A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 160: Ages (1)

[Main Quest: Ages]

The main quest branches off in many ways. Sometimes, an independent quest circles back to the main quest, while other times, the main quest itself splits into an independent quest.

However, the main quest always found its way back to the story’s core. I took in my surroundings. Shadows hung heavy, thick as fog, and each step made the ground crunch beneath me, as though dusted with shards of frost.

"Hmm."

I took a moment to assess my condition. The steep fall had left me with more than a few wounds. If it weren’t for my Iron Man body, I’d likely be lying here as nothing but shattered bones.

"How tiresome."

I wrapped Duct Tape around the wound. The bleeding stopped almost immediately, and the deep ache in the bruised bone began to fade. As I discovered, Duct Tape had many uses—even as a makeshift healing aid. In a world where healing magic had faded into legend, that was good enough for me.

I took out the map a soldier had handed me before I arrived. It was just a basic map, meant to outline the surrounding areas of the Northern Region—not this crevasse.

However, my Midas Touch granted magical effects to the category of maps itself. Here, in this area where mana glowed brightly in the air, my available mana noticeably increased. If I also gathered the mana from my staff...

[Manifested Level 5 Midas Touch]

Even with Deculein’s body, performing such a miracle that consumed 5,000 mana wasn’t entirely impossible. At Level 5—fueled by 5,000 mana—Midas Touch unleashed strength on a whole new level, one far beyond that of Level 4.

This was a defining feature of this world, as symbolic numbers like 5, 10, 15, and 20 set clear thresholds that established order within the levels.

Zzzzzt—!

Sparks ignited in my grip, a flash of lightning illuminating the darkness around me. The surge of magic flowed swiftly into the map, turning the plain sheet into a glowing artifact alive with pulsing blue light.

───────

[Rapturous Map]

◆ Description

: A map artifact that records the surrounding area and is imbued with special effects from the Midas Touch. @@novelbin@@

◆ Category

: Rare Magic Item ⊃ Map

◆ Special Effects

: Automatically maps terrain features within a 500m radius.

: Marks the owner’s location, tracks nearby life within a 300m radius.

: Navigates the path forward.

[Midas Touch : Level 5]

───────

At this level, it was practically no different from a minimap in any other game. The next level—Level 10—might be out of reach, but with 5,000 mana, I could use it in such extraordinary ways.

I looked at the map, and even the shadowed areas were intricately detailed. A red line—likely from the special effect to navigate the path—traced my route forward. I followed the map’s navigation exactly as it was laid out before me.

Crunch, crunch— Crunch, crunch—

Each step crunched on biscuit crumbs beneath my feet. I pressed onward, steeling myself against a force that could have been the cold or the darkness, relying on my Iron Man attribute to keep moving. Then, a light source appeared in the distance—a crystal tree, radiant blue and shimmering with brilliance.

"Is this what it was?"

Suddenly, a related scenario surfaced in my mind, and fragments of a long-buried memory began to come to life. I moved closer in that direction.

[Main Quest: Ages]

◆ Join the Sanctuary, Age

: Store Currency +1

: Mana Point +100

I may not know much about this main quest itself, but the sanctuary known as the Ages is crucial to the story’s progression.

The Ages was a sanctuary created by the archmage Demakan when he withdrew from the Mortal Realm. It had been a gift he left for future generations, constructed with the help of his brother, Murkan, his cousin Rohakan, and Rohakan’s protégé, Idnik.

I reached out and touched the crystal tree. The names of the Ages’ members were inscribed across its blue, flickering surface, and I traced each name one by one.

Demakan

Murkan

Rohakan

Idnik

Drjekdan

The surface was lined with familiar, celebrated names. But as my eyes traveled downward, one section caught me off guard—a single name carved in rough, scribbled strokes stood out from the rest.

Epherene Luna

“... Epherene Luna?”

I couldn’t understand why this name was here. Writing it off as a prank didn’t add up; it served no purpose, and the messy scribble wasn’t something just anyone could replicate. Besides, there was no way Epherene could have gotten here before I did...

At that moment...

— Professor?

A voice rippled through the air, and my eyes flew open. It was Epherene’s—her voice from the future, one I had heard before.

“You...”

— Is it you, Professor?

I looked around, but no one was nearby—only a lone crystal tree shimmering in shades of blue. Meanwhile, Epherene’s voice continued to echo in the stillness.

— Would you be willing to answer me?

“... Indeed,” I answered briefly.

She let out a sigh of relief, rich with unmistakable sincerity.

— Phew... I’m so relieved it’s you, Professor. Really, I am.

