NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 186: Reversal of the Law (6)
WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator/Editor: Ryuu
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INFINITE MAGE
The Vortex Serpent split its shadow into dozens of tendrils, attacking Shirone from all directions.
Caught off guard by the tentacle assault coming from all sides, Shirone was momentarily defenseless.
In that instant, his laser scattered, splitting into multiple beams.
Dispersing the energy to destroy each tentacle individually was a wise strategy, but it inevitably reduced the damage per second.
The shadows, thicker than a giant’s thigh, surged towards Shirone’s proximity.
One tendril, unable to withstand the accumulated energy, exploded. Subsequently, all the tendrils erupted simultaneously.
The chain of explosions surged towards the main body.
The Vortex Serpent extended new tendrils, but Shirone already knew that the time it took for the tendrils to reach him was shorter than the time it took for them to reach energy saturation.
As Shirone’s energy dispersed, so did the Vortex Serpent’s durability.
The ensuing battle was a clash of light and darkness.
It resembled two fleets at sea, maintaining their distance while exchanging massive bombardments. Every time the dozens of tendrils left afterimages, Shirone’s light followed, causing them to explode.
The tempo of attack and defense was so rapid that it was impossible to follow the shadow’s movements with the naked eye.
Shirone relied on his Spirit Zone’s omnidirectional sense for 70% of his perception, continuously firing lasers.
The firing points were numerous, and the hyper-spatial trajectories dominated the space.
It was now a matter of who would tire first.
Shirone felt defeat approaching. He felt like crying from the tension, but his battle-focused mind wouldn’t even allow a change in expression.
As Shirone’s mind began to blur, the Vortex Serpent howled. It too was fighting with all its might.
Realizing this gave Shirone a sense of kinship.
The Vortex Serpent thrashed as if sensing its impending death, but there was no space left in its shadow to absorb energy.
The laser’s energy reverberated through the entirety of the Vortex Serpent.
A powerful explosion blew its body apart, scattering fragments of shadow.
The gradually thinning laser disappeared in droplets before Shirone’s eyes.
Everyone watched the situation unfold in silence.
Shirone, too, held his ground, glaring at the Vortex Serpent’s avatar.
The light faded from the salamander-like body, returning to its original jade-like state. Then, its color faded until it seemed to merge with the air and vanish.
“Is it... dead?”
Tess asked, though no one could answer.
This creature, which had lived here for ten thousand years, had been analyzed by numerous subjects and heretics, but its death remained an unknown realm. No subject had ever defeated, let alone cornered, the Vortex Serpent.
Rian stirred the spot where the salamander had been with his sword.
Gardrock inspected the canyon fissure. The essence of light had regained its brilliance.
Gardrock spoke with certainty. “It’s dead. Or at least, it’s no longer here.”
Only then did Shirone collapse to the ground. The others stared at him in stunned silence.
A human from the earth had erased a law.
Kanya, Rena, Gardrock, and Clove understood what this outcome meant.
This boy was dangerous.
A law existed because it was indestructible. Only a god could change divine will. Shirone had infringed upon an inviolable domain, one that allowed no changes by any being.
“What... are you? What kind of magic is that? How did you learn such magic?”
The group remained silent.
Even they didn’t fully understand. The principles of magic were the same, but Shirone’s magic was impossible to replicate.
Unique magic created from divine particles had its pros and cons.
The laser had the potential to subdue strong enemies but was ineffective against fast-moving targets. Photon Explosion required precise timing, and Photon Cannon consumed significant mental energy for a basic spell.
But Shirone compensated for these flaws with light scattering, the invincibility of his indestructible durability, and the infinite mental strength drawn from the Immortal Function.
Currently, Shirone couldn’t be classified as any specific type of mage.
Canis realized why the term “Unique” was used to describe Unlocked mages in the magical society.
Unlocking the Immortal Function wasn’t the end. It was about how harmoniously one could balance their unique abilities.
In this sense, Shirone was becoming Unique.
Clove looked at Shirone with mixed emotions.
While he didn’t want to harbor ill feelings towards the one who saved their lives, the potential consequences of Shirone integrating into Nor society worried him.
Being dominated by an imitation was unacceptable.
Unable to overpower Shirone, the only option was to undermine him from the start.
“Don’t get too full of yourself. If Master hadn’t been injured, we could have escaped. Removing laws recklessly is dangerous, even for heretics. Now that the Vortex Serpent is gone, a new law will form, and we can’t serve as guides here anymore. This time was an exception, but be careful in the future.”
Shirone wasn’t listening. He was staring intently at something that had fallen from the sky.
It was a jewel, glowing transparently like a droplet of water.
“Hey! Are you ignoring me?” Clove shouted.
Shirone finally turned his head and pointed at the three jewels before him.
“What are these? They seem to have fallen when the Vortex Serpent exploded.”
“What? These... these are...!”
Clove’s eyes widened in disbelief.
White Elixirs.
Clove had first encountered White Elixirs at the ‘Nor Shop’ in the large community on the mainland.
At the time, a unique Nor group outside the community had purchased the highest-priced item at auction: a Spirit of the Droplet, for 23 White Elixirs.
