Chapter 65. Demon Core (4)
When he was young, Lito Varslan traveled the whole world.
To hone his alchemy, he sometimes gathered materials himself, and sometimes sold potions and magical items to use the auction houses. In doing so, he would, unintentionally, attract attention from time to time.
Royalty, nobles, merchants, adventurers, and more.
Those who recognized his skills approached him, and some entrusted him with requests for alchemical creations. But among them, there were also violent types.
Of course, he always managed to escape in plain sight, but the truth was that he nearly died more than once. Those were days that were both nostalgic and perilous.
Through such a life, he naturally encountered countless masters of skill.
Lito evaluated Verden by that standard.
"This is, simply put, a monster."
Araneid and its spawn were crushed.
At close range, he evaded the blow of a Golem with ease and pressed the fight one-sidedly, and even split the earth to cast the Golem into an abyss where the bottom could not be seen.
But what was even more astonishing was that, despite using that much magic power, he stood tall without fainting in the slightest.
'Then what were the 4th-tier mages I've seen until now?'
Were they all trash?
Looking at this, that was the only thought that came to mind.
"Asher, where on earth did you learn magic?"
"I learned it from my master."
The disciple of a renowned teacher, that was the background of 'Asher'.
Hearing this answer, Lito sank into thought.
'A master who could raise such a monster… is he perhaps a tower master?'
Whatever the case, this cannot all be expressed with the word Genius.
If his innate tier limit is the same as a tower master, tier 7 or higher… then one day he will surely cause a great upheaval on a world scale. Lito instinctively felt that he might become a monster beyond even a tower master.
'It's terrifying to even think about.'
And yet, it was delightful.
A stimulation he had not felt in his peaceful life for so long, that pounding thrill he once felt in his youth.
A mage with such overwhelming talent. If he were to absorb the Demon Core here, what would happen?
Lito was simply too curious.
Wandering the world, feeling firsthand how the world gradually changed, those were truly unforgettable moments.
To think that at age seventy, he would encounter such a mage. Truly, it is worth living long.
Lito planted the Rozenflower in a pot, and placed it inside his spatial bag.
"Hmm, well, the business is finished, let us return now."
***
After arriving at the cabin, Lito immediately prepared the alchemy of the Demon Core and the Salamander's heart. Wearing gloves coated with insulation and a thick mask, he spoke to Verden.
"It will take about two days, so it would be better for you to rest in Combelly Town. There isn't really anywhere to rest here."
Two days, huh.
"If I help, could it be finished sooner?"
"Hmm? Well, if there's a proper assistant, perhaps half a day sooner… wait, do you perhaps know alchemy?"
"I can manage assisting."
In the Bohemirn Magic Tower, he had been forced to make potions. He also had overall knowledge of alchemy.
Judging himself coolly, he would not call himself outstanding, but he could follow instructions to some degree.
"Heh, what kind of life did you live at that age… I don't know who your master was, but it seems he taught you nothing but magic and study except when you were asleep. At this rate, you'll say you can even draw magic circles."
"I can."
That was, in fact, his specialty.
Verden drew a simple magic circle. Seeing the blue-flickering formula, Lito blinked blankly.
"…Truly insane."
There was nothing else he could say.
Shaking his head to regain his senses, Lito began the alchemy.
Wearing the same equipment, Verden followed Lito's instructions like a machine.
He peeled the shell of Jordan's Nail, ground the core into powder, and mixed it with water in which Rutemil's Hand and the root of the mana blossom had been boiled.
Then, repeating the process, he boiled and strained the petals of the mana blossom and other ingredients again and again.
Meanwhile, Lito separated the components of the Mandrake extract.
Even a single mistake would cause huge losses, a critical process. With a grave expression, he extracted the necessary components, then mashed other ingredients together, squeezing out every last drop of liquid.
Then he mixed it with the Mandrake extract. All the while, he separately extracted the life force and magic power contained in the Salamander's heart.
In alchemy, timeliness is life itself.
If even one second is late, the components will change into something entirely different.
But in the processes they performed, there was no corruption at all.
The liquid Verden made under Lito's instructions, and the extract Lito made, were poured into one bowl, then a top-grade magic stone was placed inside.
Lito wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Perfect. Now, we only need to wait about seven hours. The Salamander's heart will take about the same. Asher, your alchemy skills aren't so bad. If I hadn't been directing, you would've ruined it from the start, though."
"I told you, I can only assist."
"Kekeke, that's true."
Lito turned his gaze toward the Demon Core.
"Come to think of it, I forgot to ask this. Asher, do you know the effects of using a Demon Core?"
"I know, to some extent."
The Demon Core.
By absorbing the magic power within, a mage's overall prowess increases.
First, mana circuit reinforcement.
Second, increase in total magic power.
Third, increased casting speed.
Fourth, purification of magic power.
These four, and in the magic tower, it was mainly given to the tower master's disciples or mages deemed worth investing in.
Since no one could absorb more than one, it was used in this way to cultivate talent.
"You know the gist, but the second doesn't seem necessary for you, does it? At your age, to have that much magic power already."
Lito's words were correct.
The effects Verden truly needed were only two.
