The 31st Piece Turns the Tables

Chapter 292

Crack!

The black spear, crackling with lightning, tore through the Large Soldier's armor and buried itself deep into the ground.

"Oh my god…"

"Dodge it!"

ZAP—!

The massive energy unleashed from the black spear shattered the Large Soldier entirely—embedding a crater onto the 4th floor of the library.

Swoosh…

And that hole was instantly filled back in.

"Wh-what the… What was that thing…?"

Everyone except for Seol turned to Jin Ryeo.

"That was the beloved weapon of the Dragon Lord, someone famous in Northern legends…"

"Oops! To think such a crazy thing was next to us all this time!"

"If the Dragon Lord had been summoned, we would have been all dead."

"That's why I confirmed it with Kunna…"

"Who is Kunna?"

"It's a Djinn!"

Upon hearing that a Djinn confirmed it, Joneh and Santio's expressions softened a little.

"Hmm, I see. I guess it's okay since a Djinn confirmed it. Otherwise, things would have gotten troublesome."

Jin Ryeo's eyes sparkled as she said, "But where did the black spear go? Even if it's a fake, I wanted to see it in person…"

"It disappeared. After all, the more serious the problem, the quicker it gets dealt with."

"But I wanted to see it in person…"

"Don't even mention it. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. It’s not like I also don't want to see the spear myself."

"Oof… It does make your heart race, right?"

"Yes, yes—no, that's not the point. In any case, we're lucky things worked out well! If you were my granddaughter, your legs wouldn't have made it through unscathed!"

The Dragon Lord's unfulfilled desire was something he needed to reclaim someday.

His black spear was so renowned that even commoners had heard stories about it.

'Could I have wielded it?'

No—he realized it was impossible the moment the spear was summoned.

'There are too many restrictions in place.'

The black spear had many restrictions. Even if it had appeared right before him, it wasn't something that could be easily wielded.

While Seol was lost in thought, Johneh and Jin Ryeo continued talking.

"But why do you know so much about that book?"

"Well, isn't the Dragon Lord famous?"

"Hmm…"

"He's the only person who took something from a Dragon. So, how could anyone not be interested? He's worshipped like a god in the North…"

"Your point is valid. I had momentarily forgotten that the Winged Mountains are in the North. So, were you born and raised there? Seeing how you've even made a contract with a Djinn."

Nod…

Jin Ryeo nodded.

"Anyway, since we've gained nothing while the Large Soldier was blocking the way, let's continue our search."

Everyone agreed with Santio's suggestion and scattered to look for the books they wanted.

As time passed, the giant's remains crumbled into dust and disappeared.

Lost in thought about what lay ahead, Seol began searching for the books listed in the catalog.

Swoosh…

He found one book.

Swoosh…

He soon found another.

'Hmm?'

Their search was progressing faster than expected.

'I thought getting even one book would be difficult…'

They managed to secure all the books from the list that could be gotten on the lower floors.

"Ah! I've found them all!"

It seemed Jin Ryeo had some luck as she also found everything. After finishing their search early, they decided to wait for Joneh and Santio.

However, Seol suddenly felt something strange.

'Come to think of it, why were they at the Library of All Knowledge?'

Suspecting that Santio would avoid the question, Kang Seol approached Joneh.

"Sir Joneh."

"Hmm… It isn't here. As expected, it isn't on the lower floors. But what is this trace of teleportation magic? It doesn't seem to be one of mine, seeing how sloppy it is…"

"Sir Joneh."

"Ah, yes. I was distracted for a moment with something…"

"Why did you visit the Library of All Knowledge?"

"So you were curious about that…"

"Yes."

Joneh scratched his sideburns before answering.

"Actually… I came here because I've hit a wall in my progress."

"Yes…?"

Joneh was undoubtedly an Archmage.

Aspect Magician Frannan was someone amazing, but Joneh was someone given a higher position. After all, he was a Magic Tower's master. Of course, Frannan had also shown exceptional power among Aspect Magicians and had become a Magic Tower Master himself, so it was hard to use him as a baseline.

Regardless, to think that Joneh and Santio—both highly esteemed Magicians—had hit a wall that led them to seek answers in the Library of All Knowledge.

- Oh… To think these old folks are still energetic.

It was a voice he hadn't heard in a long time.

'Bornuil…?'

