The scent of ancient incense filled every corner of the secret shop… a smell that made your mind relax for a long while and drift into contemplation.
The old man spoke in a deep, mysterious tone:
"Welcome, Mr. Gideon… Did you enjoy the taste of the elixir?"
William smiled and sat on one of the worn-out chairs, speaking in a calm voice:
"As a first experience, the taste was rather strange… a blend between death and life."
The old man turned toward William with a strange smile spreading across his face, his voice still deep:
"That's right. That's how elixirs feel, Mr. William… as if you're transitioning from one world to another."
William looked sideways, a curious smile lingering on his face, and spoke in a firm tone:
"I don't think you brought me here just to ask about the taste of the elixir… is that right?"
The old man closed his eyes and spoke in a cryptic tone:
"Yes, that's true. I brought you here because your mind requested it… you seek information about the city of Draithwyn."
William murmured softly to himself:
'This mysterious old man… it's as if he knows what's lurking inside me. He doesn't seem like an ordinary person. He must have some undefined connection to the arcane.'
William smiled and spoke in a mysterious tone:
"That's right. The academy will suspend all lessons… to focus on the tournament and give students more time to train."
Then he added in the same tone:
"And this is the perfect chance to travel to the city of Draithwyn…"
The old man placed his index finger on his chin and replied in a calm tone:
"How wonderful… it seems luck is on your side this time. So you must make the best use of it."
Then he continued:
"And what information do you seek about the forgotten city of Draithwyn?"
William crossed one leg over the other and responded in a relaxed tone:
"What I want to know is how far it is from the academy, how long the journey takes… and most importantly, who lives in that forgotten city."
The old man lit a classic Victorian-style cigarette, sat in his chair, and spoke in a calm, deep voice:
"I expected mysterious and bold questions… but no matter, I will answer you. It is about 1,250 kilometers from the academy. The journey may take between 3 to 5 days."
William was startled by the distance and interrupted the old man, speaking in a surprised tone:
"What?! But why is it so far? Isn't it still within the kingdom's borders?"
The old man chuckled quietly and replied in a calm voice:
"I agree, the distance is quite long. That's why it takes time to get there. But this city carries a very deep story… you will learn its secrets when you arrive."
William placed his index finger on his chin and muttered:
'Could it be some powerful magic that caused it to break away from the kingdom? This city seems to hold a mysterious secret.'
William then asked:
"And what exists there? Are there humans, beasts, or strange creatures?"
The old man answered in a deep tone, exhaling smoke from his cigarette:
"It's better if you go and don't ruin the surprise for yourself… don't spoil the joy of dying for your own soul. It's beautiful to die in a way you never expected."
The last phrase that escaped the old man's mouth was a linguistic enigma of the highest caliber… even William couldn't fully decipher it.
The old man continued in his powerful, enigmatic voice:
"And do you know the Punisher with the Pyramid Head?"
The secret shop distorted, and the crimson moon entered, glaring furiously at William… the atmosphere turned grim and terrifying, to the point where one could hear death calling.
William swallowed hard, his voice trembling:
"And who, who is this Punisher that mentioning his name alone alters the air around us?"
The old man placed all ten fingers over his eyes and replied in a deep tone:
"The Punisher with the Pyramid Head… he is the butcher who represents justice. He hates evil and loves it at the same time… the servant and the leader simultaneously… he wields a long sword—one strike sends you to the Crimson Prison."
William's hand was trembling, even though this wasn't the first time something like this happened to him… it had happened when he encountered Lee Min Shang's old self.
He spoke in a heavy tone, his hand covering his eyes:
"Is he a being completely beyond the will of the mind? And what is the Crimson Prison?"
The old man answered with his cold, crushing tone:
"And are you a criminal to ask about the Crimson Prison? Only criminals will ever be explained the nature of that terrifying place… As for the Punisher with the Pyramid Head—he is something unimaginable. He is older than the ticking of the clock."
Everything returned to normal… the crimson moon vanished, and the secret shop resumed its original state. William looked around and asked in a relaxed tone:
"So when a certain being is mentioned, does the atmosphere change like that?"
The old man puffed on his cigarette, half-lidded eyes fixed on William, and replied in a deep voice:
"No. The atmosphere shift depends on ranks. Each entity has its own rank, and some of them are forbidden to mention. If you do, you'll go insane."
William, in shock from this bizarre information, murmured to himself:
'It seems this world expands to such a distant extent… to a level beyond imagination.'
