Chapter 376: Alliance Leader, Mister Moumu: Return
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Nodding his head in satisfaction, Black Isotta suddenly stopped cackling wryly, his expression turned dead-serious as he spoke to Grimm, “Every time I see you, you’re always able to put me in a relatively good mood. Tell me, are there any little problems you are facing as of now? Perhaps I may be of help to you.”
Black Isotta spoke earnestly.
Little problems?
Grimm was surprised at the sudden offer by the Stigmata Sorcerer. After a moment of contemplation, he replied, “I would like a blood sample of the Dark Destroyer Infernal God, as well as his Spirit Fragment, all for experimental purposes.”
The Savage Flame Giant had two primers.
The original primer of the Greedy Flame Giant was the blood of the Dark Destroyer Infernal God, which Grimm obtained by way of a false blood contract with the god. The magic power signal from this tiny amount of blood had always remained in Grimm’s perception throughout the years. It served as the fundamental mental strength frame for the Savage Flame Giant which at the time, Grimm was working on its construction.
The other primer was discovered by Grimm in the Enigmatic Shadow World, in an Amonro “laboratory” hidden within a volcanic crater. In this laboratory, the Amonros were deliberately developing the Crimson Sun Amonro, which specifically resisted the powers of the Crimson Sun. Apart from this, they were also raising a batch of Lava Giants who had fallen to the Amonros’ will, which explains why Grimm had found the Crystal Core of an ancient Lava Giant there.
Based off the energy of this Crystal Core, the Greedy Flame Giant mutated into the Savage Flame Giant of today.
For now, this Crystal Core primer is stored inside the body of Little Myna.
Grimm’s request for the Dark Destroyer Infernal God’s blood sample and Spirit Fragment from Black Isotta was in hopes that he could perform one perfect evolution process on the Savage Flame Giant, which would raise him up to meet the benchmark of a Level-2 Anatomy Refinery Sorcerer.
And should Grimm come to yield such powers…
Although Grimm does not have plans to make Third Ghostpepper his mortal enemy, nor does he plan to fight for a place in the Demon-Hunting Trial, but if that guy’s still that foolish and stubborn to come up with more annoying plans just to save his own face then the awakening of Grimm’s new spell and his second-level Wild Instinct ability should come in handy.
Grimm’s second-level Wild Instinct ability shared certain similarities to the True Ivory Armor which the Ivory Castle Stigmata Sorcerer lent to him in the Infernal Spirit World.
Grimm couldn’t help but ponder at what happened while he was in a coma. His curiosity was piqued by vague memories of his blurry perception. The next step in his body’s evolution seemed to be in the direction of a pair of wings on his back or a tail…
Grimm couldn’t say for sure.
The direction of his Wild Instinct evolution was deduced by Grimm purely based off his own instinctual perceptions. However, such superficial perceptions were typically considered utter nonsense by your run-of-the-mill Elemental Sorcerers.
Unlocking the second-level Wild Instinct did not necessarily mean that Grimm would possess the powers of a Level-2 sorcerer. Anatomy Refinery Sorcerers typically go through passive evolution as their constitution increases gradually, not in giant leaps into certain classes.
Grimm’s path of Intoxication Sorcery had come to an end. And now, due to his accidental unlocking of the second-level Wild Instinct, his remaining journey to becoming a Level-2 Anatomy Refinery Sorcerer was a relatively short one.
“Ku ku, that is but a trivial matter. Is there anything else?”
Black Isotta said which came as a surprise to Grimm. It was as if his request was not considered sufficient by the Stigmata Sorcerer.
Anything else?
Looking at Black Isotta’s muddled eyes, which were obscured by the spatial collapse happening all around him. His eyes were perfectly described by the word “ancient”. His gaze transcended through time, seeing beyond what mortals call “life and death” and focused only on the pursuit of his dreams.
For a moment, Grimm hesitated.
How Grimm hoped that he could ask for the heteromorphic marrow from the Ancient Ruins which he sought after all this time!
