Fire Mage-Chapter 640: Partnership

Chapter 640: Partnership

Charles nodded slowly, absorbing every word.

"The third ability," she said, "is Void."

Her voice dropped.

"I used it once, against an avatar of the Chaos God. With just three slashes, I destroyed the avatar and even wounded the true god. But... I died ten seconds later. Void shatters your soul when you use it."

Then she looked up at the flickering flames around them.

"But you... Maybe your rebirth ability can negate that price."

"Although your words make sense, I don’t want to use the third ability unless I’m forced into a corner," Charles said, shaking his head. He moved to place the ancient longsword with the golden hilt into his space ring, but stopped as he felt a sudden resistance from the weapon.

"She doesn’t like being stored in a space ring or any kind of dimensional storage. You’ll have to carry her around at all times," Azoth said.

A flicker of annoyance crossed Charles’s face.

"Can’t she transform into a ring or bracelet or something less troublesome?"

"Unfortunately, no. But Grace can disguise herself flawlessly—so well that even a Divine wouldn’t notice her. You won’t have to worry about being hunted by powerhouses," Azoth reassured him.

With a resigned sigh, Charles stored the Moonfire Scimitar into his space ring and fastened Grace at his waist.

"This sword is a hassle, but I’d rather carry her than let her rot in this dungeon," he muttered, shifting his gaze toward the palace’s entrance hall.

As he stepped inside, the grandiosity of the hall immediately struck him. The space was vast, designed to be both welcoming and imposing. A high ceiling loomed overhead, and the rectangular layout guided visitors toward other areas of the palace. The ceilings and walls were adorned with ornate stucco—floral patterns, geometric motifs, and heraldic symbols that whispered of an older civilization’s pride.

Three golden chandeliers hung from above, casting a warm, welcoming glow. Intricately patterned tiles lined the floor, solid and elegant beneath his boots. The walls were draped in tapestries and decorated with paintings—each portraying scenes from legendary battles, noble bloodlines, and historical events. Near a grand bifurcated staircase, several plush sofas were arranged neatly in a guest reception area.

Charles, captivated but composed, walked further inside and broke the silence.

"So there are more guardians in the First Layer? What’s your purpose?"

Azoth walked beside him, her tone casual but firm.

"I can’t reveal the purpose of this dungeon. What I can tell you is that it holds both opportunity and danger. The reason for multiple guardians in the First Layer is because this level acts as a gateway to the outside worlds. Only those who form a pact with a guardian may enter or leave."

She paused briefly, then added with a hint of warning, "Once you ascend to the next layers, only one guardian presides over each, and they won’t interfere with participants. Don’t even think about fighting them unless you’re prepared not to see the next moment."

Her words hung heavy in the air.

Charles nodded, continuing toward the staircase.

"Do I have to enter the Second Layer now? Or can I enter later?"

"It’s up to you. Once you become a Celestial Key Holder, you’re considered a half-member of this Dungeon. That means you can enter freely—and even bring friends." Azoth formed a crystalline key out of thin air and handed it to him.

"I usually don’t involve myself with participants from other worlds. Over hundreds of thousands of years, I’ve only contracted with two individuals. But four centuries ago, one of the guardians made a pact with a newly arrived elf—and managed to leave the Dungeon. That guardian defied the Dungeon’s ********* using the elf’s help and escaped. Ever since then, we’ve all started paying more attention to newcomers. We’re all hoping for a way out."

At those words, one name came to Charles’s mind.

"Sun God Abium, huh? He really is a troublemaker."

"Yes! He changed the Dungeon’s laws and caused chaos in the Seventh Layer!" Azoth paused, then asked curiously, "But how did you know it was him?"

"I come from the same world he resides in now. The time frame you mentioned matches the period when he arrived in the Edhen World, so I made an educated guess," Charles said as he took a seat on a nearby sofa, crossing his legs with ease. "But I never expected him to come here."

He had long pondered how the Sun Church acquired a Celestial Key a century ago. Now, it all made sense. It had to be Abium.

’I don’t know his intention, but I’ll take advantage of this.’ Turning to Azoth, he said, "I know what you’re thinking. I may be weak now, but I’ll grow. If you help me with a few things, I’ll try to get you out of this confinement."

Azoth sat on the opposite sofa and gave a firm nod.

"I will assist you, as long as it’s within my limits. In return, I want you to reach the Thirty-Seventh Layer within the next few millennia and retrieve an artifact called Soul Confinement. It’s held by the Soul Guardian. But you must be strong enough to face a Low-Rank God."

"Soul Confinement? What does it do? And how many layers does this Dungeon even have?" Charles asked, eyes narrowing in thought.

’I thought there were only ten layers...’

"The Soul Confinement can erase one’s presence—even from taboo existences. If I’m to escape, I’ll need it and will have to alter its function. As for the layers: most Dungeons have around seventy. This one has fifty-nine. But some Dungeons, like the Abyssal Dungeon and Lost Tombs, have ninety-nine layers and have never been conquered," Azoth explained.

Charles leaned forward, intrigued.

"Who created this Dungeon? And why?"

Azoth didn’t answer.

’So many mysteries... and the Mystic Towers also began appearing a few millennia ago...’ Charles shook his head, focusing on the present.

"Are there any layers filled with Fire elemental creatures? I want a treasure imbued with at least one or two fire-elemental laws."

"You mean Unique Fires?" Azoth tilted her head thoughtfully, then nodded. "The boss of the Fourth Layer is an Infernal Bird called the Devil Crow. A peak Legendary Creature with deep comprehension of Hellfire—it can turn the entire layer into a sea of flame. There’s also an artifact there, one that can erase memories with some mysterious fire. It belonged to our Fallen Lord and was lost when the Divine Kingdom collapsed into this Dungeon. It’s likely hidden somewhere in that layer."

"Purple Fire?" Charles’s brow lifted. "Is it an intellectual artifact, like this sword?"

"Of course not," Azoth shook her head. "Intellectual artifacts are rarer than magical beasts. This is a nature artifact—a fusion of three elements. It doesn’t have a will, but its power rivals that of an intelligent weapon. One of its elements is a strange, memory-devouring fire."

She waved her hand, and a detailed illusion appeared.

A silver bracelet with three distinct beads floated before Charles. One was black, another grey, and the last glowed with an intense violet hue.

"This bracelet? Looks like something you’d find in a marketplace," Charles quipped.

"Don’t be fooled. Aside from the purple flame and a bizarre dream-based ability, it can also devour an enemy’s attacks. There’s a book about it in the palace library—second floor, third shelf. Written by Lord Phobes," Azoth replied.

’That’s valuable information.’ Charles gave a grateful nod and took out a parchment.

"Do you know what this place is? Anything important hidden there?"

Azoth took the parchment and studied it carefully. After a moment, she shook her head.

"Nothing noteworthy comes to mind. But if you want to explore it, do so within the next twenty days." She handed the parchment back and rose to her feet.

"If you need anything, you can find me on the third floor," she added before vanishing.

Meanwhile, Charles rose from the comfortable sofa and made his way toward the second floor, guided by the bifurcated staircase. His footsteps echoed through the empty corridor as he approached the entrance to the vast library hall.

As he pushed open the heavy wooden doors, an awe-inspiring sight unfolded before him. The hall stretched endlessly, lined with towering shelves packed with meticulously arranged books. Each shelf rose toward the high ceiling like a silent sentinel of knowledge, whispering secrets of forgotten eras.

Soft, golden light streamed through the tall windows, bathing the room in a warm glow. The air carried the gentle scent of aged paper and ink—an unmistakable perfume of a sanctuary where the past whispered to the present.