The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

An Archmage and the First Wizard.

The two were staring at each other, assessing their opponent. However, it wasn't hard to predict what would happen if they were to clash.

Ur would lose in every scenario.

Even if Karen and Karuna joined, the outcome would be the same.

Whoosh…

The mana in the air made it clear to Ur, whose Mana Sensitivity was beyond anyone else’s. To him, that future appeared even more certain.

'What's up with this absurd mana…?'

He might have been able to do something if it were just about having vast amounts of mana. But Azran's mana was special.

It was as if his mana was alive, protecting him. It contained the essence of frost and slithered around him like a snake.

However, he couldn't back down.

Sometimes, you had to fight battles, even when defeat was certain.

Right here, right now. The Void was the last bastion protecting Seol, and Ur was its general.

That's why he stood with determination, trying to fend off The Grand Duke of Frost's assault.

Numerous scenarios of facing The Grand Duke of Frost unfolded in Ur’s mind. He was crafting strategies to counterattack with an even more devastating force, even if it meant over-exhausting himself.

Swoosh…

However, Azran's reaction was strange—no, this was a reaction Ur didn't expect.

Azran gave a slight nod in greeting, which flustered Karen, making her glance at Ur.

Wasn't this strange?

He was acting like someone who had been invited there.

- Let's wait and see…

Ur conveyed his thoughts to Karen.

Karen nodded and flourished her sword.

Whoosh—!

Clang…

The sword returned to its sheath immediately, and the flames that separated them from Azran dissipated.

Whoosh…

Crack…

Only then did Azran begin walking toward them.

As he approached, a chill crept in.

However, it didn't seem to affect Ur or Karen, as their bodies showed no signs of disturbance.

Since Azran had invited himself, Ur couldn't stand still either.

Ziinng…

With a hand gesture, a table appeared along with a chair for The Grand Duke of Frost to sit on.

The chair was rather crude, not quite befitting a guest, but what mattered was that it had been offered.

Swoosh…

Crack…

As Azran sat in the chair, it transformed into a finely crafted work of art. For Azran, such a splendidly refined chair seemed only natural and perfectly matched his atmosphere.

As he sat before him, Ur felt relieved he hadn't hastily attacked.

Whoosh…

His presence was truly overwhelming.

Ur honestly, didn't think much of 'The Immortal' or 'The Grand Duke of Frost' Seol had mentioned before.

The first time he changed his opinion was when he experienced the Void 'The Immortal' had created, and the second was now.

Anyone standing before 'The Grand Duke of Frost, Azran' couldn't help but be interested in him.

Ur acknowledged him.

Maybe he had a chance if he fully regained his original strength. But if he were to face him right now, he would get frozen in an instant.

"Azran."

Azran introduced himself first.

He might have sounded more polite if he had spoken a full sentence. But it seemed that such things weren't important to him. After all, what good would come out of a supreme being acting politely?

"I'm Ur…"

"Ur…"

Azran glanced around.

Ur continued speaking.

"The master of this mental realm you've entered is someone called Kang Seol."

"Kang Seol…"

Azran calmly observed his surroundings. When this silent inspection persisted for about a minute, Ur started to sense something was off.

- This guy… What is he up to?

Ur sent a thought to Karen.

Karen shook her head, signaling him not to act rashly.

Swoosh…

Swoosh…

Ur frowned. He felt as if someone was touching the back of his head.

Swoosh…

However, Ur found nobody behind him. Then his eyes widened as the realization hit him.

"You've been touching my body with mana…?"

The one who had touched the back of his head was Azran. He was using his mana to examine him.

It was extremely hard to do unless you were mana's owner—it was a truly astounding use of mana.

He was handling mana as if it were his own limbs.

Azran said, "Spirit…?"

It seemed Azran touched him because he was curious about Ur’s true identity. Azran spoke his mind after confirming that the being with glasses sitting before him was indeed a spirit.

"Amazing."

"…"

At this point, Ur decided to start engaging in a more serious conversation with him.

"Yes… I'm a great Spirit indeed. My Mana Sensitivity is unparalleled."

Of course, even so, he couldn't perform the feats Azran had just done. At least not yet.

Azran seemed genuinely impressed. His reaction was almost childlike.

"Hmm…"

The reason for a supreme being’s curiosity made Ur's shoulders unconsciously rise in pride.

At times, he showed a dignity worthy of a supreme being. At other times, he seemed pure and innocent.

The Grand Duke of Frost was unpredictable.

If one got entangled with someone like him, only disaster would follow.

On the other hand, openly antagonizing him was also a risky move.

Seol could be in danger if Ur handled the situation poorly.

After all, this place was none other than Seol's mental realm—any rash action could directly affect Seol.

Ur pondered about how to deal with him.

It would have been one thing if Azran had immediately attacked Seol. But from what Ur could tell, Azran had yet to do anything life-threatening.

After much deliberation, Ur finally asked.

"What's your goal?"

"Goal…?"

"Yes. You froze Seol and the others. Are you going to pretend nothing much happened?"

