Chapter 532 – #112_Trial
#532
1.
Once we were on the deck of the passenger ship, there was no need to hold Luel’s hand.
As we entered the semi-transparent barrier surrounding the ship, it felt like stepping into an indoor space.
The fact that they were maintaining such a large-scale barrier in an environment crushed by heavy water pressure meant that the passenger ship was an artifact no less impressive than Akula.
Unlike Akula, which had been preserved as close to its original form as possible, the passenger ship was just a shell.
As we stepped inside, a magnificent hall, completely unexpected from its exterior, greeted Siwoo and Luel.
I had expected a great workshop.
Even if she cherished her apprentice witch, she wouldn’t be just any ordinary rich person to smuggle a nuclear submarine as a gift.
But the scene before my eyes exceeded even my expectations.
“Wow…”
It looked like the most luxurious building Siwoo had ever seen.
First of all, the entire place, from the floor to the ceiling to the walls, was decorated with sparkling jewels and gold that were almost blinding.
Even the pillars around the huge trees were adorned with sophisticated carvings, and dozens of fist-sized crystal ornaments were embedded in them.
I realized that even an interior that looked like a nouveau riche’s attempt to throw money around could be impressive if it was done on this scale.
“This way.”
However, Luel only glanced at the interior, and without any particular explanation or boasting, she moved on.
Rather, she seemed more confident when showing off the underwater scenery.
“A kingdom of great dignity.”
“…To be frank, I do not understand my teacher’s sense of interior design. If it were mine, I would tear it all down.”
“For example?”
“I plan to buy an aircraft carrier.”
“……”
We chatted idly as we exited to the left of the hall and walked down a long, carpeted corridor.
The doors on either side were all locked, and despite the absence of any people, the interior was as clean as if it had just been thoroughly cleaned yesterday.
I asked, admiring the candelabras decorating the walls.
“Your Majesty, what exactly is this trial?”
“Do you know when a witch is most likely to die?”
“I remember you saying it was right after an apprentice witch inherits the mark.”
“That is correct.”
Just because one inherits the mark from their predecessor doesn’t mean they can immediately master all the magic within.
It varies depending on the rank, but it usually takes about 10 years to optimize and achieve a performance similar to the predecessor, and it is said that the true life of a witch begins from there.
“Then, what would be the best way to shorten that period?”
“Please, teach me.”
“It is a battle with oneself.”
“A battle with oneself…?”
“In a life-or-death battle, a witch’s magic is refined more quickly.”
So, the trial is a life-or-death battle?
But what does a battle with oneself mean?
After passing through an abnormally long corridor, a door appeared.
Unlike the other doors that were tightly locked, this one slid open as soon as Luel arrived in front of it.
An empty room with nothing but pillars and candelabras.
In the center was a large sphere about Siwoo’s waist height.
The sphere, with its opaque black color and shape like a black pearl, rested on a soft cushion.
It was so smooth that it should have reflected faces, but this sphere was dark and abyssal, absorbing all light and not emitting any.
“Ugh…”
Luel made a face as if she had a disliked side dish on her spoon during a meal.
It was the expression she made when she really didn’t want to eat something, but she thought it was unrefined to put down the food she had already picked up, so she ate it anyway.
Well, I had already gathered from various circumstances that she didn’t particularly like the trial.
Luel continued her explanation calmly, without showing much emotion.
“This sphere is an artifact called the ‘Cradle of Dreams.’ If you infuse it with magic, it will send the user into their deep subconscious.”
“I see.”
“In the deep subconscious, you will battle a version of yourself that has drawn out all of its potential. Victory in that battle means you have transcended your limits.”
A witch who has just completed the inheritance is in an incomplete state, not having yet unlocked all of their potential.
Therefore, by killing the version of oneself that has unlocked all of their potential, one verifies the completion of the full inheritance.
Siwoo, who fully understood Luel’s explanation, was intrigued.
After the battle with Bianca, I discovered another personality dormant within my body.
A machine that greedily craved magic and simultaneously possessed no humanity.
It took control of my body at the moment of death and fought Bianca to a standstill.
Moreover, when I regained consciousness, just by retracing the way that guy had used magic, Siwoo’s magical abilities had improved significantly.
Since then, I had tried various ways to meet that personality in my subconscious again, but I couldn’t find it even when entering the Aein.
But what if it was with that artifact?
“Your Majesty, is this Cradle of Dreams only usable by you?”
“Hmm?”
I didn’t know the exact range and level of potential that the Cradle of Dreams could measure and reproduce.
However, if it included the ‘subconscious Siwoo’…
Could I fight it?
That was the idea that came to mind.
“The trial? No. There are no restrictions on its use.”
“Then, I would like to try using it as well.”
