"The Sage Shaula, who governs over the Pleiades Watchtower. I believe she is the key to solving this problem."
Anastasia said this, and I immediately tenses as Pure Truth gave a twitch inside my Witch Factor, as if it picked on something.
A vision.
It seems that I have a place to go before the trip to Arc 6, huh? Heh, this is just to my liking.
Two powerful chess pieces just entered the palm of my hand once again.
While I smiled at the revelation, I noticed that Subaru and Julius had a conversation regarding the Three Great Heroes, since Subaru didn't know who the Sage was.
"Four hundred years ago, three great heroes contributed to the sealing of the "Witch of Envy". One of those was the "Sword Saint", Reid Astrea―― The sword's heaven-sent child who was the first to acquire the "Divine Protection of the Sword Saint" and the title which Reinhardt inherited."
"There's also records that show that Reid Astrea, the first "Sword Saint", did not have the Divine Protection. Not all known legends are unconditionally true. Of course, it's a fact that Reid-sama built the current Astrea family and the name of the "Sword Saint, though."
Reinhardt, who was said person's descendant, supplemented what Julius, who was looking at him, had said.
However, considering it regarded his ancestor who'd accomplished great deeds that had been left behind in history, Reinhardt's expression when talking about it was somewhat brooding. He also seemed to be worried about Julius when it came to that. It didn't look like he was going to insist on the subject regarding the inherited Divine Protection.
"So, the Sage was a companion of that Sword Saint, that's the gist I'm getting." Subaru said.
"More accurately, the Sage Shaula, and the Divine Dragon Volcanica... You know, the dragon that protects the Kingdom of Lugnica. It's said that it started with a promise whereby Volcanica joined forces in battle to seal "The Witch of Envy" and now even to this day still watches over the Kingdom." Emilia added.
"It's customary to call the "Sword Saint", "The Sage" and the "Divine Dragon" as the Three Great Heroes. You ought to remember that."
"Whoaa, don't get fired up... I get it, thank you for the explanation."
Subaru waved his hands in order to calm Julius down, who was a little bit angry that Subaru did not properly recognize the significant figures.
"Currently, the Sage Shaula is in the tower near the "Witch's Shrine", and has always secluded herself there so to stop those who plan to revive the "Witch of Envy". Always, since that time."
"...For 400 years?"
"For 400 years." Julius confirmed.
To Subaru, it probably was an absurd story. However, this provoked a thought in his mind.
"...Mhm, the tower's name makes me think of something..."
"Your constellation, correct?" I asked him, and his eyes lit up. "In Japanese, Pleiades is Subaru. I don't know what the Sage was thinking of when they named something after the stars, but this is proves the work of another Outerworlder like us."
"Then, by any chance are they a troubling individual?" Subaru asked.
"To ensure peace in the world, the Sage Shaula continues ta watch ova' the Witch...Their name is known far and wide throughout the world. I've known about 'em too since the time I was in Kararagi. But, at the same time, the Sage Shaula is also known in this other way."
Anastasia smiled gracefully, pausing between her words for a second.
"The Sage Shaula is someone with extreme trust issues who can't trust a single soul. ――No matta' what the purpose of those approaching the Watchtower 'n the Shrine may be, she massacres all of 'em, or so I hear."
"Massacres all of them..." Subaru muttered, sighing that the place he has to go was another dangerous individual's domain.
"From my knowledge, the Sage uses a spell called Hell's Snipe." I cut in. "It's like an extremely advanced version of the Al Jiwald, with homing and precision abilities applied to it."
"That's just too overpowered..."
After another little history lesson on Anastasia's words, we came to the conclusion that we were going to reach the Pleiades Watchtower, either way. However, Felix had one concern, if we disregard Subaru's intense self-debate due to Shaula being the second brightest star of the constellation of Scorpio.
"The view itself of visiting the Sage Shaula may be good, but isn't it an issue on how we will do it? Is there any way? Even when no one has managed to reach the Watchtower."
"The reason no one has is 'cause the Sage is too strong, that's the story right?"