- Hahaha… It's been a long time. How have you been?

He used to be under Ur's mind control in Alcatron. After losing his life to Frannan, he was now sharing Ur's body.

To be more precise, he served as a suppressant to prevent Ur from harboring dangerous thoughts.

Bornuil rarely woke, preferring to sleep within Ur's body unless something significant occurred, though it seemed that the unusual energy of the Library of All Knowledge had woken him up.

- It seemed I had been asleep for quite a while. With how busy Ur has been, I haven't had much to do. But the Library of All Knowledge of all places—I guess no Magician would pass up such a place.

While Bornuil was speaking, Joneh and Santio began explaining the situation they were in.

"It's been years since our mana has increased even slightly, and we’ve seen no real progress. So when we heard that the Library of All Knowledge had appeared, we couldn’t resist. As you know, Magicians are quite honest about their desires. We left our responsibilities to our subordinates and came here right away."

"Although Joneh is putting it a bit harshly, they're true."

"Then, are you two after a specific book?"

"Well…"

Joneh and Santio exchanged glances while avoiding the question.

- They are undoubtedly here to obtain Azran's writings. After all, he was the only Magician similar to them who reached the pinnacle.

'So, they're after the same thing?'

Seol had no intention of yielding.

"I don't intend to tell you even that."

"Even old people have their secrets.

Seol nodded.

"Understood. Then…"

"Yes, let's go up."

As they were about to head up, Seol paused for a moment and turned to Joneh.

"Sir Joneh."

"Y-yes? Why?"

Seol seemed to ask Joneh something and Joneh nodded.

"Hmm… You have a point. It doesn't hurt to be cautious. Give me a moment."

A short while later, Joneh returned after completing Seol's request.

"All done. Let's go."

"Yes."

* * *

Step…

Step…

Bzzz…

They eventually reached the 5th floor.

The sign clearly read resting area.

It was a perfectly circular room. The bookshelves here were completely empty.

Seol felt uneasy.

'What if no one else is here yet?'

They had split on the 2nd floor, so he had no way of knowing if he would meet them before reaching the 5th floor.

Considering that even Magic Tower Masters had been stuck on the lower floors for months, this worry wasn't entirely groundless.

With these concerns in mind, Seol approached the center of the resting area when a familiar voice called out to him.

"He's here! Seol! What took you so long?"

"Chi Woo?"

"We've been waiting. I was starting to get worried… I'm glad."

Seol was greeted by Chi Woo and Seol Hong.

"Me too! I'm here too!"

"Ah, Jin Ryeo…"

"Lord Chi Woo! Don't trail off like that! That's rude!"

A man sitting behind Chi Woo and Seol Hong said.

"So you've arrived."

"Hamun, when did you get here?"

"We arrived a bit earlier."

"That's a relief."

"But… Who are the two elders behind you?"

Joneh and Santio were walking toward them from behind Kang Seol.

"Who could they be~?" Jin Ryeo playfully asked.

Seol Hong and Chi Woo exchanged glances after a brief moment of contemplation.

"Could they be Magic Tower…"

"Hahaha… Is it because of his appearance that we're recognized wherever we go?"

"You're one to talk, Joneh."

"Why…"

Seol Hong's short sentence encapsulated the question of why the Magic Tower's Masters, Joneh and Santio, were at the Library of All Knowledge.

Joneh and Santio shared the same story they had already told Seol.

"I see… Did you manage to achieve anything?"

"We would have already returned if we had. But you all…"

Joneh's gaze sharpened.

"Since you're all gathered here, I can see it clearly: there's something unusual about all of you."

"Indeed. We've encountered Libra's disciple before, so leaving him aside, the others…"

Just as Joneh mentioned, the energy emanating from Chi Woo and Seol Hong was far from ordinary.

Even Seol had been startled by it on several occasions.

'The same goes for Hamun as well.'

Hamun, too, was radiating a presence on a whole different level from when they first met in Nobira. It wasn’t that he had become stronger—it was his very presence that had changed.

It was no surprise that Joneh and Santio were curious.

When they asked about it, Seol Hong and Chi Woo kindly explained it.

"Oh! I see! So you're descendants of the Dragon Emperor."

"I knew there was something unusual… But what brings you here?"

As they discussed the current events unfolding in the Great Empire of Khan, Joneh muttered with a serious expression.