This was the main material of the Mask of Truth. If Grimm could get his hands on more heteromorphic marrow, then his next alchemy project would be to use this material in the creation of a self-sealing sorcerer’s robe which would function as an invisibility cloak against any forms of perception available to the Mask of Truth. It would be named the “Robe of Representations”.
Too many of the Endless World’s creatures exist in a superficial layer. All that they could perceive is limited by the world of representations, which was beyond what we call “the Truth”.
As such, Grimm’s “Robe of Representations” takes advantage of the creatures’ ignorance, making the wearer invisible to their perception. This would form a perfect support sorcery if paired together with the Dissimilation Camouflage spell.
Using this, Grimm would attain a presence similar to that of “the Truth” which was oblivious to most creatures. He could then seal himself and observe the creatures roaming the World of Representations through the Mask of Truth, undisturbed, unfiltered.
The way Grimm’s Robe of Representations works is by infinitely magnifying the gauze that exists between “the Truth” and mere “representations”. Thus, the shortcomings of the creatures’ inferior perceptions allow Grimm to hide himself from them in plain sight,
Despite having everything worked out in his mind, Grimm hesitated to speak out.
One reason for this was that the amount of heteromorphic marrow Grimm needed for crafting his Robe of Representations isn’t exactly trivial to begin with. He feared that such an outrageous request might possibly incite the Stigmata Sorcerer’s displeasure.
The other reason was…
Taking in a deep breath, Grimm raised his head slightly to look at the Black Isotta Stigmata Sorcerer.
“I hope…that the Thousand-eyed Carnicus, with whom I have travelled with to the Infernal Spirit World where I took on the Rank-1 Honor Badge mission will receive the same treatment as any other human Arcane Sorcerer in the Black Isotta Realm. My request is such, as it was also another ‘person’ who had played its part in ensuring my mission’s success.”
‘Rumble…’
A dead silence descended upon the great hall, the remaining thing audible was the ambient, rumbling noise from the spatial contortion and collapse around Black Isotta.
The Black Isotta remained silent for a while perhaps out of surprise at Grimm’s request, but his face remained expressionless nonetheless. Evidently, it was completely out of the Stigmata Sorcerer’s expectations that such a request be made by Grimm.
It was only after a moment that Black Isotta opened his mouth and uttered.
“Fine.”
It was just a single word and yet a wave of relief washed over Grimm. In the next instance, Grimm found himself ‘flung’ out of the great hall by the Black Isotta.
The clamped-shut metal doors of the great hall was the embodiment of the heart of the merciless Black Isotta Stigmata Sorcerer, which had continuously been beating since ancient times.
“Caw? Young Master, did I mishear the words you said just now? How could you even bring yourself to make such a stupid request from Black Isotta, just for the sake of that big, stupid crab who wouldn’t even listen to the wise words of Lord Myna…”
And yet, a carefree smile broke across Grimm’s face underneath the Mask of Truth.
It was just like in Bi Seer City, where Grimm decided to devote a part of himself out of love for Lefay, whose imminent death was just around the corner.
Such “stupid” behavior was rarely projected by Dark Sorcerers.
For Dark Sorcerers who are constantly, yet unconsciously moulded by their laws, which were dictated by the Sorcerer’s Will, they would either have contractual relationships or “master-disciple” relationships.
Grimm gripped the Sabbatic Goat Staff as he strode forwards, his staff making a “dink dink dink” sound as it hit the metallic floor.
Grimm interrupted the silence and replied to Myna’s questioning, “Little Myna, do you remember when you said that there were no distinctions between Bright and Dark Sorcerers in ancient times, and that there were no laws in the Sorcerer World?”
“Yup, what about it?”
Myna asked curiously, before further expanding its question, “What does this have to do with young master, you begging for mercy from Black Isotta for that… that stupid, insubordinate crab?”
Slowly, Grimm made his way out of the base of the Void Fortress, walking into the fortress square.
The sun’s rays lit up the square, the skies were clear today!
