Chapter 2604: Chapter 2605: Centaur
The road with a strong sense of space contrast is even longer than imagined.
With the enhancement of Windâs Force, the group has walked for nearly five minutes and still hasnât seen the end. The oppressive feeling is growing, and although Angel and the others are not greatly affected, they gradually become silent, maintaining a state of silence.
This silent atmosphere persisted until the first narrow passage.
The road couldnât possibly become wider, for reverence and smallness also have thresholds. So, after walking a long segment of the "avenue," they finally reached the first narrow passageâthe road began to develop narrowly.
This passage has no branches, but on both ends, there stands a pair of statues.
The statue on the left has been completely destroyed, leaving only the base. The statue on the right has also been damaged but retained a half-body. From this half-body and some fragments on the ground, they can reconstruct that the right statue should be a centaur holding a round shield and a chain hammer.
The centaur, purely as a magical creature, doesnât actually exist in the Southern Domain; even if there are any, they have smuggled in from the Abyss.
However, stories about centaurs are often circulated among the people, like the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus in Earthâs fairy tales, deeply ingrained in peopleâs hearts.
In folklore, the symbol of centaurs is not the terrifying creature from the Abyss but a symbol of loyalty and steadfastness.
Because in tales of centaurs, itâs always the brave warriors fighting against evil dragons, and centaurs are the solid support standing behind the warriors.
Who originally created these centaur stories has long disappeared into the annals of history, and whether they have seen the Abyssal centaurs remains a mystery.
But it must be said that the stories of centaurs have spread very widely, and even in the Wizardsâ Realm, despite knowing centaurs are Abyssal creatures, many are fond of their image.
A friend Angel knowsâVikingâhas the image of a centaur below his waist. Of course, he was forced to transplant this image on himself, but since Viking does not reject this image, one can know the trend in the Wizardsâ Realm towards centaurs.
Under such a trend, the statue of centaurs is endowed with quite a lot of positive connotations.
From the actions and posture of this centaur statue in front of them, itâs a typical stance of alertness, warning later comers to "halt."
The so-called halt usually has only two meanings: either a warning that danger lies ahead, or itâs an important place where entry is forbidden without permission.
Which of these two meanings would it be?
Angel was the first to break the silence and voice his doubts.
"Perhaps, itâs both," came the cold voice with a hint of nasal tone, without a doubt, spoken by the Black Earl.
"I also think the Black Earl is right." This time, it was Kaier who spoke.
Kaier had been squatting beside the completely shattered base of the left statue, wearing protective goggles, and using very professional archaeological tools, including a custom-made magnifying glass and a pheromone amplifier, looking quite the part.
However, when he spoke, Kaier took off the goggles and let out a long breath: "Although I only captured a small portion of pheromones, itâs basically confirmed that the destruction of the statue was not by humans but by some kind of creature with a dark aura."
"This magical creature might inherently possess corrosion abilities. I extracted signs of corrosion from some fragments. But the statue itself wasnât destroyed by corrosion; it was smashed with great force. So I guess this creature has some corrosion ability and considerable strength."
"Additionally, the most important point is that since I can extract some pheromones, it indicates that the destruction of these statues was not long ago, not exceeding half a year."
"So, I agree with the Black Earlâs statement. The original meaning of this centaur statue might have been to indicate to visitors that the place ahead is an important institution, forbidden without permission. But now, since there are creatures appearing nearby, it also suggests possible danger ahead."
"The coexistence of both possibilities is not contradictory."
Angel also agreed with Kaierâs analysis because his analysis was based on his findings. Having evidence always brings more peace of mind.
Angel: "Is there a record of the pheromones? If so, let me have a look."
Kaier nodded and handed over the valuable pheromone amplifier directly to Angel. If it were anyone else, even Dox, he wouldnât have given it so easily, but Angel is recognized as an Academy Faction "researcher," and naturally, he wouldnât refuse him.
After Angel got the pheromone amplifier, he immediately started operating it.
Watching Angelâs precise and graceful operation, Kaier once again affirmed that his perception wasnât wrong. Itâs worth noting that the pheromone amplifier is a niche instrument thatâs extremely intricate to operate, with any mishap potentially causing errors.
