Chapter 265 : Chapter 265

Volume 2 Ch 8: The Great Sage?

Ryan ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍also asked a few questions of his own—how she had first locked onto the white crystal, and whether the elves possessed any special methods for sensing things of the same origin.

“Our ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍people have some ancient objects that react to certain specific auras,” Iruya explained vaguely, though she was not brushing him off. “When I left my people, I brought one of them with me. It would produce a faint resonance in the presence of something like the Emerald Wind Oath. I just did not expect... that in the end, you would be the one to obtain it.”

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not go into detail about what that ancient object was, and Ryan did not press her. Certain boundaries remained between them by mutual understanding, but that restraint no longer carried the meaning of distrust. It was more like a form of respect.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this atmosphere, calm and even faintly harmonious, Ryan felt the time was about right.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked at Iruya, and his tone turned more serious.

“Iruya, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there is something I want to ask your help with.”

“What is it?”

“Help me restore my Mana.”

Help him?

Restore his Mana?

Iruya froze for a moment. That should have been something very important, shouldn’t it? Yet the first person he had asked was her, not Cecilia, and not the professors of the academy or the court mages.

That realization stirred something lightly in some corner of her heart, as though something had fallen into still water there and sent out faint, warm ripples.

Her expression did not change much, but the way she looked at Ryan became more focused.

“Your Mana... what exactly does it feel like now? And what really happened with that state you entered before? Why did you suddenly become so strong, and then...?”

At last, she voiced the question that had been pressing in her heart all this time.

The level of power Ryan had erupted with at the end of the ruins was completely beyond reason, and the total collapse that followed was just as abnormal.

Ryan was silent for a few seconds. Then he raised his eyes and looked directly into Iruya’s violet gaze, deciding to reveal part of the essential truth.

“Because in the depths of the ruins, I encountered a being. He claimed to be someone who had once been one of your people’s Great Sages—Serandil.”

Ryan had not even finished before she cut him off.

“Who?” Iruya’s voice rose sharply. Her violet eyes flew wide open, filled with utter disbelief. “Who did you say you met?!”

Ryan paused, not having expected such a fierce reaction from her.

“Serandil. That was the name he gave. He said that in your language, it meant silver leaf...”

“Wait. Serandil?!” Iruya abruptly shot to her feet. She moved so suddenly that she even knocked over the teacup at her side. Dark red tea spilled across the table, but she did not so much as glance at it. She stared fixedly at Ryan, all the calm and detachment gone from her face, replaced by shock and... fear.

Ryan’s heart sank. The sense of foreboding in him suddenly sharpened into something unmistakable. Looking at the loss of composure in Iruya, he lowered his voice.

“Yes. He inscribed into me the thing you call the Elven Gospel...”

“The Elven Gospel?” It was as if those words had struck Iruya head-on. Her body swayed, almost unable to keep standing, and she had to brace herself against the back of the sofa to remain upright.

She lowered her head and pressed her fingers hard against her temple.

“How... how could this happen? How could you have come into contact with that thing?”

“That thing?” Ryan’s heart sank further still. He had originally assumed the Elven Gospel was some sort of advanced inheritance or secret art belonging within the elven race. From her reaction, that clearly was not the case. “Serandil said it was a method your people created to strengthen themselves and pursue evolution...”

“No, absolutely not.” Iruya’s face had gone pale, and grief burned in her violet eyes. “It was never some universally used method within our race. It was only his personal idea, a theory, an experiment! No one among our people ever used such a thing, because it was never proven and was never accepted! It was nothing but his own obsession and creation.”

She bit down on the next words, and when they came, her voice was thick with hatred.

“He even...” Her tone dropped lower. “Serandil—no, perhaps I should call him by another name. In the darkest records that remain among my people, there is a demon, a bastard, a madman we call the Transgressor. He used the flesh and souls of his own kind to carry out countless forbidden and cruel experiments!”

Ryan stared at her.

“In our public records,” Iruya said quickly, as though pouring out fear and rage that had been suppressed far too long, “Serandil is recorded as a Great Sage who disappeared nearly a thousand years ago. But in some hidden, top-secret archives that only those of royal blood may access, in that darkest and most chaotic era between the end of the Golden Age and the descent of catastrophe, there was a monster known as the Transgressor. He hunted, abducted, and slaughtered elves on a massive scale, using his own people in terrifying experiments beyond imagining, trying to pry into the taboos of life itself, even... to challenge the domain of the gods!”

He had been hunted jointly by the Elven Royal Court of that time and the remaining sacred beasts. In the end, he vanished, and it was said that he had died. But no one was ever able to be completely certain...”

Her breathing had quickened. She looked at Ryan with lingering fear in her eyes.

“When I entered the ruins and obtained those manuscripts and experimental records, when I saw those revolting contents, and when I saw the familiar handwriting and magical marks of Great Sage Serandil, only then did I connect the two. That ‘Transgressor,’ that butcher, was Serandil! He never died. He sealed himself within that ruin and continued his insane research! And the ‘Elven Gospel’... was the very core of those insane ideas, and the most dangerous one of all!”

Ryan felt a chill shoot up his spine.

“Wait,” Ryan said, forcing himself to remain calm as he seized upon another key point. “Iruya, in your people’s historical records—or in anything Serandil left behind—was there ever any mention of the Dragon Race? Not the draconic beasts or drakes we speak of now, but something older, stronger, perhaps even the true cause of your people’s decline?”

“The Dragon Race?” Iruya was caught off guard by the question and frowned, momentarily pulled out of her intense emotions. “The present-day draconic beasts? Or the giant dragons of ancient legend? The records are vague, and they’re tangled together with the Transgressor’s atrocities and the later invasion of the Demon Race, so it’s difficult to separate them... Wait!”

It was as though something had suddenly occurred to her. Her fingers moved, and an ancient-looking ring at her hand flashed faintly. When the light faded, a parchment scroll, bound with some kind of dark-golden thread and looking extraordinarily old and even somewhat tattered, appeared in her hand.