The black-robed spellcaster's gaze was too piercing. Yu Yu snapped to attention, adopting a serious tone. "They're undoubtedly formidable! I deeply admire the legendary spellcasters!"
She recalled how people here revered legends like idols. Even high-ring spellcasters spoke of them with a distinct reverence. This senior likely shared that admiration, so Yu Yu had to show some respect.
Clasping her heart, she gushed, "I truly admire the legendary spellcasters!"
The black-robed spellcaster: "…"
I don't buy it.
Recalling her subordinates' reports, the spellcaster exhaled softly. "Do you know who this Majesty is?"
Yu Yu glanced at her task summary. "He's De Erisbo Majesty."
A legendary powerhouse of the magic circle, though for some reason, he was imprisoned underground.
"Hm? And then?"
Yu Yu: "?"
What then?
Noting Yu Yu's puzzled look, the spellcaster said, "Legends have their specialties—battle records, achievements, origins, allies, mentors, and schools of magic…" She paused, eyeing Yu Yu. "At the very least, you should know his title, right?"
Yu Yu blinked innocently, grasping for an excuse. "…Those details are probably secret, aren't they?"
After all, the guy was locked underground. She wasn't eager to court death by prying.
She is just a poor and helpless little player doing a quest.
Know too much, die too fast—got it?!
"They're somewhat secret," the spellcaster conceded, "but if you asked, Feng Ye would tell you."
Yu Yu: "…"
So, I didn't ask, and that makes me a scrub, huh?
Pouting inwardly, Yu Yu could only nod. "You're right, Senior. My mistake."
"His title is Flame Sovereignty," the spellcaster said as they strolled through the underground passage, her tone light and natural. "You should address him as Flame Sovereignty Majesty, not De Erisbo Majesty."
That title… surprisingly straightforward…
"He once battled an evil god's bishop and high priests on the main continent, annihilating seventeen of their towns in a single night. His inferno still burns, unchallenged, shaking all of Shiva…"
The main continent, Shiva.
Yu Yu seemed to understand, "How amazing."
The black-robed woman continued, "He excels in elemental and evocation magic, once leading both schools as their foremost master. He served as the magic circle's Speaker for forty-three years…"
"And then?" Yu Yu prompted, noticing her pause.
"Then?" The woman's tone was casual. "Then his own student sealed him underground."
Every spellcaster within earshot shrank back, wishing their mental energy would freeze so they could claim ignorance.
"Student?" Yu Yu frowned.
The woman turned. "The current Speaker of the magic circle, the Night Lord, Felte."
Yu Yu blurted, "Such a traitorous disciple?!"
The black-robed woman: "…"
Spellcasters: "!!!!"
How are you so bold?!
Besides the Night Lord herself, who dared mention this? Who dared judge?
You just called her a traitor to a Majesty's face?!
Do you think Her Majesty's reformed, no longer bloodthirsty?
Yu Yu scowled, muttering, "Last time with Joel… and now this…"
Is the magic circle a breeding ground for rebellious disciples or what? So many traitors!
"Joel?" The spellcaster's tone chilled.
"Well…" Yu Yu rambled through an explanation, then sighed. "The magic circle's feng shui is terrible for mentoring."
She suggested every spellcaster with a student buy a Frostmourne for them.
My child, all of Allen Peninsula whispers your name… Arthas Felte Joel~
The black-robed spellcaster froze for a long moment before sighing. "He's been sealed here for twenty years. Understand his resentment and don't provoke him. If you die, it's for nothing."
Yu Yu waved it off. "No worries! I'll revive and demand compensation from the Grand Archon!"
"I'm on a magic circle mission!" (Roaring)
Her brazenness silenced the spellcaster.
Everyone who heard her fell silent.
How are you so fearless?
You dare speak like this before aMajesty?
And… Her Majesty isn't even angry?!
The spellcaster tried again. "Did you bring food?"
