From Genavis to Audun, Lee Sungmin did not take off his mask except for when he ate.
The ghost mask that he had received from Sima Ryunju a year ago, that had initially completely rendered his internal circuits unusable, was not a problem for him anymore as it felt like a natural extension of his body.
This didn’t mean he could use his power to the fullest with the mask on. If anything, he rather liked not using his internal energy at all when he had the mask on.
While wearing the mask, Lee Sungmin did not use any internal energy or yokai power.
Instead, what he used solely when he had the mask on, was the power from the Dragon Heart that had melted down within his body.
It was a wholly different power from mana or qi, the two deviants of internal energy, and even Lee Sungmin could not figure out what the power was exactly.
Perhaps, the answer to that could also be given to him from the owner of the Blue Magic Tower, Xaos.
This was because Xaos was not only an expert on ancient magic of the past, but was heavily involved with his research on Dragons of the past.
Audun was large enough to be called a major city, and the first impression of Audun that Lee Sungmin held when he saw it was that it was a deeply traditional and historic city.
Outside the city, various historical sites were like ruins and the like were abundant, and had been attracting many tourists.
Lee Sungmin did not come to Audun for sightseeing, so he passed the historical sites without batting an eye and headed straight to the Blue Magic Tower.
Lee Sungmin decided not to reach out to Xaos in advance due to the complicated and annoying reach of Beyond the Heavens. Lee Sungmin had no choice but to` not trust those related to the Magic Towers that he did not know due to Beyond the Heavens’ influence.
Lee Sungmin had not met face to face with Xaos, the Blue Tower Master, and he had not heard any discouraging rumors about Xaos, but he did not blindly trust in Xaos either.
Their positions were viewed in completely different light by the public.
Lee Sungmin’s nickname ‘Ghost Spear’ was not well-received by the majority of people throughout Eria.
Even if it happened a few years ago, Lee Sungmin, who was falsely accused of the brutal murders of the Ironclad, Murong Seojin, and Zhuge Taeryong, was labeled as a rogue by the Black Dragon Association and the rest of the Murim Alliance.
Even if his appearances had not been tracked the past year or so, the branding title of a rogue had worked perfectly in hindering his movements and identity.
The Murim Alliance was a huge group, and it has been around for a long time with several established relationships throughout Eria…. One of their closest relationships also happened to be with the Magic Towers.
If Lee Sungmin made an appointment with Xaos in advance, Lee Sungmin was not sure that Xaos would not inform the Murim Alliance of the matter.
Of course, it may not have been known to the public that Lee Sungmin, the Ghost Spear, was in possession of a Dragon’s Heart. But apart from his relationship with the Murim Alliance, Lee Sungmin could not trust Xaos blindly like that.
That’s why he was being extremely careful.
‘It may seem a little rude.’
Lee Sungmin stared up at the tall and overbearing Tower. He looked around and heightened his senses to the extreme to detect any abnormalities around him.
Various detection spells and security spells could be detected within when Lee Sungmin spread out his senses into the area. If he tried to break in forcefully, even with the powers of Transcendence and using the Dark Storm Arts to slip through cracks of space, it would be difficult to go in without setting off the spells.
Lee Sungmin calmly entered the entrance of the Blue Magic Tower. He approached the lobby on the first floor and talked to the receptionist.
“I’m here to see Master Xaos.”
“Have you made an appointment?”
A male wizard wearing glasses immediately asked Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin nodded at the words.
Then the male wizard opened his eyes wide and asked back.
“I haven’t heard of anything on the schedule today, but……?”
“No way. I’m sure I told him that I’d visit him today.”
“Huh…?”
Lee Sungmin lied with a completely straight face. Then the wizard asked again with a confused expression.
“Are you sure you didn’t get the date wrong?”
“No, it must be today. Are you sure Master Xaos isn’t here?”
“No…… that’s not true. He’s up there….”
“Please lend me a pen and paper.”
After confirming that Xaos was in the tower, Lee Sungmin asked the wizard for a pen and paper.
While hesitating, he took out a pen and paper and handed it to Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin quickly wrote on the paper.
Dragon heart.
After that, Lee Sungmin folded the paper into fourths and returned it to the wizard.
“Please give this to Master Xaos.”
“Oh- Of course. Could you please wait a moment?”
The Wizard spoke and soon hurried off to deliver the letter. Soon after, the wizard returned.
“Please come this way.”
Reading the letter’s contents, Xaos seemed to have noticed who came to meet him.
This was enough. Even if Xaos pressed Lee Sungmin with malicious intent, there would still be a limit to what he could do since he wasn’t prepared for Lee Sungmin’s visit. Especially with the content of Lee Sungmin’s letter, he couldn’t dare to be rash in front of Lee Sungmin if he was truly interested.
A Dragon’s Heart was truly worth that much.
Especially compared to martial artists or any other class for that matter, Wizards and Sorcerers were particularly obsessive when it came to objects or any leads that could pique their interests or research.
Xaos’ room was on the topmost floor of the Blow Magic Tower. Lee Sungmin, who entered the room, glanced around and found a small man in blue robes who was picking at his gray whiskers.