Unlike Water Spirits, Spirits of the Droplet were hard to come by. While seas and rivers often produced spirits, droplets weren’t consistently formed.
Despite this, Spirits of the Droplet were magically weaker than Water Spirits.
However, contracting with a Spirit of the Droplet made one’s skin smooth, prevented aging, and provided minor healing abilities, making them popular among women.
Clove knew the value of a Spirit of the Droplet was equivalent to about 4,600 Red Elixirs or 670 Green Elixirs.
You would have to hunt about 7,000 One-Horned Devils to obtain an item of such value, yet it was worth only 23 Elixirs.
“White! White Elixir!”
Clove lunged like a flying squirrel, reaching for the Elixir.
As he was about to grab it, Shirone swiped it off the ground.
Feeling a sinking sorrow, Clove turned with a scowl.
Naturally, since Shirone had obtained it, it belonged to him. But it was hard to let go when someone else’s possession seemed bigger. Especially since Shirone didn’t even know the value of the White Elixir.
“Ahem, why are you looking at me like that? I just wanted to take a look.”
“What is this?”
“It’s nothing special. An Elixir, used by heretics for trading. To assess its value, I need to examine it closely. Could you let me take a look?”
“Sure, here you go.”
Shirone handed the Elixir over without hesitation. Clove quickly snatched it up, fearing Shirone might change his mind.
Realizing the situation, Kanya approached with fiery eyes.
“Hey! Why are you taking it? Even heretics must have rules. Isn’t it common sense that the hunter gets the Elixir?”
“What did I do? Besides, we hunted it together.”
“What did you even do? The only one here who deserves the Elixir is Shirone. Hand it over.”
“Tch! Suddenly acting all friendly because of an Elixir? I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re a mimic or a subject when it comes to treasure. Trying to curry favor for scraps, huh?”
“Ridiculous! Subjects don’t need Elixirs! And Shirone, if you’re going to live with the Nor, remember this! Elixirs are food, water, air, and life. Especially the White Elixir; it’s incredibly valuable! Don’t just hand it over carelessly.”
“It’s fine. He just wanted to take a look.”
“What if he runs off with it? What will you do then?”
Shirone leaned back and planted his hand on the ground.
“Haha! How would he run off?”
“What do you mean, how? Obviously...”
Kanya blinked, realizing the absurdity.
What could Clove do with the White Elixir without any skills?
Shirone’s friends were also keeping a close watch on Gardrock’s every move. They weren’t tense either.
Shirone could subdue Clove in less than a second if he wanted to.
Clove seemed to reach the same conclusion, showing evident embarrassment. His judgment had been clouded by greed. It was fortunate he hadn’t fully revealed his intentions.
Gardrock, looking at Clove with disdain, spoke up.
“Clove, return it. It’s not something you can handle.”
Flushed with shame, Clove handed the Elixir back.
“I just wanted to take a look. Here, take it back.”
Shirone caught the Elixir. He tossed it in his hand, watching the light reflect off it, and asked Gardrock, “What’s this for? You called it an Elixir, right?”
Gardrock checked the essence of light. Judging by its rapidly strengthening glow, they could leave in about five minutes.
“To survive in the Abyss, human strength alone isn’t enough. The environment is harsh, and food is scarce. Some places have rampant diseases, and others have sulfur fires that burn the air, making it hard to breathe. Elixirs help humans survive these conditions. There are five colors, and all are essential. The White Elixir is the second rarest. Its properties of regeneration and purification make it a key ingredient in air production and healing medicines.”
“I see. Can I use it to buy something?”
“Of course. The Nor Shelter we’re heading to has merchants, so you can trade for what you need. For something as valuable as the White Elixir, you’d need to go to the Nor Shop on the mainland, the most active market.”
Shirone had another question.
The three Elixirs from the Vortex Serpent.
The fact that these items were traded so commonly meant someone was hunting creatures of similar caliber.
Gardrock nodded in agreement.
“The Abyss is vast. Immensely so. The Nor have built an independent society, but many communities existed long before us. We’re heading to a place closest to Heaven. Beyond that, we don’t dare venture. White Elixirs come from beyond that boundary. From those who travel far beyond us.”
Hoping the Nor Shelter had many merchants, Shirone stored the Elixir.
Even in his original world, if you couldn’t trade an item, it was just a mineral. No matter how valuable the White Elixir was, if he wasn’t setting up a home in the Abyss, it was best to trade for needed items.
As everyone gathered by the canyon fissure, Gardrock grasped the essence of light. His body glowed, and as the ancient magic Elizer activated, a white radiance spread through the fissure.
The scattered light's edges dulled, revealing the original landscape.
Where people had vanished, a desolate wind swept in.
***
The field was littered with ruins. A shallow stream flowed, and wildflowers bloomed along its banks.
The ruins, aged with time, felt more comforting than desolate. Butterflies fluttered between tilted arches, and a few people were resting.
Arriving at Nor Shelter, Shirone surveyed the landing spot.
Light beamed down like a spotlight. On closer inspection, the essence of light flitted up and down the beam.
The ancient magic Elizer seemed to be a spell for moving through light.
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