On the other side.
Descent.
Descent—
After a familiar sensation of weightlessness passed, the chaotic vision finally restored itself.
Hum—
The Light Brightness Skill was cast from his hand, and a gentle white light immediately spread out, illuminating the surroundings.
Colin looked around, and after a moment, he let out a slight breath.
What came into view was no longer the despair-inducing Gray-White Cave Hall, and the persistent stench of blood around his nostrils had at last dissipated.
But he didn't relax too much, his face still bore an indelible seriousness.
'McIntosh's Magic Potion, huh...'
He murmured to himself, while following the instructions of the voice that appeared in his mind, walking down the gray-white passage in front of him.
The light of the Light Brightness Skill could only illuminate a short distance in front of him on the gray-white passage; beyond his line of sight, the passage was still pitch black.
The protruding vine patterns on the gray-white walls on both sides, with the movement of the source of the white light from the Light Brightness Skill in his hand, cast long dark shadows.
Tap tap tap—
The silent passage was utterly quiet, with only the sound of his footsteps echoing.
Before long.
He arrived at the end of the passage.
A smooth stone door carved with blooming flowers appeared before him.
Click.
As he approached, the stone door automatically swung open.
From the crack of the opening door, a bluish light seeped out, landing on his face, making his blue eyes appear even more profound.
"It's been a long time."
In the small room, at the very top of the pyramid-shaped stone altar, a light sphere emitting a bluish glow was greeting him.
"It's been a long time," Colin's lips moved slightly, his voice a bit delayed,
"...Erica."
But he still hesitantly called out that name.
That familiar voice that had suddenly appeared in the cave hall, it was Erica's.
After instructing him on how to escape, she had briefly explained to him on the path of the passage he just came through about the experiment known as McIntosh's Mad Experiment, and his Magic Potion.
McIntosh's experiment... his heart was still uneasy.
He inexplicably thought of those Apprentices who had died in the rituals—eyewitnesses to the ceremonies.
Until they died... they didn't even know the truth.
After the greetings were over, the room fell into silence.
Colin stared at the bluish light sphere in front of him, silent for a moment, then spoke:
"I'm glad I can see you again, Erica."
Feeling that he hadn't been quite straightforward, he added:
"I mean—I'm glad you're still alive..."
"I am already dead," Erica interrupted him, her voice calm, without any fluctuation.
"I'm just an incomplete ghost... or perhaps, even less than that."
Colin was taken aback, his eyes cast downward.
In this world, it wasn't unusual for a soul to lose its physical body and continue to exist by attaching to something else.
Even many Wizards who were experts in life modifications would specifically change their bodies for a more powerful steel mechanical form.
He had thought that perhaps Erica was in such a situation, possibly having gained some sort of miracle...
But a ghost...
A ghost was another matter.
It was an accidental product born after the demise of the soul.
In the strictest sense, although a ghost retains complete or partial memories of its former self,
In actuality, it is no longer the original soul.
The original soul is already dead.
Ghosts no longer possess human emotions; their way of thinking is completely different.
They know neither warmth nor affection, neither love nor hatred.
Their only driving force to exist is the deepest obsession of the original soul.
"After entering the Dark Forest, I couldn't find a miracle," Erica began narrating, as the crystal ball flickered.
"Eventually, I got lost in a cave, and then I died..."
"I don't know how long had passed, but 'I' came back to life."
"Unlike other weak spirits born from chaos, my memory isn't foggy, it's even surprisingly intact..."
At this point, Erica paused, vaguely mentioning something.
"At first, I was puzzled, but then I thought of the ancestral legend passed down in my family… Perhaps, it has to do with my bloodline."
"In any case, I was stronger than I'd imagined, my power had already far surpassed that of a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, and I was even nearing the strength of an Advanced Apprentice."
"Unfortunately, before I could fully adjust to the body of a ghost—"
"Not far from the cave, the tower spirit inside the McIntosh Wizard Tower noticed me and captured me, planning to consume me to replenish its own essence."
"Then, as you see, I in turn consumed the tower spirit, but I also became damaged."
Colin silently absorbed the information in Erica's words.
"So Colin, as you can see, I pose no threat to you, instead, I can help you escape the McIntosh Wizard Tower that is about to be destroyed."
The crystal ball flickered as Erica continued.
"What do I need to pay?" Colin asked directly.
He stared at the pale blue crystal ball in front of him, already having a vague answer in mind.
"Do you still have the letter I gave you before?"
Colin nodded without surprise.
The crystal ball, seeing this, flickered rapidly for a moment, seemingly expressing joy.
"Good, Colin, what I need you to do is bring that letter and my body back to the capital of the Holy Flame Kingdom, Ryan, and give it to my parents."
"In return, I will help you successfully escape from this Wizard Tower that is about to be destroyed..."
"Not enough," Colin interrupted her.
He took off the silver triangular School Badge from his chest and gently caressed it.
Then he looked up, his deep blue eyes solemnly gazing at the crystal ball in front of him, lips moving slightly.
"I need more compensation from you."
"… Sure, as long as it's within my capability," Erica replied without hesitation.
"Tell me, what compensation do you need."
"I need knowledge."
Colin spoke softly, his gaze deep.
His voice was calm, yet somehow, it evoked the thought of a vast sea...
Beneath which, who knows how many undercurrents surged.
The silver triangular badge in his hand twisted and deformed under the force of his fingers, making a faint noise.
Then, he casually tossed it aside and paused.
He slightly opened his mouth, took a breath, and with a voice as if suppressing something, he emphatically said:
"... I need power!"
"Erica, since you absorbed McIntosh's tower spirit, you must have inherited its stored knowledge..."
"Even if not entirely, even if it's incomplete, I need whatever knowledge there is."
"And any other things that bring power, Witch Tools, Magic Potions, Magic Crystals, wonders...
All of it, anything that can bring power, I want it all!"
The pale blue crystal ball fell silent for a moment, then without hesitation said:
"No problem."
"However, due to the ravages of time, the tower spirit's essence had already been depleted, leaving not much knowledge remaining, and additionally, due to our previous fight and collision, what's left is now even less..."
"It doesn't matter. However much there is, give it to me."
"Alright." The crystal ball said no more.
Buzz—
Moments later, several blue-green balls of light appeared abruptly in the room, then just as suddenly vanished, leaving a scatter of items on the ground.
"First, pick up the ring on the far left; it is a Storage Witch Tool," instructed the crystal ball,
"Then put the white crystal ball next to the ring here with me, and I will engrave all the stored knowledge inside it."
"Okay." Colin nodded, turned around to pick up the Storage Ring.
But as if thinking of something, he suddenly paused and turned back to ask:
"Erica… what did you mean by 'the Wizard Tower that's about to be destroyed'?"