NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 162
I’ve confirmed pretty much everything I wanted to. I even got to see the appearance of the Plague at the end, and after pouring explosives and bullets to take down a group, I stepped onto the contaminated ground during a brief lull. The only thing I regret is not seeing the Disease.
The land so contaminated that no life can survive— there’s not much else except a slight increase in poison resistance. If you think about it, this contamination is just a ripple effect of the aftermath, but with this level, I should be able to endure a direct fight with the Plague.
The mitigation prevented further contamination, and regeneration healed the Wolf’s wounds. I even learned that I could devour the contaminated land with the Void and Devour, so there’s no hesitation now.
As the supply land settled back down, the Wolf checked itself over.
[Remaining Skill Points: 37]
I’m not sure if the achievement condition was to defeat the Butterfly of Covenant or to survive against the Master of All Things, but somehow I reached level 30.
While I suspected it would be about this, it turns out that even though I hit level 30, evolving is impossible. The fact that that route hasn’t even been disclosed means it might take until level 40 or maybe even 50.
But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Evolution is important too, but with the current absurd shortage of experience points, it’s bound to take a while anyway.
Ultimately, I need to drive away more disasters and prevent ruin. Levels will follow naturally in that process. The Plague and Disease will be the cornerstones for that… Honestly, I wouldn’t say I’m without anxiety.
0.1% from Skull Wolf, 1% from Shade. Now that I’ve become the Devourer, I’ve consumed 10%. If I keep going at this pace, I’ll run out of 100% experience points. Maybe there won’t be any evolution down the line after all. Of course, I think that won’t happen… but I guess I need to find out about the system and the single innovation.
And it’s not just evolution that troubles me. The skill points I’ve stacked up from before becoming the Devourer are more than enough to acquire an S-rank skill.
While I may not be able to reach the Master of All Things, I might be able to reach the Plague. But which skill should I acquire? Once you obtain a skill, you can’t revert it. So I have to be cautious, very cautious.
To be honest, my caution and hesitation are tinged with greed. When I faced Agail’s Black Rose, something I couldn’t possibly win against, it was the first and last time I relied on it.
I still remember that unnamed rank skill, Black Fire. The pitch-black flames that instantly incinerated Agail’s Great Magic, the Black Rose, and erased my insatiable desires. —That absolute power seemed to offer what felt like an omnipotence, even if it was merely a part of it.
If I could wield a power like that, wouldn’t I be able to reach the Master of All Things? That thought made me hesitate. I still can’t find any unnamed rank skill on the list, but if it’s above A-rank, it means I’d need at least 64 skill points.
If I use skill points this time, considering the steep experience curve, I might not get another chance.
Seeing the group emerging from the shadows, the Wolf let out a long sigh. Hong Yu-ri’s footsteps up the stairs weren’t particularly lively either. The horrors had disoriented her thoughts.
“I think we’ll have a decision today.”
“……”
“It’s almost there, so don’t worry…”
Those words felt like a self-soothing mantra, and the Wolf didn’t respond. If it did, it would only believe it. With the cooperation from the Square, I could step out at any time.
***
As Baek So-yul wandered around the Purple City, she had many conversations with Anela. Though not an heir, being born in the Square and living almost her entire life as part of the Butterfly lineage, she was a distinguished Purple Mage with extensive knowledge about the magic of the Purple Square.
Even when she bombarded her with questions, Anela answered without a hitch. Unlike her usual relaxed and playful demeanor, her skills were undoubtedly the real deal.
It wasn’t that her brother Agail was the outlier; the Butterfly of Covenant, their mother, simply had high standards. Even if she were deemed talentless, with those two as benchmarks, nearly everyone else would lack talent. Anela, well aware of this, couldn’t help but feel curious.
How far can this girl, the disciple of the Crimson, who boldly declared herself as the successor of the Purple Square, go? Like all mages, would she experience a bone-deep inferiority complex in front of the walls of talent? Or could she indeed surpass those and truly become the successor?
The two enjoyed lunch while remotely admiring the Butterfly Castle. Why did it feel like the remnants seen earlier from the Castle seemed so out of place?
“……”
Following Baek So-yul’s vacant gaze upwards, Anela smiled bitterly. The castle she was looking at was the place where she had been trapped. It was an illusion all too close to the reality created by her mother, consumed by Alpha.