His magic power was so vast it was hard to measure. And the magic power of his body, reconstructed by Defying the Heavens, was pure as a deep blue sea.
Thus, the second and fourth effects were virtually meaningless to him.
It did not matter.
Even with only the first and third effects, it was worth the investment.
"Somewhat less efficient, but even the other effects alone are enough for me."
"Of course they are. The difference between one who absorbs a Demon Core and one who does not is unmistakable."
But.
"You still know nothing of its essence. Then again, what mage with a Demon Core before their eyes would ever attempt to analyze it? They would be too busy snatching it up and absorbing it. It is sheer foolishness, to fill one's stomach without knowing what it is one is eating."
Essence?
When Verden tilted his head, Lito continued.
"Well, since you helped me, and it was enjoyable too, I'll explain it specially. The effects of the Demon Core you mentioned are correct. Strictly speaking, those are the effects that most mages receive. But the meaning of the Demon Core is not merely to increase magical ability. More essentially… it serves to supplement the parts of a mage's body that are 'magically' lacking, and further elevate them, becoming one with the body."
That is the essence of the Demon Core.
But because, for most mages, what is lacking are those four things, they all display the same results. Yet, the fact that there are differences between individuals is proof in itself.
"Only when you know something properly, can you use it properly."
Lito tapped his head with his finger.
"The misconception born of wrong knowledge, that unconscious belief, greatly affects a person. Because they arbitrarily limit the effects of the Demon Core, no other results appear. It is the same principle as a patient's illness easing from a fake medicine."
"You mean there are other effects to the Demon Core?"
"Well, who knows? I've never seen them, so I cannot say. But it is certain that the Demon Core possesses potential beyond that. To give an extreme example, what if a mage with no lacking parts in his body were to absorb a Demon Core? Naturally, no one knows. There cannot be a human in this world with a magically perfect body. But no one can assert that it would display the same effects as with other mages. Such a possibility exists, so as you said, it may indeed display other effects."
Stretching, Lito rose to his feet.
"I need a nap. Getting old, my stamina fails me in many ways. If you are tired, find a spot and get some sleep. I've set the time, so don't worry."
Yawning, Lito went upstairs.
Left alone, Verden recalled his words.
'A perfect body…'
***
The next dawn, Verden and Lito were finishing the final steps.
By the time the sun began to rise, at last they completed it, the elixir crafted from the Demon Core and the Salamander's heart.
"Take one first, and the other a month later. They are opposites, and no one knows what might happen otherwise. Your body might even go boom."
"Is that true?"
"No. But spacing them out is correct."
From Lito, Verden received the Demon Core and the elixir.
He carefully wrapped them and stored them inside his spatial bag. Verden bowed politely.
"I shall take my leave. If chance allows, I will ask for your help again."
"Kekeke, it seems you plan to work this old man to the bone. In return, do not bring me trifles, but something as entertaining as this Demon Core."
Bang. Lito closed the door.
He did not know when he would come back here, but he felt it would not be long. Lito's alchemy was far beyond anything Verden had imagined.
Turning his body, Verden soared into the sky.
Once he rose beyond the reach of the Dream-Flower, he headed deep into the forest. There, he searched for a place untouched by human footsteps.
'That spot will do.'
A silent forest.
Landing at its center, Verden manipulated the terrain to dig out an underground tunnel. Entering, he erased all traces, then opened a few tiny air holes.
Then he shifted the terrain again, forming a vast chamber deep underground.
'With this, there will be no interruptions.'
At its center, Verden sat, and drew out the Demon Core from his spatial bag.
Now that he had it in hand, there was no reason to delay.
Grasping the Demon Core, he pressed it against his chest, near his heart.
Fwoooosh! As he filled his mana circuits with magic power, the Demon Core began to react.
Its magic power gradually burrowed into Verden's heart, and the two differing energies began to entangle.
"Kh…!"
Within a single mana circuit, two kinds of magic coexisted.
It was time for the clashing powers to naturally merge, but the situation took a different turn.
The Demon Core's magic, which had spread through his circuits, suddenly gathered back into his heart, then exploded outward with overwhelming force.
The power bursting forth was far greater than the magic he had held before.
Since he could not discern from where this magic had erupted, Verden was confused.
But this feeling… he had certainly felt it before.
At the power source of the magic tower.
Fwaaaaaaah!
From the magic circle of Defying the Heavens engraved on Verden's body, a blue light burst forth.
Then, the vast magic power flooded into his body, and gathered in his right eye.
"Krrrk…!"
An agony like his eyeball bursting, like his brain being crushed.
Yet Verden instinctively understood that this was not dangerous. It was the same sensation as when Defying the Heavens had reconstructed his body anew.
The pain was merely part of the process.
"…!"
Crack.
Clenching his teeth, he suppressed the scream rising in his throat, his nails dug into the ground. Blood dripped from his lip, bitten hard.
Convulsions shook him, nerves rending apart.
…How much time had passed?
As if waking from a dream, the pain was suddenly gone. His body was utterly tranquil. Though drenched in sweat, everything felt strangely light.
Ssssh.
Verden opened his eyes.
Eyes brimming with magic.
In his right eye, the same pattern as the magic circle of Defying the Heavens he had engraved upon his body, shone with magical light.