Chapter 92

Chapter 92
Chapter 92: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

As I brought my finger to the reward claim button, something dropped from mid-air with a heavy thud.

『Item will be re-bound.』

『Item has been saved to your inventory.』

Acting on pure instinct, Lion, who had received the item, tilted his head at the strange sensation resting in his palms.

It was a texture that felt intimately familiar.

Round, smooth, and carrying a distinct chill…

“A bottle?”

Could this be… a potion container?

Lion lowered his gaze to inspect the glass vessel held securely in his hands.

‘However….’

Unlike any receptacle he had ever encountered before, this one appeared remarkably ancient and weathered.

Fortunately, it was free of cracks or fractures, meaning the contents were in no danger of leaking out, yet…

If this genuinely served as a vial for potions, not a single alchemist would ever deign to use it.

The object was simply that wretched in appearance.

Furthermore, it was entirely empty, devoid of any substance whatsoever.

It was enough to prompt the cynical thought, ‘Is this reward nothing more than a worthless joke?’

“…….”

Nevertheless, Lion kept his silence as he studied the container.

He stared at it continuously, for a prolonged duration.

A deep, creeping sense of unease settled into Lion’s chest.

And as if to validate his mounting suspicions, a delayed system alert materialized belatedly in his field of vision.

『Cannot currently identify item.』

This was a notification he had never once encountered, even during his extensive playthroughs of the game.

‘Unable to identify?’

He had unquestionably acquired the object and completed its binding process.

The phrase ‘re-bound’ indicated the exact same phenomenon that occurred when he had secured the Ability Nullification Accessory Set.

It implied this was gear previously owned by either his primary avatar or his alternate characters.

Despite this, its true nature remained entirely shrouded in mystery.

Even when viewing it through the analytical lens of an expert, absolutely no descriptive data was revealed.

Just to be thorough, he funneled mana directly into his eyes and activated the upgraded iteration, 『Expert’s Eye』, but the information remained stubbornly obscured.

“…….”

To test his faculties, Lion retrieved a random item from his storage pouch and inspected it.

『Mellow Grass (★★)』

-The sweet white fruit is soft and slightly chewy, akin to cotton candy.

-Perhaps it would taste even better if roasted over an open flame?

-Market value: Starting from 300 shillings

『Uses: Culinary ingredients, Alchemical potions』

『☞ Click to access recipes.』

Thankfully, his specialized visual skill was functioning properly.

This confirmed that the battered old bottle was an artifact of exceptionally high tier.

So astronomically high, in fact, that not even a shred of data could be extracted!

Lion’s previously detached expression gradually hardened into one of absolute gravity.

Without a doubt, there was a profound secret hidden here.

Even the heirloom necklace belonging to the Byrdentis Family had yielded visible details when inspected.

Yet this object defied even basic comprehension.

If anything, the situation bore a striking resemblance to his early-game inability to locate Flame Herbs due to low level scaling.

So, if current intelligence gathering yielded nothing, should he simply wave the white flag and tuck it away?

“Not a chance.”

Lion moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue and quirked the corner of his mouth upward.

Alternative avenues were still available to him.

He pondered what course of action remained if even baseline magical enhancement failed to unveil its secrets.

That path was clear…

‘The three fundamental incantations.’

These were the rudimentary spells mastered upon attaining the 1st Circle.

Among those three, he intended to invoke ‘Self-Enhancement’.

Had Elviana or his grandfather been privy to Lion’s train of thought, they undoubtedly would have condemned it as a reckless blunder.

After all, it was merely a trick learned by a fledgling 1st Circle practitioner.

Its sole purpose was to amplify physical capabilities ‘marginally’.

This implied there should be no stark contrast compared to simply channeling raw mana directly into one’s optic nerves.

However.

“What if I incorporate this variable?”

Lion drew his staff from his inventory.

『Asteri Family’s Wooden Staff■■?』

-This wand was wielded by the legendary Archmage Patrick Asteri during his historic journey alongside the Hero.

-Dimensions are fully adjustable.