As I bowed politely, Luel looked at Siwoo as if she had seen something strange.
“There is no reason to deny you. But it will be difficult, troublesome, and painful. Even though the battle itself takes place in the subconscious, the consciousness is clear. There is little difference from actually fighting.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s okay…?”
“Yes.”
This is a good opportunity.
No matter how close to a real battle my training with my teacher is, there are limits.
We have to hold back so that we don’t hurt each other.
But according to Luel’s explanation, the Cradle of Dreams is essentially a sophisticated VR device.
Being able to have a battle that is as close to real combat as possible without the risk of injury or death is a huge advantage.
Especially considering that I have always achieved significant skill improvements every time I have overcome a life-or-death battle.
And what if I could transcend the subconscious Siwoo, even if it was difficult right now?
I would gain strength that would not be inferior to any ordinary witch.
Then, I could also be of help to my teacher, who is struggling to hunt down enemies alone.
Reading a strange eagerness in Siwoo’s eyes, Luel tilted her head as if she didn’t quite understand.
“To go out of your way to suffer. You have a unique taste. To be honest, I really dislike this trial. If I could, I would have you do all of my share as well.”
“I still want to do it.”
“I grant it.”
Luel and Siwoo stood side by side in front of the sphere.
“As you wish, you may go first. The method is simple. Place your hand on it.”
As she instructed, I placed my hand on it, and a cold, smooth sensation clung to my palm.
“Now, infuse it with magic.”
“How much should I use?”
“Infuse it as if you are putting in all of it. That is why I can only attempt it once a month.”
“Are there any other precautions? Anything good to know?”
Luel placed her hand on her chin for a moment, thinking deeply.
“Be careful, as it will be very painful if you get hurt. If you suffer a fatal wound, you will automatically wake up, but simple injuries are terrible enough to leave phantom pain.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“And, when you enter, there will be a large square platform. If you want to give up the fight, run to the end and jump off.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Then, I wish you luck.”
Siwoo infused magic, and at the same time, the world turned black.
2.
It felt like the blink of an eye.
But in that instant, it was as if I had teleported to another place.
Luel, who had been next to me, was gone, of course.
This place was a space within the subconscious, like the Aein, so it was natural that others could not intrude.
To describe what I saw around me…
Like the Aein, it was pitch black, as if I had been thrown into the middle of space.
Also, the darkness that could be seen through and through spread endlessly in all directions.
Perhaps the Cradle of Dreams was an artifact made to imitate the Aein.
The difference was that unlike the Aein, where I could float freely in the air, there was a clear sense of gravity here.
And there was a large, white, square land that could firmly hold the body that was falling due to gravity.
It was so large that it was not easy to identify, but according to Luel, there seemed to be a cliff at the end of this platform.
“Hmm?”
As I looked around, I noticed that I was holding the Red Branch in my hand.
The Red Branch, which had been there from the beginning, was now revealing its presence.
The Red Branch, which Siwoo had almost always used as her main weapon, was already close to being a self-generating magic as a ceremonial weapon.
Since this was a space of the subconscious, it was manifested as it was, even though it physically existed outside.
I couldn’t see the enemy yet, but I first wove armor out of shadows and put it on my body.
The sound of the armor’s joints clicking was so quiet that it sounded like a train.
From the moment I became aware that this was a different space from everyday life, adrenaline flowed into my bloodstream along with the quiet flow of time.
-Clank clank clank
Then, I heard the sound of heavy armor moving behind me.
When I turned my head, there was a black knight wearing a helmet that covered his face.
A cool black armor based on an old, failed game.
Honestly, it was ‘shadow,’ so I could wear it normally, but if it were metal that existed in the world, it would be a design with no advantages other than being cool.
The Red Branch was casually slung over his shoulder.
Golden light flowed from between the eye guards of the helmet.
“……”
It was obviously Shin Siwoo.
It was a very strange feeling to see myself moving in front of my eyes.
“It’s been a while.”
“……”
Of course, there was no answer.
But I don’t know why he looks so strong even though we’re wearing the same armor.
No, it’s not just that he looks strong. This black knight is really strong.
My instincts are telling me.
This is not just Shin Siwoo’s potential, but a manifestation that includes the potential of the subconscious that has transcended Shin Siwoo.
-Thud
Was it because it was an illusion created by sharing the same consciousness?
The time it took for the two of us to sense the war and take a stance was exactly the same.
Knees slightly bent, with elasticity to jump forward at any moment.
The tip of the Red Branch, slightly lowered below that.
Except for the fact that the left and right were reversed, even the angle of the spear was the same.
“Bloom.”
“Bloom.”
With the same incantation, the two armors charged at each other, leaving behind afterimages like brush strokes.
