Chapter 181: Chapter 182: Reversal of the Law (2)

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Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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INFINITE MAGE

As they moved forward another 10 meters, the smell of blood grew stronger.

Tess, feeling the tension rise, was about to suggest to Shirone to slow down.

Suddenly, the cave shook, and blunt pillars shot out from the walls. They were large and fast enough to crush a human.

Shirone's group instinctively backed away.

From a safe distance, they saw dozens of pillars crisscrossing from the cave walls, creating a bizarre sight.

“Is everyone okay? Anyone hurt?” Shirone called out.

Amy's response came quickly.

“Yeah, I think we're all fine. What about you, Shirone?”

“I'm fine too. Could this have been a trap?”

“No, there are no signs of artificial modifications in the cave. Besides, the activation was too quick for a trap,” Tess said.

Tess was right. If they truly wanted to kill them, the trap would have been set off at a point where escape was impossible. But these pillars seemed designed to block their advance rather than kill.

“If it’s not a trap, then what is it?”

A boy’s voice echoed from the end of the cave.

“Identify yourselves! I won't miss this time!”

Shirone extended his Shining spell, illuminating the interior.

A boy of similar age was crouched, with both hands on the ground. Behind him sat a bearded man with a strong presence, sitting with his legs stretched out and blood seeping through his fingers clutched over his stomach.

It was the guide from Nor’s Haven, Gardrock.

Gardrock, scrutinizing Shirone's group, spoke to his apprentice.

“Clove, I told you not to use earth magic in the cave. If the ceiling collapses, we’ll all die.”

Clove slowly stood up, but his wary eyes remained fixed on them.

Shirone felt a strange familiarity from their conversation. Although he didn’t understand the Nor language, the pronunciation and intonation were similar to the common language of the continent.

Kanya approached them, speaking in Nor’s language.

“You are Nor, right? We’ve been looking for you.”

“Oh? It seems you're esteemed divine subjects. So, what brings you Mecha tribe, who hate exploration and adventure, here?”

“Of course, we are here for Nor’s Haven…”

Kanya paused to examine Gardrock’s condition. Though he was smiling, his face was pale.

Blood was flowing from his stomach.

It was strange. What could cause an injury in the Valley of the Vortex Serpent, where only one law exists?

“You're hurt? Was it the Vortex Serpent?”

“No, it wasn't the law. It was the Kergos.”

The term “Kergos” hit Shirone’s group hard. They initially thought they had misheard, but Kanya, translating Nor’s language, confirmed it.

“Kergos? They came hunting all the way here?”

“This place has no heretics, so it’s not really hunting. They deliberately targeted us. I avoided a fatal wound, but if the bleeding continues, who knows what will happen.”

Shirone interrupted their conversation.

“Did you say Kergos? What did they do?”

“Kergos are another race of divine subjects. The Valley of the Vortex Serpent is safe because no monsters live here, but it’s a common route for heretics trying to reach Nor’s Haven. And where there are heretics, there are other hunters.”

“So, the Kergos hunt heretics.”

“They'll probably catch up soon. They are excellent trackers. Plus, they use the Giants' techniques. Finding this place by scent, like Tess, wouldn't be a problem for them.”

Shirone guessed that the Giants' techniques referred to Schema. If so, there was no time for idle talk.

Arin tried telepathy directly with the Nor.

“Can you take us to Nor’s Haven?”

Gardrock and Clove’s expressions turned to astonishment. Although the language was incomprehensible, the meaning was understood.

“What are these kids? Do they have the power of fairies?”

“No, they’re from the land of the earth. They use magic like you. It might be different, but they seem to be descendants of the Nor.”

Kanya framed Shirone's group in a way that would make the Nor more accepting. Survival in Purgatory depended on integrating into the Nor community.

“So, are they mock beings?”

Clove’s gaze turned disdainful.

The Nor, known for their curiosity, were the most law-abiding race in Heaven. They knew more forbidden secrets than even the Mecha tribe.

The same was true for knowledge about the land of the earth.

The land of the earth was said to be a shadow imitation of the perfect world of Heaven. Hence, humans there were considered mere imitations of the divine beings in Heaven.

To Clove, Shirone's group was less than anything in Heaven. The gap between the Nor and mock beings was as vast as that between creator and creation.

“Mock beings? What’s that?” Shirone asked.

Ignoring Shirone, Clove pointed to the bags lined along the wall.

“Hey, you lot. Come and carry these. One each.”

There was no need for telepathy. Clove’s tone was filled with contempt. His arrogant posture made Amy retort sharply.

“Why should we carry your bags?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We need to flee.”

“Then why should we carry them?”

“Because you’re mock beings. Without us, you wouldn’t exist. You should be grateful.”

Clove seemed to believe it was a given that Shirone’s group would obey his orders.

Meanwhile, he sneered and touched Amy’s hair, his nostrils flaring.

“For a mock being, you’re not bad. How about joining my household? Don’t you want to live safely in Purgatory?”