Angelâs operation was remarkably smooth, even more fluid than Kaierâs.
Soon, Angel saw the traces and records of pheromones that Kaier previously extracted.
After putting down the pheromone amplifier, Angel fell into a state of contemplation.
Everyone knew Angel wanted to see the pheromone record to identify the magical creature that destroyed the statue.
But after Angel finished looking, he didnât speak immediately, causing some itchiness of curiosity among the crowd.
Vay even approached Dox and suggested, "Why donât you check the pheromone records too? Two people mean more ideas."
"Are you suggesting Angelâs insight is insufficient to recognize that magical creature?" Dox countered.
Vay indeed had this suspicion in his heart, but as an idol fan, he wouldnât voice it. Heâd only suggest Dox help, prevent the idol from failing to recognize it and face embarrassment.
But Dox pointed out his thoughts directly, causing Vay to wave his hands repeatedly: "How is that possible! The noble, handsome, powerful, and grand Chaowei Lord is the most knowledgeable wizard Iâve ever seen!"
Dox: "...Youâve given him too many prefixes..."
Vayâs face flushed: "Iâm speaking the truth."
Dox looked skeptically at his old friendâcould this guy have been brainwashed by Angel? Why was he acting so strange today?
However, Dox didnât voice his doubts aloud; stopping the topic here was fine. If Vay continued to insist he operate the pheromone amplifier, it wouldnât be Angel facing embarrassment; the Joker would be him.
Indeed, Dox diverted the topic because he didnât want to admit he couldnât operate the pheromone amplifier.
Of course, besides Kaier and Angel, there was another person capable of handling the pheromone amplifierâthe Black Earl. Still, no one except Angel dared to ask the Black Earl for anything. Although Dox previously dared to retort to the Black Earl, he wouldnât now as it would expose his lack of knowledge.
"Huh?" During the silent waiting, the Black Earl suddenly made a puzzled sound.
Everyone immediately looked towards the Black Earl, but he said nothing, instead falling into contemplation.
This time, Angel and Black Earl both fell into contemplation...
Time passed second by second, and after two minutes, Black Earl was the first to return to his senses, though he still said nothing. Another minute later, Angel finally lifted his head, rubbed his temples, and let out a long breath.
"Did you discover anything?" The one asking was Black Earl.
Angel nodded, showing a hint of apology on his face: "I found something, but itâs so ancient, and my understanding of magical creatures is actually limited, so it took a bit longer. My apologies."
Vay: "No worries, no worries. Youâve already done remarkably well, my lord!"
Dox glanced at Vay: "Since when did you learn to flatter? Why donât you also flatter me? I guarantee youâll reach the wizard rank in no time."
Vay: "No, I donât want to."
Vay had no shortage of resources or talent; he was even slightly stronger than Dox initially. The reason Dox later caught up wasnât that Vay couldnât advance, but because he had his own considerations.
Dox twitched his lips and whispered into Vayâs ear: "Weâve known each other for decades, and youâve never flattered me, yet Angel, whom youâve only met a few times, you do?"
Vay remained silent as Angel began conversing with Black Earl. He certainly didnât want to miss out. As for Doxâs question, it was a separate matter entirely; close friends and idols are on different levels, incomparable. Besides, Angel was Vayâs newfound idol, and he naturally wanted to show off.
On the other side, Black Earl asked: "Have you determined what kind of magical creature it is?"
Angel nodded: "If nothingâs out of the ordinary, this pheromone should belong to the Ghosteye Witch."
"A Ghosteye Witch again?" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Angel paid no heed to the othersâ doubts and gently pointed in Black Earlâs direction. In Black Earlâs puzzled emotions, a series of wondrous illusion nodes formed an illusion structure invisible to the naked eye right in front of his nose.
"You may want to double-check, my lord. After all, my judgment might not be accurate."
Black Earl sniffed and, to his surprise, found it to be the scent of a pheromone... No, it was the pheromone simulated by an illusion.
