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Chapter 168: Kalduan

He hurriedly covered his ears, but the roar had already pierced through shaking his brain.

“Ghh...! To think that this supposedly extinct mythical beast was actually sealed in a place like this. In some ways, the elves might be the more cruel species,” Karyl muttered, shaking his head to clear the throbbing pain as he stared at the enormous creature before him.

“They weren\'t extinct after the Magical Era... could they have become materials for weapons?”

Karyl picked up the gauntlets he had dropped.

Among the Five Great Artifacts of Blader, two had remained undiscovered in his past life because their materials were unknown.

Perhaps these gauntlets were one of those two.

No, it’s almost certain. No ordinary weapon is capable of sealing a mythical beast.

In the past, the three mythical creatures known as the Three Great Beasts were said to possess power comparable to that of Spirit Kings or dragons.

Alkar, the Divine Deer.

Roarvrok, the Soul White Wolf.

Kalduan, the Blue Turtle.

Unlike spirits, the Three Great Beasts had physical bodies that weakened with age. Since they didn’t live as long as dragons, they needed to produce offspring to preserve their strength through the generations.

Yet, their blood, hides, and flesh were valuable materials, and during the Magical Era, there were even professions dedicated to hunting these creatures alongside dragon hunters.

[That’s all ancient history. And mythical beast hunters didn’t actually exist. The Three Great Beasts were protected rather than hunted.]

Whoosh!

Ramine\'s flames erupted from Karyl’s body. Despite being in a pocket dimension, the natural forces here were abundant, allowing the Ein Trigger to maintain a larger fireball than usual.

[Karyl, judging from your mistakes, you truly are human.]

The fireball morphed into a small spirit. Ramine stretched as if savoring the long-forgotten air.

[This place is infused with the power of a divine beast. Though the presence of the Lord of Earth is strong here, it’s much better than the polluted air of the human world. The mana has weakened since the Magical Era, becoming suffocating.]

“Lord of Earth? You mean the Lord of Rocks, Maktuun?” Karyl asked, recognizing the name.

The small Ramine nodded, his flickering flame-like head bobbing.

[Correct. Kalduan was born from Maktuun’s power. It possesses a strong connection to the earth\'s power.]

“And you? Did you not leave behind a divine beast?”

[Not all Spirit Kings agreed to leave behind creatures that resembled their power. The Three Great Beasts were an act of benevolence from the Spirit Kings to enrich human life.]

Ramine crossed his arms proudly.

[Fire itself already provided humans with the greatest evolution in their lives. There was no need to leave behind a divine beast.]

“You have a point,” Karyl admitted, gazing at the massive blue turtle before him. Despite initially roaring at him in warning, it had now retreated into its shell, its eyes closed.

“But what mistake did I make?”

[Look closely. Do you not sense something unusual?]

The small Ramine floated up and circled Kalduan once before speaking to Karyl.

[This is not a physical entity. The elves didn’t cruelly seal it, certainly not Zarka Hochi. A romantic living in the past wouldn’t commit such an act.]

“Even though only bones remain.”

Karyl slowly approached the slumbering Kalduan. When he reached out to touch the blue turtle, his hand passed right through it.

“You’re right.”

Just as Ramine had said, this turtle was not a tangible entity.

“How did this happen?”

[The divine beast wasn’t sealed. It’s simply... someone’s memory contained within the gauntlets.]

“A memory? Whose?” Karyl inquired.

Ramine shrugged.

[Who knows? We’ll find out soon enough.]

“...!!”

At that moment, Ramine’s flames enveloped Karyl, or so it seemed to him. His consciousness faltered once more, the crimson glow sinking him into an abyss.

He felt as if he were deep underwater, his body heavy. This sensation was reminiscent of when he had consumed the dragon\'s heart in Einheri and glimpsed into the Flame Dragon’s memories.

“...”

But unlike when he had merged with Riseria’s body, he was now spared the disorienting sensation of his consciousness and soul fading and rekindling.

Whoosh...

The flames that had enveloped him were now shielding him within Kalduan’s memories.

“It’s been a while,” Karyl muttered.

Though submerged in someone’s memories, he managed to preserve his clarity, realizing he hadn’t merged with Kalduan.

“Ramine...” he called out, feeling the protective barrier of fire surrounding him, recognizing the power of the Blazing King. However, the energy felt strained, as though struggling to maintain its form.

“It was worth the wait... to finally converse with someone...” a voice echoed.

Karyl glanced around, trying to pinpoint the source.

In the bright, almost blinding expanse of white, the colossal presence of Kalduan loomed over him, but unlike before, the voice had a different, more sentient quality.

[Welcome, traveler. You hold the memory of an age long past.]

It was then that he heard a soft, melodic voice.

“...?!”

Karyl quickly turned his head. The dark, oppressive aura that had weighed down on him vanished, replaced by the fresh scent of grass. Before he could fully register the change, he found himself standing in the middle of a lush field, as if he had always been there.