Then he turned to the old man and asked in a curious tone:
"And where does this Punisher appear? Are there specific places or ancient kingdoms?"
The old man stood up, holding something unclear in his hand, and spoke in a deep, mysterious tone:
"Do you know why I mentioned the Punisher with the Pyramid Head to you? Because… he appears in forgotten cities or ancient kingdoms…"
William was taken aback by this revelation and spoke in a confused tone, with a half-mad smile:
"Are you saying… he will appear in the city of Draithwyn?"
"Yes," the old man replied in a deadly tone.
William was stunned by the old man's answer… There was a feeling deep inside him urging him not to go, but there were no lines of return, no matter which angle he looked from.
He spoke to himself in a low tone:
'There's no turning back. Fear is tearing through my core… but the only way to survive is to conquer your fears.'
William looked toward the old man and spoke calmly:
"That's a beautiful and terrifying piece of information… But how am I supposed to get there? By land or sea?"
The old man smiled and spoke with a deep voice:
"You'll go to Fulham Port—the same one Victor went to before. A Victorian steamship will appear before you as soon as you arrive there."
Then he added in the same tone:
"But be very careful. We don't know what the sea hides… and we don't know what the ship hides either."
"So… are you saying there could be strange creatures even on the ship?" William asked hesitantly.
"Even the chair you're sitting on might be one of the disguised monsters." The old man smiled deeply as he pushed his hair back.
Then he continued in the same tone:
"Everything around you is against you. Even your own thoughts might hate seeing you alive."
William gave a crazed grin and spoke in a mysterious tone:
"You're definitely not an ordinary man… Who are you?"
The old man gave a light laugh and responded in a deep voice:
"Just a simple shopkeeper who offers advice to those who choose to listen."
Then added with the same tone:
"Do you have any more questions?"
"I won't go on this journey alone. Silvera will be with me—she's an assassin-type sorceress." William said to the old man calmly.
The old man smiled and spoke deeply:
"You mean your lover. I understand. You don't want her to discover the bone, is that right?"
"Yes… I don't want anyone to know. It will remain a secret between you and me only." William answered firmly.
The old man tossed a paper toward William. He caught it and looked at it in confusion—it was blank.
"What is this paper?" William asked in astonishment.
"When you reach the grave and find the bone, all you have to do is place this paper over the grave, and it will turn into a fake potion." The old man said in a deep, deceptive tone.
William placed the paper in his pocket, smiling at the genius of this mysterious old man.
"You always have a solution, old man."
The old man smiled, but within that smile was an immense and hidden sorrow. William stood up and spoke softly:
"Seems it's time for me to go… Thank you for your time, mysterious one."
"Before you leave, I have something to tell you." The old man said in a cold tone.
William turned around, surprised, and responded with curiosity:
"What is it that you want to tell me?"
The old man crossed one leg over the other and spoke in a deep, enigmatic voice:
"You know the system of Sequence and Insight, but you don't truly understand it. Each person has their own unique sequence, but they all share one unified tier—under a single name: The Lord of the Mage. It's a sequence very difficult to reach."
William looked at the old man, shock written across his face.
"What do you mean? Are you saying my sequence is different from the others?"
The old man smiled and answered in a mysterious tone:
"You're far from them by centuries… You have a unique and very obscure sequence."
Then he added in the same voice:
"You are in the Ninth Sequence under the name: 'The Seeker'…"
William was astonished by this strange revelation, but deep down, he realized his love for knowledge and pursuit—despite the risks.
"That means everyone has a sequence, and each sequence from ninth to first carries a different title that varies from person to person… This is strange and terrifying, to be honest." William spoke in a tone of disbelief, unable to fully comprehend.
"That's right, but your sequence carries meanings unlike any other in this kingdom or in this vast world." The old man said calmly.
Then he continued in the same tone:
"That's all I have for you, Mr. Gideon… I hope you return safely from your terrifying journey."
The old man snapped his fingers, and William immediately vanished from the shop. The old man sat on a chair, placing all ten of his fingers over his face.
"Too much talk is a sin as well."
William appeared in his room, standing with one hand over his face. He spoke softly to himself:
"Seems like my sequence isn't even listed in the academy's library…"
He placed his five fingers under his chin, a wide smile spreading across his face as he spoke in a strange, oblivious tone:
"The Seeker JASTER! Hahahaha…"