-Possesses exceptional mana conductivity, outclasses iron in durability, and proves invaluable for unleashing destructive firepower and intricate mana manipulation, but… the time has come to part ways.

-※Warning※: The staff will disintegrate entirely after casting magic 3 times.

-Upon the staff’s destruction, the user will be granted a state of absolute ‘safety’.

Armed with this conduit, he was utterly certain that a standard 1st Circle Self-Enhancement spell would transcend its normal limitations.

Lion grasped the staff lightly and closed his eyelids.

He flooded the wooden implement with a rich torrent of mana, waving it gracefully through empty space as though directing a grand symphony.

His technique bore no resemblance to the rigid methods employed by conventional sorcerers.

There were no verbal incantations, nor any complex geometric formations to unravel.

He simply wove together the intricate threads of mana materializing within his consciousness.

『Initiating Self-Enhancement Spell.』

『Weapon passive effect amplifies the Self-Enhancement Magic by two full tiers!』

『Severe strain may be exerted upon the caster’s optical nerves. Proceed with extreme caution.』

Wuuuung-.

The staff hummed harmoniously, as though acknowledging its master’s ultimate intent, before falling utterly silent.

‘The expected failure… did not occur.’

Crackle…

A fresh fracture spiderwebbed across the surface of the already battered staff.

-The staff will disintegrate after casting magic 2 more times.

A crisp alert chimed, indicating the reduction in remaining durability.

The execution had been a flawless success.

Flash!

As Lion snapped his eyelids open, a blinding tempest of concentrated mana swirled deep within his pupils.

His gaze no longer belonged to that of a mortal man.

His irises mirrored the infinite depths of a pitch-black abyss, while faint, glowing purple hues churned furiously like a colossal oceanic whirlpool.

It possessed a sharpness that surpassed the legendary sage’s thousand-league sight capable of piercing any illusion, and shone with a brilliance eclipsing the greed-fueled eyes of dragons long thought extinct.

These were far from Lion’s typical, gentle optics.

This phenomenon meant…

『The skill 『Expert’s Eye』 has been dramatically amplified!』

『Time remaining: 1 minute and 30 seconds』

『You are granted access to data regarding phenomena ordinarily beyond comprehension!』

『Please remain resilient against impending physical and mental backlash.』

“Hmm.”

Lion gave his head a subtle shake as he surveyed his altered field of vision.

‘This is getting out of hand.’

He consciously blocked out the piercing agony stabbing into his eyes and skull.

The multiplicative bonus granted by the staff was truly staggering.

To replicate this tier of amplification magic independently… he figured it would demand at least a 6th Circle mastery.

Naturally, given his meager current level, the window of effectiveness was painfully brief, and the toll on his physique felt catastrophic.

‘Let’s extract the information swiftly, then conclude this.’

Lion scooped up the discarded bottle once more and directed his gaze toward it.

Instantly.

『Ancient Vessel (??)』

Though the script remained jagged, fragmented pieces of data began to bleed through.

Lion narrowed his brows, deciphering the emerging details word by laborious word.

The text appeared to materialize dynamically, strokes forming letter by letter before occasionally dissolving into indecipherable static.

-No living entity native to this reality holds awareness of this bottle’s true existence.

‘Maintain composure.’

Time ticked away with relentless cruelty.

Yet Lion refused to break his concentration, anchoring his focus entirely on the task.

-The receptacle contains the concentrated ■■ of the ■■■.

-If placed within ■, you will gain temporary access to the authorities of ■■.

-Currently locked behind a Sealing Protocol (Stage 5).

‘A seal… of that magnitude?’

Lion—or rather, Baek Yi-hyun—was acutely aware that Stage 3 represented the absolute ceiling of known sealing technology.

Did not even that lesser tier demand catastrophic sacrifices?

“Then what on earth constitutes a Stage 5?”

What manner of toll was exacted, and toward what ultimate end…

-※Warning※: Under no circumstances shall you uncap ■■ prior to finalizing all requisite preparations.

Sizzle!

The slowly etched characters abruptly morphed into jagged, frantic scribbles.

