harleyscars Page 539
Page 539
"I choose to remain silent so that those memories that have already cooled down will no longer boil over."
Matou Ike nodded, as if in agreement, or perhaps to confirm some kind of "tacit understanding".
For magicians, the master-apprentice relationship is not just a teaching relationship.
If there is a blood relationship between master and disciple, the magic imprint will be transplanted along with the bloodline. Even if there is no blood relationship, choosing to open the mysterious door to the disciple means entrusting a part of one's "magical career" to the other party.
in other words--
Isn't a magician simply the continuation of "time" itself?
Therefore, whether it is a master slayer or an apprentice slayer, the act of "severing the continuity of time" will cast a heavy shadow over the magic world.
Killing a teacher means eradicating the past; killing a disciple means denying the future.
Either way, they run counter to the magician's essence of "pursuing eternity".
Of course, as Matouike knew perfectly well—
In order to reach the root of the problem, magicians have long been accustomed to trampling all principles underfoot.
The term "master-killing" sounds terrifying, but in the eyes of some schools of thought, it is nothing more than a common trial and a process of severing ties.
Shortly afterward, the train slowed down.
As the train gradually slowed down to ensure passenger safety, blue light shone into the previously dark carriage through the windows.
It was an incredible light, unlike any other sunlight on Earth. A light that evoked both nostalgia and unease.
"...So, the train has arrived at its destination."
The conductor solemnly announced.
Those words were practically a revelation.
"The uppermost level of Albion, the Tomb of the Spirits. Unfortunately, even with the capabilities of this train, the safest reach is only this far."
I don't know if it's just my imagination, but his tone sounded as if he was expressing a hint of regret.
The car door opened slowly, and after a moment's hesitation, he bowed deeply.
"Although it may be presumptuous of me to say this, I sincerely wish you all good fortune."
The place where we got off the bus was like the foot of a mountain.
The Demon Eye Collection Train immediately started moving and disappeared into the hazy mist beyond.
Perhaps this fog was a phenomenon that accompanied the train, and it dissipated within minutes, leaving the scenery of Albion imprinted in their eyes.
High above, a canopy emitting a faint glow unfolds.
Such a huge and wide canopy.
"...You can't see such a sky anywhere else except here."
Yvette murmured, a hint of awe in her voice.
Matouchi turned around and looked at the ground beneath her feet.
Not far away are continuous mountain ranges, cut as if bitten by some giant creature, showing unnatural faults and steep slopes.
Rivers meander through the cracks in the terrain, their flow patterns not entirely natural, resembling some kind of pre-designed "technical pipeline."
Even more striking are the "urban clusters" rooted in the cracks of the basin.
The cities weren't tall, but each one resembled the central hub of some kind of magical mechanism. Towers, pipes, and engraving devices intertwined like sprawling branches, and some blocks were even built atop massive magical crystals, radiating a crystalline green glow.
They cling to the earth, as if they were born to devour this vital energy vein.
That's... a mining city?
During the train journey, Furu briefly mentioned that place.
The bridgehead established by magicians in Albion, the Tomb of the Dead.
"Oh my, the underground world I haven't seen in ages?"
Fulu seemed a little annoyed, cracking as he turned his neck.
He slowly gazed at the canopy and vegetation, and continued:
"Yes, that's right... As expected of the Demon Eye Collection Train, it brought us to the location I specified."
Chapter 589 The Immortal Architecture (4k)
"Was it the location designated by Mr. Furu?" Yvette asked, tilting her head.
"Yes."
Furu nodded casually.
"We can't let the Magic Eye Collection Train take us all the way to the center of the mining city, that would be too conspicuous. Even so, we have very limited time this time, and the shortest path to our target level can't be too far away."
As he spoke, he patted the bag on his back.
"Before getting on the bus, I brought my old equipment with me."
His bag was bulging and looked like it was stuffed full of something heavy. As he spoke, he tapped his chin with his knuckles and surveyed the surrounding foothills.
It's like confirming spatial stability, or like searching for some kind of "coordinate residue".
"All right."
His tone suddenly became serious, and he spoke faster.
"Let's confirm this now—there are still 22 hours and 50 minutes until the 'cycle recurrence' window for the target layer ends. In other words, we can only arrive and complete the deployment before then at the latest."
