Chapter 161: The Guide

When they returned after clearing the ninth floor, the once pure white waiting room was gone. It was replaced by the solemn scenery of a castle.

“Wh-Where are we?”

“There are only two ways to leave the Ancient Tower. One is when you fail to clear it.”

After all, the Ancient Tower was also an object within Blackout.

So failure meant death and the dead body would be expelled outside.

“The other way is to leave through the reward room prepared at every ninth floor.”

As he spoke, Jun pointed behind them. Not to the familiar black door, but to a space connected to a desert.

“Once you receive the reward and head out through there, the Ancient Tower ends. It disappears completely.”

“Ah…”

At that moment, Eleanor pointed toward the throne located at the end of the hallway.

“Is that chest beneath the throne the reward?”

“That’s right. Once we open that and leave, it’s over.”

However, Jun’s eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the chest placed at the throne.

The chest I used to know was a fairly well-decorated treasure chest.

But now, it looked more like a machine made of gears than anything else.

Could it be related to that thing we saw when we headed to the ninth floor?

A phenomenon he had never seen in the game. What exactly was it?

The one thing I’m sure of is that it’s connected to something beyond this world. According to the game lore, the Ancient Tower was created in the past to select heroes.

If so, then had the tower judged them not merely as visitors but as individuals possessing heroic potential?

Is it because of Aiden? Or is there another reason?

Jun had never heard of anything like this happening in the community.

Either way, since even the reward chest has changed, maybe the reward itself will be different too.

With that in mind, the group who were slightly on edge approached the chest and Aiden stepped forward to open it.

“Uh… what is this?”

What landed in Aiden’s hand was…

“A jewel?”

A single jewel, gleaming with a brilliant green color.

“What are we supposed to—huh?!”

At that moment, the green jewel slipped out of Aiden’s hand on its own and flew toward Jun’s arm.

By the time the startled Aiden had half drawn his sword, the jewel had already been absorbed into Jun’s arm.

Jun furrowed his brow slightly as he stared at his arm.

Inside Jun’s arm was the dimensional bracelet he had received from Shylock and the green jewel had entered that bracelet.

How did it get in? That bracelet isn’t supposed to open without its owner’s permission.

True to his nature as a mage, Jun focused less on the result and more on the process… but only for a moment.

“This energy feels kind of familiar.”

“You feel it too, senior?”

They weren’t the only ones who noticed it.

“It looks like that World Tree… thing the leader brought last time.”

“I thought so too.”

The pure energy of the forest.

When Jun opened the dimensional bracelet and pulled out the World Tree’s essence…sure enough, there had been a change.

“The marking looks a bit different now.”

“A bit? That’s more than a bit.”

Just as Eleanor pointed out, a new marking identical to the one on the green jewel had appeared on the World Tree’s essence.

“It seems like some sort of effect was added… hold on.”

As Jun focused his magical power into his eyes to inspect it, Eleanor who was watching from beside him spoke first.

“Something has been added to the energy that connects all of us.”

“Ah.”

Hearing that, Jun nodded as if a realization had struck him.

“It’s a function related to mental defense.”

The long-sought artifact for protecting the mind.

And not just any mental defense artifact….it was far beyond what Jun had hoped for.

This… it includes amplification magic?

Using principles similar to ancient magic, this artifact had the trait of becoming more powerful the more people were linked to it.

This is huge.

Artifacts of this caliber were practically priceless.

Jun, who had been debating whether to spend time seeking out hidden pieces due to his limited funds, found himself smiling brightly at the unexpected windfall.

“You’re really enjoying this.”

“Haha… Well, seeing how pleased you are, I’m satisfied too.”

“But how do we use it for mental resistance, exactly?”

If Jun was this happy, there had to be a good reason.

Jun answered, as if the question was just what he’d been waiting for.

“It’s a power all of us need. In my case, it enhances resistance to my innate ability…”

[Mana Body] which constantly tried to draw the user’s mind into the flow of mana.

When it came to resisting that, no stat was more important than mental strength.

And that wasn’t all.

“Maya, in your case, you’ll be able to converse more deeply with the spirits of your ancestors.”

“……!”

She hadn’t yet mastered the way to truly communicate with ancestral spirits, but once she did, it would bring about explosive growth. Like a blocked vein suddenly opening.

“And Aiden. Remember that possession you experienced back in the alchemists city? This will give you resistance against that.”

“Ah!”

“And finally, Eleanor. I don’t need to explain, do I?”

“You mean I’ll be able to resist that damned Outer God’s interference?”

“Exactly. The stronger your mental strength, the more free you’ll be from the Outer God’s influence. And you may even be able to take off that eyepatch.”

“Hmm……”

But did that mean it was useless in battle?

Absolutely not.

Even after grueling fights with giant monsters like the one just now, it could ease the exhaustion they felt.

“The higher your mental strength, the greater your stamina becomes.”

Only then did the companions look at the World Tree’s essence, now with its newly gained function, with strange contemplative eyes.