"…"

The Grand Duke of Frost showed no signs of emotional fluctuation, responding dryly and mechanically as if he were a puppet.

Instead of replying, he asked a question.

"This place…"

"It's called the Void. It's a special place."

Swoosh…

Azran suddenly stood up and started moving.

Having no other choice, Ur followed him.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Observe…"

Azran truly seemed to have no other purpose than that. He began to explore the Void, wandering all over the place.

He gently touched the Void Ur had built and said.

"Amazing."

He walked somewhere.

"Amazing."

And then he moved somewhere else.

"Amazing."

As if he were a baby who could only say 'amazing,' Azran kept walking around while marveling.

And his reaction… excited Ur.

"Ahem… Well, I did improve it from the original, after all."

"Amazing? It isn't even fully restored yet. In fact, what you're seeing here is something I thought should be improved from the original's functions…"

"For someone who lacks manners, you certainly have a good eye. To think there is a Magician capable of recognizing my greatness. Perhaps I shouldn't have dismissed you so easily."

That's right. No matter how insignificant the task was, it was exciting when someone who appreciated the effort appeared. Furthermore, reconstructing the Void was a task so arduous that it would leave anyone amazed.

Although Seol was grateful for it, he didn't fully understand how much labor went into it.

Ur was facing someone who truly understood it for the first time.

"Come this way. I'll show you something even more interesting."

"…"

Azran nodded and followed Ur.

At first, Ur was trailing Azran out of concern. But now, it felt like Ur was touring Azran around the Void.

Even Karen found this change unsettling.

"Check this out. This is an area I struggled with. Surprisingly, it isn't powered by mana, but…"

Ur continued explaining enthusiastically.

"Amazing…"

And Azran responded with genuine admiration.

"Damn…"

"…"

"Why is it that the only one who understands my greatness is someone supreme like you?"

This was Ur's honest feelings.

"I guess everyone died ages ago…"

Ur quietly muttered and then guided Azran deeper into the Void.

"I'm going to show you more."

Ur quietly muttered and then guided Azran deeper into the Void, with Karen slowly following them from behind.

Ur and Azran were surprisingly able to communicate. Azran didn't speak in long sentences. He just briefly asked, 'This, how?' Or just 'How?' Then Ur would explain in as much detail as possible.

Whenever Ur talked, Azran just nodded.

For those who walked the path of mana, even talking was some kind of training. Amid this process, Ur was experiencing immense satisfaction—intellectual dialogue felt like an extraordinary opportunity for those who walked this path.

To the untrained eye, the conversation between Ur and Azran might seem like an ordinary exchange where Ur spoke and Azran listened. But in reality, it was different.

Azran fully understood what Ur was saying and skillfully prompted Ur to share his knowledge at the right moments.

Just as Jamad devoured stronger Shamans, and the Twin Knights advanced to higher levels of swordsmanship, the sharing of knowledge inevitably led to the advancement of wisdom.

Twitch…

Karen stopped for a moment and looked at Ur who was eagerly explaining.

For some reason, Karen felt as if Ur's body was gradually growing larger.

Was it just her imagination?

No, his body was indeed growing larger.

Something had changed.

"Ah, don't look too closely. Some areas have been just stuffed in hastily."

"I can't look?"

"It's embarrassing. Those parts are a bit sloppy."

Nod.

"As expected, you understand. This is why intellectual conversations are so enjoyable."

Karen wondered if Ur had completely let his guard down around Azran.

Crunch…

Azran suddenly stopped and turned his head to a closed door.

"Ah, inside there…"

Before Ur could finish talking, Azran slightly opened the door.

ROAR—!

A thunderous roar erupted from within.

Ur and Karen both grimaced as they covered their ears.

"…"

Inside, a knight clad in dark energy was facing off against a massive giant.

However, the giant moved as if it was driven purely by instinct, devoid of reason.

Ur continued, "This is the reason the Void was created."

Swoosh—!

Paaaaff!

"Oof… Oof…"

The Black Knight sliced the giant's body in half.

The sight of a small being defeating something colossal was always awe-inspiring. However, Ur didn't seem satisfied.

"Tsk… It’s troublesome how fast they’re growing."

"Troublesome?"

Azran asked, and Ur explained the current situation.

"Ah, as I mentioned earlier, I didn't create this place. The current Void is something I just rebuilt by gathering the remnants left behind by the previous owner. Even so, it’s still not enough. Fighting powerful demonic beasts accelerates growth, but even though the Void is a conceptual space, only a few demonic beasts here provide an experience comparable to real combat."

"Conceptual…"

Azran nodded and walked a little further ahead.

Soon, they arrived at the largest area in the Void.

Creak…

When the door opened, the place was filled with piles of decaying corpses, and the air was thick with the stench of rot.

"This place used to be full of demonic beasts."

"This place?"

"Yes. The troll you encountered cleaned it all out, so now, it's being used to store the corpses."

Azran nodded and began rummaging through his belongings.

"Hmm? What are you doing?"

After a while, he pulled out a tiny bottle filled with a blue liquid.