Although the same old, bitter-cold wind blew across the Burrow World, Grimm felt a ball of warmth seeping through, deep in his heart. He looked at his fellow Demon-Hunter Sorcerers, zipping through the sky in every direction, as well as at the Magic Power cloud vortex at the tip of the short Sorcerer Tower.
Grimm smiled slightly and said, “It is not the harsh laws of the Sorcerer World nor the Endless World’s cruel fate that dictate who I am today. It is instead that heart of mine from my apprenticeship days, which had grown numb from trying so desperately to adapt to the Dark Sorcerer’s merciless laws that kept reminding myself, I am a Dark Sorcerer and I must respect the laws of the Dark Sorcerer…”
“But Young Master!”
Myna shrieked, “Is there any connection between what you just said and the fact that you had to beg for the pity of that useless, good-for-nothing crab?”
Upon hearing this, Grimm flicked his finger against Myna’s skull.
“It is not your slave so why should it heed your orders? You should relax. Treat him like you do with that red-eyed frog friend of yours under Sorcerer Apollo. It will definitely feel the difference, for it possesses the heart of a human sorcerer and is no longer an enemy creature from a foreign world.”
Grimm smiled as he advised Myna. For some reason, Lefay’s death had played a pivotal role in him realizing and revealing his true emotions, especially after being ordained a formal sorcerer.
A truly powerful sorcerer isn’t one who moves the leverage laws according to the book. Instead, he is one who operates beyond the rules of a sorcerer!
For instance, a formal sorcerer would accept bribes from civilians when recruiting sorcerers apprentices. In Grimm’s case, he abused the Magic Stone earning system to purchase the Ashen Mask during the Gory Test, which allowed him to defeat Claudia as well as the other three apprentices during the Holy Tower Apex Battle whose powers alone were enough to intimidate their enemies from entering the Dark Sorcerers’ realm.
Such methods demonstrated the intelligence of a formidable sorcerer.
If, Grimm had stopped regarding himself as a Dark Sorcerer and stopped following their rules, no longer aiming for a place in the Demon-Hunting Trial and turned down fate’s arrangement, what would life be like for him now?
***
One year later.
“Demon-Hunter Sorcerer Grimm, this is your Rank-1 Honor Badge mission completion scroll as well as the blood and spirit sample of the Dark Destroyer Infernal God. Please keep the mission scroll safely. When you go back to the Tree of Life in the Sorcerer World, do look for the Celestial Cordillera in the Seven-Ring World. There, you should approach the Guardian of Winter in the World-Core to receive the Demon-Hunting Badge as well as your mission reward.”
Wearing a black mask, he was the great Level-3 sorcerer who had escorted Grimm to meet the six Stigmata Sorcerers in the metallic great hall.
In stark contrast to his black mask, Grimm’s Mask of Truth had swirling streaks of gray and white.
Myna gripped the scroll and specimens using its beak and passed it onto Grimm’s hands. With glee in his heart, he carefully stored them into the Dimensional Gap before bowing his head slightly to show respect.
“Thank you.”
“Mm.”
The Level-3 great Demon-Hunter Sorcerer nodded his head in acknowledgement and said to Grimm with a hoarse voice, “Level-one Demon-Hunter Sorcerer receiving a Rank-1 Honor Badge. Do keep up the hard work. Perhaps it is the choice of fate but in the unknown future, you stand a significant chance of being awarded a Rank-Superior Honor Badge in your Demon-Hunting career.”
Grimm stared blankly at the back of the sorcerer who had turned and left moments ago.
Rank-Superior Honor Badge?
This…
This was practically impossible.
Grimm shook his head and chuckled. He then turned and nodded to bid farewell towards Cameron and Julni who would return to the Sorcerer World a little later than he would. Turning into a pile of yellow sand, Grimm, alongside hundreds of other Dark Demon-Hunters went forwards into the World Delivery Gate within the stumpy Sorcerer Tower where their figures disappeared into thin air.