Infinite Regressing Knight

Chapter 13: Stage 2. Celestial Stone (6)

‘What level is my Mana Refinement at now?’

Before absorbing the ring's pattern, Dominic's Mana Refinement was at the Apprentice Knight level.

"It's the first time I've seen someone create such a spark with such a small amount of mana."

His mana control was excellent, but in Mana Refinement, only the total amount of mana matters.

After absorbing the pattern, I think I reached the level of an average knight.

Because my base mana was so low, I felt an extreme change, but in reality, that level is common among the strong.

Then, what about now that I’ve absorbed the pattern one more time?

‘I guess I’m at a similar level to high-ranking knights.’

Probably, around Edgar's level.

I seem to keep using Edgar as a benchmark for strength, but Edgar is the captain of a 30-man unit.

This is a heavy responsibility that cannot be entrusted to anyone but a high-ranking knight.

And being a high-ranking knight meant that you had devoted yourself to Mana Refinement for at least 20 years.

‘Looking at it this way, this is a really broken ability.’

What is it about this ring that it gives away in an instant what others have to train for over 20 years to obtain?

Nevertheless, Dominic was still far from reaching the level he desired.

He intended to cut down the Death Knight and send his subordinates out.

He also intended to break through Velicaya's interference and reach the Celestial Stone.

I was still far short.

So, I should challenge hunting the central monsters once again.

* * *

The next day, Dominic entered the area of the central monsters.

I wanted to fight the gorilla-like entity whose behavior information I knew, but the situation had changed.

This was because another central monster was stationed closest to the safe zone.

It was hard to describe its appearance.

If I had to compare it to something, it looked most like a scarecrow.

However, it had something long like a scythe attached where its hands should be, and its legs were similar to those of a mountain goat.

The lower body of a mountain beast, the upper body of a scarecrow, scythes instead of hands?

It sounds strange even as I say it, but that’s actually what it looked like.

Dominic fought a fierce battle with it for 30 minutes, and won.

It wasn’t as difficult as before.

It wasn’t an easy fight, but it was much smoother than I had expected.

‘Amazing…….’

I could feel that I had become much stronger than I realized.

Dominic wasn’t the type of swordsman who was greatly obsessed with Mana Burn.

While living as a mercenary, you can easily encounter those who are obsessed with the total amount of mana and the destructive power of Mana Burn.

But none of these people are truly strong.

After all, Mana Burn is just a tool to assist swordsmanship.

Moreover, Mana Burn is a technique that cannot be used for direct attacks.

The principle of Mana Burn is to create explosive energy by detonating mana, and this can only be done because it’s my mana.

Mana close to another person's body cannot be manipulated.

Of course, you can stick close and detonate mana in a neutral zone.

By igniting a spark with your own mana and inducing a chain explosion of mana in its natural state.

The problem was that I would get hurt too.

This wasn’t an attack, but a suicide.

That’s why Dominic wasn’t obsessed with Mana Burn, and was the type of swordsman who only used it at the perfect timing.

As Dominic’s mana grew stronger, the destructive power of his swordsmanship paradoxically doubled.

I could even use it as a feint.

Gathering a lot of mana as if to use Mana Burn to put the opponent on the defensive, and then simply wasting the mana.

It was a method I couldn’t have dreamed of when my mana amount was low and my emission speed was slow, but now it was possible.

After dealing with the scarecrow-like central monster, Dominic began to stare at the ring's pattern.

Last time, about 75% had filled up at once.

And this time…….

‘25%.’

It filled up by about a quarter.

Last time, 75% with one monster.

This time, 25%.

‘Does the required amount increase by a factor of 3 each time I fill a pattern?’

If so, would I have to catch four monsters this time, twelve next time, and thirty-six the time after that?

I didn’t know yet, but I kept it in mind for now.

I briefly checked my body's condition.

"Hmm."

I was quite tired, but I was confident I could catch one more.

Having made the decision, Dominic engaged in another battle with an entity not far away.

-Kukakakaka!

The convenient thing about the central monsters was that they lived as solitary entities and weren’t very interested in the battles of other monsters.

However, it seemed they would attack if you showed a vulnerable appearance, so I had to fight while securing a route to move to the safe zone.

This fight took much longer than the fight with the scarecrow.

But it wasn’t more difficult, it was just that the opponent was a defensive entity, so there was no choice.

It used the bone attached to its chest like a shield, and its hands like spears.

A style of defense first, then counterattack.

If I couldn’t use the feint strategy using Mana Burn, it might have been difficult to break through its defense.

-Kuaooo!

With a final scream, the central monster fell, and the usual bead popped out.

Dominic picked up the bead instead of bringing it into contact with the ring.

What the hell is this?

Why do the central monsters spit it out when they die, and why does the ring absorb it?

That’s what I was thinking when.

“Who are you?”

I heard an unfamiliar man's voice from behind.

* * *

I was flustered.

I was well aware that people existed in this ominous forest.

So, I wasn’t surprised by the voice itself.

The problem was the location.

This wasn’t the safe zone where humans lived, nor the outer area where they attempted to escape.

The central area close to the tower.

