Fire Mage-Chapter 698: Maze

Chapter 698: Maze

"Genesis, connect to the ’Wisdom Link’ and gather information about the city with the Golden Tower. I also want more details about this Easica World," Charles ordered.

[Yes, Host!]

[Attempting to connect to the ’Wisdom Link.’]

[Error... Error... Error... Reconnecting...]

[New world’s Wisdom Link located.]

[Connection successful!]

[This world has been confirmed as a High Plane called ’Easica World.’]

[Gathering data on the city with the Golden Tower, as per the Host’s order.]

[Result found: The city with the Golden Tower is known as ’Amara City,’ an ancient port city situated in the Alastall Woodland. It is considered the second capital of the Bidora Empire. With over 8,000 years of history, it was originally built by the Angel of Time. Although the city’s power has waned due to the Angel of Time’s absence for over six millennia, it still remains under the protection of Nature Goddess Helena...]

Charles silently read the information, his brows rising slightly in surprise.

"This city was built by the Sun God Abium?" he murmured, shifting his gaze toward the tower. As he focused, a powerful presence briefly flared from within.

But before he could blink, it vanished.

"May I know the reason for your visit to Amara City, uninvited guests from another world?" A cold, youthful voice sounded from behind, startling both Charles and Runeth.

Charles turned around slowly and found a young woman in her twenties standing there. What caught his eye were her fox-like ears and a long tail swaying behind her. Her deep-set blue eyes, olive skin, square face, and long golden hair that flowed nearly to her hips gave her an otherworldly aura. She wore a bluish gown and carried a sheathed short sword in her left hand.

While pondering a response, Charles discreetly cast [Inspect].

...

[Name: Umi

Race: Foxkin

Rank: Demi-God (Bloodline Warrior)

Title: Champion of Goddess Nyara

Attributes:

Strength: 89

Agility: 95

Vitality: 93

Wisdom: ????

Bloodline Spells:

Absolute TouchCrystal ZoneFrozen DomainIce Needle DescendDomain of Mist and SnowIce Network

Skills:??????????????????.]

...

As Charles analyzed her, Runeth stepped forward, bowed slightly, and spoke with respect.

"We come from a distant High Plane called ’Edhen World.’ We mean no harm to this world or your city. I merely seek something that belongs to me, Your Highness."

Umi’s gaze shifted to Runeth. She furrowed her brows and moved closer, studying his face.

"Why do I feel like I’ve seen you before?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in thought. A few seconds later, realization dawned.

"Mr. Runeth?" she said in surprise.

"You know me?" Runeth asked, equally startled.

"When I was a child, we entered your pocket dimension and met your incarnation. He asked us to visit an undead plane... We barely made it back alive," Umi explained, a nostalgic tone coloring her words. She bowed slightly. "Without your incarnation’s help, neither I nor Big Brother Abium would’ve come this far. We wouldn’t have become Godly beings."

An awkward smile crossed Runeth’s face.

"I didn’t expect that a small gift to the future generation would end up aiding that Taboo Existence and his companions," he said with a slight nod. Then he added, "Do you remember how you entered my pocket dimension? And... is it still there? It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten many places from my home world."

"I understand, Mr. Runeth. Actually, it’s not far from here. We found your pocket dimension next to Barekeep City. But after we left, we lost all contact with it," Umi replied. As she spoke, she rose from the ground, carried by a cold wind.

"Follow me."

With that, she turned mid-air and shot toward the distant mountain range.

Runeth and Charles exchanged glances before taking flight and following her.

They soared through the skies, trailing behind Umi as the landscape changed beneath them. The dense forests of Alastall Woodland stretched below, filled with vibrant life. Towering trees formed a verdant sea, and the sound of rustling leaves and distant animals filled the air.

Soon, they reached a range of snow-capped mountains. Chilling winds howled as they ascended higher.

Crossing the peaks, they emerged on the other side to see a vast expanse of green fields and wild vegetation.

"This is Peral Dukedom," Umi explained, guiding them further. "It was once a kingdom ruled by the Lockridge Family, but now it belongs to the Bidora Empire."

She glanced back as she flew.

"Big Brother told me the Lockridge family did something terrible to the ancient Bidora Empire. They erased it. But after meeting Empress Athena, he revived it and placed her in charge of this southern continent. She’s the sweetest person I know. She treats me like her own daughter."