The old man glanced at Lee Sungmin, pushing up his glasses over his hooked nose with his fingertips.
“I can’t believe you had the gall to come here without an appointment.”
Xaos grumbled.
Lee Sungmin only shrugged his shoulders and did not protest. It was because he, himself, knew that the visit itself was rude.
“I don’t have a lot of time as I’m just passing through here currently.”
“No matter how much of a rush you say you’re in, shouldn’t you tell me at least a day before?”
“I heard you don’t have any plans today.”
“What does that matter?”
Xaos was angry at Lee Sungmin’s brazen attitude.
He glared at Lee Sungmin, taking off his glasses that he had pushed up. Subject to the fierce gaze, Lee Sungmin casually approached Xaos.
“It’s my first time seeing it in person.”
“Last time, we only talked about it lightly through Erebrisa through mediators. But what is that? That mask?
Xaos raised his hand to point to the mask that Lee Sungmin was wearing.
“I’m using it for a reason.”
“It doesn’t look like a normal mask to me…… oh well, it doesn’t matter.”
Xaos raised himself with such a murmur. He looked up and down at Lee Sungmin and asked.
“It was over a year ago that you ate the Dragon Heart, correct? Actually it’s already nearing two years. Have you noticed any changes?”
It would be better to show it in person than to talk, Lee Sungmin thought. Lee Sungmin raised the Dragon’s Fear without a fuss.
Before training with the mask and with Sima Ryunju, Lee Sungmin could not possibly rouse Dragon Fear on command.
However, now that he was aware of the power itself and had undergone training for it. He could bring it forth on command, and with an unparalleled amount of force than before.
Silently and slowly, a vicious and fearsome pressure started to exude from around Lee Sungmin with tremendous power.
It was the presence of the Dragon’s Fear, unique to the Draconic species, that embodied their arrogant and domineering aura.
Xaos’ composure slightly cracked as he felt the monstrous force coming from Lee Sungmin and spoke as he recollected himself.
“…. Is this Dragon Fear?”
“Have you ever experienced it before?”
“No way, it would be impossible for me to ever encounter this. Dragons disappeared hundreds of years ago. There may be a lot of records left, but I’ve never experienced it firsthand. If I did, there would be no way I wouldn’t recognize it. However, I’m only making a guess from the several records left behind that I’ve studied. But even with those studies, it’s much different from what I expected it to be… How should I say it… it’s frightening.”
Xaos appeared satisfied, though shaking lightly, and nodded his head. Any Wizard throughout Eria, would be interested in the mystery of Dragons at least to some extent. Since their mystery was something completely unexplainable and yet, fantastical.
This was because of the countless records left behind and the origin of magic being so intertwined with their species.
“It’s a shame I can’t compare you to a real Dragon. I thought it was impossible for humans to fully handle the colossal power of the Dragon Heart, but I guess it’s not impossible after all. Or… do you merely have something special I’m not aware of?”
“If you think it has to do with something else, then you’re correct.”
“Wait….What do you mean by that?”, Xaos’ curiosity got the best of him as his interest was completely aroused.
“My body is very different from a normal human body.”
“I wish I could dissect it.”
Xaos looked disappointed and bit his lips as he mumbled in disappointment.
Xaos’ comment was a bit disturbing, but Lee Sungmin would never allow Xaos to dissect him, nor was it Lee Sungmin’s first time encountering such a person.
Instead, he briefly informed Xaos about his current condition to change the subject.
He wouldn’t talk about the Black Heart with Xaos since he didn’t need any advice about it. What he had come here to talk about was, for the Dragon Heart, that was the source of an abundant energy within him that was still mysterious.
“I don’t know exactly if everything can be explained through words… is it possible for you to draw out the power into your energy?”
Asked Xaos. It was not a difficult request. Lee Sungmin raised his fingertips. The power of the magical energy from the Dragon Heart coalesced into his hands. It was not mixed with any of his internal energy or Heoju’s powers.
It was a transparent white color because it was not influenced through Lee Sungmin’s internal energy reserves. The power that bounced off his fingertips rose up and formed a bubble in the air as it approached Xaos.
“Hmm….”
Xaos took out a wand and swung it. A complicated magical formula was created in the air and wrapped around the bubble that Lee Sungmin had coalesced.
“…It surely isn’t mana.”
“What is it then?”
“What is your understanding of Dragons and their source of magical energy?”
Xaos answered by posing the question.
“Well, I thought it was a huge mass of mana.”
“Well… that’s not exactly incorrect.”
As if he knew Lee Sungmin’s answer beforehand, Xaos grinned.
“Mana has always been a part of Dragons and their powers. However, that’s only because they’re influenced with bits and chunks of it in their hearts. Simply put, it means they aren’t pure Dragon’s Hearts. But what you have taken was a pure Dragon’s Heart, was it not?”
It was a waste of thought to be said that it was only a chunk of mana. Xaos coughed in vain, adding the words.
