Chapter 59: The Overlord

"Did you just peek into my mind?" Karyl shot a piercing glare at Allen Javius.

[Unless you’re a dragon, it's impossible for anyone to read memories as you suggest. If only we could come across one, you could prove your true identity. But the real challenge lies in breaking through the Lair.]

"...”

[I didn’t get a clear view either, not in my spectral form. I only caught glimpses when you connected with my memories. So, don't feel too bad about it. You got to see my past, after all.]

"That was something you deliberately showed me." Although Allen Javius said that, Karyl couldn't shake off the feeling of having been exposed.

[But.]

"Hmm?"

[I understand your plan. But are you really planning to meet the Platinum Dragon and show it your memories as proof of your time travel?]

"What are you implying?" Karyl frowned slightly.

[Can you really trust the Platinum Dragon? Have you never once questioned it?]

It was quite an unexpected question.

Karyl, having expected a comparison between Kaye Aesir and himself, scoffed in response.

"What a pointless question..."

[Quite literally.] The spectral Allen gracefully circled the sky once before landing in front of Karyl. [I ask if Narh Di Maug is truly an ally.]

"Shut up."

There was no reason for Karyl to entertain such nonsense. He growled at Allen before turning away.

[You might reconsider if you heard me out. Aren’t you curious why I'm trapped here?]

Whether from reading the fleeting expression on Karyl's face or from seeing his thoughts in the last moments of their mental connection, he asked as if he knew.

[You saw my abilities. They may have been called the Assembly of Seven Elders, but not all sorcerers are equal. Although they were not incompetent, the other six paled in comparison to me.]

It might sound arrogant, but having seen Allen Javius fight in his memories, Karyl couldn't deny it. He was indeed far superior to other sorcerers.

[And yet, they returned alive, while I remained trapped here. How can that be?]

Faces flashed through Karyl's mind. He had his suspicions, but he couldn’t bring himself to utter the name.

[On that day, an intruder infiltrated the Gray Training Ground,] Allen Javius spoke slowly, a hint of amusement tugging at his features as he emphasized the name. [It was none other than the Platinum Dragon. The one who imprisoned me is the very Narh Di Maug, whom you trust without hesitation.]

Karyl was aware of this. Only a dragon possessed the ability to imprison a sorcerer of such caliber.

"There must have been a reason." Karyl was surprised, but he acted nonchalantly. "Just as not all members of the Assembly of Seven Elders acted in the best interest of the continent, right?"

Allen was just testing the waters, if Karyl were to waver here, it would undermine all his actions up to this point.

[Ha, indeed. Your words are true. Humans and their lives hold little concern for us. Teaching them magic was merely a diversion.] However, Allen didn’t miss even the slightest hint of hesitation. [But my question isn't about that. Have you never found him odd?]

"Maybe."

[I doubt it.] He promptly dismissed Karyl's response. [To begin with, the claim that only the Freezing Talon was found here was an utter lie.]

"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point."

Like an old comrade, Allen Javius lightly placed his arm on Karyl's shoulder. Although Karyl disliked the gesture, he chose to remain silent and observe.

[I must admit, I was taken aback. To witness my foreseen demise within your memories... Even though I have been without a physical form for over a thousand years, the realization that I'll cease to exist in just a few years is somewhat disheartening.]

"You aren’t alive. You've been so for a long time," Karyl retorted. "Are you saying it was Narh Di Maug who killed you?"

Allen chuckled. [Not quite, I cannot be certain. Neither have I seen my own death nor have you. My speculations are based solely on your memories.]

"So, you're saying there's no concrete evidence."

[It's possible someone else got to me before. Perhaps it was someone who would breach the Gray Training Ground in the next few years,] Allen spoke in a low voice. [But one thing is certain.]

"What?"

All of a sudden, the lock on the casket containing the Freezing Talon moved of its own accord, sliding to the side with a click, revealing a small box inside.

[Narh Di Maug had taken this in your previous life. When you accompanied him to the Gray Training Ground, he must have taken it behind your back. This time, you'll be one step ahead.]

Karyl's eyes wavered as he looked at the securely locked box.

"How can you be so certain about this when you're unsure about your own death? Just like in the case of your death, someone could have taken this treasure before Narh Di Maug arrived."

[No,] Allen replied firmly, causing Karyl to furrow his brow. [That is impossible.]

"Why?"

[You said it yourself, did you not? No one has mastered the Original Magic. Why do you think that is?]

"Because your magic is connected to the dragons?"

[Exactly. Half of the Seven Elders in the Assembly were taught magic by the dragons. Though they could wield dragon magic to a lesser extent, I was the only one to transcend the elements.]

Karyl now understood why Allen could use two types of magic. Dragon magic was non-elemental, which meant it encompassed all elements.

