Chapter 204
Yurian brought the cup gently to her lips.
“Why? I just thought it’d be nice for us sisters to catch up after a while.”
“Lies. You don’t really like me, do you?”
Her words made Yurian’s expression stiffen slightly.
Jupien, still doing push-ups—451, 452—muttered sullenly, “I’m not stupid. I’m smart enough to guess that you’re hiding something dark inside.”
“That hurts. I’m not the one who hates you.”
“Then what do you want? I don’t have time to listen to empty words.”
Yurian sighed softly.
“I called you because I have news that could help you. A magic sword was found in a small ruin south of the Dark Maga. It’s a magic sword imbued with phantom sword techniques. It could be a great asset to you. I want you to get it before anyone else does.”
Jupien, still lying prone, tilted her doll-like face in confusion.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“As your sister, I want to do you a favor.”
Yurian chuckled softly.
“I’m not lying when I say I don’t hate you.”
“……”
“I also hope this might bring us a little closer.”
Jupien frowned.
Standing up, she slipped her coat back on.
“I’m not interested in getting closer to you.”
“……”
“I don’t need that magic sword either. I plan to get stronger on my own. I’m leaving now.”
With that, Jupien vanished in a flash.
Left alone, Yurian gave a bitter smile.
“Jupien’s instincts are sharp, as always.”
She probably suspects Yurian harbors some dark secret and is wary of her.
“But this time, I’ll let it slide.”
Yurian covered her face with both hands.
Her voice sank deep and heavy.
“I don’t want to kill you, Jupien. Not yet.”
A chilling confession.
Soon, a terrible storm of blood would sweep through Dark Maga.
Countless lives would be lost, and a crimson tide would flood the land.
All by Yurian’s own hand.
“It’s almost time.”
She gazed out the window at the sprawling Dark Maga.
No matter how many times she looked, the sight was endlessly repulsive.
‘The day I escape this hell isn’t far off.’
There was only one thing troubling her.
“Christiang is going to teach the vassals?”
If Dark Maga’s forces suddenly grew stronger in a short time, it could change everything.
But Yurian shook her head.
‘That won’t happen.’
She knew Christiang was exceptional, but this was too much.
Above all, time was too short.
Less than a month remained until the ‘Day of Fate.’
No matter who, no miracle could be worked in such a brief span.
Then, suddenly—
“Ugh.”
Yurian coughed up blood.
Blackened blood.
Not only that, but a dark pattern began to bloom on the pale nape of her neck.
The Devil’s Flower.
Like a monster casting shadows, the demonic bloom spread branch by branch across her body, as if trying to consume her.
“Ugh.”
She gritted her teeth, pain contorting her face.
Her whole body trembled as she clenched her fists tightly, managing to suppress the Devil’s Flower.
“Haah.”
Yurian exhaled a weary sigh.
‘Just a little longer. Stay strong.’
The moment her preparations were complete,
‘Despair’ would descend upon Dark Maga.
With the power Dark Maga currently held, it would never be able to withstand that despair.
Meanwhile, in the Dark Maga’s training grounds,
Count Kazar came to see Christiang.
To receive his teachings.
“You’re here, Father?”
Christiang greeted him casually, causing Count Kazar to frown.
“What on earth are you thinking?”
“What do you mean? I’m planning to make Dark Maga stronger. With my genius guidance, it’s definitely possible.”
“No, that’s nonsense…!”
Though he had pretended to trust Christiang in front of others, Count Kazar himself was just as doubtful.
But—
“Let’s get this over with quickly. I plan to raise your rank to mid-7th star within six months.”
“!!”
“That’s the level you’ll need to perform well at the upcoming Dark Festival.”
Count Kazar’s mouth fell open.
He thought he could accept any crazy claim from his son, but this was beyond reason.
“Do you know how long I’ve been stuck at upper 6th star? Nearly ten years.”
It wasn’t just Marquis Langham who had hit a wall.
Most demons had.
This wasn’t unique to Dark Maga.
Everyone in the Mage Empire, even the allied forces, faced the same.
Everyone eventually hits a limit and growth stalls. No matter how many decades of effort, they can’t break through.
And now Christiang claimed a few lessons would shatter that barrier.
It was no wonder those who heard him were not just baffled but angry.
“That’s because you’ve worked so hard for so long.”
“What?”
“I can’t fill an empty vessel. But you and the others already have vessels brimming over. You just haven’t found the path to climb the wall.”
“……”
“If given the right trigger, you can grow to mid-7th star at a rapid pace.”
Count Kazar looked dazed, unable to believe it.