“...”

He heard waves crashing, churning up white foam, but the air bore no hint of salt. The breeze was warm, making it hard to believe he was still in the pocket dimension.

“Who... are you?” Karyl asked cautiously. He was almost bemused by how tense he was. After all, he hadn’t been this nervous when facing the emperor or fighting the continent’s strongest Sword Master.

“...”

It was understandable. The figure before him wore a flowing dress that fluttered in the wind. Her face, partially obscured by layers of translucent fabric, was visible.

Gulp—

Karyl swallowed hard without realizing it. Her snow-white face was so ethereal that she could be mistaken for a Nephilim, a race said to be descended from the gods. Her beauty transcended human comprehension, radiating an overwhelming aura.

Is she... human? Karyl wondered as he stared at her.

Her white hair was purer and clearer than the northern snowstorms, and her red lips glistened with moisture at the slightest movement.

Her gaze slowly settled on Karyl, like a descending tide.

“Nice to meet you. I am Quenite.”

“...!!”

In that instant, Karyl’s eyes widened in shock. He nearly shouted out loud.

The greatest spiritualist of the ages, a pioneer who created a new lineage purely through affinity with spirits rather than magic. She is the only one to have contracted with all the Spirit Kings.

She had countless accolades to her name. Yet, in a time when spiritualists were nearly extinct, her life story had faded into legend, much like the feats of Kaye Aesir.

“How much time has passed?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t know. I’m not sure when exactly you lived. Some say you were an elf, while others speculate you were a noble high elf.”

Karyl gestured towards her ears.

“But it seems you’re neither.”

“Do any still remember me?”

“Some do. I know about you, but not as much as the Seven Elders. Magic is worshipped, whereas spirit power isn’t.”

“Oh... What a lamentable reality...”

“Perhaps it’s better to be forgotten. Sometimes, even magic is forsaken, left as a relic of the past.”

Karyl thought of the abandoned Einheri—once a treasure trove left by the dragon-slaying founder of the empire, it had become a decrepit storage room as the value of his bloodline faded.

Given the imperial family’s tendency to discard anything deemed worthless, the fall of the Aesir family was not surprising.

“A-Anyway... I’m so shocked I can hardly speak... To think I’m speaking to a legendary spiritualist within the memory of a mythical beast. Should I be amazed at Blader’s ability? Or perhaps you were part of Blader yourself?”

“You don\'t seem too surprised.”

“Well, I’ve been through a lot,” Karyl replied with a shrug.

At that, Quenite shook her head slowly.

“Dragon mana... A colorless force, the strongest one in the world, wielded by a mere human. You’re more interesting than Kaye Aesir, whom I was once intrigued by.”

Quenite rose and approached Karyl.

“If I had a physical form, there would be many things I’d want to try with you. What a shame.”

“You’re not thinking of experimenting on me, are you? I’d have to decline,” Karyl retorted.

Quenite gave a faint smile.

“I am not part of Blader, nor am I a memory sealed by the elves. I remained here of my own will to deliver a message to the one who would acquire Kalduan’s gauntlets.”

“A message... I didn’t know using Blader’s Five Great Artifacts was so dangerous.”

Karyl showed her his Freezing Talon.

“I didn\'t expect the owner of the Freezing Talon to obtain Kalduan’s gauntlets. But...”

Her golden eyes, reminiscent of a full moon, seemed to pierce through Karyl.

“Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use these gauntlets.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“That’s why I’m here. Kalduan was the divine beast that once followed me.”

Karyl frowned slightly at her words.

She contracted with the Spirit Kings and even tamed one of the Three Great Beasts? She’s unbelievable.

“I\'m not belittling you. On the contrary, I think highly of you.”

Whoosh!!

As Quenite’s hand touched Karyl’s chest, the Ein Trigger glowed.

“The blood flowing through you is more suited to fire than earth. That’s likely why the Blazing King chose you.”

She took the gauntlets from Karyl’s hand.

“Just like your siblings.”

“...”

Karyl felt a pang in his chest; Quenite was right, as the signature magic of the MacGoverns was fire. After consuming the dragon’s heart, he had gained the ability to wield other spiritual powers, but he predominantly used fire.

“Don’t lump me in with them. They’re not my blood. I won’t be swayed by sentimental notions of family or brotherhood,” Karyl sneered.

“Were you one of the two who accompanied Kaye Aesir 250 years ago?” he asked.

Quenite shook her head.

“No. I believe I know who you’re talking about, but Kaye wouldn’t appreciate me mentioning their names.”

Karyl frowned at her response.

“Why ask?” Quenite went on.

“In his last words, Kaye Aesir mentioned two others like him. I wondered if you were one of them.”

“...”

Even the ancient Quenite seemed at a loss for words at Karyl’s sharp remark.

“I didn’t open Blader’s box to ask for permission” Karyl declared, snatching the gauntlets from her hand.

His eyes glinted coldly.

“I’ll be the one to decide if I can use them or not.”