I couldn’t see her face, but I could envision it clearly—her hand resting over her heart as she sighed in relief. Then, with a soft laugh, she began to speak.

— Do you happen to be wondering what this is all about?

"Indeed. By nature—as any mage would."

— Hehe. Yes... ta-da! I planted a fragment of Kaidezite here, which remained from the dismantling at Lokralen.

Epherene’s response was brief, but I understood well enough that future Epherene and Deculein had been freed from Lokralen and returned here without any lasting mental harm.

Together, they had planted a fragment of Kaidezite within the crystal tree of the Ages, creating a phenomenon known as the Temporal Randomness. It was likely something along those scenarios.

"And yet, you continue to remain out of sight."

“I couldn’t allow the incidents from Lokralen to happen again. But together with you, Professor—I mean, I wanted at least one opportunity to speak with you. Because of my own desire, I planted a fragment of Kaidezite in this crystal tree to create a simple shared space-time. I think doing this probably cost me about ten years of my life.”

I shook my head. Ten years of her life—she had spoken of it as if it were a joke, but it was likely true. Even an archmage would have to sacrifice at least that much to create a magical space of this scale.

“What made you certain of my arrival?”

Epherene responded without a moment’s delay.

— Because you told me, Professor.

I stood there, looking through the tree and into the void beyond.

— I just waited here because you told me, Professor.

In the hollow emptiness, her voice settled softly, flowing through the silence like verses of a song.

— That’s all.

***

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

Stars dotted the early dawn over the Northern Region. The night hung soft and heavy like a blanket, but the air was sharp and biting with cold. Epherene and Sophien dashed onward through the morning air.

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

No, it was the imperial horse for the Empress—Theragon, named with nobility in the runic language—that dashed forward with both women riding astride. The horse moved with steady power, cautious and considerate of his riders. Though Epherene was usually prone to motion sickness, she felt surprisingly at ease, lulled by his smooth and rhythmic pace.

"This should be the place, Your Majesty," Epherene said, pointing ahead. The horse slowed, as if it understood her—an incredibly clever creature.

“This place, here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Here, according to the records, was where a shooting star expected to fall.

“Very well.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please allow me a moment.”

Epherene shaped two rocking chairs with Ductility, positioning them to face the open sky. Not being one for the cold, she created a screen to keep the chill at bay.

“Please, make yourself comfortable while you wait, Your Majesty.”

"Enough with the needless formalities. Speak freely from now on."

“... Yes, Your Majesty~”

Epherene mimicked the formal tone of the loyal ministers she had read about in books and seen in plays. Although Sophien found it amusing at first, the novelty quickly wore off with each repetition.

“Oh, right,” Epherene murmured to herself. As soon as Sophien settled into her chair, she crouched down and pressed a small seed into the soil—a Lokrak tree, resilient enough to withstand the cold. “There, all done!”

Now, this would provide them with a rough measure of how much time had passed. As they traveled into the future, the seed would have grown into a tree.

"That is a wise thought, and I commend you for it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Epherene replied brightly, bowing before she took her seat next to Sophien and began to count quietly to herself.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Epherene counted to ten, slowly but steadily. At that moment, a glimmer of light flashed across the distant sky.

“Ah, Your Majesty! There it is!”

"Yes, I see it clearly."

The timing was perfect; without a hint of error, the shooting star fell. Mana surged from the comet like a wave, spilling across the sky. A streak of light struck Epherene's wide-open eyes, embedding itself deep in her vision.

Fwooshhhh—!

Starlight and sky-born mana swept over the world. Epherene closed her eyes, slowly yielding to the sensation of her body rising, weightless and free...

“... Hup!”

Epherene’s eyes slowly opened again.

“Oh...”

Chirp, chirp— Chirp, chirp—

Birdsong danced upon the breeze as sunlight pierced her eyes like golden arrows. Epherene knew she had arrived in the future—of that, she was certain. There was no doubt.

“Hmm, how interesting.”

A voice that wasn’t her own made her turn, and to her great surprise, she saw Sophien standing there.

With her arms spread wide, Sophien announced, “So, here I am—having come all this way for you.”

"Wow... I didn’t think anyone else could do that!"

“Hahaha, Luna.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

With a hearty chuckle, Sophien gestured behind Epherene and said, “First, take a look over there.”

Epherene turned and gasped in surprise. The Lokrak tree had grown tall.

“Wow! The tree—”

“No, not at the tree—look just beneath it,” Sophien directed.