"Hmm… To think such a thing had happened while I was away."

"Such a situation could certainly pose a threat."

With that, their introductions about each other concluded.

Next, they had to assess how close they were to achieving their goals.

"This…"

"We've found everything, haven't we?"

Surprisingly, they had located all the books Hamun wanted before reaching the 5th floor.

"Then…"

"Should we go back?"

Hamun nodded, "We no longer have a reason to keep climbing. We should go back and…"

"Hamun…"

Seol looked at the group and said, "I'm going to continue a bit further up."

"Huh? From here?" Chi Woo asked in surprise.

Hamun's eyes narrowed.

"So you’re still looking for something…"

"Yes. There's something I must confirm."

"Hmm.. In that case, it would be best for us to part ways here. Waking up the Demonic Spirit will require some preparations anyway. I'll go ahead and start the preparations."

"Thank you."

"What about the rest…?"

Jin Ryeo went first, "Ah, I don't mind going back. I got an amazing book…"

Having met the old gentleman of the Library of All Knowledge earlier and gained something valuable, Jin Ryeo was eager to return and delve into it.

Seol Hong and Chi Woo hesitated for a moment before replying.

"We're going to head back as well."

"We're going to wait for you."

That gave Seol peace of mind.

While their presence would undoubtedly be reassuring while fighting, the dangers of being separated again, especially from this point onward, where the risk increased, couldn't be ignored.

Seol Hong stepped closer and took Seol's hand. "Seol."

"I'm sorry for making you wait."

Seol Hong shook her head.

"If it's something important to you, I can wait. As long as you promise to come back to me."

As Seol Hong spoke with a resolute expression, Seol replied with a faint smile.

"I'll finish it quickly and come back."

A smile appeared on Seol Hong’s face.

"Then that's enough. I'll be waiting."

The group took the books Seol handed over and exited through a special door in the rest area of the Library of All Knowledge.

Suddenly, Seol was left alone with the two elderly.

- We were left with the worst picture.

- Everything was bright and cheerful just a few moments ago!

- The atmosphere has gone rotten.

Seol and the two elders sat at the table where the others had just been and took a break.

While Seol sat in silence with his eyes closed, thinking about what lay ahead, Ur's voice broke the silence.

- But what's the deal with Azran's book or whatever that those two decrepit Magicians are so fixated on it?

The answer didn't come from Seol but from Bornuil.

- Azran is a Magician recorded in history as someone capable of uniting those troublesome Magicians. His magical prowess was rated higher than any other Magician in history. So naturally, many…

- Rated higher than anyone? You dare to say that when I exist…?

- Ur, didn't you call yourself a Wizard? Fufu.

- Fair enough… I can hand over the insignificant title of Magician. But it seems he's left something behind in the Library of All Knowledge.

Bornuil calmly explained to Ur. It was surprising how smooth their conversation was going.

- There was a rumor that the Great Magician visited the Library of All Knowledge before disappearing from this world. That's why many risk their lives to challenge the library.

- Hmph… They're probably making a fuss over nothing.

Ur still struggled to comprehend the full magnitude of the Grand Duke of Frost’s power. Because of that, Seol thought that an appropriate comparison was needed.

'Ur, Azran didn't even lack compared to the Immortal who created the Void.'

- What? Is that true?

'Yes. He was unmatched, especially when it came to magic.'

Praising himself felt a bit strange.

- Hmmm… Interesting. Now I'm curious about what that guy left behind. I’ve been feeling stuck on trying to move to the next stage, so this is great.

'Huh…?'

- Bring me what he's left behind. I'm going to prove I'm greater than that Azran.

'Ah, okay…'

Seol snapped back to reality after listening to Ur's words.

Ur was the first Wizard. Although no one could verify it, he was known to have been incredibly powerful in the past. What would happen if such a being got his hands on the Grand Duke of Frost's legacy?

'I'm getting too ahead… I'm not even sure it's here.'

While Seol was spending time thinking, Santio approached him.

"I think that I need to give you a warning before we move ahead."

"A warning…?"

"Before coming to the Library of All Knowledge, Joneh and I have reviewed the recent records."

"Ah, you're talking about that! Yes, that's right. Santio and I have noticed something strange."

Seol tilted his head as Santio began explaining the suspicious records.