Amy’s eyes grew sharp.

The issue of divine subjects and mock beings was one thing, but touching a woman without consent was simply bad manners, unrelated to Heaven’s customs.

“Get your hand off. Or I’ll knock you out.”

“Haha! You? Knock me out? I guess mock beings can use a bit of magic. But you can't beat me.”

“Enough, Clove.”

The anger in Gardrock’s voice made Clove step back.

Only then did the group feel the tension in the air. Shirone's group glared at Clove with murderous intent in their eyes.

“What? What will you do if you glare at me?”

“Clove, we don’t have time. Do you want me to die here?”

Realizing his master’s condition, Clove hurriedly supported Gardrock. Leaning on his apprentice’s shoulder, Gardrock apologized.

“Sorry. Even I have never seen mock beings before, so our response was inadequate. Anyway, you’re human too. I am Gardrock. We need to leave here. Can you help? You seem to be heading to Nor’s Haven. We’ll guide you.”

Gardrock, unlike Clove, acted more like a mage. Apologizing in front of his apprentice wasn't easy, but he understood that cooperation was essential for survival, whether they were mock beings or not.

Shirone's group agreed, knowing it was dangerous to stay longer, and shouldered the backpacks.

They reached the area where Clove’s pillars were intertwined.

Supporting Gardrock, Clove struggled to find a way through.

Amy smirked. Seeing him suffer from his own magic was satisfying, but it also indicated his lack of foresight.

Shirone was less concerned with Clove and more intrigued by the magic he had used.

The magic that caused pillars to emerge from the walls was forceful and dynamic. But replicating it in a way he knew seemed highly inefficient.

Perhaps ancient magic had different principles. With this thought, Shirone asked Gardrock.

“What kind of magic is that?”

Clove, with a mocking laugh, answered instead.

“Haha! What, you can’t do it? This is ridiculous. Earth magic is basic.”

Winking at Amy, he added.

“I could teach you, though.”

“No thanks. I don’t want my friends to suffer.”

Mocking Clove’s earlier behavior, Amy’s comment made his face turn red.

Gardrock, too, was curious about Shirone’s magic. Despite being mock beings, they wielded unusual magic.

He knew that the light orb Shirone was holding was impossible to create in this place. The cave was a domain of darkness.

Unless he had a contract with a light spirit, which didn’t seem to be the case given its inactivity.

“Hmmm, it's hard to explain. Do you not use such magic?”

“We use earth-based magic, but nothing like creating pillars in caves.”

“The principles might differ. We borrow the power of nature to use magic. Fire magic where there is fire, water magic where there is water. Clove used earth magic for the same reason. He just didn’t consider the collapse risk.”

“I really was desperate back then, master,” Clove defended.

But Shirone’s group wasn’t listening. They were engaged in a telepathic conversation through the mental channel, ignoring Clove’s rambling.

-Using the power of nature is quite unique.

-The destructive power was significant. The magic Clove used would be quite advanced in our world. Yet he did it easily despite being so dumb.

Amy added to Canis’s remark.

-The advantage of borrowing nature’s power isn’t just its strength. One person can handle multiple types of magic. It’s different from our specialized training.

Arin pointed out a drawback.

-But it also limits flexibility. They’re bound by the environment. If the desired element isn’t present, they can’t cast the magic.

Summarizing ancient magic: it was broad, powerful, and versatile but heavily constrained by the environment. Sometimes, the magic itself could be sealed depending on the conditions.

Heaven’s magic versus Earth’s magic. Determining which was more efficient remained uncertain.

Outside the cave, Kanya looked back at Gardrock and asked.

“So, where is Nor’s Haven?”

“I can’t tell the Mecha tribe that. Just know it’s not here. We have to use magic to get there, but it’s impossible here. Follow me.”

At that moment, Rena, receiving a signal from the drone, checked her retinal vision and shouted.

“Sister! Big trouble!”

Kanya also closed one eye to receive the drone’s information. A group was approaching rapidly from a nearby canyon.

“Damn, it’s the Kergos! We need to hurry!”

Gardrock’s eyes filled with resignation.

“It’s too late. Their sense of smell is incredibly sharp. They’ve caught the scent of blood.”

There was still no sound of their approach. Yet, if they had detected the scent of blood, it meant at least one of them was a master of sensory skills.

“What do we do? What do we do, master?” Clove asked, panicking.

Gardrock had no brilliant ideas.

According to Rena, there were about twenty pursuers. Gardrock was injured, and Clove lacked combat experience. If they clashed now, it would be a massacre.

“Perhaps, we can try this.”

All eyes turned to Shirone.

***

The Kergos pursuit squad, riding black horses, galloped across the stream.

Their red armor reflected the sun, and their eyes gleamed like newly forged swords.

Arriving at the cave, the squad leader raised his hand to halt.

“Stop! They’re inside the cave!”

Leading the group, the twenty subordinates stopped. A woman with her hair tied in a ponytail rode up to the leader's side.

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