There were only two types of people who wandered around the central area.

Beings who resided in the tower like Velicaya, or beings who tried to obtain something by catching monsters like Dominic.

My mind raced.

Were there others who had obtained the regression ability like myself?

Or was he Velicaya’s henchman?

My mind was complicated, but Dominic turned around, feigning composure.

An unfamiliar man was looking at Dominic.

Hair of an almost white platinum blonde, snow-white skin, large eyes, a seemingly delicate impression.

The platinum-blonde man was wearing a robe that scholars or mages would wear, but his face was full of annoyance.

I was hesitating about what to say, when the man held out his hand.

"Give it."

There was only one thing he could be asking for now.

The unidentified bead.

Dominic momentarily pondered whether he should absorb it into the ring and fight, or hand it over obediently.

The former was about taking practical benefits, and the latter was about trying to gain information.

If the platinum-blonde man had demanded the bead with a feeling of 'robbery,' Dominic would have fought.

But there was nothing but a businesslike feeling, let alone robbery.

Like the clerks of the mercenary guild doing a job they had to do even though it was annoying.

Having finished contemplating, Dominic handed over the bead.

"Are you the new guy who was supposed to come?"

"Yes."

"Why are you working as soon as you get here?"

"It just happened……"

"Don't make me laugh. You were snooping around for crumbs, weren't you?"

"Excuse me? No. I didn't get any explanations before I came here……"

Dominic acted according to the information contained in the other person’s words.

The other person saw himself as a newbie in some organization.

He also thought I had been caught doing something I shouldn’t have been doing.

Was the organization this man belonged to the 'Black Magic Tower' that Velicaya had mentioned?

If so, was he Velicaya's subordinate?

Then the man chuckled.

"Hey, don't be scared. I already know you came as a gofer because you were caught with your pants down. What were you originally?"

"I was a pirate."

"A pirate? That's unexpected. Aren't they usually ignorant bastards?"

"……That's true."

"Anyway, don't covet this. I know it's tempting, but it's not something a human can swallow. You'll die."

The man, who was tossing and catching the bead like juggling, casually stuffed it into his robe pocket.

"What's your name?"

"Sebastian."

"Nice to meet you, Sebastian."

"Nice to meet you my ass. Hey, follow me. I'll show you only today, so do it yourself from tomorrow."

The man who called himself Sebastian began to move, and Dominic followed behind him.

Soon, an amazing sight unfolded.

When the man approached the central monster and used 'some kind of magic,' the monster spat out a bead from its mouth.

-*Bbuhoooo*

The central monster that spat out the bead tilted its head and then ran towards the tower making strange noises.

Dominic instinctively realized one fact.

The central monster before and after spitting out the bead were completely different in 'class'.

It seemed that the bead was what made the central monsters stronger.

"Ugh, annoying."

Sebastian, who grumbled, floated the bead that had fallen on the floor and put it in his robe pocket.

Similar things were repeated several times.

The magic that Sebastian used seemed easy on the surface, but it wasn't as simple as I thought.

"What? Is the individual value not right?"

There were times when the magic failed, and times when he tried several times and then gave up.

There were also cases where the central monster, enraged by the failure of the magic, rushed in.

But even so, the hunting speed was absurd.

Dominic would have been exhausted after catching 1-2 monsters, but he had already obtained 6 beads.

I was conflicted.

How strong was this man who seemed so weak and even foolish?

Could I steal the beads in his pocket?

Or should I continue acting to gain information?

The conclusion I came to after much deliberation was the latter.

Catching central monsters was slow but something I could do.

But if I didn't get information when I could, there would be no opportunity.

There was no guarantee that Sebastian would misunderstand himself as a 'newbie' in the next iteration.

Dominic, carefully choosing his words, opened his mouth.

"Um, Sebastian."

"What."

"……Am I supposed to do this from tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Isn't that why you came?"

"That's the first time I've heard that. I don't have that kind of ability. If I did, I wouldn't be doing piracy."

"Oh, seriously. Why are kids these days so lacking in perseverance? Don't worry. I'll teach you."

"Is it something I can do if I learn it? What's the principle?"

"Principle?"

Sebastian tilted his head and asked.

"Do you know where this is?"

"I don't. I was just told that if I served Velicaya, I would be pardoned……"

"By who?"

"At the Black Magic Research Tower……"

It was only natural that nothing was explained to a criminal when they were made to do forced labor.

At the same time, I intentionally let slip the words 'Velicaya' and 'Black Magic Research Tower'.

In other words, I was conveying the nuance that I was a criminal but connected to their group.

If Sebastian wasn't Velicaya's subordinate, the lie would be exposed, but…….

Fortunately, it worked.

Because Sebastian let out a sigh that seemed to come from deep within his stomach.

"Ah, they said an assistant was coming! They said an assistant was coming!"

"……"

"I'm a fool for trusting Velicaya! Hey, should I just start a rebellion and get beaten to death? Huh? Should I? Want to join me?"

"I, I'm sorry."

"What crime did you commit? What did you do to end up in this shitty place!"

Among the crimes that could occur anywhere, what was something without specificity?

"I skimmed a little from the till……"