Chapter 140: Not Alone Anymore

Rayrn accepted the knowledge being transmitted without hesitation.

He was someone who had already accepted memories from his past life. He had even accepted the black mage’s knowledge.

If it had been someone else, the very act of acceptance might have caused them to collapse.

‘The great art was properly implemented.’

As long as the Soul-Refining Reincarnation Art existed, Rayrn’s mind would not collapse.

The mental defense he naturally gained upon reaching O Class could already be considered to have entered the ranks of transcendents.

Yet.

“Whew…”

Even for Grayrn, it was a flood of memories difficult to accept.

Magic. Applications of magic. Another world. Manifestation of magic in that other world.

Combinations of multiple magics.

And someone else’s life.

Each single memory was hard to digest. And those memories were invading Rayrn’s mind.

It wasn’t because the memories were malicious.

The one transmitting the memories had no intention of attacking Rayrn.

Only as much as he could accept.

Only to the limit the receiver could endure—this consideration was given. It was a different method from the Soul-Refining Reincarnation Art.

The problem was that the depth of such knowledge was far too deep.

“Kuh…”

They could themselves lead to enlightenment. They could become the power to change the world.

Such things were being etched clearly into his mind.

It was both a fortuitous opportunity and a pain.

Even if somewhat painful, Rayrn did not avoid the incoming memories.

For a long time—who knew how long—Rayrn kept his mind open and accepted.

-Are you alright?

“…No.”

When he fully regained his senses.

Countless memories were floating in his mind. They were fragments of memories.

‘I won’t forget them. I just need to organize them.’

Even just arranging the memory fragments floating in his head would likely take a long time. But they were memories worth it.

“How long was I standing here like this?”

-At least ten more days have passed. If you were an ordinary person, you would have collapsed immediately.

“That’s quite long.”

-Right. But since you’re my contractor, I left you alone. I might have become a hindrance otherwise.

“I’m grateful for that.”

Rayrn was genuinely thankful.

If the fire spirit had interfered midway, he might have lost a considerable amount of the incoming memories.

Thanks to the spirit staying still, Rayrn was able to digest and accept as much as possible.

-So, did you gain anything? Your soulforce is the same. Your body hasn’t changed either?

“There is.”

He answered with a smile.

‘There’s no way there isn’t.’

Knowledge is power.

The power of knowledge he hadn’t known before was purely a gain, never a loss. It was amazing that he had gained so much in just ten days.

“Do you know there’s another world besides this one?”

-Isn’t that common sense? I am also a being from the spirit world.

“Right. That’s why you manifest here through a contract.”

-Why do you ask?

“…Because it seems I obtained memories of a similar world to that.”

A world with different magic from this one. A place that resembled this world like a shadow. Yet because it was different, it possessed entirely different powers.

The owner of this temple had fallen from that world into this one.

Rayrn couldn’t know the reason.

‘Because he didn’t tell me. I know it’s there, but he intentionally didn’t teach me.’

The level of the one who built the temple was far above Rayrn’s. Since that person didn’t teach him, there was no way to know. However, he gained many hints.

He had no intention of going to the newly learned world. He didn’t even feel curiosity.

‘Anyway, those memories are faint. What matters is the magical knowledge.’

This world where he was now was precious to Rayrn.

-Is that so… It’s not like such things have never happened.

“That seems to be the case. I wasn’t the first. Hmm… Interesting.”

The important thing was that for some reason, there was a reason this world drew in people from other worlds, just like Rayrn.

‘It’s not just because of the Soul-Refining Reincarnation Art. Something else intervened in the power of the Soul-Refining Reincarnation Art.’

Indeed, if there hadn’t been some other force’s intervention.

‘No matter how great the Soul-Refining Reincarnation Art is, it was strange that it came through several past lives.’

A great art created by humans couldn’t manifest so deeply in this way.

The reason he remembered his past lives was, after all.

‘Half my own will and intention. The other half an extreme coincidence. Maybe there are many such cases. Could there be other worlds too?’

He wasn’t the first. Someone else had come here, built this temple, and re-established magical knowledge.

The probability might be quite high.

Indeed, the powers possessed by the nobles of this world were also strange.

Some had abilities close to supernatural powers.

There were definitely those who wielded power in a way that seemed to have fallen from somewhere, rather than being created in this world.

The level was lower than expected, but it was clear they had obtained even small fragments.

‘…Interesting, but also frightening.’

And also, cases where beings from other worlds come this way. According to the memories Rayrn received,

‘I might not be alone. There could be a few others.’

It might not have been a solo translocation.

This part was important.

“For now, the top candidate is the orc side. There’s plenty of possibility for others too.”

Just because they had knowledge of this world didn’t mean they were at an advantage.

There could be cases where, due to thoughts, coincidences, or extreme misfortune, one died right upon awakening past lives. But the important thing was that there could be more than one.

‘If things go well, it could work positively.’