So, was I wrong in thinking that there were dragons among the Assembly? Well, it's not completely unrelated, so I was partially correct.

Were all of Narh Di Maug’s words empty? Doubt crept into Karyl’s mind upon hearing Allen’s explanation, but he chose to listen quietly.

[All the magic we have created is rooted in dragon magic. This includes the Original Magic and even my arcane arts. That is why those with ordinary magic power cannot learn it.]

"So?"

[Think about it properly. Would we have left the treasure accessible to just anyone?]

"Surely not...?"

Allen nodded. [As you can see, the treasure was sealed within the training ground. And to unseal it, dragon magic is required. I’ve seen it in your memories, the stone wall opening.]

Karyl couldn't recall, but Allen vividly remembered the scene etched in his subconscious.

[If there's no one in the future who has mastered the Original Magic... It means that no human possesses dragon magic. This implies that, apart from him, no one could have found the treasure we left behind. Furthermore, the woman who wielded the Freezing Talon couldn't have possibly achieved such a feat.]

Each word he spoke meticulously eroded any lingering doubts, his phrases filled with emphasis. [The Platinum Dragon Narh Di Maug, your last comrade, he was the one who hid the treasure of the Gray Training Ground.]

"What exactly is this treasure?"

As if he had been anticipating the question, Allen responded with a sly smile, [It seems like you're finally ready to strike a deal with me.] He teasingly stepped back, as if to further provoke Karyl.

[With the heart of a dragon inside of you, breaking the seal is within your grasp. Of course, it would be impossible without me sharing the magical formula.]

"So, you're proposing a deal?" Karyl asked.

[I have been suggesting that all along,] Allen Javius pointed out, gesturing toward the Freezing Talon that Karyl held. The sword with its frost-covered blade caught his eye.

"What if this a trap? How can I trust this is the real treasure?”

Karyl remained cautious. Transactions always demanded careful consideration, especially since he knew all too well, how just a moment of blind faith could determine even the outcome of wars.

[Quite the skeptic, aren't you? It wouldn't hurt for the Sword Saint to be a bit more daring, would it?] Allen, however, displayed no sense of urgency, his demeanor as relaxed as ever.

[Changing the future? While it is theoretically possible for you to do it alone, shaping the future you desire isn't a simple task. However, with my help, we can work together to bring you closer to your goals and increase the probability of their realization.]

"..."

[Surely, another eon in the tower doesn’t sound appealing to you, does it? In exchange, you just have to become the bridge I require,] Allen said with a casual shrug. [Our goals are the same after all. Meeting Narh Di Maug—that's what we both want.]

"..."

[I also desperately need to escape from this place. Do you think I would deceive you under these circumstances? What more do you want? ...Okay, come here, let me implant the decryption formula into your mind.]

Suddenly, Karyl felt as if his mind had gone completely blank, it was as if the countless formulas in Allen’s mind were being forced into his.

[You are really lucky to have met me first. If you had touched that seal without fully opening your meridians, you would have been reduced to ash.]

"Urgh...!!" Karyl couldn't even respond to Allen's statement properly.

[If you wish, I can impart to you all the knowledge I possess, including every plan you're contemplating. I'll accelerate them all for you.]

Countless magical formulas swirled through Karyl's mind, numbering in the dozens, hundreds, and even thousands.

[Before trying to change the divine future, shouldn't we try to change the human one first?] he whispered.

"A deal with a millennium-old sorcerer...I thought I had seen it all," Karyl murmured with a slight chuckle, gazing at Allen's outstretched hand.

[This deal will not be a loss for you. The current sorcerers? They're nothing compared to the ones in the magic era in which I lived. A thousand years might just be a speck to you, who has traversed eons.] Allen's gaze intensified. [But...]

His hand, which seemed almost ethereal, gradually became more tangible.

[For you, who has not experienced even a moment in those eons, a millennium's worth of knowledge on magic is something you could not acquire even in death.]

"You're right."

The knowledge that Allen Javius had amassed over a thousand years was something no great sorcerer, and perhaps not even a dragon, could rival. It was a dangerous gamble. If Karyl were to make one misstep, his body could be dominated by Allen.

"Agreed."

Yet, Karyl showed no hesitation. He knew Allen couldn’t possibly carry out such an act, especially after learning that he had consumed the heart of a dragon.

"Wanting a contract despite knowing that I've consumed the heart of a dragon... You must really want to leave this place."

No matter how formidable Allen might be, he was ultimately human, while Karyl's body, having been transformed by the dragon's heart, was no longer human.

[It’s an opportunity that has presented itself after a millennium. I am just that desperate,] Allen admitted with a smirk, locking eyes with Karyl, whose hand he held. [Use me, Karyl MacGovern. I will make you the Overlord of the Continental War.]