cannot be denied."

The sword form, aptly named Colorless, contained a myriad of versatile spells.

"Thanks to it, I believe I've got a handle on integrating magic into swordsmanship..." An aura blade emerged on Karyl's sword, far more stable and sharper than before. "But I’m more comfortable with my own swordsmanship," Karyl said with a satisfied expression.

[If Calnere were to hear this, he'd have a heart attack.] Allen shook his head, not in disapproval but with resignation instead. The thrill of witnessing Karyl's unimaginable growth sent shivers of delight down his spine.

"Maybe I should put what I've learned to the test," mused Karyl. But before he could finish that thought, he sensed a presence coming up the stairs. Though his murky aura felt distinctly different from before, it was unmistakably Thomson's.

***

"Where is your report?" Karyl demanded, his tone sharp.

Thompson wiped his forehead drenched in sweat, his face tense with anxiety. "My safety... it's guaranteed, right? If this information gets out, Bargo will surely kill me."

Thomson, his face streaming with sweat as if it were raining, kept glancing around nervously.

"You're as good as dead either way. Magic poisoning has a 100% fatality rate. Whether you get killed or die from the disease, it's all the same. Well, if I were you, I would’ve chosen the method that allowed me to live even a day longer."

Thomson's face crumpled at Karyl's callous remark. With a resigned look, he carefully pulled out a document from within his robe.

Allen fluttered around Thomson, sniffing curiously. [Mana Poisoning? Is it still incurable? Well, it's like the common cold, isn’t it? No perfect cure... But for this guy to look alost haf-dead. He seems to be overreacting a bit too much.]

Karyl smirked at Allen’s words. Perhaps it was curable in the Magic Era, but for now, it remains an incurable disease. Those afflicted with Mana Poisoning are considered to be dead already.

[What? Is that true!?]

In a few years, it will become common knowledge. Narh Di Maug will reveal it after finding a magical tome in the Gray Training Ground. He may have given Fasio a bunch of junk, but the tome containing cures for various diseases, including Mana Poisoning, was among the more valuable ones.

[He found the cure at the Gray Training Ground, huh? Sure, the Platinum Dragon absolutely didn't know about Mana Poisoning. And he surely found the tome there...] Allen snorted in disbelief.

The truth will be clear once we reach the lair. Karyl stated, his expression hardened at the thought.

Thomson, sensing the killing intent—possibly directed at him—shrank back. Damn... It felt like walking on thin ice before, but now he seems even more terrifying. How can a mere kid make such an expression?

Silently, Karyl read the contents of Thomson's letter, his lips curling into a grin. "Where did you find this?"

"I searched the guild based on the initial information you gave me, but... I couldn't find anything," Thompson replied, his voice quivering slightly.

Karyl's eyes gleamed with interest. The task he had assigned Thomson was clear. Karyl suspected that unlike Baker who was a goblin shaman of the action team branch, Bargo Sira, being a merchant, was acting as a courier of the Wooden Cloud.

The first method that came to mind were Quests. He assumed that orders from Wooden Cloud were naturally conveyed through requests coming into the guild. However, Thomson had found no evidence of anything peculiar.

"So, I snooped around the shops Bargo frequents, and stumbled upon this. Usually, the black market doesn’t discriminate against customers, but something felt off. I don't know if this will help... but I hope it does."

Perhaps because his life was on the line, Thomson had gone above and beyond what Karyl had asked for, uncovering valuable evidence. With a satisfied expression, Karyl tucked the document into his clothes.

"Not bad. No wonder you have mana posioning, you are quite the resourceful talent.

"..."

"Don't worry. I guarantee your safety, Bargo won't be able to lay a hand on you."

Thomson’s face brightened. "Really?"

"Of course, you can trust me." Karyl smiled sharply.

Because by then, he won't be alive to do so.