Hermit Wizard
Chapter 27

The Truth-Seeker of Silver Forest (1)

After walking a little further, Ghur and I stopped as we approached the forest entrance. And instead of moving further, we decided to go on a perimeter search around the boundary. It was dangerous to approach the forest beyond this point. Still, it didn’t seem easy to withstand the powerful Mana flowing out of the forest.

“Then, I’ll use the search magic around here.”

“Sure.” Ghur nodded.

I closed my eyes and focused my mind. This magic didn’t need to borrow a superior being’s power but required extreme concentration. We couldn’t walk around without knowing where the branches of the Enchanted Wood were scattered. I decided to use magic to detect the surrounding area. After some time passed, my whole body was drenched with sweat; I opened my eyes.

“Phew…”

As I sighed and relaxed my body, Ghur asked.

“Did something come out?”

I shook my head.

“No, I’m afraid…”

There was no way I’d be so lucky from the beginning.

“Let’s keep this distance and walk a little more along the forest border.”

“Let’s do that.”

I covered my whole body with cooling magic to cool off my sweat. Even though I was careful not to leak out the cold, seeing Ghur hurry back, I knew he felt the cold.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Hmm, that’s okay. So what direction is it?”

Ghur asked, pulling out the map and spreading it out.

“Let’s see… I can’t believe it 100% now, but it would be better to move under the premise that the map is correct.”

“I agree. Except for what we encountered a few hours ago, we’ve been avoiding them and moved safely so far.”

There was a point. I nodded and stretched my finger across the map.

“Well… then we move west.”

“Sure.”

According to the map, moving west from the current position was supposed to move us further away from the Ashpim territory. We got up again after picking up the map and putting it in our luggage. It was then that we heard a sound.

Sheeesh!

I hurriedly looked at Ghur.

“Ghur?!”

He also threw his gaze at me with a pale complexion. His eyes moved sharply.

“…I didn’t feel wrong, did I?”

Ominous energy was emerging from beyond the Silver Forest. We could feel a different power from the Mana that had made it difficult for us to go through where we stood.

“Ashpim Giant?”

“They don’t have this ability! It’s not even Mana.”

Furthermore, the energy was emanating from within the Silver Forest.

“I-is it the Truth-Seeker of the Silver Forest?!”

Ghur vomited swear words.

“Damn, was this distance too close?! But she said it was okay as long as we didn’t go inside the forest!”

Now, it was useless to blame the elder. Its purpose was unknown, but a powerful entity different from mortals had begun to turn its eye on us!

[Run away!]

Parvache urgently shouted into my head. I didn’t know why the Truth-Seeker showed interest in us, but it was impossible to sit still optimistically. It was best not to encounter him in the first place rather than worrying about how the Absolute, who had a distant difference in power, would treat us! Besides, I couldn’t predict how Truth-Seeker would react to the Channel that was open in my chest right now! I spoke hastily to Ghur.

“Now I’ll quickly cast leap spell…!”

At that moment, like a sharp dagger that dug through my skull, a will was stuck in my head.

=There, why don’t you take a look at me?=

“!!!”

Ghur and I felt a pure will at the same time. It was the call of something that spoke directly into our heads. I was overwhelmed by the sound for a moment. It was a strong will that was different from the telepathy that Parvache used for me. Before Ghur and I could say anything, the existence spoke.

=Well, it’s too far to see. Come closer.=

Then, the silver forest we were looking at began to grow bigger. Tall Enchanted Wood grew thickly. The forest that looked like a huge silver curtain became larger and expanded to a point where the outline of the branches outside the forest was clearly visible. What was going on? I soon knew what this phenomenon meant. Even though we were standing still and not moving a single step, our bodies were being dragged into the Silver Forest!

The speed at which we were pulled in was growing faster and faster, and then the outer Enchanted Wood came right in front of us. If we continued to be dragged in like this, we would hit one of the trees. I tried to raise my arms to protect my body for a moment, but my limbs remained immobile. And, as if to laugh at my worries, my body passed through the barrier without any conflict.

