Chapter 256: Bbookbbook and the Seal of the Abyss (1)

Ian fell into a state of despondency.

'Ah... Is this how Bbookbbook's evolution becomes distant again?'

And he snapped his head around towards Kaka, who was blinking his eyes while floating behind him.

"Yo, Kaka."

"Why do you call me, owner?"

"This is a fake!"

"What are you talking about?"

Ian pressed him with a menacing(?) expression.

"This map that you brought me! I'm telling you it's a fake!"

At Ian's words, Kaka tilted his head.

"There, there's no way that's the case."

"There's no way that's the case, my ass! I just opened the map, but it was a weird map that didn't even have the names of places marked down, let alone the location of the cintamani."

Kaka mumbled with a flustered expression.

"Hmm... That, there's no way that's the case, I'm positive that it's the exact map..."

Kaka flapped his small wings as he flew so that he was in front of Ian and held out his hand.

"Give it to me, owner. I will check it."

"Sure, whatever."

Lilson was watching the conversation of the odd master and servant with a dazed expression, and Kaka received the map from Ian before he began to check each and every corner.

And shortly after.

Kaka handed over the map to Ian as he spoke.

"Owner."

"Yeah?"

"I found out the reason why the location of the cintamani is not marked on this map."

Ian's two eyes rounded.

"What's the reason?"

"It's because the cintamani is not an item of this current time period."

"Not an item of this time period?"

"That's right. As that's the case, there's no way that it's marked on this map."

Ian wore a dumbfounded expression.

'No, if it is not an item of this time period, then how exactly are they telling me to find it?'

And there was a flustering part as well.

"That's right, let's say that it's not an item of this time period. But that map is an item that was made during the time period that the cintamani was made, no? Then it should be marked on that map."

At Ian's words, Kaka shook his head.

"No, this map is not a normal map."

"Huh?"

"It is a mysterious and marvelous item that shows the map of the continent that the owner of the map is standing on no matter where they are."

To Ian, who was taken aback, Kaka continued his explanation again.

"In order to find the cintamani through this map, you must first go to the continent of the place that the cintamani existed in. Then this item will show you the map of that place, and there, the location of the cintamani will probably be marked."

"So, where's that?"

"The Mauria Empire."

"..."

There was a moment of silence.

Meanwhile, the attitude of Lilson, who stood there like a fish out of water next to the two, changed a little.

At first, he watched the two with a soulless expression, but right now, he began to concentrate incredibly hard.

'If it's the Mauria Empire, then it's the name of the ancient empire that existed thousands of years ago?'

In accordance with Lilson's class, he had excavated and researched a countless number of relics up until now.

Even if they weren't Legendary-rank, amongst the ancient relics he encountered, there were a lot of items that were from thousands of years ago, and if those types of relics are discovered, naturally, a lot about the history of Kailan could be learned.

As that was the case, he had even heard stories about the Mauria Empire before as well.

Kaka continued his words again.

"The Mauria Empire was an ancient empire that existed in a generation that occurred even before the dimensional war from a thousand years ago had happened."

"So what, are you saying that I need to time travel and go to that place?"

Kaka nodded his head.

"That's right. Go to the Mauria Empire, which the Wheel-Turning King ruled over, and if you open this map up there, you will certainly be able to find the cintamani."

However, just then, there was one thing that flashed through the mind of Ian, who heard the last words of Kaka,.

'Wait, the Wheel-Turning King, huh... The Wheel-Turning King... It seems like a name that I've heard of somewhere.'

And not long after, Ian was able to remember where he had heard the name 'the Wheel-Turning King'.

"Yeah, that's right! The item that Iriel told me to obtain as well, it was one of the treasures of the Wheel-Turning King!"

Kaka grinned as he agreed enthusiastically.

"That's right, owner. If there's one thing that I think our owner is good at, it is definitely memorization."

Ian's mind began to race.

'There's an answer to this! Iriel and Gripper said that I needed to obtain the Chief Soldier Treasure, which is one of the treasures of the Wheel-Turning King, and in order to obtain that, obviously I have to go to the Mauria Empire where the Wheel-Turning King is.'

If he went to Gripper's Magic Tower after finishing all preparations, he would open a portal that would lead to the Mauria Empire.

Ian stared at Kaka as he clenched his fist.

"Alright, Kaka, then it looks like we'll have to go see Gripper right away now."

Kaka nodded his head.

"As expected, you have fast understanding skills. I'm glad that you aren't frustratingly dense."

And Ian's words continued.

"If I destroy all of the Devildom monsters by finding the Wheel-Turning King and evolve Bbookbbook, and also bringing back the Chief Soldier Treasure or whatever that was, then it will be game over!"

