The location marked by the 〈Sephrism〉 spell was in the direction of the Manshur Mountain Range near the Haramadine Sultanate in the southwestern part of the continent.
I didn’t know when or in what era this map had been created. When I checked the current maps, there was a village there that was about two hundred years old.
“I have some business near the Sultanate. Even if it takes a while, I should be back within three months at most.”
“Please take care of yourself.”
After speaking with Camillo, I immediately packed my things. As usual, the ones moving with me were Chesa and Linia.
After boarding Restinel in its airship mode and traveling for about two weeks, we arrived at our destination. The ship had gained concealment abilities thanks to materials obtained from Melkina’s remains.
“It’s a bigger village than I expected.”
“Do you think there’ll really be a clue here?”
“There definitely is.”
Even in the original story, Lombisk of the Deadly Poison Pouch, who had possessed 『Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity (S)』, didn’t give off the impression of being particularly brainy. Therefore, the elixir related to this was likely located somewhere that could be found by anyone who simply had the rings.
After thinking for a moment, I spoke.
“Linia. Investigate the situation around here.”
“Understood, Master.”
Even though I had spoken vaguely, Linia understood perfectly. She left somewhere and returned two days later.
“The security of this village is maintained by the warriors of the Tahir School and the vigilante corps.”
“Tahir School?”
“Yes. They apparently use a unique heart method that generates qi with properties similar to poison.”
“Hmm…”
Using poison, huh. Just from that, it seemed clearly related to Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity. I immediately headed to the Tahir School’s headquarters, using the Seal of Struggle as my introduction.
The moment I did, the school’s head came running out barefoot to greet us.
“It is an honor to meet the Clan Master of the Blispiel Clan, whose fame has been spreading from the central regions recently.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome.”
“I have heard much of Master Stroke’s reputation. They say you single-handedly dealt with most of the Caracol Clan’s executives during the Glicia civil war…”
The head began chattering with a bright expression. Being famous certainly made it convenient to be treated well wherever I went. While naturally continuing the conversation, I casually mixed in a topic I was interested in.
“I’d like to know more about the Tahir School.”
“If I may speak about our school, it was founded two hundred years ago by a great figure in the field of poison studies whose name has been lost to time. He was renowned as one of the greatest martial artists among the surrounding nations at the time, yet he didn’t even leave his name to his disciples. Ah, and also…”
Excited by my interest, the head continued speaking before suddenly coming to his senses and asking,
“But what business does someone as distinguished as Master Stroke have in coming here?”
“Do you happen to know anything about this ring?”
Without much hesitation, I held out the 『Luminous Ring · Colorless Stone (B)』. The head blinked and stared at it.
Hmm… Does he really not know anything?
Just as that thought crossed my mind, I saw him fall into contemplation, seemingly recalling something. Then he suddenly asked,
“By any chance, do you also possess other rings similar to this one?”
“…Linia?”
At my words, Linia took out a small box from her backpack and opened it. The head’s face filled with shock as he let out an exclamation.
“I never thought someone would actually come. So the founder’s final instruction was true after all.”
“Final instruction?”
“It’s a story passed down only to the heads of the Tahir School. There was a story that said to hand this over to the traveler who came bearing the luminous rings.”
He handed me a map. It was a very old map. It depicted the Manshur Mountains and the area around this village, but there didn’t seem to be anything particularly noteworthy about it.
After finishing the meeting with the head and returning to Restinel, we carefully examined the map.
“It doesn’t look like there’s anything special.”
“That means it must be…”
The two of them looked at the luminous rings.
〈Sephrism〉
When the rings emitted their stored light, a single red X mark appeared on the previously unremarkable map. Judging by its location, it was near the peak of the mountain range.
We began climbing the mountain around dawn the next day.
The mountain range was more than just rugged. It seemed no one had traveled through it for a long time, as the path was broken in several places, and there were several cliffs along the way to our destination. Without superhuman physical abilities, the climb would have been difficult.
