Volume 7 Chapter 25: The Rebel
At the edge of the town, which was now the battlefield, the rooftop that had once been a secure spot protected by Grace's barrier magic for Walson's safety was now nothing more than fragments of magical residue.
The capital of the Elven Empire, Carmel, had been engulfed in flames under the onslaught of the angelic hordes. However, after a resounding explosion from the sky and the subsequent arrival of the milk rain, the remnants of the Elven Empire's forces, led by the four surviving members of the Seven Matrons, launched a counteroffensive.
The number of attacking angels dwindled to almost nothing, and the surviving elven soldiers began to search for and rescue civilians scattered across the ruins.
It seemed as though the battle was drawing to a close.
At this moment, however, a boy appeared on the desolate streets in front of the towering Heavenly Ladder in the imperial capital.
(The elves' trial tower... guarded so heavily before—thanks to those angels, no longer so.)
Passing through the carnage of corpses and broken armor, he stood before the ancient tower, its summit invisible against the sky. He reached out and touched the colossal door, standing several dozen meters tall.
As his hand made contact, an intricate and powerful magic array lit up across the massive stone door. Feeling a force within the array resisting his entry, the boy smirked.
(So, this is why the angels couldn't get in… Such careful planning. This "other self" of mine sure is meticulous. Hah, in a way, that's a form of narcissism, isn't it?)
With a wry internal laugh, the boy produced a cross-shaped pickaxe from nowhere. After spinning it deftly in his hands, he swung it against the door.
With a thunderous crash, the magical array shattered. Two more strikes created a rectangular tunnel through the stone door, and the boy disappeared into the tower's interior.
What greeted him was a space entirely different from its ancient exterior.
The tower lacked traditional floors. Fragmented staircases and shattered platforms floated in a state of zero gravity, suspended in the air within the tower, whose apex was still unseen.
On these disjointed architectural fragments were various armored soldiers of differing designs, defying the rules of gravity. Some walked upright at ninety degrees, others moved upside-down, their movements natural. The concepts of "up" and "down" seemed irrelevant in this space.
Upon closer inspection, the suits of armor were empty, with only green magic cores hovering within them, pulsing with air pressure. They were wind-elemental magical creatures—fitting for the labyrinth of Wind.
(Ah, come to think of it, all the labyrinths I've encountered in the past had already been "assimilated." This is what a normal labyrinth should look like.)
(I wonder how tall this tower is and how long it'll take to climb. Fighting these creatures would be troublesome, but... there's a way around that.)
The boy pressed his hands together, and a ripple of magic appeared between his palms. He began chanting an incantation, and a faintly glowing barrier slowly enveloped his body.
The barrier then turned a chalky gray, and the boy standing on the ground now resembled a living stone statue.
"Illusionary Barrier: Transmutation."
(This should've been a power innate to those Vassals of The Forest. However, the Villager constitution's low magic aptitude made it impossible to fully utilize. But after the enhancements brought by "assimilation," everything has changed.)
A strange device resembling a launcher appeared in his hands, shooting out strands of spider silk. With a tug and a spin, the boy propelled himself onto a floating platform. He repeated the process, steadily ascending higher and higher.
Along the way, the elemental creatures ignored the boy, who appeared as nothing more than a stone statue. His ascent was smooth and leisurely.
Out of curiosity, the boy began observing the tower's interior as he advanced.
Compared to the previous labyrinths, this one was exceptionally detailed in its decorations. The walls of the tower were covered in reliefs and murals that narrated the history of the ancient gods and the significance of the trials.
(This method of storytelling is so much better! Way more informative than being left clueless until you become a Vassal.)
He chuckled inwardly. As he climbed higher, the elemental monsters around him grew stronger, evolving from infantry to engineers, medics, cavalry, and eventually entire battalions. Some wore ornate armor, and even powerful beings like skeletal dragons, with magical energy serving as their muscle structure, began to appear.
However formidable these creatures were, they all ignored the boy.
Finally, the traditional concept of a "floor" appeared. The boy reached a massive platform and, upon stepping onto it, felt the floating sensation vanish. Gravity returned to normal as he steadied himself on the platform, suspended in the void.
At the center of the platform stood another stone door.
(Ah, I've reached the top. Based on the reliefs and murals, this is the final destination. Beyond this door lies the Elemental Guardian of The Wind, the Dokain domain... Too bad that with this body's current strength, I can't handle what comes next.)
The boy extended his left hand, and a small cube materialized in his palm.
An orange casing with nine flickering indicator lights.
He began speaking, reciting a "command."
"/tp Alwin Wal—" However, before he could finish, his words abruptly stopped.
Petals floated in the air behind him, scattering gently, as three female figures emerged not far away.
"Ah, what a blunder. I should've thrown the Ender Pearl from my inventory to the base of the tower first," the boy chuckled, sensing the chill emanating from behind.
"...Walson, what are you doing here?" Grace's voice was cold, her gaze piercing.
"As for your question... dear wife, care to take a guess?" The boy's grin twisted into something wild and brazen as he turned to face the three.
Brown hair, a small stature, a familiar voice.
His left eye—bone white.
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