"That's right!"

Kaka asked Ian.

"Owner, then are we going straight away right now to the Dimensional Tower that's in the eastern continent?"

Ian shook his head.

"There's one thing that we have to do before then."

Kaka asked with a puzzled expression.

"What thing?"

Ian's gaze slightly turned towards the back of him.

And in that spot, Bbookbbook was crawling around.

"We need to find the 'Seal of the Abyss' that we need to give to Bbookbbook."

"Bbook...?"

Bbookbbook tilted his head as he looked up at Ian.

At the same time as that, the gazes of Kaka and Ian turned towards Lilson.

"Excuse me, Lilson."

At Ian's calling, Lilson, who was in a daze, was startled as he responded.

"Y, yes?"

"By any chance... Do you know anything about an item called the 'Seal of the Abyss'?"

"The Seal... Of Abyss?"

* * *

There were not much clues that Ian had about the Seal of the Abyss.

This was because there was almost nothing that Bbookbbook knew about when it came to the Seal of the Abyss.

It seemed that Bbookbbook just knew about how the seal looked.

Rather, he obtained a little bit of information from Bbakbbak, but even that was not much help.

The Seal of the Abyss is an item that holds the energy of water and cold, owner. The one carrying it around receives resistance against all cold energy, and in the case of a Magician, it's known that the fighting power of any water or ice-type increases by about 10%. Wow... If sold to Magicians, it will probably be crazy expensive. Especially if ice-type Magicians like Fiolan saw it, they'll go completely crazy. If you have ice-type Magicians nearby, it would be best not to show them, owner. Why? If in the case I was an ice-type magician, and I happened to see you with the Seal of the Abyss, I think I'll want to even attempt to assassinate you. ...

Ian, who momentarily remembered his conversation with Bbakbbak, shook his head as he began to explain the shape of the seal to Lilson.

This was content he heard from Bbookbbook.

"The Seal of the Abyss is a teardrop-shaped gem that gives off a bright blue colour."

It was an incredibly precise description of the outside, however, as soon as he heard this brief explanation, Lilson flinched.

"If it's a teardrop-shaped blue gem, then..."

Lilson suddenly began to dig through his inventory, and at that, Ian wore an expression full of anticipation.

'What the hell? They did say he was 1st place ranking Explorer, but no way, does he have the Seal of the Abyss?'

And shortly after, Lilson held out an item that truly looked similar to Ian's description.

It was a bright teardrop-shaped gem that was the size of a thumb of an adult male.

Rather than a blue light, the gem let out a bit more of a dark navy colour, but as soon as Ian saw that, his jaw dropped.

"Th, that! Is that right, Bbookbbook?"

"Bbook?"

At Ian's question, Bbookbbook crawled over and stood in front of Lilson.

And he began to stare intently at the blue gem that was on top of Lilson's hand.

Lilson spoke to Ian.

"The name of this gem is not the 'Seal of the Abyss', Ian. However, it has a similar name, and as it seemed that your description was talking exactly about this item..."

Ian asked.

"Huh...? Then what is the name of that gem?"

"It's an item called the 'Fragment of the Abyss'. It was an item that I obtained by chance while going into the Magical Tower of the Abyss to help out a Magician-class friend with a quest a long time ago."

And as Lilson finished that response, Bbookbbook shook his head as he spoke to Ian.

"Bbook, I don't think this item is it bbook. Owner, it has to be a gem that's a little bigger than this one and lets off a clear, sky blue colour bbook."

Ian wore a disappointed expression.

'Ha, I thought that this was going to get solved a little more smoothly, but as expected..."

If he borrowed Gripper's power and was to go to the Mauria Empire, he would definitely be able to obtain the cintamani.

Because of that, Ian wanted to go to the Dimensional Tower after he completed Bbookbbook's 1st evolution.

"Hmm, how disappointing. If it was the Seal of the Abyss, I would have tried to buy it from you no matter the price..."

At Ian's mumbling, Lilson, who wore an expression that showed he was tempted, asked.

"Ian, why do you need that item?"

Ian pointed to Bbookbbook without much thought and responded.

"It's an item that this good-for-nothing here needs to evolve."

"Bbook! I am not a good-for-nothing bbook!"

And at those words, Lilson's jaw dropped.

"Oh my god! You're going to evolve Bbookbbook!"

The one who was surprised was Ian instead.

"Eh? You know Bbookbbook? How do you know this punk's name?"

Bbookbbook also rounded his eyes and spoke.

"Bbook! How do you know me bbook!"

Words poured out of Lilson's mouth like rapid fire.