"It's true that not many challenge the Library of All Knowledge. But it isn't exactly rare either. Those with clear objectives tend to achieve decent results. At least, that was the case until recently…"

"Until recently? What does that…"

"Not a single one."

"Yes?"

"Among the ones who moved forward, there wasn't anyone who returned to the resting place—not one made it back alive. It's strange. Because in the past, there were at least a few who made it to the sixth floor and came back. But now? Not a single one."

Santio clasped his hands.

"What I'm saying is that something might have gone terribly wrong on the upper floors."

Creak…

Seol said while standing up.

"I'd rather not give in to fear prematurely… So, you're coming or not?"

"Haha… Youth is really a wonderful thing."

"For your information, Joneh is utterly terrified. Just pretend you didn't see anything if she ends up making a mistake."

"I won't!"

"You aren't scared?"

"No! I won't make any mistakes! But I'm indeed scared!"

"Is there a reason you're moving forward despite your fear?" Seol asked.

"Standing still is even scarier! You’ll understand when you get older. How terrifying it is when the hands of the clock refuse to move forward… Now, let's go!"

With that, Joneh, Santio, and Seol headed to the next floor.

* * *

The 6th floor.

No—after reaching what had once been the 6th floor, the three stood bewildered, glancing around in confusion.

"What the…"

"It's a mess. And this terrifying energy…"

The sign that should have been there was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah… Damn."

"Joneh?"

"I finally understood."

"Yes?"

"Those crude traces of teleportation magic I found back on the 4th floor."

Joneh had said back then.

- …But what is this trace of teleportation magic? It doesn't seem to be one of mine, seeing how sloppy it is…

"What does…"

"It matters. Someone seems to have attempted to swap the rules of the 4th and 6th floors."

"Why would anyone attempt to do that…?"

"To get what they want. Either revive someone or claim some treasure. What a fool!"

"What about the result?"

"It seems they have only half-succeeded. There are traces on the 6th floor that were partially changed to those of the 4th. Due to that shock, the 7th floor collapsed. It seems the 6th and 7th floors have fused."

In other words, Seol and his group weren't just on the 6th floor. They were on the combined 6th and 7th floors.

As they walked further, he understood what Joneh meant by only half-succeeded.

"That's…"

"Oh my god…"

A huge demonic beast lay dormant, blocking their path.

"It seems the rules weren't applied properly. Clearly, the summoning of that terrifying beast wasn't intentional. We must absolutely avoid opening any books here. The entire space might collapse this time."

Santio frowned. "Judging by the bloodstains scattered around, that beast seemed to have devoured all the people who reached the 6th floor. No wonder no one had made it back alive. Do you think it will disappear?"

"Don't count on it. That sloppy magic has messed everything up. It wouldn't be surprising if that beast lived for thousands of years."

Joneh sighed. "Even at first glance, it's clear that's no ordinary creature. But there has to be some way… Hmm? What are you doing?"

"…"

"Is there something wrong?"

Seol carefully moved toward the side of the demonic beast—to where its head rested.

"H-hey…"

"What are you planning…"

Seol looked at the sleeping demonic beast and asked while smiling.

'It is, right?'

- How unbelievable.

Ur replied to Seol's question.

- To think we would meet not one, but two.

A dark and ferocious creature.

Its majestic fur and fearsome fangs that could make anyone tremble.

This demonic beast seemed familiar.

'Jamad, you can do it, right?'

- It won't be hard. After all, there's a precedent.

Joneh and Santio seemed worried upon seeing Seol grinning from ear to ear.

"Umm…"

"Stand back."

"Wh-what are you trying to do?!"

"Sh…"

As Seol said that, the two cautiously stepped back.

Crack…

After activating Night Crow, Seol clapped.

Clap—!

Grr…

Stirred by the sound of the clap, the massive beast woke up from its sleep.

However, as if it hadn't fully woken up, it stood up while shaking.

Seol said while looking at the demonic beast.

"Koko, come out."

[Summon Phantom Beast: Shadow Wolf activates.]

[Passive: Sudden Appearance has been activated.]

[Koko, the Happy, affects Jamad's skills.]

"Do you recognize it?"

Awoo-!

Upon being summoned, Koko wagged its tail excitedly and barked, staring at the Shadow Wolf that looked like it.

Just like Koko, the wolf blocking the 6th and 7th floors was a Shadow Wolf.

"If you know them, put in a good word for me."