Reborn As The Villain In A Game-Like World-Chapter 41: To Become A Dragon, You Soar
Jack wore a weary smile as he looked at the tiny fairy. Although she presented the cold and aloof facade of an empress, knowing her true nature made the whole thing seem ridiculous. Of course, Jack understood that people in high stations were only ’human,’ too, as the saying went... They would obviously act very differently depending on the person they were talking to.
Master Gray was practically jumping around. "He did it! He really did it! Hahaha!"
Despite being three hundred years old, Amaltheia had the temperament of a child and was annoyed at being ignored; she directed her oppressive aura toward Master Gray, yet he showed no change in his actions.
Jack raised a brow at the sight.
’Amaltheia’s strength is well known to both the players of the game and me personally, as I witnessed her Spirit Magic in person. Yet Master Gray is a complete mystery. Both his school of magic and his level of mastery are unknown to me, and that makes him a dangerous variable. Luckily, the old man seems friendly enough... assuming that’s his real face.’
Jack’s first disciple, Thar, decided to answer on behalf of Master Gray. "Apprentice Thar pays respects to Archmage Amaltheia Magigrace."
The annoyed fairy just waved him over. "Enough with those annoying formalities. Just tell me why the old man is acting like that."
"Well..." Thar looked toward Jack, asking for permission with his eyes, as Thar didn’t grasp his new master’s relationships. Amaltheia could be his mortal enemy for all he knew.
Jack appreciated his new disciple’s sharp mind and gave him a nod. Thar then proceeded, "Master Wilson imparted upon me visions of an advanced runic engraving process that involved an eight-letter rune. It allowed me to break through a threshold in my understanding that has held me back for the past few years."
Unlike Master Gray, the fairy maintained a stoic expression throughout the explanation, which cracked toward the end. "That sure is interesting..." she muttered at the end.
Amaltheia then turned to Jack with a smile and, with a wave of her hand, produced a silver-coloured robe that would fit his tall frame. "Congratulations, as a mage with a school of magic in the B grade, and upon accepting your first disciple, you are now officially qualified as a Master Mage."
Jack gave the fairy an appreciative nod but added, "I actually already have a disciple, although I understand she is also not part of the Mage Tower, so it wouldn’t have qualified me."
Amaltheia wasn’t three hundred years old for nothing. Easily reading between the lines, she looked at Melinda for a moment, taking in her appearance. After a second, she flicked her wrist, and a set of blue robes appeared. She also produced two silver-coloured rings with golden runes inlaid on their surfaces.
"Happy now?" she asked with a smirk that Thar didn’t notice.
Jack gave a light smile and nodded, taking the robes and rings. "Although you are now a Master Mage, you will be limited to the lower floors, that is, until you fulfil the end of your deal."
Noticing that his master was busy talking, Thar shifted across the room and found a purple-scaled kobold cowering in the corner. Lowering his usual booming voice, Thar lightly said, "Varn, wasn’t your dream to evolve into a real dragon?"
The little kobold that was shaking like a leaf swivelled up one of his ears subconsciously, showing that he was listening to Thar’s words. "I understand that crossing the Aldric Mountains gave you a bad... possibly terrible impression of vampires, but Master Wilson seems composed and competent enough. From the knowledge I obtained, he has a unique view on things... Maybe he can help you understand Wild Magic?"
Varn opened one of his yellow, snake-like eyes and looked at Thar’s kind face. He wanted nothing more than to advance his Wild Magic and evolve into a real dragon, but that was only possible if he reached S-grade. Out of all the races, kobolds had the highest chance to evolve into an S-grade existence. Although the highest chance still meant almost zero. Though, even if it was only an almost infinitely small number of kobolds that evolved, it was still worth trying for.
Beyond the Aldric Mountains was a large expanse of land occupied by small cities of varying races. Only the strong survived over there as wars between the different races broke out almost daily over disputed resources. Kobolds were one of the weaker races, but with the backing of an ancient dragon, none dared to attack them directly. But a secret only known to Varn, a member of the royal family, was that the ancient dragon had passed on a few years ago. Dragons had long but not infinite lives, and during this ancient dragon’s innumerable years, not a single kobold had ascended to dragonhood to take over its position. With fears that their neighbors may discover this secret, they sent Varn away to the "human" realm beyond the Aldric Mountains.
Almost the entire elite force that escorted him here was murdered by the vampires in a single night. Although the vampires were small in number, they were ridiculously strong and didn’t fear death or injuries. They just mindlessly slaughtered at the commands of the noble vampires. Varn watched all his close attendants being hunted down by bloodthirsty humanoids as he ran through the dark woods. The only reason he survived that cursed night was because of the sun peeking over the horizon before they reached him, forcing their retreat.