“A Dragon’s Heart is not only a mass of mana. It’s literally the heart of a dragon, and it’s a magical organ in itself. Of course, it doesn’t look like that, though. I’m sure you know of that as well.”
Xaos was correct. The Dragon Heart that Lee Sungmin had consumed had appeared more like an enormous jewel than some sort of organ before it had been processed.
“The body structure of a Dragon is not clearly recorded in history or in books for that matter, but…… I’ve studied dragons for many years. In my hypothesis, A Dragon Heart is not only a mass of mana. It’s the one organ that keeps the dragon alive. Yeah, it’s a heart just like a human’s. Just as a human heart circulates the blood, the Dragon’s heart circulates both blood and mana within its body.”
Xaos pushed the wand aside and poked the bubble.Then, the energy in the shape of a bubble scattered everywhere.
“The magic from history displayed by Dragons is fearsome to say the least. Even a Fireball, which is the most basic of magic spells, is said to have displayed a disaster-like power, a Dragon is the one who uses it. The difference in the output of the spell, the magical formula and the process of creating the spell are all fundamentally different from how humans use them, but I think…… I think the biggest difference between you being able to use these spells and a Dragon, is simply a question of the vessel. Since there’s so many mysteries about a Dragon’s body that are unanswered, this would be my best conjecture.”
“Is that what makes a difference in the magical power?”
“Yes, I’m not sure since I can’t dissect it. But I think you…… didn’t gain a Dragon’s magical energy simply by consuming a dragon heart. The heart itself is merely the organ and simply the tool that is able to process the mana and blood flow, yet it doesn’t create the magic itself out of thin air.”
It was surely an interesting remark. Lee Sungmin had not even told Oslo, or Sima Ryunju, exactly the process of how he had been able to consume the Dragon’s Heart through the powers of the Black Heart inside of his body.
Lee Sungmin unconsciously groped his chest. So was the black heart transforming in order to resemble a dragon’s heart even at this very moment? Was that the reason it was taking such a long time for him to consciously use the Dragon’s Fear, and why were there more mysteries still to be unveiled with the power that came with it?
“If possible, I’d like some of your blood. Would that be okay with you?”
“How come?”
“If I’m able to sample your blood, I’ll be able to understand a lot more without having to actually dissect you.”
“It’s not a big deal, but… there’s something else I came here for other than the Dragon’s Heart….”
Lee Sungmin mumbled and put his hand into his sleeves. What he took out was the golden-colored key obtained from the dungeon.
He came to see Xaos in order to hear any insights to his current physical condition in relation to the Dragon Heart, but also to find out what the key was.
“Hm…What is that?”
“I happened to stumble across it in a Dungeon, and it seems to be bound to me.”
“An artifact…?”
There was a clear interest sparkling in Xaos’ eyes.
He approached Lee Sungmin with an incredulous look. Lee Sungmin held out the key in his palm so that it would be easier for Xaos to see it.
Xaos did not touch the key, perhaps because he already had knowledge of what bound artifacts were like. Instead, he picked up his wand and pointed it at the key.
After a long chant, a blue glow glittered at the end of the wand. Suddenly, Xaos’ eyes opened wide.
“This is… a very ancient magic.”
“Can you interpret it?”
“Wait… wait just a moment.”
Xaos frowned. He stood with the wand in his hand for a long time and concentrated his focus.
He was running several modern formulas inside of his head just in order to interpret the single ancient magic formula bound unto the key.
“There are too many…… It’s- it’s more like a.… huh? A Library…?”
“Library?”
“Library… The characters and ancient glyphs are telling me it’s a sort of library ..….”
Xaos made a groaning sound. Even though he was an expert in ancient texts and dragons, both of them had disappeared a long time ago, so there was still a lot of development to be made in the field of research.
There were only a few magical glyphs left in records that were properly interpreted, and even if one had complete knowledge of those formulas and glyphs, it would be nigh impossible to get a completely accurate grasp of the key’s purpose.
“This…… the key… I think it’s a key to undo the magic of some library…… library…… library. Is there some kind of library in this world protected by ancient magic……?”
Xaos also failed to fully interpret the ancient words related to the key. But he seemed to interpret the use of the key to some extent.
That was all that Xaos could come up with, and Lee Sungmin had no choice but to feel a bit disappointed.
Although he stopped by here on his way to the Sama Order headquarters in Hadras, he had come with his own expectations, but there wasn’t much to be said about the key’s purpose.
In the end, Lee Sungmin ended his meeting with Xaos by handing him a few drops of blood, as Xaos had requested.
“Are you leaving Audun already?”
“Yes, I’m already done with my business in this city.”
Xaos looked a little disappointed. He seemed to have had a lingering desire to study Lee Sungmin’s body.
[The key is related to some library…… I don’t have a clue as to any kind of magical or ancient libraries that he might have been referring to.]
Heoju grumbled when they left the tower. Lee Sungmin frowned as he touched the key he put in his sleeves.
It had to be an important item of some kind, but there was too little information.
‘We can worry about it later. Hadras is not far from here.’
Lee Sungmin put aside his feelings of regret as he looked out into the horizon.
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