Felt raised a question at Ferris' tantalising words, whilst she crossed her legs on top of her chair. She gave a fleeting look in Reinhardt's direction.
"We could manage it if it's Reinhardt, right? He has no other use except being strong, but when it comes to jus' that, he's insaaaane."
"It's unusual that Felt-sama gives me praise, thank you very much."
"This is what I meant."
Felt sullenly tch'ed at Reinhardt's response. However, immediately after that, Reinhardt lowered his eyebrows as if he were troubled.
Like that, he spoke out with a "But...", prefacing it apologetically,
"Unfortunately, I couldn't reach the Watchtower. I lacked the strength."
"...This guy lacking strength..., isn't that a lil' alarming?"
"He doesn't mean a lack of combat power, Felt-sama. There's no area in this world that Reinhardt's true strength wouldn't reach, I'd say. But, the Pleiades Watchtower is a different problem to such impediments."
"What was your purpose in trying to meet the Sage?"
"It was an order from the Kingdom. For a cure for the disease, that it was. ――It was about two years ago."
"Did you get attacked?" I asked Reinhard, who nodded.
"The attacks themselves were of no difficulty to counter myself, if you were talking about the 'Hell's Snipes', Y/N. However, I was impeded by the strange phenomenon around the Watchtower, which seemed to make it seem I'm never going near the Watchtower at all."
"Ah... I see. You encountered Sand Time. That thing is indeed annoying, because that's magic on a whole other level. That spell bends space itself, which will keep on pushing you back no matter how much effort you put into it."
"Then, is there no way?" Reinhard asked, and Anastasia smiled.
"I do have a way of getting in there, of course, or else why would I have mentioned it in the first place?" At this, my senses perked up.
"I mentioned her before the defensive battle, my artificial spirit, Echidna. This little'n knows a way ta the Pleiades Watchtower. ――That's why we can go 'n meet the Sage of the Watchtower.
The artificial spirit Echidna, that being that disguised itself as a fox scarf was the key to reaching the Sage.
"――I'm receiving so much attention, huh. You're making me blush!" Saying that, the fox spirit lifted her neck.
Subaru tensed at the sight of Eridna, but it was understandable. I wanted to see how this would play out, but Echidna suddenly popped into my head.
Y/N, it's time.
Oh? You already found it?
With the new scanning magic Sphinx and I developed, it was only a matter of time. I've located the hidden vault beneath Priestella. We should hurry, since they'll send a search team to retrieve it.
I see. Well, I'll excuse myself out. I suppose I could let Yae and Elsa take over for now.
"Excuse me, sorry for ruining this moment, but... an urgent matter has appeared." I said as everyone else's eyes turned on me, looking at me in confusion.
"What exactly is so important that you have to leave right now, this moment?" Subaru asked me, clearly suspicious of my movements this time.
"Let's just say this is going to benefit me greatly, and I can't miss the chance. So, in the meantime, Elsa, Yae, can you take over?"
The two nodded as they pulled their chairs to the main table, and I opened the door. "Fill me in on anything important when I return!"
With that, I dashed towards the City Hall.
"Start digging here, Y/N." Omega instructed as she pointed towards the tile on the ground, and I nodded before forming a diamond barrier around us to avoid any public attention. Using my atomic dismantling power, I broke through around 50 layers of concrete, stone and dirt, before I noticed a tiny source of light at the bottom of the hole.
"I guess we're going down then. Hold on tight." I said as I gave Omega a piggyback, and yeeted myself into the hole with my Imperceptible Extensions acting as a safety rope. After a while of free fall, I landed into the temple, and used my Authority of Deceit again to fill up the hole above my head.
"Okay then, I guess we're heading forwards."
We walked past statues and peculiar structure patterns, and I made some note of the infrastructure down here. It was quite surprising, how the city that was designed as a trap for Typhon made so much effort to build a shrine for her after her death.
What I'm aiming for is Typhon's withered arm, her last remains. Using the DNA and molecular structure back in her body, I could recreate her body and eventually insert her soul back into it. Omega had issues with reincarnation since she couldn't use her own due to the personality clash, but Typhon's case was perfectly fine.