Christiang held out his hand.
“This is—”
“A Phantom Stone. It will guide you.”
He had prepared it in advance.
Christiang shrugged.
“I’d teach you personally if I had the time.”
“……”
“But since I don’t, just follow what’s recorded in the stone. You should reach 7th star advance within a month, lower 7th star in two months, and mid-7th star in half a year.”
“What…?”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me. Oh, and be sure to activate the stone in a safe place.”
Count Kazar shook his head and left.
‘What kind of help can this stone possibly give?’
Though he trusted his son, this time he just couldn’t believe him. Christiang seemed reckless.
‘I’ll check what’s inside first.’
He almost activated the stone, then hesitated, recalling the warning to do so in a safe place.
Once fully prepared, he activated it.
A voice echoed.
—Please lower your mental barriers.
“!!”
It was Christiang’s voice.
‘What?’
Lowering mental barriers would leave him defenseless against illusions and mental attacks.
But—
—Father, please trust me.
Count Kazar obeyed.
Then—
—Please completely lower even your deep subconscious defenses.
An impossible request.
If he lowered his deepest mental defenses, even a small shock could leave him broken.
Still, hesitating, he complied and activated the stone.
“!!”
His consciousness was transported into a vision.
A vast world.
Infinite in expanse, yet utterly empty—a white void of nothingness.
Then came a startling message.
—Your mind is trapped in this void.
“!!”
Count Kazar’s eyes snapped open.
He tried to break the illusion, but it was useless.
Because he had lowered his deepest defenses, he was completely trapped.
—There is only one way out of this illusion. Establish your own world within this void.
‘What?’
Count Kazar’s face twisted in disbelief.
Regardless, Christiang’s voice continued.
—Only those who establish their own world—their own microcosm—can gain the right to defy the laws of reality.
—Only then will your ‘annihilation’ hold the possibility to sever the laws.
Count Kazar looked bewildered.
‘You expect me to do that on command?’
Then another voice sounded.
—I will offer you some assistance.
At the same time,
Rumble.
The edge of the void began to collapse.
The change was ominous.
—Miracles that break limits always bloom from crisis.
—If this collapse swallows the void you inhabit, your mind will perish.
“!!”
Count Kazar’s face went pale.
—There is only one way to stop the collapse. Reflect your will onto the void and paint over the collapsing parts with your own world.
—Note that this collapse will continue endlessly until you perfectly establish your world.
Count Kazar swallowed hard.
He was being told: if you want to live, you must succeed in creating your own world!
—Please struggle, so I won’t become an unfilial son.
The message ended with a voice that sounded almost teasing.
“……”
Count Kazar stood frozen for a moment, then shouted in anger.
“You crazy son…! When I get out, I’ll give you a beating worthy of love!”
Christiang tapped his fingers, recalling the contents of the Phantom Stone he’d given Count Kazar.
‘By painting over the collapsing void with his own world, he can establish his own microcosm.’
Everyone has their own inner world.
‘Establishing’ means finding one’s own answers within that inner world, transforming it into a microcosm.
‘Father has already done most of the preparation. The problem was that the clues were scattered and not harmonized.’
The final step required a catalyst to piece together the fragmented clues—that was the purpose of this challenge.
But it was an incredibly risky move.
If the answer wasn’t found, Count Kazar would truly face death.
Chris felt a flicker of concern but shrugged it off.
“That won’t happen. This trial was carefully calculated based on Father’s current abilities.”
Chris hadn’t just thrown together the illusion stone haphazardly.
He had designed the trial precisely, drawing from his observations of Count Kazar over time.
It was a razor’s edge challenge—just barely surmountable.
“If it looks like he can’t overcome it, I’ll get a signal. In the worst case, I can step in.”
Chris shrugged again.
“Still, it’s going to be tough. And this is only the first gate.”
Of course, the trial awaiting Count Kazar wasn’t just about the void world.
He had no idea what kind of ordeals he would face inside the illusion stone’s realm.
“Well, it’s all out of filial piety. Maybe that makes me a good son in my own way.”
Soon after, Merian arrived.
Chris handed her an illusion stone as well.
“You’re going to train using this?”
“Yes, Aunt. I made it carefully for you, so it should be a great help.”
“…”
Merian took the illusion stone with a skeptical look and disappeared.
‘Aunt’s going to face trials far harsher than Father’s, but it’ll be fine. I even slipped in some cookie illusions here and there to keep her spirits up and prevent her from giving up.’
He’d included some especially delicious cookie illusions as a little encouragement.