"How could I not know about Bbookbbook, who is the mascot of your familiar party, Ian? I'm even a fan of Bbookbbook."

Bbookbbook's pupils trembled.

"Bboobbook! I even have a fan bbook!"

Lilson crouched down and continued his words as he kept petting Bbookbbook's shell.

"To be trying to evolve such a cute turtle like this... If Bbookbbook also evolves, then won't he become rough-looking like Bbakbbak?"

Ian wore a stiff expression.

"Prob... Probably? But you know Bbakbbak as well?"

"Yes, I'm telling you, I'm your fan, Ian! Of course I know all of your familiars. I've re-watched each of your combat videos dozens of times alone."

Lilson couldn't move his gaze from Bbookbbook as he spoke.

"By any chance, could you not evolve Bbookbbook, Ian?"

However, Ian's response was flat with no leeway whatsoever.

"No."

"...!"

"No, I can't. That punk needs to quickly earn his keep, too, when there's so many meatballs that he's eaten up until now."

"..."

"But what's the point if I want to evolve him when I don't have the Seal of the Abyss. I need to obtain that in order to have a decision as to whether I'll evolve him or not."

"I, I see."

Ian sighed deeply as he plopped down in the seat that was next to the table.

"Ha, this. If you don't even know where it is, Lilson, then where am I supposed to obtain information about it?"

However, just then, Lilson, who seemed to be hesitating about something, carefully opened his mouth again.

"Excuse me... Ian?"

"Yes?"

"If in the case that I help you find the Seal of the Abyss, could you do me a favour?"

"...!"

At Lilson's words, Ian shot up as if he had been waiting for that.

"Of course! If it is a favour that I can uphold, I will uphold anything!"

To be honest, Ian was convinced to an extent that Lilson knew some information related to the Seal of the Abyss.

Although those grounds were incredibly weak.

'He has such a similar-looking gem like that, so wouldn't he obviously know where the Seal of the Abyss is? When even the name is the Fragment of the Abyss, that is.'

Ian's way of thinking was sometimes incredibly simple.

However, there were a lot of times where his simple intuition was quite accurate.

"Hmm, then...!"

Lilson suddenly stood right in front of Ian and he took his hand as he spoke.

"Please put me into the Lotus Guild! Is that... Possible?"

Lilson's two eyes sparkled like a little child's.

Lately, Ian, who had constantly just been playing solo, wasn't really aware of it, but the Lotus Guild had become a target of envy with many users.

The Lotus Guild had become a popular guild to the point that Lilson, who was at about lv 100, had no way of signing up to join with a normal route.

While looking at Lilson, who spoke shyly, Ian wore a broad grin.

This was because it was an unexpected request, however, something like that was a deed that Ian could fulfill whenever he wanted with his discretion.

"Got it. I will recommend you to the Guild Master, Lilson."

"Ooh!"

Ian narrowed his eyes as he pressured(?) Lilson.

"So, please hurry and give me the information on the Seal of the Abyss that you have!"

And at that pressure, Lilson slowly began to open his mouth.

"I'll be honest, to be exact, this Fragment of the Abyss was not an item that I obtained from the Magical Tower of the Abyss."

"Huh...?"

"There's a small, secret dungeon right behind the Magical Tower of the Abyss, and I discovered it in there while helping my friend with a quest."

Ian focused on Lilson's words, and his explanation slowly continued.

"Having discovered that dungeon, I hunted diligently all day. Because I normally didn't hunt very much as I'm exploring, I needed to pile up as much EXP as I could while I had the first discoverer's buff. You know, right?"

Ian couldn't agree that much, but he didn't pick on his words.

'With hunting, you need to do it diligently normally, and when you have an EXP buff, you must hunt twice as more diligently.'

No matter what Ian's thoughts were, Lilson continued to talk.

"Like that, as I went deeper into the dungeon and hunted diligently, I was finally able to reach the lowest floor. And there, I was able to discover this beautiful gem called the Fragment of the Abyss spread across here and there. From what I remember, I think there was at least three to four hundred of these piled on the floor."

Lilson, who discovered the beautiful gems, obviously began to shove them into his inventory, and while collecting those gems, he said that he had discovered a beautiful and large teardrop-shaped gem that was incomparable to them.

"However, I wasn't able to touch that item as there was some sort of incredibly powerful energy that was wrapped around it."

Ian, who had heard up to this point, asked with a urgent voice.

"So, was that gem the Seal of the Abyss?"

Lilson shrugged his shoulder as he replied.

"That I don't know either. Because all that I did was look at that gem from afar, I was not able to check the information of the gem."

Ian clenched both of his fists tightly.

'This is it! This is definitely the Seal of the Abyss!'