The speed at which we are sucked deep into Silver Forest was getting faster and faster. At first, the forest was discernable, but now the Enchanted Wood trees passed us like a speeding blur. For fleeting seconds, the shape of the forest and trees were nothing more than a sharp silver blur in my eyesight. Suddenly, my body went numb, and my vision turned black.

‘Am I dead?’

I still didn’t feel any sensations in my body. There was no pain. After a short period, I felt the surrounding environment change rapidly without any notice. At the same time, the sensation in my body returned as well.

“Gasp!”

“Ugh… Cough!!”

I belatedly realized that we couldn’t even breathe while being dragged in. I felt severe pain weighing on my lungs and my head. Ghur and I swallowed and gulped in the air like crazy. My legs were weak, so I kneeled and touched the ground with my hands. As I kept breathing for a while, I noticed my surroundings. A huge cavity. To understand the space’s structure, I shot up Mana to scout the surroundings, but the Mana that was shot forward soon bumped into something and returned to me.

It was clear that we were underground in the forest. But how could such a huge space exist underground? What’s more, in front of me was an enormous being. My face turned blue when I realized that the body of that being was bigger than the barrier I had spread. And the overwhelming presence that crushed me more than that huge body…

That speaking to us.

= Is groping the opponent’s body with Mana your dimension’s way of greeting? Human?=

“…”

=I won’t say hello in the same way. If I do, both of you will be crushed.=

“…”

=Just speak out loud with your mouth as you normally do. Then the meaning will be conveyed to me. Even if you answer telepathically, your wills are too weak to understand.=

“…Y-You are…”

I managed to speak out. However, it wasn’t easy to talk as the pressure felt as if someone was putting hundreds of kilograms of steel bars on my body. Before long, the existence realized what was wrong.

=Ah, it was a little too much for you. It’s been a while for me, too…=

As he muttered, we felt a little fading of the presence on our bodies. Then Ghur hurriedly shouted at the being in front of him.

“Eh, the Mana…the Mana, please…!”

=Hmm?=

The existence quickly understood the meaning of Ghur’s words. This area was probably located near the center of Silver Forest. It was likely an area very close to the core of the barrier that covered the entire Silver Forest, and tremendous Mana was boiling in the atmosphere. It was only after Mana’s strength that was moving around was lowered that Ghur and I could see the being.

It was clear that this cavity was underground, but there was a faint blue light circulating around it. And in the darkness beyond that, only one being was watching us. I quickly realized that what I saw before my eyes were nothing more than a fragment of a very large being. In the dark, where it was impossible to discern accurately, some tentacle-like things in the middle and eyes were looking at us. The overwhelming power of this being was emanating from its eyes.

Ghur asked in a trembling voice.

“Are you the Truth-Seeker of Silver Forest?”

=I am.=

The answer came back quickly.

“Do you have anything to do with us?”

=Hmm.=

In the dark, I could see a tentacle swishing and moving. I was extremely nervous and barely put up with wanting to jump out of my own skin.

=Actually, Dell, rather than having a business with you…=

The Truth-Seeker’s gaze came from Ghur to me. And I felt the pressing presence that was covering us focus on me.

=It’s because of you, human=

“…Why, why is that?”

No way? There was no way. Why was this Truth-Seeker who managed a different dimension also interested in me?

= No humans are living around here anymore. And your clothing is completely different from the civilization here.=

“…”

=The most recent Channel I opened…you are a human who came from that dimension, aren’t you?=

“…Yes.”

There was an ominous premonition throbbing from my head to toe.

=Then, the Seed was planted in your chest by the Truth Seeker from that dimension, right?=

I knew it! It was because of this! I looked at the Truth-Seeker, barely enduring the desire to close my eyes. Why the hell were you interested in this?

=I called you because I wanted to see the Seed a little closer. By the way, after being called this far…=

The Truth-Seeker’s eyes were filled with strength.

=…You guys smell sweet.=

I felt a calm longing from his will. The moment I felt it, Ghur, and I felt our body receding rapidly. Feeling that the intentions weren’t unusual, I urgently threw words at Parvache, hiding in the bag.

