CHAPTER 179: | ENDLESS MINE
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Ten days was all it took for Alister to travel the distance of ten thousand miles from the Evernight Church to the imperial capital of the Kingdom of Altia, and he did so in a leisurely manner.
Though Alister could however travel there in a matter of a single day if he so wished it to happen, but why would he not enjoy himself in his leisure after he had exerted himself for a month? When he could visit the cities that he would stumble upon on his way to the imperial capital of the Altia Kingdom to have some fun? True to himself, Alister enjoyed his time traveling alone, and he pondered for a while that maybe it was a mistake that he didn't bring Samantha this time in his journey so that she could have some time for herself, and upon thinking about it for a while longer, Alister decided that he would take Samantha next time from that suffocating church when he had the opportunity.
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~ ? ~ South of the Lahaina Empire — In the Imperial Capital of the Altia Kingdom ~ ? ~
In the bustling capital of the Altia Kingdom, thousands of armed men and women who were geared with their adventurers' equipment or magicians who were donned in their pointy hats and robes of different colors that represented their affinity and a magical staff with a circular orb at its tip could be seen walking in the bustling streets of the Altia capital.
Though in this era where war was common and where competition was intense, it was rare to see people peacefully traveling through the streets, since from the many lifetimes of Alister's he could recall some times where the world was left in ruins upon its integration to the dimensional records, and thus he died in the chaos since he didn't want to loiter longer in such a dreadful place, so for him such scenery was rare when an era such as this was peaceful.
Though he could sneak into his destination if he wished it, but why would he do that when it was too boring? So he walked around the streets of the capital like an ordinary person, and he interacted with vendors from place to place as he asked for information such as which inn was the best or where the jewelry shop was or where he could commission some dresses and such, like he was an ordinary tourist.
Even though his real purpose was to get to the bottom of the mine, but he waited until now since he didn't want to miss out on the culture of this place, and Alister glanced at performers who were performing magic in the streets and then at a circus playing with knives.
While he glanced from time to time at adventurers' groups roaming through the streets with a party of four chatting amongst themselves about their latest experiences in the mine, while others talked about rumors of a certain crystal beast.
Who's appearance resembled that of a seraph and was capable enough to have the strength of wiping out an entire party of S-rank elite adventurers, while others could be seen haggling with shopkeepers for supplies as others merely strolled in the streets.
"Hmm interesting... a sentient crystal seraph huh?" Alister said with amusement visible in his tone, as he had been eavesdropping on some of the adventurers' conversations for quite a while.
Even though he was intrigued at how those sentient crystal seraphs came to be, Alister's face still remained unreadable, and to those who took a glance at him were mesmerized by his looks, as he smiled and then whispered to himself. "I wonder, what it would look like?"
Alister mused as he approached a vendor and then bought three kebabs from the stall and then three candy haws from another vendor, as he imagined what it would look like, and would a sentient crystal seraph be beautiful like a real one?
Then as he walked across the streets, as Alister unknowingly entered a random building while he was still musing what such a creature would look like, since he was quite curious at its appearance, and the building he had unknowingly entered was the adventurers' guild.
It was a hub where adventurers from all over the continent could accept quests like slaying a monster plaguing a village or gathering materials or herbs or the likes, or perhaps do mercenary work like being hired for war, or escort missions or other mercenary stuff that wasn't too relevant to Alister's current situation.
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Alister, snapping from his reverie, smiled as he approached one of the receptionists, and before he could speak, the receptionist greeted him politely. "Hello dear guest, what may our guild do for you?" said a petite young lady with hazel eyes and jet black hair with freckles covering her cheeks, who was dressed in a butler attire, and seeing how polite the young lady was, Alister's smile softened as he said softly. "Huhuhu, what a polite young lady."
The receptionist smiled amicably as she stared at the weird man, but then she froze as she saw the blood red pupils of the man, a common trait that an Evernight cultist would possess, but upon a closer inspection to the man who had jet black hair and a handsome face, she dismissed the idea that he was part of that cult as close to zero, since when did those crazy bitches accept a man as a follower?