Epherene lowered her eyes. By the roots of the tree rested a wand, shimmering with spells of Preservation

“Hehe, I knew it, Professor Deculein!” Epherene exclaimed, rushing over to grab the wand. As she lifted it, a small note slipped free, fluttering down to the ground beside her. It appeared to be a message Deculein had left for her from the future. She blinked, then began to read.

Epherene, the comet that once sent you into the past, has a twin. It is expected to return on January 9, so be prepared to travel back at that time.

Whoosh...

Just then, a breeze swept by, and Epherene held back her windswept hair as she continued reading.

Furthermore, from now on, you will no longer be able to see me, so do not waste your efforts searching for me. Take my gift with you and travel back.

“Travel back?”

Epherene, determined not to leave until she saw Deculein’s face, took a closer look at the wand.

“... What’s this?” Epherene murmured, noticing unusual symbols etched along the wand’s shaft, like ancient hieroglyphs.

“You’ll understand soon enough,” Sophien said with a smirk on her lips. “Time is on your side, so proceed with diligence and patience.”

“Eh?” Epherene muttered, turning back to her with a confused look.

Sophien smirked and said, “The inscriptions on the wand are in runic letters. Because of those runes, the wand is an artifact in its own right.”

“... Oh.”

“It seems Deculein left you a rather fine gift,” Sophien remarked, standing with her hands clasped behind her back as she watched Epherene instinctively draw the wand close to her chest.

The Empress laughed at the innocence of the gesture and said, “Hahaha! Of course, Luna. But it seems Deculein is nowhere to be found—or rather, he has no intention of meeting you.”

At that, Epherene's face fell, her expression clouding as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

“Why don’t we walk deeper into the future together?”

Epherene didn’t answer.

"What’s this—are you unwilling to accept an invitation from me, the Empress?"

With her cheeks puffed, Epherene glanced up at Sophien, fidgeting with her fingers and said, “I’d like to go find the Professor, Your Majesty.”

Sophien’s expression briefly hardened, then softened into a slight smile as she said, “Very well. It seems I have no other choice, then! Theragon!”

Neigh—!

In the distance, a horse appeared—it was Theragon, the same one that had carried her just moments before.

“Huh? Did he come to the future too? How is this possible?”

Startled, Epherene blurted out, “Oh—what? Did he come to the future too? May I be deeply honored to ask how is that even possible, Your Majesty?"

“Luna, adding 'deeply honored' to every sentence does not create true formality. Ask no more questions and get on the horse—we don’t have time if we’re to find Deculein as it waits for no one.”

“... Oh, yes, Your Majesty!”

Sophien swiftly mounted Theragon, and Epherene quickly took her place behind her.

Neighhh—!

A mighty, thunderous neigh—stronger and unlike any they had heard before arriving here. Theragon, now more stronger and powerful, dashed forward the moment the two women settled onto his back.

***

... At the Sanctuary of Ages, I took in the quiet, mystical space as I created a table and chair. Then, a response rose from somewhere entirely unexpected.

— Oh, thank you, Professor. The table and chair have just appeared.

I’d made them for myself but I suppose that doesn’t matter, I thought.

I created a second chair and took my seat across from it. Though she remained unseen, her voice reached me.

— Are you sitting here with me?

“Indeed.”

— Wow, that’s fascinating.

“It is far more fascinating that you were able to create a space like this.”

— Hehehe~ Did you forget who I’m a protégé of?

I shook my head, picturing the innocent smile that always seemed to light up her face.

“Epherene, how is it there?”

— Thanks to you, Professor, everything’s just fine.

“It appears I am not actually present there.”

If I had been present, she wouldn’t have mentioned wanting at least one opportunity to speak with me.

— ... Yes, that’s right.

Her voice softened into a quiet sigh.

— It’s difficult knowing you’re not here, Professor. I wish I could see you just once more, right in front of me... Would it be possible if I could somehow change the past or the future?

“No.”

I silenced her words firmly. It was completely impossible—a line of magical prohibition drawn that no one should ever cross.

“Even if the future were to change, there would be no chance for us to meet again. The Lokralen was abandoned after your time. If you somehow managed the impossible and reshaped events through much effort, it would no longer be your world.

“To change the future, you’d need to change the past from within it—and not even the greatest mage can bring back one who is long gone.”

I knew nothing of the connection she shared with my future self or the events that had shaped her world. All I knew was that her timeline did not align with mine. Whatever bonds she had forged, they weren’t mine to hold. Above all, the future was immutable. Whether in her world I had died or departed to reality—whatever the case might be...

— ... Ugh!

Thud—!

An intense quake rippled through the ground—it was almost certainly Epherene's magic at effect.

“Epherene, do you intend to fracture the earth itself?”