When we arrived at our destination, I narrowed my eyes slightly. There was a single cave there. It was so small that it would be impossible to discover unless one was actively paying attention with enhanced vision.
“It really doesn’t seem like the kind of place you’d naturally find while climbing the mountain.”
“Before that, there probably aren’t even people who would come sightseeing to a place like this.”
While replying, I thought to myself.
Just what could be inside that cave? No matter what kind of trial awaited, if it was something Lombisk had managed to overcome, it probably wouldn’t be too difficult for us now.
Without hesitation, we entered the cave. As we walked inside, a cliff appeared. Looking down, I saw spring water flowing below.
Carrying the two of them, I jumped down about seven meters.
“I went along with the momentum, but Madam might be one thing, but I could have come down on my own…”
“Y-Yeah…”
Come to think of it, this girl’s level was already in the late 30s. Since she had practically never properly participated in combat, she had apparently been imprinted in my mind as a non-combatant.
“Aiden, look at this spring water. It’s incredibly clear.”
Just as Chesa said, the spring hadn’t been purified or anything. Yet no matter how hard I looked, there wasn’t even the slightest trace of turbidity.
As expected, this place was special.
I suddenly looked around. Even though we had come deep into the cave, it wasn’t very dark because of the strange plants called luminous grass growing there.
After walking endlessly, a wide space appeared.
“Wow… It’s beautiful.”
Linia unconsciously let out an exclamation.
I felt the same way, even if I didn’t show it. The deepest part of the cave had an opening in the ceiling, allowing sunlight to pour in.
It was truly a hidden scenic spot.
In the area bathed in sunlight, unknown plants were growing, and among them, a pair of flowers strongly caught my attention.
Appraisal.
Thousand-Year Yin Poison Flower (S-)
- Absorbs all surrounding impurities and poison.
※ Contains poison potent enough to instantly kill a superhuman upon consumption.
Blazing Hellfire Flower (S-)
- Purifies all impurities and poison energy within the body.
※ Contains powerful purifying flames, which may cause the body to burn.
“…!”
An elixir I hadn’t even dared to hope for.
No, to be precise, one of them wasn’t an elixir but clearly a deadly poison. The other one was also halfway between being a poison.
The Thousand-Year Yin Poison Flower (S-), which had absorbed poison energy from its surroundings for hundreds of years and could instantly kill even a Twelve Heroes-level martial artist if consumed.
The Blazing Hellfire Flower (S-), which contained powerful fire energy and would purify the consumer’s body while simultaneously turning them to ash.
However, if both elixirs were consumed at the same time, they would cancel out each other’s drawbacks and transform into a pure yet powerful elixir.
I approached the direction of the flowers while remaining cautious. After confirming there was nothing unusual, I plucked the Thousand-Year Yin Poison Flower and the Blazing Hellfire Flower.
Rumble rumble rumble…
The inside of the cave began to shake.
“Master!”
“Don’t panic. Judging by how strong the tremors are, the cave won’t collapse.”
When I looked around, I noticed a section of the cave wall writhing in one corner.
Soon after, a passage formed there.
When I walked into it, a small wooden house suddenly appeared. On a blanket spread inside the house was a skeleton that looked extremely old, and on the desk beside it lay a single worn book.
I opened the book and read it.
- You who have come here through the luminous rings are probably the one who has inherited the will of the Lindros family. I have prepared an answer in this place I accidentally discovered to lead the competition against the Erman family to victory.
I slowly lowered my gaze. Below, there was an explanation of the theory behind obtaining 『Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity (S)』, which originated from the two flowers I had just acquired.
─Originally, I had intended to dismantle the Thousand-Year Yin Poison Grass and use it for poison research, but I stopped when I discovered the Blazing Hellfire Grass growing while receiving sunlight. From the point I discovered it, it seems it will take at least several decades for the Hellfire Grass to fully mature. However, I am already an old man. By the time someone discovers this book, quite a lot of time will likely have passed. I hope you can fulfill your long-cherished wish through the arrangements I have left behind.