He tapped the oddly shaped magic timing device on his wrist with his finger, then looked up at the two of them:
"Although we've all had the minimum rest we needed on the train... from now until we complete the mission, everyone must maintain a 'continuous combat state.' No sleeping, no relieving ourselves, no drowsiness, is that alright?"
“No problem,” Yvette replied crisply, as if answering a standard question from etiquette training.
Matou Ike nodded, his expression calm and composed.
“Very good.” Furu snorted and took off his bag from his back. “Then—everyone, put this on.”
As he spoke, he quickly unzipped his jacket, pulled out several pieces of grayish-brown fabric, and threw them at the two men.
"...What is this dirty cloth for?"
Yvette gripped the corner of the fabric with a hint of displeasure and unfolded it with a look of disgust.
"Hey, hey, spare me." Furu wrinkled his nose.
"You're not really planning to sneak into the city in that 'noble lady's adventure outfit,' are you? Not to mention you, even Lord Matou's attire is too clean and tidy. You'll be spotted in a place like that."
After saying that, he grinned, tossed the largest cloak onto his shoulder, and continued tying it on as he spoke:
"Don't forget, that's a mining city for magicians. Besides impurities, pollution, and counterfeits, the most taboo thing is someone who 'looks somewhat respectable.' — Being too conspicuous is like telling others, 'I have valuable things here,' understand?"
"Ugh..." Yvette couldn't refute it, so she could only look away and sullenly pull up the fabric to cover her smooth, shiny blonde hair and her delicately shaped shoulders and neck.
Although she was reluctant, she obediently did as she was told.
She wasn't some willful, headstrong heiress.
On the contrary, as long as the reason in front of her is plausible, she will switch her style more readily than anyone else.
After all, if she were just a proud noblewoman, no matter how strong her magical talent was, she would never have been able to survive in the world of magicians to this day.
"Alright, could you show me the way, Mr. Furu?"
Matou Ike interrupted the lighthearted banter between the two at just the right moment, his tone remaining calm.
"Oh, of course."
Furu nodded without hesitation, then raised his hand to indicate a direction, "Then, everyone, follow me."
After he finished speaking, he strode off onto the path leading to the city.
These three were all magicians who had undergone physical enhancements, and their speed far exceeded that of ordinary people.
The group practically swept across the foothills and plains in the wind. Without conversation or hesitation, they reached the edge of the city they had initially seen from their vantage point in less than twenty minutes.
"……This is……"
Yvette stopped, looked ahead, and muttered to herself.
When viewed from the foot of the mountain, it initially appears as a town born from a desert civilization—a city of yellow sand sculpted by wind erosion in the heart of the Middle East.
But once you get close enough, that impression is immediately shattered.
From the very foundation of its architectural structure, this city is different from cities on the ground.
If you had to describe it, it's more like the interior of a giant insect nest.
Honeycomb, anthill, or some kind of natural three-dimensional structure that should not exist in human civilization.
The buildings were not made of reinforced concrete, but rather seemed to have "grown" out of the earth, with uneven surfaces and numerous holes. Some looked like they were directly bulging out of the ground, while others simply crawled out from fault lines, forming winding and primitive streets and alleys.
It is as if the settlement was born from some kind of "geographical mechanism" in the underground world after it shaped itself.
The center of the street was bustling with people moving about.
It is less a city and more a living organism of some kind of "urban life form".
Compared to the clock tower, where the hierarchical structure is immediately apparent, this place appears more chaotic, yet also more vibrant.
People of all skin tones, hairstyles, and makeup mingle and move about on the streets.
Most people were wrapped in shawls similar to the fabric distributed earlier in Furu, covering their bodies and faces. The fabrics were often stained and patched, indicating that they were residents who lived in an environment of high friction and low light for many years.
The area is mostly populated by young people, with very few elderly people to be seen.
And amidst the crowds, there are some enormous figures that are hard to ignore—
In this city, vehicles have been replaced by a variety of alien creatures.
They do not belong to any known fantasy species lineage, nor do they resemble any surface animals.
Some resemble the warhorses ridden by mounted police, but with two additional segmented forelegs;
Some are enormous, resembling rhinoceroses, with crossed horny crowns on their foreheads;
There were even tortoise-shell-like beasts carrying several pedestrians on their backs, slowly crawling along the road, making a sound like leather rubbing against rocks.