I sat there at the bottom of the pit, surrounded by those massive weapons pointing up like a forest of death.
Pain throbbed in my right shin, sharp and constant. The so-called Jagan Basilisk had chased me right into this enormous booby trap. Honestly, I'm not surprised at this point if there was suddenly an ancient powerful entity speaking directly into my mind.
Ah right, that was Eli.
From what Eli lore-dumped me, the Jagan Basilisk was a remnant of some apocalyptic event long ago in the Demonic Realm.
Something something about the basilisk was one of many ferocious beasts brought here by a mad sorcerer who opened a gate to an infernal world during something called the Lament War.
I couldn't honestly digest every piece of information since I was suffering a great pain of a broken shin. Tears were practically leaking from my eyes without me vocalizing it.
"What is this Lament War?"
I asked it out loud while scavenging around for anything useful.
There were bones scattered on the ground, some clean enough, and a net-like material tangled in the dirt—maybe old webbing or torn cloth from something dead.
Lucky for me, I could use them to make an improvised splint for my fractured shin.
There were not too many open wounds, nothing critical that needed disinfectant right away. Though it was still a wound that leaked blood and exposed the outside element into my bodily system.
After fixing the angle of the bone as best I could—gritting my teeth through the pain—I could only hope my immune system handled the heavy work.
『 At my time, and perhaps even now, no one truly knows what the Lament War was beyond scattered records and proof it happened. It likely occurred before two other apocalyptic events after it. 』
I cringed lightly at that.
To think that the Jagan Basilisk survived two apocalypse.
And that thing lives within the supposed place 'near' Lothair's territory.
"How many apocalyptic events are there in demon history?"
I care less about the electric lizard that I met above at this point, the history of the Demonic Realm piqued my interest more.
『 So far as I knew, and maybe until now, seven have been historically documented. I, however, believe that there are more than five more apocalypses that we haven't confirmed yet! 』
"Demons survived all of those?"
『 No. Demons as a species only emerged after the third known civilization-wiping apocalypse. Something else existed before us, if that's what you're curious about. 』
Well, she can read my mind, so of course she knows what part that I'm interested in.
"Hmm, about the surname thing for nobles. Is that related to the apocalyptic events too?"
『 Sharp as ever~! Those with surnames trace lineage to demons predating certain noble figures from many apocalypses ago. Hence why nobles have a greater standing in this world. 』
"That is a weird case of generational nepotism."
『 Funnily enough, one of those figures cast a curse, unless a demon carries a semblance of their blood, they cannot conceptually possess a surname. Like, an actual reality-defying spell just to privatize the act of having two words as a name, hah. 』
Well, talk about demonic patenting.
"... Are these noble figures related to humans in any way?"
I just had a hunch, there was no more intent behind that innocent question.
Eli went silent for a moment.
Then she changed the subject.
『 That aside, what is your plan from now on? 』
I sensed I had hit something important, a bullseye I did not even aim for.
I decided to settle that another time.
For now, I revealed my plan.
"I found some sort of magic circle work after touching the weapons earlier, but I could not connect with them, possibly because my Demonic Essence was too weak." I grinned despite the pain. "I will try improving my absolutely dogwater Demonic Essence according to the blueprint I acquired from that soup pot torture session, and I can try moving on from there."
『 Looks like you have already charted everything yourself. If that's the case then, good luck~! You can ask me about anything if your stuck at something 』
"Heh, instead of waiting for me to ask, why do you not have the initiative and tell me tips and tricks before I inquire it, like a good assistant would?"
『 I do not want to take the joy of discovery from you, my dear. 』
"Thank you, but the joy of living is more important than the joy of discovery, you perverted freak of a savant."
After setting up a comfortable position for me to mediate, I internalized my will and began tempering the small and crude Demonic Essence in my heart.
I had already experienced and comprehended the kind of energy that matched me. I only needed to use that sensation as guidance on how to shape it.
As I tried to forge and mold the energy, I was reminded of the weak, dying, yet unrelenting force of life—that was the Demonic Essence I chose inside the pot. The faint, sickly, yet determined proof of resilience—I tried my best to follow the same philosophy.
As if it was second nature, the process came smoothly. While at it, I also created more Demonic Essence and forged them at the same time.
I am unsure if this is also the effect of the Thaumanthus, or Magic Savant to be exact. But there seems to be something helping the whole process.