— It wasn’t me; the timing just happened to match up. Besides, how could anyone change the past using magic from the far future? That’s completely impossible.

There was a trace of irritation woven into her voice.

I replied calmly, “Then?”

— There are likely many enemies around you, Professor—monsters only you are meant to face. Think of it as a passage into the Ages.

I looked to the right of the crystal tree. Somehow, without my noticing, quite a crowd of monsters had already gathered.

Grrrrroooowwwl... Grrroowl...

They watched from a distance, tongues flickering in the air—a sight both grotesque and disgusting. Still, they dared not approach, likely held back by the crystal tree’s magical barrier.

"All is well."

— Really?

"I was originally meant to remain here for approximately a week, regardless."

Given that this space increased my mana capacity significantly and accelerated my recovery, spending a week here would be well worth it.

— Is it because of... me, Professor?

“No.”

Not at all. My goal was to infuse my suit and equipment with Midas Touch, elevating it all to Level 5.

— ... Of course, you can’t just say yes, even for the sake of politeness. Well, that’s fair enough—I’ll give you that~

I pulled out a blade of Wood Steel and waited for my mana to recharge. The red eyes of the monsters glinted ominously from across the way, but they’d be taken care of by week’s end.

“Epherene, are you applying yourself diligently to your work as a mage?” I asked, waiting for my mana to fully restore.

She didn’t respond.

“Epherene.”

When I repeated myself, she finally responded with a curt reply.

— Professor, didn’t you tell me not to change the future—no, the past?

I remained silent.

— Then there’s nothing left for me to do. It feels like I’ve lost my purpose...

Detecting a hint of petulance in her voice, I shook my head and replied, "How unexpected."

— Hmm? What is unexpected, Professor?

"That you'd listen so well to what I say."

The conversation halted, and she seemed completely at a loss for words. At that moment, my mana reached back to its full 5,000 mana capacity.

[Status Effect: Crystal Tree’s Spirit]

◆ Mana Recovery Rate +300%

It was all a result of this crystal tree. A mana recovery rate of +300% was unprecedented.

Regardless, I gathered every bit of my mana and infused it into the Wood Steel, imbuing it with the power of the Midas Touch.

However, I added a special condition to the process—it would be specialized for attacks. Mana rushed through my veins like wildfire, blazing outward as it condensed into the blade, embedding its unique attributes into the Wood Steel.

“Hmm.”

The enhancement was unmistakable; a faint bluish sheen now glimmered across the Wood Steel.

───────

[Wood Steel]

◆ Description

: A magical weapon crafted from Wood Steel.

: A cherished item bound to Deculein, it demands caution in the hands of any other.

: Enhanced by Midas Touch, all of its capabilities are greatly amplified.

◆ Category

: Magic Item ⊃ Weapon

◆ Special Effects

: Penetrates magic spells.

: Learns and adapts in combat autonomously.

: Specialized for destruction.

[Midas Touch: Level 5]

───────

— Professor, did you do something just now?

In response to Epherene’s question, I composed myself and replied, "I have other matters to take care of, but I’ll need to wait until my mana recovers. In the meantime, if there’s anything you wish to ask, feel free."

— ... Heh.

Epherene laughed, as if mocking me—or worse, as if she found me somewhat condescending, which I found even more irritating. Then, she added,

— Professor, I have no questions. There’s nothing I don’t already know.

“How arrogant.”

— ... Oh, I mean, let me correct that. There is one thing I don’t know.

I turned the Wood Steel in my hand, guiding it with Telekinesis. The blade cut through the air with a sharpness that seemed to tear the very fabric of space.

— What I don’t know is you, Professor. I still don’t understand you.

Epherene’s words brought me to a halt. I looked toward the chair where she sat—or rather, where I assumed she was sitting—and asked, "Are you bored?"

— No, not at all, Professor. I’m just... so happy I could almost cry.

“... Sounds like you’re bored. Here, keep yourself busy with this,” I said, creating a small cube and placing it on the table. No matter where she was in time, this would reach her. “Did it come through?”

— ... Yes. All of a sudden, a cube appeared right in front of me.

“Entertain yourself with that.”

— Entertain myself with this little cube...?

Condescending, her words mumbling, then she fell silent. Epherene said nothing more—or perhaps she couldn’t. Now and then, a faint sigh slipped out, her voice trembling like a dew-laden leaf.

Maybe she was actually crying, but I paid it no mind. Emotions are for one to resolve alone; tears don’t stop just because someone says so, nor does laughter come simply because it’s asked.

“The enhanced attribute appears to function as intended.”

I kept my attention on the steady recovery of my mana and the refinement of Midas Touch...