Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After all...
No matter how attractive Grimmâs offered terms were, Nairo would not budge. She wasnât going to let this spell, forged from her brother, Nairyâs unconditional love to turn into something of trading value.
Facing utter disappointment, Grimm buried his stillborn dream and had to live on with the pain of loss.
Nairoâs eyes met Grimmâs which glowed in two different colors underneath the Mask of Truth. Suddenly, she took out a book which she passed over to Grimm using the black chain.
âPlease, treat this as the payment for my debt. I will not be participating in the expedition to the Infernal Spirit World a hundred years later.â
After saying this, Nairo left without looking back.
Grimm held on to this book with an astonished look on his face. The leather cover of the book was a deep, dark shade of red, like the dying embers of a fire, which was different from the white or gray leather compositions, commonly found in the Sorcerer World. However, what Grimm was bothered by, was the light blue text written on the book.
These words...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
As the memories came flooding back, Grimm bit his lip in surprise. These words belonged to the Spiritual Script, the same type of words found on the âDevilâs Pactâ he had stumbled upon many years ago!
If one could use his spirit to feel the scriptures, perhaps due to their synchronization in rhythm or due to the complementary nature of the laws, one could easily understand the contents of the book, even if he never learned to read such scriptures.
And thus, Grimm stood still in a trance-like state. His focus was such that even the annoying cries of Myna were ignored.
âYoung Master! Young Master!â
âThe spirit does not fade, as with life which does not wither. The spirit is separated into three parts, the emotional will, the instinctual will, and the unknown connections. The emotional will is the base upon which recognition of life is founded. The instinctual will is the cold, hard will which binds together flesh and blood. Lastly, the unknown connection is what bridges oneâs life with fate...â
Grimm read the parts which contained the Infernal Spirit Worldâs description of the spirit with the utmost focus.
Even though ninety percent of the bookâs content was filled with poetry and songs that praised the Dark Destroyer Infernal God, Grimm read on with great interest for they too, were part of the Infernal Spirit Worldâs history!
âOnly with the Infernal Spirit Scriptures in the First Acraepoid Kingâs temple can one establish a foundation using the spiritâs unknown connection, which can serve as a bridge that brings one closer to the great Life Will located in the faraway unknown worlds during the special hour.â
âInfernal Spirit Scriptures?â
Using the spiritâs unknown connection as a foundation and utilizing amassed spirits as an instrument for one to communicate with the great unknown Life Will?
Grimm took in a deep breath.
It seems that this expedition to the Infernal Spirit World is one that he must not miss out on!
Grimm gradually regained his senses after which, he shut and tucked away the âHymn of the Infernal God, Dark Destroyer, Seventy-Three Passagesâ. Just as he was doing this, he heard the hoarse voice of Myna calling out to him.
âYoung Master, Young Master...â
âHm, what happened?â
Grimm asked, surprised.
âYoung master, Iâve been yelling at you for the past hours! See, my throat has gone bad from all the shouting now. Wu, wu, wu, wu...â
Myna seemed aggrieved, by whom Grimm had no idea. He gently patted Mynaâs head and shot a look at the Thousand-eyed Carnicus, who stood on guard the whole time Grimm was absorbed by his reading.
âWhat happened?â
Grimm inquired.
âJust now, Third Ghostpepper threw some hideous words at you and said that he would see you in the next Demon-Hunting Trial! I mean come on! A Demon-Hunter Sorcerer with merely a Rank-2 Honor Badge and he dare hurl such words at you! Heâs plain disrespectful to you at this point.â
Grimm shook his head.
Now, hundreds of years had passed since Lefayâs death and Grimmâs feelings and rationale had changed over time. Back then, he had no other avenues to vent his frustration other than out onto Third Ghostpepper and his fellow Dark Demon-Hunters.
On life and death in the Endless World, no one could be blamed. The only thing that could be blamed was the cruel laws that governed the Sorcerer World...
No!
Thatâs not right, the cruel laws in the Sorcerer World could not be blamed. In the end, the one at fault here was the cruel mistress called fate...
The Demon-Hunting Trial was the indirect cause of Lefayâs death which deprived Grimm of his simple, yet beautiful wish of seeing Lefay live out the rest of her life in peace and tranquility. He could not see his wish till the very end and it planted a seed of regret which sprouted into a large tree over the course of Grimmâs life.
He swore that he would never take part in this Demon-Hunting Trial group!
If this Third Ghostpepper fellow wanted to join this Demon-Hunting Trial so badly then so be it.
With this notion in mind, Grimm spoke to the Thousand-eyed Carcinus, âCarcinus, how are your wounds?â
The Thousand-eyed Carcinus being the only surviving soul slave that returned with Grimm back from the Infernal Spirit World had sustained significant injuries. At the very least, one of its claws was rendered permanently disabled.
While Black Isotta had the means for regenerating badly damaged limbs as in this case, why would he do so at the cost of wasting away copious amounts of resources just for a soul slave who could be so easily replaced?