Alister, who was reading her thoughts, was greatly amused at her inner monologue, as he chuckled softly and then stared at the young lady for quite some time before he said apologetically. "Huhuhu, do forgive me for taking too much time young lady, but I am here to gain an entry pass to the Endless Mine."
The receptionist smiled professionally as she stared at the man for a while and then nodded as she demanded respectfully. "Then please, show me your identification card to show that you're a citizen of the empire, and not some heinous criminal on the loose, or a cultist of the Evernight cult."
Hearing her concerns, Alister complied without any resistance as he pulled a jade slip from his sleeves and then passed it to the receptionist, which she gratefully received as she scanned the jade slip using a magical device taking the form of an eyeglasses for a couple of minutes, and only when she had confirmed the man's identity did she speak. "Then you are... sire Alister Von Fai right?"
Alister nodded as the receptionist returned his jade slip to him, which he stored in his sleeves as he watched the receptionist take a jade slip from under her desk with professionalism and then grab a magically empowered pen that only guild receptionists could possess as she created an identity card for entering the Endless Mine with great focus, engraving the jade slip with his information, and only when she was done did she speak "The service is Ten middle grade spiritual stones, sire Alister."
Alister nodded in acknowledgement as he grabbed one high grade spiritual stone before he passed it to the receptionist and then smiled. "Here we go, and please keep the change miss."
The receptionist smiled at his generous patronage but still she remained professional, since how could she break her code of conduct when she was a receptionist? Although she was happy at the generous patronage, but as a receptionist she had her dignity to maintain, so she handed him his identification card and then she bowed as she said with respect. "Have a great time sire."
Alister smiled at her words as he softly said. "Huhuhu, don't mind me young lady and have a great day." Then he left the adventurers' guild with a [void step] empowered steps as he reappeared at the mine's entrance and then showed his identification card to the guards as he entered the mine like a silent shadow, as he whispered to himself. "I wonder how strong it is?"
Unable to wait for even a second since Alister was too curious about the sentient crystal seraph that he was sure would be the creature that he would ultimately face on this journey, he closed his eyes as veins protruded from his skin, as he unleashed his field of perception to the entire mine, covering it in a matter of seconds.
As he continued to spread his field of perception down the earth, Alister frowned as he felt something was resisting his domain down the mine, so he thought that maybe a sentient crystal seraph would be far, more stronger than the lion since its appearance took the form of a seraph right?
But the deeper he went, the deeper his frown got as he could feel that something was amiss to the layout of the mine "This is weird... how could such a phenomenon exist?" Alister muttered coldly as he couldn't just figure it out that how come such a mine without any integrity be so massive yet it doesn't collapse?
Even if this mine was artificially created, it didn't mean that there was no limit to the absurdity at its structure... unless something extremely powerful with a godlike control over their mana made this mine, or else it was impossible for a mine this absurd to form under normal circumstances, but the deeper his field of perception dug into the ground, Alister was shocked by what he saw at the deepest of the mine as hundreds of seraphs not a sentient crystal seraph was sealed in crystals, as a sentient crystal resembling that of a man could be seen seated on a throne as a seraph could be seen right beside it, and before Alister could identify the threat of the sentient crystal resembling a human, it glared at him as his field of perception broke into millions of fragments as the veins bulging on his face exploded altogether, covering his face in blood as he frowned.
"This..." disbelief pure disbelief could be heard in his voice as his frown deepened, since how could his field of perception be broken by a mortal that is beneath him? "To possess such strength means... that it isn't something that could be compared to the likes of the lion that I killed before..." he said coldly as he took a [void step] empowered step and then traveled through hundreds of miles as he reappeared at the deepest part of the cavern at the center of the chamber where seraphs sealed in crystals that took the form of pillars could be seen, as the human-like sentient crystal perched in its throne high above the ground, Alister frowned and then said. "How is it possible that an existence, as powerful as you is trapped in this prison?"