Ur froze upon seeing the liquid Azran had pulled out.

"Don't tell me…"

Azran dropped the liquid inside that vast room.

Drip…

"Hey…"

At that moment…

Fwoosh…

Crack—!

An intense cold swept through the room, freezing everything in its path. Luckily, Karen and Ur, who were near Azran, were safe from the threat. But the scene that unfolded was nothing short of a hellscape.

Crack…

Crack…

An Ice Spirit far stronger than the giant Karuna had defeated earlier awakened.

Whoosh…

And if that wasn't enough, the dangerous cold began creating an ecosystem of reptiles and other lifeforms surrounded by ice crystals.

However, some beings remained in an egg-like state, as if unsatisfied with the room's size. Others had too much strength concentrated in a single body.

How could something like this have happened so quickly?

All of these incredibly strong demonic beasts had been born from that bluish liquid.

A voice came from behind Azran.

"Ice Soul…?"

Ice Soul.

It was an object that caused catastrophe with a single drop.

"What are you thinking? Pouring all that in here?!"

Ur muttered.

"This won't allow proper growth… Damn it… I'll have to break down the outer walls to balance things out… I'll have to dedicate time to make the door… But why did you scatter the Ice Soul so suddenly?"

"…"

"Is this some kind of gift?"

"Gift…?" Azran tilted his head slightly, then shook it, "No."

"Then why?"

"Weren't you troubled?"

Ur froze at Azran's response.

"That…"

Azran had performed the reckless act of scattering the Ice Soul just to help Ur in his moment of trouble.

Moreover, the intention behind that action… deeply moved Ur.

"…"

"Ur?"

"Don't disappear."

"…"

The reason Ur said that was because Azran's mana was slowly diminishing.

"Don't disappear, Azran."

Ur grabbed Azran's sleeve.

"You're disappearing!"

That's right. Even though The Grand Duke of Frost was a supreme being and could briefly twist the Library of All Knowledge’s rules, he couldn’t do that indefinitely.

At the end of the rules of the 4th floor, it was clearly stated:

- If any issue has arisen and you are still alive, please calmly wait for it to resolve itself. The more serious the problem, the faster it will be dealt with.

Azran's existence was a huge problem to the Library of All Knowledge.

He had to disappear. Whether he was real or not no longer mattered.

He was destined to vanish regardless.

Even his bizarre act of scattering the Ice Soul in the Void didn't need justification.

Azran would soon fade, and the Ice Soul would disappear with him. However, since it had been scattered inside the conceptual space of the Void, its influence would persist.

Maybe that was the only way he could have used the Ice Soul, given the circumstances.

"It's time."

"Azran… Where are you going?"

"I'm fake… The real Azran…"

"Where do I need to go to meet you?

At Ur's desperate cry, the Azran made of letters paused briefly.

Then he extended his index finger and pointed upward. Whether that was meant as an answer, Ur finally felt a sense of relief.

"I see…"

Swoosh…

Azran's form vanished from the Void.

Once again, Ur was left behind in a world where he needed to impart wisdom endlessly.

The brief encounter with a supreme being like Azran was a massive shock to Ur. This was a shock far greater than when he had been reborn as a spirit.

Karen looked at Ur, startled, as his body was growing larger and larger.

* * *

Crack… Crack…

The ice surrounding Seol's face melted slowly and broke apart.

"Huff… Huff… Huff…"

His lungs became filled with air.

He was still alive within the world of ice. It seemed he was the only one so far who had awakened.

Crack…

The ice encasing his body shattered, and soon, his body returned to normal.

"…"

Even though he had regained his freedom, Seol couldn't turn his head.

He was there, right in front of him—The Grand Duke of Frost, Azran.

However, his figure was now slightly blurry, unlike when he first saw him.

"Azran…"

"Kang Seol…"

Swoosh…

Azran handed Seol a white book.

It was the book he had taken from Seol.

After a brief hesitation, Azran said.

"Gift."

"Azran!"

"Pass it on."

At that moment, the supreme being transformed into letters and scattered into the air.

[- Azran! The magician whose magic freezes even death itself…]

Whoosh…

As Seol watched the scattering letters, he opened the book.

He flinched for a moment.

The book, which didn't even budge before, now opened smoothly, revealing its contents without him needing to exert any effort.

The seal on the book had been lifted.

But who was he supposed to pass it on to?

"Ah…"

Upon opening the book, he saw Azran had left a seal on the first page.

To think it now had the signature of the author. It was a situation that almost made him want to laugh.

Next to the snowflake seal, there were a few words written with mana.

[- Ur, I look forward to another enjoyable conversation.]

This book was Azran's gift to Ur.

Before Seol could deliver the book to Ur, he began reading the first line of the prologue to confirm it truly had been left by The Grand Duke of Frost.

[- Azran says…]

A legendary legacy left by The Grand Duke of Frost.

It contained his enlightenment, a frozen truth.

[A Forbidden Book has appeared! You have acquired Frozen Truth.]

[The Frozen Truth has revealed itself to the world.]

…

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