Simultaneously, a searing wave of agony assaulted his eyes, as though he had gazed upon secrets forbidden to mortal eyes,

-※Warning※: Prior to concluding all ■bi, never dare to uncap ■■.

-※Warning※: All ■bi completed■ never…

“Ugh!”

The identical phrase fractured and blurred across his field of vision recursively.

It felt precisely like a system error screen experiencing a critical meltdown.

Lion frantically clamped his eyes shut.

He felt an overwhelming premonition that his sanity would be swallowed entirely by the dense ocean of glyphs should he keep staring.

Even so, unrelenting waves of warnings continued to bombard his mind’s eye.

At that exact juncture.

『The passive nature of your ‘Companion Spirit’ intervenes to shield your vision.』

Instead of its familiar, diminutive wings, a pair of colossal, ethereal pinions enfolded Lion’s face.

Though vastly altered in scale, he recognized the signature essence instantly. This was without a doubt the pristine manifestation of Nature’s authority.

The gentle, boundless vitality of the wilderness blanketed his features, effectively buffering the shockwave.

Though his residual mana reserves were completely bottomed out, his physical form felt strangely soothed.

After a few tense moments lingering in that state.

『The enhancement effect for 『Expert’s Eye』 has expired.』

Fortuitously, the boosted duration of the visual skill terminated right on schedule.

The blinding luminosity receded, and the chaotic alerts dissolved into nothingness.

The enigmatic data concerning the bottle vanished alongside them.

“…….”

At last, Lion peeled his eyelids open.

His swimming vision slowly recalibrated into sharp focus.

‘I nearly crossed a line there.’

A chilling shiver traced down his spine. He finally understood why ambitious sorcerers dabbled in forbidden arts and ultimately lost their minds.

“My thanks.”

“Peep……”

Having reverted to its tiny, compact proportions, Nature slumped limply against the mattress, completely drained of energy.

Then, as though quietly celebrating a job well done, the creature gave its wings a faint twitch before falling utterly still.

『Your ‘Companion Spirit’ has lapsed into a profound slumber.』

『Spirit Arts proficiency has advanced to Apprentice Lv. 6.』

It appeared the entity had channeled an immense amount of power to protect him.

It might very well remain asleep for several days.

Tenderly, Lion draped a blanket over the resting spirit before pushing himself upright.

“Are you completely uninjured?”

He then ambled over toward the standing mirror.

Miraculously, he appeared none the worse for wear.

There were no traces of hemorrhaging anywhere on his skin.

The only anomaly was his pupils, which remained slightly dilated from having peered past the veil of reality.

『You have successfully executed a magical feat defying the boundaries of your current Circle!』

『As a direct consequence of this miracle, a secondary Circle has crystallized within your heart.』

『You have unlocked the ‘Transcending the Sapling’ achievement.』

『You have been awarded 3,000 shillings.』

“Phew.”

Releasing a heavy breath of relief, Lion collapsed backward onto the bed.

『You have inched one step closer to unravelling the fundamental truths of this altered reality.』

『The skill 『Expert’s Eye』 has grown stronger.』

“……”

Aren’t these truths a bit too spicy for daily consumption?

Lion muttered a quiet complaint as he mentally cataloged the bizarre intelligence he had just harvested.

“First off, this thing houses an absolute seal.”

A Stage 5 restriction, no less.

It represented a tier of containment he had never encountered even when playing through the game’s hardest difficulties.

It stood to reason that shattering that seal would unleash catastrophic consequences.

That explained why those ominous warnings had flashed so violently.

It gave off the exact impression of touring a heavily guarded nuclear waste repository.

Now that he comprehended its dangerous nature, he harbored zero ambition to unscrew that lid.

Shuddering slightly, Lion shoved the hazardous item into the deepest, most secure slot of his inventory.

Though it had been granted as a completion reward, it hardly felt like a prize.

‘And that mention of raw authority, you say.’

What on earth would a guy like him do with cosmic power in a world as relatively peaceful as this?

Still.

‘It certainly wouldn’t hurt to research sealing methodologies and Divine Power further.’

A specific individual sprang to mind.

It was the young acolyte, Rikschel, who had previously examined his condition back at the orphanage.