Chapter 296 – The Spring of Mana (Two)

Gurgle.

Though there wasn’t actually any water filling it, for some reason, a sound like that seemed to reach Ray’s ears as he descended the spring.

‘The density of Mana keeps increasing the further down I go.’

How could such a density be formed? It was a truly mysterious environment.

Ray focused his senses on the Ring surrounding his heart.

Whoosh!

Four Rings containing Mana of various colors.

Above them, the point of Mana orbiting to construct the fifth Ring was moving at a speed dozens of times faster than usual.

‘…The speed is incredible.’

To the point where he could feel an intense burning sensation from the frictional heat of the Mana.

If he decided to stay in this space, he felt he could reach the 5th Circle in just a few weeks.

But what was even more astonishing was that his current location was still just the entrance of the spring.

It meant there was still a long way to go before the orbiting of the Rings could be accelerated further.

Ray manipulated the wind from his equipment to flip his body and then focused on descending.

Whoooosh!

Slowly, but not too slowly, his vision began to fall.

The Mana of the spring undulated against Ray’s falling body, and the further down he went, the darker his vision became.

The light emitted by the spring’s Mana alone couldn’t fully drive away the darkness.

It was also at that moment that the density of Mana spread across the area surged drastically.

Crunch!

A sensation as if being crushed in a Giant’s hand enveloped his entire body.

Ray, who had been prepared, reacted swiftly, amplifying the intensity of the Ring’s Mana he had arranged along his skin.

The pain couldn’t penetrate the boy’s body and fell away.

‘If I had been a bit slower, it might have been dangerous.’

Thinking that, Ray floated a sphere of light to examine his surroundings.

Fragments of equipment caught on protrusions on the wall or human skulls were revealed amidst the darkness.

Likely traces of Harmony School figures who couldn’t escape this place long ago.

He focused his mind on descending again.

Crunch!

The pressure of Mana constricting his body amplified at a terrifying speed.

Whoooosh!

The point of Mana constructing the fifth Ring also entered an orbital speed that felt like tearing his chest apart.

A heavy load was being placed on his body, but he couldn’t stop descending.

Because something down below, beyond the bottom of the spring, was calling to him.

How far down did he go like that?

Suddenly, his vision began to brighten.

Some objects placed on the bottom were emitting light.

‘One is a Stone Tablet, the other… is still indistinguishable, wrapped in light.’

Stopping his equipment’s operation and landing on the bottom of the spring, Ray first approached the Stone Tablet.

Brushing away the grayish Mana that had pooled and hardened in the characters carved in intaglio, Ancient Scripts dyed with purple Mana appeared.

「Redran is attempting something absurd. Creating emotions, and then removing them. He dares to imitate the divine authority as a mere creation.」

「Returning to the beginning when emotions did not exist. To live an efficient life guided solely by reason—is that evolution and progress? No, that is merely regression. No matter how comfortable and peaceful a life one leads, if one cannot feel emotions within it, our lives would not possess even a shred of meaning.」

「But Redran will never succeed in his plan. Someday, He will return, and he will receive punishment befitting the wrongs he has committed thus far.」

Like the other Stone Tablets discovered so far, it seemed to be content inscribed by the Purple Guardian.

‘After the conversation about the Order, Rael also said he didn’t know about the Purple Guardian’s whereabouts.’

Two facts could be gleaned from the tablet’s content.

It could be inferred that afterwards, the Purple Guardian infiltrated the city, observed the Doctor’s movements, and attempted to stop them.

Also, the Doctor’s ambition to erase the world’s emotions stretched back a very, very long time.

……

Ray grew curious.

Where was the Purple Guardian?

Was she still alive now, or had she died?

According to Rael, the Doctor and the Purple Guardian used Ancient Era alchemy, each sacrificing something precious in exchange, and obtained a lifespan close to immortality.

However, they were still vulnerable to illness or injury, so it couldn’t be called complete immortality.

‘…It would be good if the Purple Guardian were also alive, like in the Doctor’s case.’

This was already the fourth Stone Tablet discovered, so it was impossible to know just how many preparations she had made for the world.

Her efforts to convey the events of the Ancient Era to the Rainbow’s reincarnation were palpable.

‘Perhaps there are more Stone Tablets elsewhere in the city.’

Just in case, it seemed better to entrust an additional request to Nila.

Bending his waist, Ray picked up the small object emitting light on the floor next to the Stone Tablet.

‘A Compass?’

It had a geometric shape, but its identity could be inferred from the needle inside the glass cover.

Just as he was examining it carefully.

Whoosh!

The light from the Compass suddenly rushed into Ray’s head.

With the absorption of the light, the Compass’s purpose and usage method replayed in his mind, and Ray could realize it was a memory arranged by the Purple Guardian.

The Compass’s identity was simple.

‘A Compass that can track the Doctor’s true location.’

However, perhaps broken by the flow of time, even when Mana was injected, the needle showed no reaction.

Putting the Compass in his pocket to show Rael later, Ray closed his eyes and focused his mind.

Both the Stone Tablet and the light had been checked.

Now, there was only one thing left to do here.

The trajectory forming the fifth Ring began to emit a hot light from Ray’s chest.

The researchers watched Ray’s figure receding down the spring and spoke.