Yu Yu hefted her lunchbox. "Yup! Want some, Senior?"
The spellcaster: "…You'd share His Majesty's food with me?"
"No, no, I've got snacks! Meant for Senior Lynn, but she might not be on shift…"
The spellcaster glanced at them, accepting. "Thank you."
Deep underground, Lynn forced a smile uglier than a sob.
Thanks for remembering me, but please don't name-drop me now. Really.
"Open the lunchbox," the spellcaster instructed. "His pollution's too high, and he's not lucid. Keep it simple and direct."
Yu Yu nodded, finding the advice sound, and opened the box.
She hadn't brought anything fancy. Last time was potato-beef rice; this time, katsu curry rice.
Grounded and practical, to avoid spoiling His Majesty's palate. If he got picky, she'd be scouring the world for gourmet ingredients—a headache she didn't need.
The spellcaster sniffed, finding the aroma enticing.
She fell into thought.
Moments later, they reached the deepest gate of the ruins. The spellcaster said casually, "Want the details? Like why he was sealed?"
Yu Yu was mildly curious but cautious. "Would knowing get me assassinated?"
The spellcaster's tone carried a hint of amusement. "…Probably not."
"Then I'll pass," Yu Yu muttered. "That's legendary gossip, Senior. Say less, please."
"I might just get corpse-camped by a legend's goons, but you could vanish by accident!"
She figured this senior was likely a Grand Archon—only they'd be this bold. Grand Archons might be lame, but those who casually name-dropped them had their own clout.
Now that she thought about it, Seniors Dai and Xue disrespected Grand Archons because they were two-character-codenamed top-ring spellcasters!
Maybe they'd been Grand Archons themselves, so they didn't need to show face.
The spellcaster chuckled softly. "Got it. Go on in."
Yu Yu waved confidently and pushed the door.
She wasn't scared. Worst case, she'd respawn and bill the Grand Archon.
No big deal!
The scene darkened, and Yu Yu reappeared in the underground chamber.
Ethereal chains radiated a terrifying aura, piercing the earth, binding a tattered figure in midair.
The floor was cracked and pitted, with gravel defying gravity, floating upward. The air carried a desolate weight.
Now knowing the reason, Yu Yu gazed at the legend with pity.
Talk about bad luck.
Sealed underground by a traitorous disciple for twenty years. Utterly tragic.
She was a bit curious about the cause but didn't trust that senior outside. Better not listen too much.
Did the Grand Archon know? Maybe she'd ask later.
"Majesty, I've reached mid-ring. Here's your meal…"
After waiting with no response, Yu Yu boldly called out.
"Felte… she betrayed me…" A low voice echoed from above. "Ten years as my student, and she betrayed me…"
Yu Yu blinked. "Oh, okay. Want to eat?"
"When I escape…" His tone turned sinister, icy. "I'll kill her."
Yu Yu: "…"
Checking mental stability.jpg
Yeah, your pollution's really bad.
The magic circle's watching, you know.
"My power…" He lowered his head. "Retrieve my power. Bring it to me…"
He seemed less lucid than last time, when he could at least speak clearly.
Yu Yu craned her neck but couldn't make out his face. He barely looked human.
Whatever. Just give me the task.
She opened her task log, saying, "Rest assured, Majesty. I'll complete the mission."
[Epic: Lost Power]
[Map]
Yu Yu gaped. The game's first map!
No world map, no minimap—she'd almost forgotten games were supposed to have maps.
Opening it, the continent was shrouded in gray fog, likely requiring exploration. Only a small southeastern corner was lit.
Southern islands dotted the map, tiny compared to the continent.
Zooming in, she confirmed the task location was on the main continent, not far from Silver Moon, near the southeastern coast.
The continent was that big?
It felt like dragging all of Blue Star's continents together into a Pangea-like supercontinent to even compare.
So… was the continent's center a desert or steppe?
Yu Yu didn't dwell, checking her rewards instead.
