1267 Lightning Constellation Part 2 (1/2)
Saleen looked at Gaine's work without saying anything. He learned that when the powers of professionals reached their pinnacle, the difference between the professionals was no longer distinct.
Gaine was incapable of using Water Flame Alchemy, yet he was able to use Saleen's methods to control equipment at will during the crafting process.
128,000 stars were refined, each one little more than a hundred meters long. All of the stars had complex and intricate star charts on them. The star charts resonated with each other and created star charts of greater areas.
Gaine then said, ”When you reach level-13, that would more or less be the time that you become able to take that Lightning Moon. After you're done taking it, you'd be able to unravel the first seal at level-14. Before you get to that stage, you won't be able to use the power of the Lightning Moon.”
Saleen nodded furiously. It was a very satisfying result. He had no idea if the giant would have been resurrected by the time he got to level-13.
According to conventional logic, there was no way that could have happened. A giant's resurrection would have taken over a million years to achieve, and that was said without considering the time difference caused by altering the flow of time.
The disappearance of the First Dynasty happened less than 100 thousand years ago.
But then again, there was no doubt that the layout of the interiors of the cemetery of the giant would have been anything but simple. There was practically a sea of fossilized gods supplying life force to the dead giant within the cemetery. The resurrection of the giant would have been definitely done at a highly accelerated rate.
Saleen was able to wait. There was no need to use the Lightning Constellation in his battles with others after all. The Lightning Constellation was little more than a piece of auxiliary equipment for comprehending and developing lightning skills after all.
”Saleen, the way of lightning was something that less than a hundred mastered since ancient times. There were only three among the gods who walked that path. I would not stop as you've already made up your mind. You have your own teacher and he would have his own reasons. But, commit this star chart that I give you to memory. It marks the location of a dead god of thunder all those years ago, and only astrologers knew of that fact.”
Gaine said and forcefully opened a path into Saleen's soul. That was the first time he did something like that ever since he came to know Saleen.
”Do not ever try this before you reach level-13. That god of thunder's power had been at the top among the gods. While his level was but 16, even level-17 or 18 would have been reluctant to fight him. That god of thunder was killed by humans who wielded the power of lightning as well. Judging on that human's temperament, there was no way he would have took that god of thunder's divine persona. He wouldn't have even wanted something like that.”
Gaine paused before speaking about the man. ”That guy's named Shanglan. Any news you have of me, pay close attention. The path you walk would be a difficult one, and having someone to guide you would save you tens of thousands of years in training.”
Saleen wanted to ask something, but Gaine quickly interrupted, ”If he is still alive, never tell him that I have brought this up. If he is dead, then pay utmost respect to whatever he left behind.”
Saleen swallowed his words. He wondered what would have a mage that earned an astrologer's respect been truly like.
”Alright, Saleen. I've given you anything I should be giving you. I'm taking this Star Gathering Needle. The astrology tower is yours. Don't take it outside the Imperial City of the Abyss just yet. Leave it here and I'll construct a teleportation star chart for you. You would be able to connect the portal with the Magical Element Tower. I'll leave you to figure out the problem with fuel consumption yourself. I'd need a massive amount of energy to break through this crystal wall system, and I might end up dead during transit...”
Gaine did not continue and Saleen did not try to stop him. When one reached the level of Gaine, one would have rather ended up dead, than to not try to reach a crystal wall system of higher level. There was nothing left for him in that crystal wall system he was currently in after all.
”This is the key controlling the astrology tower. Promise me this, unless you've yourself a student suitable to become an astrologer, never give this astrology tower to anyone. If you should feel that your life has near its end, this place shall be where you rest for good,” Gaine felt rather sad as he said all that, yet he disappeared before Saleen at a speed that Saleen was never able to anticipate nonetheless.
Gaine's departure was a very, very sudden one, yet Saleen was nonetheless able to tell that Gaine had been very patient for talking to him about so much. When a soul was trapped in a figure and was unable to leave, such pain surpassed any kind of imprisonment.
Even the expression of the general, who was in the Cemetery of Heroes, changed drastically. All of the powerful heroes watched the top of the astrology tower. A stream of stars appeared and then vanished.
”How is Gaine able to leave!?”
”It's impossible!!”
”General, did something happen?”
”General...”
The general waved and said solemnly, ”He is freed, and that is not a bad thing for us. We need Saleen's help if we want to leave this place. Furthermore, none of us want to return to Myers Mainland. If we want to make it to another plane, we'll need to be more prepared. Let Saleen help us. I'll speak to him personally when he's here next time. Grandmaster, you shall stay out of this when he shows up the next time.”
The grandmaster knew that he had made the wrong move before. But then again, no one would have expected a puny, rank-and-file-soldier-level mage to have gotten so lucky. Yet he had been able to help Gaine escape.
That was something that not even the heroes would have been able to pull off, even if they worked together.
”Saleen, if you need me, feel free to come and see me. We'll talk for a bit,” the general shouted to the air around him. His voice coalesced into slivers of green threads, flying towards the astrology tower, incapable of getting in.
The general was exasperated and put the threads way. He cast a sword soul instead.
Unlike sword spirits, sword souls did not possess thought and were incredibly pure, enabling them to deliver complex messages without changing into a form of life. The sword soul was in itself, a great gift he could give to Saleen.
A sword soul created by a level 18 hero would have never been lower than level 13.
Saleen was holding the key to the astrology tower and figuring out how to control the place when the sword soul flew by. Saleen opened the window and let the sword soul in.