She continued to talk cheerfully, like a child sharing fond memories, causing Charles to furrow his brow slightly.

They flew over small towns and cities, Umi talking the whole way—about meeting Abium, the Chaos Era, and the many trials they faced.

After a long flight, they arrived at a small city nestled beside another mountain range.

"This is Barekeep City. It’s where I first met Nicolaus Brother and Abium Big Brother," Umi said, descending to the city wall and startling a few nearby soldiers.

She glanced up at the sky and snapped her fingers.

A moment later, the clouds thickened, and snow began to fall. The city turned into a winter wonderland within minutes, snowflakes gently blanketing rooftops and streets.

Locals began recognizing her and waving joyfully.

"You seem quite famous here," Charles noted.

"I come here once a month to play with Nicolaus Brother’s grandchildren. I like roaming around the city."

As they descended, curious gazes followed them. The city had a lively, festive air. People bowed their heads to Umi or offered flowers as greetings.

"Barekeep City has its own charm," she said warmly as they walked the snowy streets. "The people are strong, and the city has a rich history."

They passed winding alleys, market stalls, and small shops. Umi greeted everyone with familiarity, and the townsfolk responded with affection. Snow continued to drift gently down, turning the city into a picturesque scene.

Eventually, Umi led them to a large courtyard. At its center stood a statue of a broad-shouldered warrior with a massive broadsword on his back. A third-eye-like mark was carved into the statue’s forehead.

"Three-Eyed Titan?" Charles asked.

"Big Brother Nicolaus is walking the Warlock path. But he and Big Brother Abium have been gone for a long time," Umi said, her tone softening. "Sister Helena told me that we might have to leave this place in a decade or two—to help Big Brother."

Runeth frowned. "So, why did we come here?"

"Whenever I visit, I always stop by to see Nicolaus Brother’s statue," Umi said with a smile and began rising into the sky.

The townsfolk barely reacted, accustomed to her flying away like this.

"Let’s go."

She hovered over 200 meters above the city and shot toward a conical mountain.

"This is the ’Mountain of Perished,’" she called out. She flew closer to its base and soon landed near a cavern shaped like a twisting maze.

"This is the Mysterious Maze that connects to the pocket dimension. We went through here and found strange red gems before reaching the altar room."

"Ah, I remember this place now," Runeth murmured as he stepped forward. He touched the maze’s entrance and released his wisdom power into the rock.

"Hmm. The multi-transfer Teleportation Array is still active."

As he spoke, golden light flared inside the cave, illuminating the darkness before fading again.

The cavern was pitch-dark, covered in dust and debris. Vines hung from the ceiling, blocking the outside light and casting everything into shadows.

"Let’s go," Runeth said, stepping forward into the pitch-black cavern.

"But it’s an empty cave now. There’s no mysterious maze," Umi said, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"It’s not that the entrance disappeared completely. I just hid it until certain conditions are met," Runeth explained as he moved deeper into the cavern.

Meanwhile, Charles conjured a ball of fire that hovered mid-air, following closely behind Runeth.

Though Umi was puzzled by Runeth’s words, she didn’t ask further questions and hurried after them.

As they went deeper, the rough walls gradually transformed, becoming smooth and gleaming. Shrubs and weeds that once cluttered the floor vanished, replaced by pristine white marble. Magical lamps were fixed to the walls, casting a soft, steady light throughout the space.

"Why did you build this maze, anyway, old man?" Charles asked as they walked.

"Oh? It’s one of my seventeen inheritance grounds, scattered across seventeen different planes. Each holds one of my secrets. This one contains a complete essence spell model replica of the Erase Existence spell. You should create something similar whenever you face an obstacle during your rank-up. In this vast universe, you never know what might happen to us," Runeth said.

"But why haven’t you taken any disciples before? Or have you?" Charles pressed.

"Unlike other mages, I rarely choose disciples myself. I prefer to let destiny decide. Not even the gods can manipulate fate strings to reach my inheritance," Runeth said with pride.

"Aren’t you the one who got turned into a crown artifact by a divine?" Charles scoffed.

Umi spoke up then, glancing at Charles. "Now that I think about it, do you guys know my big brother Abium? Whenever I mention him, you always act surprised or more interested."

I thought she was naïve and playful, Charles thought, but she’s been observing us all along, quietly watching every move.