Rayrn felt tense. It was the first time he felt this way since seeing the orc army.

‘The world doesn’t run on kindness alone.’

Getting along because they’re in the same situation only happens in fairy tales.

The highest probability was conflict. It would likely become a bloody battle of life and death.

They were a family he had barely obtained. It was happiness, and people he had connected with.

“I thought this life would be like an easy game difficulty.”

-Isn’t it easy? Even a spirit like me can see you’re different from others.

“Maybe not. Hmm…”

To protect them, he had to become stronger.

Faster than the speed he originally planned.

‘If I’m lucky, from the orcs. Or maybe something even greater will appear.’

He needed to become powerful quickly.

“…Hoo.”

As he exhaled, Rayrn looked around the center of the temple.

Books filled with knowledge—perhaps arranged as a reserve—filled the temple.

Since the temple was created by folding space, the number of books inside was by no means small.

He had to absorb those books first.

“It’s been a while since I really studied.”

Like long ago when Jegal Hyeon struggled to heal, and like Kim Seonggeon who lived in Korea strived to study.

“Let’s get started.”

Rayrn chuckled and steeled his resolve.

It wouldn’t be difficult.

As always, he would do it quickly.

“Once I master it all, I’ll find the place related to the owner of this place. I have to obtain everything.”

In addition to his own power.

He would fill his ‘talent box’ inside his mind to the brim and get it done.

“Alright, first one I choose is you.”

Rayrn pulled out a thick book that didn’t even have dust on it.

‘I’ll properly master it, teach it, and then put it to work!’

With a resolve that would make Ruan or Esty of the Magic Tower tremble, Rayrn soon immersed himself in the book.

His dungeon expedition was turning in a new direction.

***

“Send three more knight orders to the right flank.”

“Yes!”

Ofern was not just a vanguard commander putting on a show of force.

While holding the vanguard, he knew how to assess the surroundings. Since becoming an aura master, his eye for reading the times had deepened.

“What about the rear guard?”

“They’re already moving back. They’re ready to detonate all the scrolls on your signal.”

“Good.”

Feeling the entire battlefield with his aura, endlessly.

Crack-

“Ghk”

He cleaved the enemy in front of him in one stroke.

He knew bitterly that as long as he used his hands, his allies would not die.

Slice.

He seemed numb to cutting enemies.

Under the conviction of strengthening the territory where his allies and family would live, Earl Ofern moved desperately.

Moving with his body and acting first—that was his way.

“Advance! Advance!”

With their lord Earl Ofern fighting so hard, no one dared to retreat.

With overwhelming support and rewards added, morale was at its peak.

Ofern had already succeeded in occupying the northern region of Marquis Owen’s house. Now they were moving to secure the iron ore region of the northwest beyond the north.

This area, rich in iron ore, was mountainous, filled with monsters and iron fortresses.

Yet Ofern’s advance never stopped.

“Everything is ready!”

“Send the signal immediately!”

“Yes!”

Even the despair-like walls for monsters,

Whoosh— Boom!

Were no match for Ofern’s attacks using charged magic scrolls.

Groan—

One side of the attacked wall collapsed as if it had never been.

It was nearly impossible to cover an entire wall with magic, except the main gate. Even for a powerful ducal house, covering their main castle was the best they could do.

“It’s perfectly destroyed. Just as expected.”

“The construction method of House Owen is obvious.”

If he had wished, it would have been possible to destroy the entire castle.

There was no need to go as far as class magic like Hellfire. Just scattering large-scale magic was already enough.

After taking the castle,

Ofern only destroyed part of it in preparation for when he would have to defend instead of attack.

Normally, even destroying part of a castle wall made breakthrough difficult. That was common sense.

Slice.

Ofern, who had cleaved an enemy charging at him down to the bone, changed direction.

“I’ll go that way. The vanguard—”

“I’ll assist!”

“Good.”

By Earl Ofern moving directly, that common sense was easily broken.

“We’ll take another one today. How about the other castles? Riben? Esdun Castle?”

“They’ll fall soon.”

“Good. Once we finish here, we’ll have secured most of the northwest’s key points.”

While moving his body, Earl Ofern endlessly turned his mind.

‘To think I would succeed in revenge in my generation.’

House Owen had threatened his life ever since he became a count.

He couldn’t cut the Marquis of Owen’s neck himself, but his son had done it.

The count fully exploited the situation his son had created. Now he was counterattacking against Marquis Owen’s House, which had targeted House Ofern for generations.

“Go!”

“Yes!”

Boom!

The count, moving by stomping his feet, could not help but feel new emotions each time.

The situation had reversed so much that Ofern itself was soaring.

But as always, there are always those who try to stop those who rise.

House Ofern’s unusual movements began to stir those beyond the surrounding area within the Kingdom of Malexia.

“We need to prepare.”

“Where should we start…”

“We need to move soon. We have to take down the duke.”

Malexia was becoming restless beneath the surface.