It acts like an artificially intelligent force that autocorrects mistakes on a draft I make. As I change things, it takes my input and improves every aspect according to my choices.
No, this did not feel like artificial intelligence. It felt closer to an actual intelligent being.
Someone smarter than me, but who cannot grasp anything beyond perfecting the draft I write.
I did not realize how much time passed as I cultivated. This reminded me of those sword-fantasy fiction where there were people who meditated for days and years on end to forge their inner energy to reach immortality.
Becoming immortal doesn't sound bad, until you realize that immortality doesn't fix all of your problems in life.
Personally, I believe that if I focus too much on running away from the reaper's scythe, I won't be able to breathe and enjoy the scenery...
Well, who am I kidding. Right now, there was no scenery that I could even enjoy. And instead of scythe, the reaper was actually trying to smite me down with a hunting rifle!
I'm nothing but a feeble rabbit, burrowing myself inside a giant hole together with a mysterious formation of giant weapons all around me.
That aside, I was actually enjoying the process of tempering my Demonic Essence.
It was spiritually soothing, to the point that I didn't want to bother much with anything outside of this hole. Lothair, the demons, that bitch Koil, none of it.
Actually, maybe I should put an exception to Lothair since she helped me and all, regardless of her devilish schemes behind that curled, beautiful smile…
Damn it, that seductress! To think that thinking about her was enough to interrupt my meditation!
"Urgh…"
『 You know that you will eventually bang her again, right? 』
"Shut up! This is not about sex!"
『 Come on, your face is as red as the skin of the Crimson Oni without being one. 』
"I'm not a degenerate like you, Eli. I might be the candidate to inherit your power, but I'm not going to inherit your freakiness."
『 I'd like to see you try, heh. 』
The whole interruption aside, I eventually noticed less and less pain in my broken leg as time passed by.
I did not feel much fatigue or hunger either. I didn't even feel thirsty nor have the urge to expel the impurity of my body like defecating or urinating.
Actually, how much time has passed since I started working on my Demonic Essence?
『 Two days. 』
Eli mentioned so casually.
"Two days!?"
I was so shocked that I didn't realize that I just stood up, and my leg was no longer in the distressed state of fractured bones.
I removed the splint and moved it around.
There was still a lingering sensation of pain, but there was no problem on the motoric function.
I coughed to maintain composure.
"Do you know a method to measure your Demonic Essence in any way? Actually, don't answer, I already have an idea how to do it."
『 That's my Mesmer~! You're making my job as your assistant a walk in a graveyard~ 』
I touched my chest with two fingers and circulated my Demonic Essence.
I wanted to measure it as it passed through my arm and back to my heart, and loop it again using a different measurement and then use my initial state as a reference.
I could then repeat the process until I concluded the data I got.
『 Your current method is crude and slow, but you have the right idea and concept on how to do it without being taught. You seem to be more talented than what you're letting to be, Mesmer. 』
"Right…"
『 Why are you pouting? I'm complementing you right now. 』
I didn't expect that it would work, honestly, since it was only an imitation of the magic circle within the teleportation scroll that Koil gave me.
Magic circle, there was a reason why it was called as such.
The way magic circles work is by placing magic circuits or 'commands' across a line that loops back into itself.
Demonic Essence is then used to bring forth those commands into reality, manifesting the finalized version of the magic that is concocted and tempered for every magic circuit it passed before it looped back in itself.
"Well, that took a while."
It was somewhere around five times the amount and twice as dense as initially, more malleable too.
This was definitely a success.
Excitedly, I placed my palm on the body of a large sword blade jutting up.
I filled it with my Demonic Essence to connect.
Back then, I tried but it was too weak.
"It should work this time."
After a solid ten seconds, I successfully connected with the magic circle within one of the many weapons in this giant hole.
In an instant, the magic circuits and composition opened up to me.
"Kuh!"
But that was not all.
An immense amount of knowledge churned and rushed into my head and body.
I stumbled, clutching my skull.
"Hahaha.. This is insane…"
This sword was merely a fragment.
So were all the weapons here.
There was a large machination—an interconnected magic circle that would activate if all these weapons merged into one.
Actually, these weapons here are not the only parts.
There are more somewhere.
Regardless, I tried a little more experiment.
"My initial goal is to get the hell out of this shit hole, after all."