“What do you think, Senior Researcher? How far down will that boy Ray, the talk of the town wherever he goes lately, descend?”

“Still, considering his known achievements, can’t we expect him to reach at least the 30-meter point?”

“Actually, just breaking through the 30-meter point is a level that can be said to far surpass the ordinary. But his young age inevitably means a slight lack of experience.”

The heated analysis and discussion continued.

A conversation typical of researchers.

Opinions varied on the exact point he would reach, but everyone agreed he wouldn’t break through 40 meters.

The ability to withstand Mana pressure is separate from Circle achievement and Magic skill.

This abnormal Mana density was something that couldn’t be experienced anywhere else; first-timers entering the spring would, nine times out of ten, either return or send a rescue signal before even descending 10 meters.

Even the subject of rumors, no matter how great, couldn’t be an exception.

That was why the researchers had already prepared for a rescue.

Then, someone spoke with conviction.

“I think there’s a high possibility he’ll break through the 60-meter point. Everyone saw the measuring device explode earlier, right? That’s proof he possesses unimaginable potential; he’ll surely show an amazing performance this time as well.”

The atmosphere, which had been calming down a bit, ignited again.

“It’s still unclear whether that explosion was due to a peculiarity of his constitution or because his growth limit truly opens above the 6th Circle. It requires research.”

“But it’s also true that it’s something to look forward to. If Ray-nim breaks through the 60-meter point on his first attempt…”

The air fell silent for a moment.

All the researchers turned their heads and cautiously gauged Khan’s reaction.

The deepest diving record remaining in the School’s history was School Master Khan’s 57.4 meters.

60 meters would mean breaking the long-held top record.

They knew their School Master wasn’t the type to be overly sensitive about such matters, but it was still a cautious topic to mention right in front of him.

Khan concluded the researchers’ words with a nonchalant tone.

“If he succeeds in reaching a depth of 60 meters on his first journey, it would mean he truly possesses unimaginable, superhuman Mana control. Wouldn’t it?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right!”

The tension eased, and Khan and the researchers gathered before the panel to check the displayed number.

“Currently breaking through 11, 12… the 13-meter point.”

“So far, so smooth.”

As the number grew larger, Ray’s figure entering the spring receded and was no longer visible.

“Judging by the steady rise in the number, it seems he’s adapting better than expected.”

“Now 27, 28… and the 29-meter point.”

With the breakthrough of 30 meters, everyone let out soft exclamations and sighs of relief.

Actually, reaching this far was somewhat expected; the real start could be said to be from now on.

35 meters.

He’ll probably give up and come up now.

40 meters.

He’ll really come up now.

45 meters.

He’ll really, really come up now.

The number, as if mocking such thoughts, broke through each section without hesitation.

Before they knew it, all conversation had disappeared, and only a tense, anxious air flowed through the site.

And finally.

When the number broke through 57 meters.

“The record has been broken!”

“A new record at last…!”

The researchers unknowingly let out excited cheers.

Simultaneously, they got goosebumps before the overwhelming talent the boy possessed.

But the heightened emotions were brief.

“58, 59! 63! 67 meters! T-the falling speed is increasing rapidly! There seems to be a problem with the equipment!”

“Everyone, prepare for rescue! Move right now!”

At Khan’s swift instruction, researchers equipped with gear lined up before the spring.

But in that short moment, as if the fall had ended, the number on the panel had completely stopped and no longer changed.

[102.8 meters]

The point presumed to be the complete bottom of the spring.

The Senior Researcher asked in an uneasy voice.

“School Master, what should we do? Ray-nim has already fallen to an irreversible position. Not only is the rescue probability close to 0 percent, but we can’t even guarantee our own lives…”

“……”

Khan looked down at the spring with a pained expression.

Guilt stabbed at his heart—he should have been more careful, prepared more countermeasures, before making the proposal to the boy.

Because of his own old curiosity and interest, a young possibility had died.

“I’ll go in. All of you stay here. Give me the equipment.”

“School Master, you can’t. Giving up is the right choice here. It’s not only a meaningless waste of life, but Ray-nim’s body probably isn’t even intact now due to the Mana pressure!”

“Give it to me now! That’s something we’ll only know by going down!”

“You need to think rationally!”

Amidst the back-and-forth argument, Khan noticed something.

“Wait! Everyone, be quiet for a moment!”

As everyone stopped talking, the surroundings became quiet.

Khan concentrated, and he could faintly sense the vibration of Mana from the bottom of the spring.

It was a vibration pattern he couldn’t possibly not know.

It was the resonance that appears when a point of Mana orbits to construct a Circle.

‘…He’s accelerating the orbiting of the Ring? In that place where the Mana pressure is so high it could crush the body?’

For a moment, it felt like his thoughts stopped.

Because that was something utterly nonsensical.

But the phenomenon being detected was telling him that this situation was now reality.

“Hahaha! Uahahahahaha!”

A moment later, Khan burst into laughter as if he had lost his mind for quite a while.

The researchers looked at him, not understanding.

Soon, Khan, who had stopped laughing, wiped his tears and spoke.

“We look utterly ridiculous. It was a worry that was completely useless.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean…”

The answer to the researchers’ questions came from in front of the panel.

“T-the number is starting to change again!”