[Epic: Ant (Completed)]
[Gained: +20,000 EXP, Improved Eye of the Hurricane (Ring-Four), Improved Earthquake (Ring-Four), Improved Meteor Strike (Ring-Four), Improved Wind Riding (Ring-Four)]
Yu Yu's eyes quaked.
Ring… four?
She'd once looked into ring-four spell requirements and found the magic circle guarded them tightly.
Starting cost: 100,000 points and 1,000 gold, plus heaps of prerequisites. Some critical spells even required task chains.
She'd tried learning the ring-four conjuration spell teleport but was blocked for lacking conditions. Then she eyed the ring-four flight spell. No condition issues, but it demanded mastery of ring-three conjuration spells item levitation and antigravity first.
Similarly, learning ring-four cloud burn required mastering a slew of fire spells.
Senior Meng explained that ring-four spells were tough even for high-ring spellcasters, far beyond the first three rings' complexity. The spell models alone were absurdly difficult. She advised Yu Yu to focus on ring-three mastery, build her spell model core, and only consider ring-four after becoming a high-ring spellcaster.
But…
Yu Yu counted, barely containing her grin.
Aaaaah!
400,000 points and 4,000 gold!
No prerequisites! No tasks! Straight to her spell list! Improved versions, no less!
How did she deserve this?! All for delivering a meal!
Majesty, don't stop! I'll run these tasks till the end of time!
Yu Yu wanted to milk this legend dry before setting him free.
He must know tons of spells, right? Heart-eyes.jpg
[Erisbo's Improved Eye of the Hurricane]
[School: Elemental]
[Tier: Ring-Four]
[Range: Extreme]
[Area: 2km+ radius]
[Cost: 4500]
[Cast Time: 20min+]
[Proficiency: Beginner (0/1000)]
Yu Yu pinched herself, eyeing the cost.
Time to breathe oxygen.
4500… Truly a ring-four spell, huh?
No way she could cast it. Impossible.
Meteor Strike and Earthquake? No need to check; they wouldn't be lower.
Her only hope was Wind Riding. Trembling, she clicked.
[Wind Riding]
[School: Elemental]
[Tier: Ring-Four]
[Range: Medium]
[Area: Close]
[Cost: 500/s]
[Cast Time: None]
[Proficiency: Beginner (0/1000)]
Seeing 500, Yu Yu felt oddly unsurprised.
Without the Grand Archon's ring, her max mental energy could sustain three seconds of flight. Utterly useless.
She got it now. Starting from ring-three, spells were designed for high-ring spellcasters.
Only they could refine models for instant casts, reduced costs, or extended durations.
Regular spellcasters using base versions? They'd get crushed.
Though she couldn't use them, Yu Yu was grateful.
This was 400,000 points and 4,000 gold!
This legend was a walking goldmine!
Her tone softened. "Majesty, how do I retrieve your power?"
"Go… to Rock Mound… retrieve my… staff…"
"Go…"
Task updated.
[Epic: Lost Power] (Retrieve Erisbo's staff lost in Rock Mound) [Map]
He was less coherent than before, his mind clouded.
Yu Yu zoomed in on the map, spotting the labeled area—Rock Mound.
Got it. Another dungeon run.
But… a legend's item? Could a mid-ring spellcaster like her clear it?
Doubtful. She'd check with the Grand Archon first.
Rewards secured, Yu Yu's mood soared. "Majesty, want to eat?"
Wake up! I've got a [Gourmet (Recurring)] task to finish!
Every bit counts!
After a pause, the katsu curry rice vanished from her hands.
Yu Yu beamed. Nailed it.
[Gourmet (Recurring)] (Completed)
[Gained: +2000 EXP, Improved Elemental Affinity]
Checking it, Yu Yu was thrilled to find it was a special persistent spell.
Glaring at Eternal Darkness's lack of notes, she muttered, "We call this a passive skill."