“Well, in any case… at least all that hardship paid off.”

This expedition had yielded many rewards.

Aiden had obtained the Wind Spirit, Maya had gained a clue for communicating with ancestral spirits, and Eleanor had acquired [Basic Magic Talent].

“If only every mission could be like this.”

Maya muttered wistfully.

But whether that wish would come true remained to be seen.

***

It happened just after they each finished resting and stepped out of the Ancient Tower.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

They had barely emerged when a figure in a deep robe appeared before them.

The moment he showed himself, the companions immediately shifted into battle stance, but the robed man spoke again.

“Such caution… No wonder the Count places his trust in you. Please, lower your weapons.”

“…When you say ‘the Count’, you mean Count Mordenain, don’t you?”

At Jun’s question, the robed man nodded.

“In the middle of this desert, who else would stumble upon the Ancient Tower by chance and wait for you here?”

“…Then, what business do you have with us?”

“The Count has an urgent request, and so I was sent.”

“A request?”

If there had been such a thing, it could have been brought up during their last meeting.

Why bring it up only now? Had some new problem arisen?

“It would be best if you heard the details in the Origin City.”

“But just traveling there from here would take months.”

Even descending from the fifth level to the first would take quite a long time.

At that, the man in the robe lifted his head and gave a faint smile.

“There’s no need to worry about that.”

“…You’re…”

Recognition flickered across Jun’s face, and his expression tightened slightly.

He was an NPC Jun had known since his days as Lee Jeong-jun.

“The Guide?”

“Oh? You know me? That’s unusual. My name isn’t exactly one that’s known to the public…”

The man seemed surprised at Jun’s reaction, though likely not as much as Jun himself.

The only person capable of wielding spatial magic.

An ordinary human who could freely cross space.

How that was even possible still remained a mystery.

In the game, he only appeared before the player when a great crisis struck the Imperial Family.

He was someone who could create passages connecting directly to the surface.

Naturally, Jun’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. Spatial magic had always fascinated him.

“Haha, you truly live up to your reputation as the mage the Count has taken an interest in. You already know of my abilities, don’t you?”

“I’ve only heard rumors.”

“I’d very much like to know the source of those rumors, but… haha, in any case, will you answer the Count’s summons?”

“Would you give me a moment?”

Whatever the case, asking his companions first took priority.

“The Count’s calling for us? But who exactly is that man?”

Even Eleanor who prided herself on knowing the workings of the Empire’s leadership didn’t recognize him. So Jun gave them a brief explanation.

“He’s just called the Guide. As far as I know, he doesn’t have an actual name.”

“The Guide…?”

Even Aiden, a prince himself, looked puzzled, while Maya narrowed her eyes and turned toward the man.

“Is that really… a person?”

“What makes you say that?”

Maya answered Jun’s question.,

“He’s clearly standing here, but… it also feels like he isn’t.”

“Yeah, I’ve felt something similar.”

Eleanor agreed with Maya.

It seemed that whatever it was, only the two who were sensitive to souls could sense it.

“I’m not entirely sure about that part myself. Anyway, he’s a mage who can use spatial magic.”

If he remembered correctly, he’d been affiliated with the Imperial family for generations.

“So, something like an intelligence agent?”

“Pretty much.”

If a major crisis were to occur in the Imperial family, he was the one who would deploy the forces stationed in Blackout to the surface.

However, according to what Jun had heard in the game, it was a power with many limitations.

“For someone like that to come greet us in person…”

Perhaps already sensing the gravity of the situation, Eleanor’s expression grew heavy.

“I’m fine with it.”

“If it’s a matter concerning the Imperial family… I don’t think I can take it lightly either, senior.”

The two nodded, and Eleanor let out a light sigh before responding.

“If something big has happened, it’s probably better to be at the center of it than to get caught up from the outside.”

Making a judgment similar to Jun’s own, Eleanor also cast her vote in favor.

“Have you finished your discussion?”

“Fortunately, my companions are willing to go as well. Will you lead the way?”

“Haha, that’s a relief. Then, would everyone please take a step back?”

As the Guide spoke, the group each took a step back.

“I will now escort you to the Count’s reception room.”

At that moment, magic began to distort around the Guide.

At the same time, Jun’s eyes lit up.

The magic is distorting space itself.

Its form resembled folding and refolding a long piece of fabric, drawing the ends closer together.

Is something like this even possible?

Just how much magic power would it take to distort space to that extent?

Jun couldn’t even begin to imagine.

If it were about the amount of magic stones the Empire uses in a year, maybe then it’d be worth attempting.

In other words, it would cost an astronomical sum.

And he’s using that on us…

This mission was clearly not going to be an easy one.

“Phew. It’s ready. One thing to keep in mind when entering; it might make you a bit dizzy.”

The portal was complete.

The companions stared at it in awe and then, one by one, stepped forward.

“Well then, I hope we have another chance to meet again, Mage.”

“…Thank you for the impressive display.”

Lastly, Jun offered a respectful farewell as a fellow mage and stepped through the portal.