Chapter 12

Chapter 12

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Swoosh!

I soared upward at a steep incline.

The once vast lake now appeared diminutive at a glance, and the Rosenstark buildings became tiny dots below.

I gauged the distance to my destination.

‘Fortunately, I should be able to arrive before the duration runs out.’

While Polymorph seemed like a versatile ability, it had several constraints.

One of them was the understanding of the target.

A deep understanding was essential for the longevity and stability of Polymorph.

On the other hand, if the understanding was lacking, the transformation was severely limited.

‘So, I had a bit of a struggle back in the day.’

In my early days, when I wasn’t familiar with human society, I often found myself unexpectedly reverting due to insufficient understanding.

I reminisced about the times when my polymorphed form lasted less than a minute.

“.......”

Recalling the process I went through to understand the target—especially a falcon—I felt a moment of melancholy.

Despite the constraints, Polymorph was a useful ability.

With sufficient understanding of the target, I could maintain the transformed state almost indefinitely.

‘It’s a shame that I can only replicate the appearance.’

If only I could replicate not only the outer shell but also the abilities of the target.

Imagine how much more effective I could be at filling the void of the ‘real’ in various situations.

‘No, that’s just wishful thinking.’

It seemed like I was still processing the impact of the recent interview.

A sense of crisis set in.

It was because the level of the students he had to teach was higher than he expected.

There were also many variables.

‘...I need to cultivate the ability to cope with variables.’

The moment something unfamiliar entered his field of vision was back then.

‘...That place.’

The guidelines had disappeared without a trace.

Dark sky.

There was a swirling vortex of blue magic power.

‘A portal?’

I realised that I had found it correctly.

Spatial movement magic, Portal.

This was nothing short of a symbol of the First Era, a high-level magic.

In the present era, most magicians, except for a few, couldn’t cast spatial magic.

It’s not for nothing that transportation systems have developed.

As far as I know, only Zero could maintain a high-level magic of spatial movement in the vast sky for hundreds of years.

Swooosh!

I briefly reconsidered the portal and observed its surroundings.

The entrance was so narrow that only one person could barely pass through.

‘I can’t see anything.’

Only pitch-black darkness was churning.

“...Kik!”

What kind of protection did this guardian have that it was hidden so carefully compared to others?

A strong sense of anticipation tingled in my stomach.

There was no more hesitation.

I flew into the portal.

‘Whatever it is, I just need to get stronger.’

Woo!

Taking a deep breath, the moment the portal emitted a bright light, I threw myself into the light.

A dizzying sensation of falling followed.

* * *

The inside of the portal had a different air.

The cold and sharp wind was nowhere to be found.

A dry and warm atmosphere seeped through the feathers.

It felt like arriving in a cave.

But there was no time to linger leisurely.

Woodduk!

Quickly, I cast the second polymorph.

In an instant, the feathers disappeared, and sticky skin took their place.

A smaller body.

A much lower viewpoint.

Unbearable tingling in the throat.

I croaked.

“Croak, croak.”

The smallest creature I could take the form of.

I’ll spare you the details of what I did to understand frogs.

I hopped into the damp space between the rocks.

It was a precaution in case there was a trap.

▲

In an instant, unrecognizable symbols and numbers blurred my vision.

‘Is it reacting because it’s an artifact related to Zero Requiem?’

It seemed like the creator of the Iris of Laplace was now clear.

‘I wonder if he knew about the real thing.’

Another comment quickly appeared.

▼

Artifact: Robe of Zero Requiem –

Crafted by the great archmage Zero Requiem, adorned with 128 magical inscriptions. –

Enchantments: Master-level spells including

“Magic Nullification – 64 inscriptions,”

“Shape Transformation – 12 inscriptions,”

“Comfort Enhancement – 4 inscriptions,”

“Mana Absorption · Storage – 48 inscriptions.” –

Special Ability: It can release stored mana for external magical effects. –

Caution: If all mana is depleted, the embedded magic won’t function.

▲

In summary, I wasn’t sure if the skull belonged to Zero, but the robe was undoubtedly his.

This robe was an artifact with high-level dispelling and various convenience magic, even capable of external magical emission using stored mana.

I was momentarily stunned.

“How can an artifact like this exist...?”

How many mages above Master rank could wield such high-level offensive magic?

Currently, beyond Master-rank mages include ‘Rudwick Bosman’ of the Maetop Order and the Hero companion ‘Larze Gion.’

In reality, even if the true Hero were present, this artifact would be cause for celebration.

It practically freed the wearer from magical attacks.

‘For someone born with magic resistance, it might not be necessary, but for me...’

I needed it.

With an improved mood, I put on the robe.

The fabric smoothly enveloped me as if alive.

“Truly worthy of being called a treasure.”

As I thought of an elegantly sophisticated suit, the robe instantly transformed its shape.

The dust and bone residue that had accumulated in every crease vanished as if it were a bonus.

It seemed like the enhancements of Comfort and Shape Transformation had manifested.

“...Alright, where is this?”

It was regrettable that it wasn’t the eighth blessing, but obtaining such a high-performance artifact without a fight was fortunate enough.

After a final glance at the altar with a bit of regret, I headed back towards the portal entrance.

‘...Oh?’

I stopped in my tracks, feeling a strange unfamiliarity.

Tilting my head, I glanced back, precisely towards the altar.

“Huh?”

However, upon closer inspection, my gaze had subtly shifted away from the center of the altar.

‘This is strange.’

I tried to force my eyes to move again.

Useless.

My gaze slipped left and right as if my body refused to look at the altar.

I removed the Iris of Laplace and tried again.

This time, it was looking at a different spot without even sensing discomfort.

A slow shiver crawled up my spine.

...Come to think of it, why didn’t I think of breaking or searching the altar?

It was as if someone unnatural prevented that thought.

“Magic?”

As I realized this, the discomfort intensified.

My eyes felt irritated and stiff as if there were some foreign substance in them.

‘Is it a disguise spell? Quite an impressive level.’

Even with the Iris of Laplace, it was barely noticeable.

I might not have even realized that there was magic in this place even if I died and woke up again.

“He’s really a bizarre character.”

Realizing this fact, I chuckled in dismay.

This robe, or rather, it was not a reward but a kind of key.

A key leading to the ‘real treasure.’

My heart raced uncontrollably.

Was this extraordinary artifact merely a ‘process’ and not the result?

It was evident that something more significant was hidden.

I stood right in front of the altar.

“Dispel.”

Starting from the edge of the robe, light quickly illuminated the entire cave.

The radiance was so intense that it could be likened to a flash.

Amidst the brilliant light, a sharp sound echoed.

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