Sadly, Eternal Darkness offered no details on Elemental Affinity's effects. She'd have to ask Senior Meng.
Meanwhile, the black-robed spellcaster's eyes glowed deep blue, scrutinizing Erisbo's every change.
Mental state: unchanged.
Injuries: unchanged.
Body: unchanged.
Aberrant traits: unchanged.
If nothing changed, why was he suddenly lucid?
The spellcaster grew anxious, a rare feeling.
Then, she detected a subtle shift.
A change only the magic circle could observe, hidden from the surface.
After eating the katsu curry rice, Arisbo's pollution level, a staggering 745, dropped slightly.
Now 744.
The spellcaster held her breath.
After a long wait, it fell to 743 and stabilized.
The moment that number was confirmed, her fingers dug into her palm, her heart surging with shock.
Meanwhile, Yu Yu grumbled. Why haven't they let me out yet?
I'm busy!
I've got to settle at the Pioneer camp!
My potatoes aren't even planted!
"How… did you get in?" The grim voice above spoke again.
Yu Yu looked up, stunned.
Your mind's clear again?
Does my food have that kind of magic?!
Erisbo sneered, "The magic circle's grown useless. That traitor's a failure, leading it to ruin day by day." His voice rose sharply. "All of them—useless!"
De Erisbo, or rather Flame Sovereignty Majesty, ranted for nearly half an hour, cursing the magic circle, the Night Lord, in his deep, furious voice…
Yu Yu learned far more than she should've, wishing she could plug her ears.
Good thing the Night Lord wasn't here. If she knew Yu Yu heard this much dirt, she'd be fleeing Allen Peninsula with her wolf by nightfall.
Finally, he tired, roaring, "Get out, you little failure!"
Yu Yu: "???"
You're cursing me now?
Curse the Night Lord all you want, but why me?
Outside, Yu Yu fumed.
The black-robed spellcaster stood with hands behind her back. "How'd it go?"
Yu Yu huffed, "He insulted me!"
The spellcaster: "?"
"He can curse his traitor, but why me?" Yu Yu ranted.
The spellcaster: "Hm?"
Yu Yu snapped, "He's the little failure!"
The spellcaster: "…"
She was momentarily speechless.
After a long pause, under Yu Yu's gaze, the spellcaster regained her composure, saying evenly, "Your food looked tasty. Can you bring me some tomorrow?"
[Try It Out (Recurring)] (Reward: Unknown)
Yu Yu's face lit up. "Sure, sure! I'll come back tomorrow!"
The spellcaster: "No need. Send it to Feng Ye."
Maybe it was her imagination, but this senior exuded the most big-shot aura Yu Yu had ever seen.
Not just power, but a presence.
Standing there, she radiated calm confidence, unhurried and composed.
Her voice was pleasant, natural—not cold, not overly warm, just effortlessly authoritative.
Bidding the big shot farewell, Yu Yu raced back to the academy to find Senior Meng.
She had a ton to ask, but before she could, the woman said coolly, "I'm leaving."
Yu Yu: "???"
Felix: "I'll be training at headquarters with a Majesty for a while. You won't see me for some time."
Her tone was certain.
Yu Yu froze. "Senior! I can't survive without you!!!"
Felix's eye twitched, glancing at her. "You can reach me via Night Raven. I'll respond if you have issues." She paused, adding, "You could also ask Fu, but whether you can win her over is on you."
Yu Yu's eyes welled up—not an act, but genuine reluctance.
Felix, softened by her look, said, "I'll be training with Night Lord Majesty. It's a necessary step. Every high-ring spellcaster does it."
"I'll learn quickly," she added, her tone meaningful. "With your talent, you'll soon catch a Majesty's eye. One might take you as a true disciple."
Yu Yu blurted, "I could be a traitorous disciple too?"
Felix: "?"
Meanwhile, a certain Grand Archon received orders from her superior.
"Investigate Joel thoroughly."
Feng Ye: "???"