So intricate that even she might have missed it had she not known beforehand. It’s not just a matter of having a good gut feeling. This girl possesses a disturbingly exceptional talent about magic that is simply beyond compare to her own.
“I envy you.”
“……Huh?”
“It’s nothing. Come on, let’s head back? Your master must be worried, right?”
As Anela said this with a smile, Baek So-yul nodded. Now that she was affiliated with the Purple Square, her residency would soon shift to the Purple Square…
As the butterflies fluttered in the breeze that came from somewhere, both of them quietly looked up at the sky.
***
Seeing that one person was absent while everyone else agreed, the Wolf nodded happily. For them, defeating the Plague and Disease was likely a shared desire. This outcome was natural.
While it was comforting not to have the Master of All Things step in, there was also an accompanying anxiety. What if there was some hidden agenda?
After some time had passed, when Baek So-yul returned and the winter’s short day began to grow dim, the Floating Island started to rise. Hong Yu-ri asked Baek So-yul.
“How was it?”
She was inquiring about her impressions from the Purple Square. After a moment’s thought, Baek So-yul replied.
“…It felt dizzying.”
There were countless unsettling feelings she sensed in the city. Since it dealt with illusions rather than phenomena, the magic of the Purple Square was distinctly different from others. A single misstep might affect one’s mind. Purple magic is never simple. If you get lost in illusions over illusions, you might never return.
Anela Morest. She heard numerous stories about her. A difficult and arduous path. It was said that the faction of the Butterfly was perhaps the worst. But precisely because of that, she found herself wanting to give it a shot. Because if she didn’t put in that much effort, there was no way she could be with Alpha.
“So I want to give it a try.”
Hong Yu-ri nodded inwardly pleased at the strong resolution in those words.
“I don’t know about the Purple Square, but you’ll probably only have two days left here at most? Once we finish what we need to here, that girl and I will be leaving. You’ll be staying here.”
Hong Yu-ri gestured towards the Wolf. The very reason for their return to the Square was Alpha’s request, so there was no need for them to be here anymore.
Also, now that Baek So-yul was entering the Purple Square, there was nothing left for Hong Yu-ri to teach her. She merely wished that her resolve wouldn’t wane.
“So…”
Hong Yu-ri took out a small glass bottle from her pocket. It was none other than Alpha’s Dragon Blood. When she turned her head, seeing the tentacle curl into a circle, the Wolf nodded.
Since she planned to hand over the Dragon Blood to Baek So-yul before leaving, if it could accelerate her growth…
“This is the last help I can give you. Follow me.”
With a sense of half-hearted conviction, Hong Yu-ri led Baek So-yul to her room.
After cautioning Baek So-yul several times, Hong Yu-ri let out a sigh. The explanations were over, and they’d soon find out what was about to happen. But as always, unless experienced firsthand, it’s hard to know. Seeing Baek So-yul’s tense and stiff expression, she shook her head.
“…So, should I open it?”
“Yes.”
The process of accepting the Dragon Blood was never easy. This wasn’t an elixir like ginseng, but the blood of a being at the pinnacle of the species. It couldn’t be diluted, and drinking more than the prescribed amount could lead to unpredictable outcomes.
Thus, to ensure that the roles do not reverse. The amount she could drink at once must be carefully controlled so as not to be overwhelmed by Alpha’s magic. Hong Yu-ri had already shared how to do that as she opened the lid of the bottle.
The Dragon Blood of Alpha, which had mighty magic that even Dorothy, the successor of the Square, could hardly handle. As the scent wafted out, Baek So-yul’s eyes grew dazed, and her focus blurred. With an excited expression, she reached for it, only for Hong Yu-ri, with a distorted expression, to swat her hand away.
“What did I say?”
Realizing this, Baek So-yul chewed her lips until they bled. Was she unconsciously trusting in her talent for magic? Accepting this wouldn’t be easy.
Hong Yu-ri frowned and reached for the cap. Did she push too fast? A power that can’t be controlled is worse than having none at all. Perhaps it was her talent in magic that had become a hindrance this time. She thought it might be better to stop here—accepting the Dragon Blood should be done at a later opportunity. With a sigh, Hong Yu-ri pressed her forehead and shook her head to clear her thoughts. Even the Wolf, who was quietly watching her, closed his eyes in silence.
The night spent on the highly elevated Floating Island was filled with each person’s thoughts, while down below, at long last, the Plague was beginning to rise.