‘D—Do Truth-Seekers eat mortals?’

[I-I don’t know! I don’t know what kind of race he must have been before he was born as a Truth-Seeker…I haven’t seen or heard a race with such a huge body!]

The Truth-Seeker continued.

=You both smell… sweet and enchanting… of divinity. There are traces of the gods.=

I felt that the Truth-Seeker’s eyes were constantly watching us.

=Come a little closer.=

Neither of us moved, but I could feel the distance between the Truth-Seeker and us growing shorter. It was a strange sensation similar to when we were brought to the Silver Forest. The Truth-Seeker’s body in front of me was so huge that only a part of it could be seen, but the sense of my soul told me that we were closer to this being than before.

And the overwhelming feeling that pressed us also grew. At that moment, I felt that overwhelming feeling rushing toward Ghur. It seemed that its gaze was focused on the giant next to me.

=Are you the one who serves Terrestrial Predator?=

Ghur responded in a shallow, trembling voice.

“Yes, yes. Truth-Seeker. I know a spell that borrows the power of…”

As if it was an unknown god in Parvache’s Dimension, it couldn’t translate the name. Ghur seemed to refer to a God whose power he borrowed when he cast the spell that swept through the Ashpims by violently moving the earth. After he responded, I felt the pressure on me coming from Ghur. It was hard to hold onto my mind.

=And you…=

As if trying to figure out something for a while, it was silent and then spoke. It might be my illusion, but his will seemed to be mixed with a sense of absurdity.

=What is mixed so much? How many gods’ power have you borrowed and used?=

I—I don’t know because I haven’t counted myself! Parvache taught me the spells of divine abilities, saying that if I used several higher beings’ power, my soul level would naturally arise. Also, I thought it was natural to train to mix combat styles and use spells without leaning toward any god.

=It’s so mixed. No matter how fragrant and pleasant the smell of God, it feels like a little too much.=

Come to think of it, it was extremely rare for a wizard of different races whom I met while crossing the dimensions with my avatar to borrow more than one god’s power. I only thought it was because my teacher, Parvache, was superior.

=Among them, the most recent scent remains…The Swimmer of the Star Wind and The Destructive Melody…is it?=

It seemed that the traces of the air bomb spell and the vibration explosion spell that I used today remained strong. I used the names of those two gods recognized by mortals instead of the true names of the gods spoken by the Truth Seeker. I put the name of the spell and the token of promise in my mouth to use the power of God.

“Yes, yes. It was because I used a spell today that borrowed the power of Dryflos and Adelegos…”

=…Hmm?=

The Truth-Seeker, who heard the word, threw something that couldn’t be converted into a language in my mind. It was probably a mass of meaning close to emotion. The will, which wasn’t easy for humans to understand, wandered through my head. The closest human emotions seem to be curiosity, unusuality…and a little pleasure. Was it enjoying itself? With my answer?

=Interesting. Interesting! The civilization that referred to the two gods by the names you said would have been a civilization that prospered in a completely different world, far from your dimension.=

His guess was correct. This spell was created in Parvache’s parental dimension, and the name for the god wasn’t the language of the Earth but the language used in that dimension. But, something felt uncomfortable. Did it say prospered?

=Strange. That civilization is a civilization that has already been destroyed so long ago that it is difficult to estimate in human time…how do you know the language?=

“Did you say destroyed?”

I had never heard of such a story. Parvache’s civilization was destroyed? A long time ago? Parvache listened to the Truth-Seeker and remained silent without explaining anything to me. But before I could even clear up my thoughts, words came from the Truth-Seeker that completely blew away my confused mind.

=A wizard who memorizes the spells of an already perished civilization appeared with a seed planted in his chest by an extinct old Truth-Seeker…what a poetic concept. Human beings, you are like the remnants of destruction. All the things that give you strength are those that have already died and disappeared…=

What? What?!

“Did it say… extinct… old Truth-Seeker?”