This major weakness to sunlight was the main reason the vampires had never invaded a location away from the mountains. The threat of being caught out in the open when the night ended was too dangerous. Only the noble vampires could resist this weakness, but they were too few in number to threaten a nation alone.
Although both Velmira and Veranthos despised the vampires, they were also the main reason the city-states of monsters beyond the mountains had never attempted a large-scale invasion, although with a large enough force they could wipe the vampires out, especially after the defeat of the S-grade Aldric Wilson. They would lose too many forces in the process and weaken their chance of victory when fighting Velmira and Veranthos.
Varn went through his complicated memories, the faces of his family giving him a tearful goodbye as he left on this journey. Although they didn’t expect him to become their beacon of hope, he still wished to take on that role. Yet even after thirty years of being stuck here, he had never received any word on his family’s condition, nor had he advanced in his school of magic.
Wild Magic was the ability to wield the forces of chaos that underlined the order of creation. His mana was untamed and raw, surging through his body with boundless energy. Almost every mage that advanced in Wild Magic was a lunatic and, therefore, bad at teaching. They would incoherently mutter about higher powers controlling them as if everything was predetermined. Varn hated that idea; he was a firm believer in pursuing his own life beyond the control of these supposed higher beings. This stubbornness and refusal to change his mindset had caused Varn to be stuck at the C grade for almost thirty years.
"To understand Wild Magic, a person must understand the underlying systems governing the world and then break them in incomprehensible ways. Controlling such untamed and raw mana can only lead to the destruction of one’s mind and soul." — Archmage Lenethis, Year 1347
Varn had read this same quote a hundred times and could only wonder what those wild mages had seen once they looked behind the veil of the world. What was beyond?
Taking a look at Jack, he had to admit he looked level-headed compared to those creatures he encountered in the woods that night. Jack’s eyes seemed calm with a profound level of intelligence, as if he knew more than he should. He never showed a hint of surprise, as if everything was predestined.
Varn clenched his paw as he hated that idea.
’Maybe Jack had also gazed upon the beyond like he would have to.’
Looking at Thar’s gentle expression that seemed completely out of place on an orc’s intimidating face, Varn gathered his courage. His family, assuming they were still alive, needed him to return. Not as a kobold or even an A-grade mage. No. They needed an S-grade existence in order to stand against those other cities.
With slow and heavy steps, Varn walked over to stand in front of Jack. The fairy gave the two space and watched with interest. The small, purple-skinned kobold, barely reaching Jack’s waist, gazed up with a determined look. Varn’s yellow, snake-like eyes stared into Jack’s calm yet dangerous gaze.
Upon seeing this, Varn had his fears answered. Jack was indeed one of those monsters, yet he was an intelligent one. Since Varn wished to evolve into the strongest monster known across the land, why not take the second strongest as his own master? A royal vampire.
Varn focused hard on manipulating his snake tongue to produce the most comprehensible statement. "Apprenth-ice Mage Varn greeth-s Master Wilson. I have C grade in Wild Magic," Varn said in a calm voice. It contained neither hatred nor respect.
"Wild Magic? Interesting. Master Gray, I told you to bring me normal people. Why is a Wild Mage being shown to me?"
Master Gray had finally stopped jumping around the room and turned to Jack with a look that contained deep insight. "I know, I tried to test the limits of your teaching abilities. How about this? If you can help Varn advance, then I will consider the deal done."
Akna, who had remained surprisingly silent this entire time, had a stunned expression on her face. "Hey! What about me? He hasn’t advanced me as I demand him to!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Jack ignored the brain-damaged elf and looked toward Varn. "Are you sure you wish to know? Many find out the secrets of this world and never make it back the same."
Varn nodded slowly. "It hash to be done. I hath been puth-ting it otff for far too long."
Jack took a second to stare into his eyes. Despite his fierce gaze, Varn never faltered, showing his resolve.
"Very well."
Jack placed his gloved hand upon Varn’s head and closed his eyes. Activating telepathy that had been upgraded to C grade from constant usage, he flowed information into Varn’s brain. Images of Jack meeting Varn through many different characters in different situations played out. Future events that hadn’t occurred, wars yet to happen, people yet to die.
Through the chaos of images, showing the hundreds of different play-throughs of the storyline, Varn noticed a trend within the chaos. Despite the world seeming so vast and endless, with its millions of residents living out their lives, the same few events happened no matter what. There was order within the chaos.
Despite Jack never cutting the connection, slowly Varn’s mind sealed up as if it were refusing the information. It was too alien, too bizarre to comprehend. Although it all made some sense, it made none at the same time. Things became explained, but more questions that Varn would never even have thought to ask appeared in his mind.
Jack felt that Varn’s brain was struggling and cut the connection. His small body fell forward on the ground with a dazed expression.
"That should do it," Jack said casually, "but he will never be the same again after that."