Using the same amount of resources, Black Isotta could trade with other Stigmata Sorcerers for more level-three soul slaves.
âIâm fine. Theyâre all external injuries as far as I can tell.â
The Thousand-eyed Carcinus carried Grimm on his back, flying towards the Void Fortress at a leisurely pace.
At the moment in the Burrow World, the Bright Demon-Hunter Sorcerers and Mechanical Marionettes were no longer capturing slave creatures anymore as the existing slaves had piled up into a small hill on the Void Fortress. For now, they were being sent in large batches back to the Sorcerer World through the World Delivery Gate.
Looking at these Mechanical Marionettes, an idea popped into Grimmâs mind.
To Grimmâs understanding, every Void Fortress had in storage, large numbers of Mechanical Marionettes. In fact, every Holy Tower and Sorcerer Tower too had large reserves of these Marionettes. However, he had never seen Mechanical Marionettes that were officially ordered to engage in battles during the Sorcerer Worldâs expeditions.
Was it because it would breed weakness and incompetence among Demon-Hunter Sorcerers if they relied too much on these Mechanical Marionettes?
If so, then why was the Holy Tower of the Seven Rings so focused on amassing these Mechanical Marionettes?
After all, even to the ancient sorcerers, these Mechanical Marionettes were nothing but cannon fodder...
Grimm could not help but feel intrigued by this. Though, the perspective of a great stigmata sorcerer could never be experienced by a lowly Demon-Hunter Sorcerer like him.
It was precisely at this moment.
Suddenly, a large-scale spatial fluctuation emerged from the Void Fortress as the spinning magic clouds of the Sorcerer Tower accelerated noticeably.
Grimm paused and murmured to himself: âIt seems that the Stigmata Sorcerers have gone back already.â
âYeah, but my master hasnât left yet.â
Thousand-eyed Carcinus said, before its body suddenly jolted. A moment later, he continued in a nervous tone, âLord Grimm, my master asked to see you right now.â
âAh? Oh, alright.â
Grimm was surprised. Why did Black Isotta summon him, what did he want?
A short while later, Grimm once again arrived at the big hall within the Void Fortress. Only this time, Black Isotta was alone by himself.
The space around the Stigmata Sorcerer collapsed continuously as he sat high up on the Elemental Chair, his eyes fixed onto Grimm who had entered into the great hall.
Grimm hurriedly performed the sorcerersâ greeting.
âMy respects to the great Black Isotta Stigmata Sorcerer.â
âMm.â
Black Isotta acknowledged Grimmâs presence before breaking into a laugh.
âKu ku ku ku, Grimm, you have performed well in your last mission. You saved me a lot of trouble with what youâve done. I must say, you certainly are deserving of that Rank-1 Honor Badge.â
Whenever a Stigmata Sorcerer awarded a Demon-Hunter Sorcerer with a Rank-1 Honor Badge, he himself, had to pay a high price to the Holy Tower. To be awarded said badge means the sorcerer must have made a sizeable contribution to the Stigmata Sorcerer personally and be acknowledged for it.
Receiving praise from a Stigmata Sorcerer, Grimm couldnât help but smile a great smile, which was hidden under the Mask of Truth.
âIt was all for the sake of the great Sorcerersâ Will.â
Grimm replied humbly.
Nodding his head, Black Isotta stretched out his skinny palms and on top of the spatial distortion which produced a low ârumblingâ noise, a pitch-black energy ball expanded before fading away into thin air. Then, on his palms appeared the corpse of an Acraepoid holy messenger and a Crystallized Energy Stone.
âKu ku, this is a Level-3 Acraepoid I sealed in the Dark Realm. Seeing that you would like to make a specimen out of it, I got the Bone Bell Stigmata Sorcerer to strip its spirit from its body.â
Grimm was stunned. He had forgotten about this long ago.
A look of delight was painted on Grimmâs face as he said, âThank you, Black Isotta Stigmata Sorcerer.â
âYoung Master, I have no taste for such creatures.â
Myna whispered into Grimmâs ears. Upon hearing this, Grimm glared at Myna before storing away the body of this Acraepoid holy messenger, named Sungta as well as the Crystallized Energy Stone containing its sealed-off spirit inside, into this Dimensional Gap.
From the depths of the Crystallized Energy Stone, Grimm could feel a fearful spirit wailing in despair.
âKu ku, considering that you have saved me quite a lot of effort, If you are willing to participate in my expedition to the Infernal Spirit World a hundred years later, you shall receive my special care and guidance. The combination of spirit and flames in that world should be of interest to you. Perhaps, you should research on it if youâd like.â
The power of the Infernal Spirit, in comparison to the Foreign World Spiritual ability to open up World Gates sought after by the Stigmata Sorcerers, it was just an afterthought.
Grimm chuckled under the Mask of Truth and replied assuringly, âIt is true that a hundred years later, I choose to follow you to the Infernal Spirit World.â