Venturing a bit more inwards, I found an intersection and turned left, only to find a giant hallway leading to some kind of chamber. Omega nodded to me in approval to the correct path, and we trudged carefully onwards. After arriving in the chamber, I noticed a sleeping guardian that the side stories mentioned: a beast with heads sticking out of its torso.
At our presence, it immediately awakened, and dashed towards me with incredible speed. However, having fought Kurgan and Theresia, this was such an easy fight.
"Support me, Chid-chan."
"Got it. El Akra. El Fura!"
Omega's buff spell boosted me as I took a dash behind the giant, while her wind magic sliced through one of his heads. I took out Zeam as I slashed his torso, and one of his heads disappeared, while Zeam happily consumed its life force.
"Be grateful that you're the first one who could witness this power in this world!" I shouted at the golem-like monster, and activated the power that tugged and corrupted my soul. The anger filled to the brim, and reached my frontal lobe, which gathered and concentrated into a beating wave.
"Authority of Wrath, Stage 1!"
"Rage Pulse!"
The electromagnetic waves of anger expanded outwards from my body, and slammed itself right into the monster, filling him with pain and suffering. Before I could ensure my victory, however, a pulsating pain filled my head.
"Argh!" I yelled in pain as I clutched my head before healing the broken arteries and veins. "That power... is quite self-destructive too..."
"El Dona!" Echidna's earth magic bullets tore through the monster, and he disintegrated into dust.
"I think we can move on now, can we not?" I said to Omega, who hurried over to look at my head.
"Your Authority of Wrath should be used sparingly, Y/N. It seems that it does a lot of internal damage to your brain. If not for your regenerative powers from Capella's Dragon Blood and your Authority of Deceit, you would've been dead."
"Well, I can't really change it now, now that the Witch Factor decided to manifest that ability. But I'll heed your words. Or else, Minerva will get mad at me again."
We stepped into the next chamber, and miraculously, it was exactly what I expected. "Huh. Never thought I would really see this here." I said as I ran a hand over the familiar board, wiping off the dust before I cleaned my hands with artificial water. "Let's start this game of chess, shall we?"
Timeskip featuring Y/N dominating the board after somehow pulling off an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile play
Sorry for those who wanted a full chess scene, since I'm not Yū Kamiya (No Game No Life's author), so I don't know how to make a game scene interesting. Maybe I'll post a special chapter about it one day featuring Y/N, Echidna, and two other people playing four-way chess.
"Ah... that was easier than I thought, but still satisfying."
I remarked as I moved my queen up to finish the ladder mate, completely dominating the board after the amazing missile play. Seriously, this chess bot is only 600 or something. But then again, a lot less people in this world knows how to play chess, and fewer who are great at it...
Omega, who finished scribbling on her notebook, looked up at me to confirm I finished. She has been taking notes on chess since the game started with the trial's automatic function. Seriously, she's going to destroy me in chess one day, considering that insanely high IQ of hers...
We advanced to the last chamber, where I finally laid my eyes upon the treasure we came here for in the first place. Omega's pyroxene necklace brimmed with light, and I can already hear Typhon's loud chatter and excitement to being revived. However, I still need to check something first.
I carefully traced my fingers on Typhon's withered arm, and activated Suitoru. To my surprise, the object I was looking for was not present.
"Huh. Chid-chan, I thought you said it should be here?"
"It's merely a speculation. After all, I don't have my Book of Wisdom yet, even though it's at 97% completion."
"Hmm... then where could it be-"
Before I could finish my sentence, a weird sensation tugged in my stomach, and as if the world flipped upside down, I suddenly found Echidna on the floor beside me, in her actual black robes she had in the Castle of Dreams.
"Y/N... where are we?" Echidna said, wide-eyed as she stared around the space. Me, on the other hand, took one look at the bottomless starry abyss, and understood.
"YO! Helwwwooooo!"
A shrill voice rang out from behind us, and the Witch of Deceit walked out of a crack in the void.
"Hello, Echidna-chan, successor-kun! Did you guys miss me?"
Putting on an extremely happy attitude, Frakinedottir smiled.