─If you are not a member of the Lindros family, then that too must be the guidance of fate. I hope that in exchange for consuming these elixirs, you will lend your strength to them. However, if the Lindros family has already disappeared from this world, then it does not matter how you use them.
“…Lindros and Erman, huh.”
Both families had made brief appearances in Part 3.
They were families renowned externally as prestigious houses of medicine. Epio’s party had once visited the Erman family to treat Lei, who had been poisoned by Tiamia’s plant toxin.
It seemed these luminous rings had originally been stored in the Lindros family. Come to think of it, I had also seen a setting about them suffering from financial difficulties. From this, I could roughly guess how the luminous rings had ended up in the black market.
I looked at the back part of the book.
Various complex theories about techniques, methods of realization, and tips were written in detail. Just by looking at it, it was clear that this was a level that only a martial artist with Twelve Heroes-level talent could have devised.
There was something that made me suspect the identity of the skeleton. It was probably Inbar Lindros, the greatest martial artist in the history of the Lindros family.
I had read a setting that said after reaching an advanced age, he had ignored his family’s dissuasion and gone into seclusion somewhere.
[MacGuffin No.503 / 『Poison Medicine Master』 has been recovered.]
[Achievement Points + 500]
“It’s unfortunate for the Lindros family, but even if it’s a book containing techniques, I can’t give up on Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity. Instead, since they have plenty of money, I can just send them plenty of support later.”
“I will convey that to Lord Camillo when we return.”
After nodding at Linia’s words, I tore off half of each flower and put them in my mouth before swallowing.
[Danger! You have consumed a powerful deadly poison.]
[Danger! You have consumed a powerful heat poison.]
Whoosh! The moment I consumed them, lethal energy spread through my entire bloodstream.
I sat down cross-legged.
From here on out, it begins.
[Thousand-Year Yin Poison Flower (S-) consumed / Digestion rate 57%]
[Digestion rate greatly corrected by Chesa Utland’s Extreme Mana Circulation Body (S) trait!! 57% → 92%]
[Blazing Hellfire Flower (S-) consumed / Digestion rate 65%]
[Digestion rate greatly corrected by Chesa Utland’s Extreme Mana Circulation Body (S) trait!! 65% → 95%]
[Both have decent compatibility with the Infinite Thunderstone (S) and Wings of the Firebird (S-) already settled in your body.]
[You have absorbed the powerful energy contained in both elixirs. Your potential level has increased by 2!]
[Stamina has increased by 1.]
[Mana has increased by 2.]
Current level: 52.
I had clearly reached the level of the Continent’s Twelve Heroes.
However, the rate of stat increase was disappointing.
It was partly due to the high level, but more decisively because I had consumed multiple high-grade elixirs.
Although this was a situation where my life could have been in danger, thanks to 『Serene Clarity (A)』, I was calm enough to have such stray thoughts.
[Danger resolved! The energies of the two opposing elixirs cancel each other out.]
[You have contained the energy of powerful flames within your body. Some attribute effects contained in the Elemental Dominion (A) trait have greatly increased.]
[You have gained powerful poison resistance. Poison energy below the level of Thousand-Year Yin Poison Flower (S-) can no longer threaten you at all.]
[You have obtained the Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity (S) trait.]
I felt abundant energy filling my body. I tore off the remaining flower petals and held them out to Chesa.
“Chesa, you should have some too.”
“You can eat it all, Aiden. Since I have Wings of the Firebird, I’ll still get some effect.”
“Even so, it’s not as good as eating it directly.”
She reluctantly accepted the two elixirs.
Since she could control fire energy with 『Dense Elemental Amplification (S)』, I wasn’t too worried, but unlike me, who was sturdy thanks to corrections from various traits, Chesa was a pure mage.
She would need to consume the elixirs only after making thorough preparations.