Upon confirming this conclusion, Black Earlâs astonishment was no less than when he saw Angel repairing magic patterns and casting the Moving Mirage.
Black Earl was familiar with Sanders and by extension, with illusions. He knew illusions could deceive the five senses. However, pheromones transcend the five senses, touching upon the realm of inspiration.
Yes, itâs the perception of inspiration.
Inspiration perception isnât just a wizardâs danger radarâ it has many other applications.
The Spirit Sea, Land of the Soul, and Mind Space are generally considered higher dimensional existences. And inspiration is the same; in wizard research, itâs also considered a higher-dimensional state, or perhaps a uniquely human high-dimensional sense.
The five senses belong to the material realm, while inspiration is cloaked in higher dimensions.
Identifying pheromones requires both the five senses and inspiration.
Angel simulating pheromones with illusionsâdoes that mean he also has some talent for inspiration?
Black Earlâs guess was actually correct.
Angel already excelled in understanding emotions and mastering the five senses, surpassing ordinary people. Additionally, in the Wilderness of Dreams, he encountered independent existences without souls but with conscious thought, like Popota.
Coupled with Angelâs mastery of nightmare illusions, Angel could now simulate existences beyond the five senses using illusions.
However, Angel himself didnât realize this was a form of talent as it came so naturally; long ago, Angel had subconsciously combined inspiration and nightmare illusions. For instance, during the chaos at the Twilight Auction, he continuously recalled the stitched woman from the Nightmare Realm, which led to overlapping between the Nightmare Realm and reality, marking the beginning of the change in the Eternal Night Country.
At that time, Angel connected with the Nightmare Realm just by thinking, relying on inspiration. Between life and death, inspiration and nightmare illusions combined, providing him the capital to overturn the tables.
Neither Angel nor Sanders noticed this back then, and now, using such illusions came naturally to Angel.
Though it was his first time simulating pheromones this way, Angel felt no fear of failure, which indicated this talent was deeply ingrained in his instincts.
Instead, Black Earlâs sudden emotional fluctuation left Angel a bit puzzled.
"My lord, did you find something amiss? Was my judgment wrong?" Angel asked, puzzled.
Black Earl saw Angelâs nonchalant demeanor towards the simulated pheromones, which raised a suspicion: could it be that Sanders had advanced illusion research this far?
If so, Black Earl thought he should adjust his mindset too, to avoid appearing ignorant, especially when meeting Sanders in the future. If Sanders were to boast about this, he shouldnât seem shockedâbe calm, be calm...
While self-hypnotizing, Black Earl was thankful that only his nose came out this time. A nose canât show emotions; otherwise, he wouldnât have been able to conceal his astonishment.
Black Earl believed he concealed it well, but little did he know Angel, who could merge inspiration with nightmare illusions, was incredibly adept at capturing emotional fluctuations.
However, Black Earl indeed had a reason to be thankfulânot because he hid it well, but because Angel was here instead of Sanders. If it had been Sanders, he would have seen through Black Earlâs thoughts instantly, whereas Angel knew about Black Earlâs fluctuating emotions but didnât understand what he was thinking.
So, when Black Earl finally calmed down, Angel had no other thoughts. The only question in his mind was: "Did I judge incorrectly, is it not a Ghosteye Witch?"
As Angel anxiously waited, Black Earl steadied his mindset and tone and said coolly: "It is indeed a Ghosteye Witch. Your judgment is quite correct. Well done."
Black Earl offered praise, not for Angelâs discovery, but for the impressive illusion that simulated pheromones.
Receiving Black Earlâs affirmation, Angel let out a long sigh of relief: "I initially thought I was wrongâglad itâs a Ghosteye Witch."
At this moment, Dox, with a teasing tone, said: "What do you mean by âglad itâs a Ghosteye Witchâ? So, youâre only brave enough to face a Ghosteye Witch?"
Dox didnât understand the undercurrents between Black Earl and Angel. After all, he wasnât well-versed in illusions; he was just genuinely puzzled by Angelâs words.
And Doxâs confusion happened to set the stage for what Angel had to say next.
"Seeing any other magical creature in the Underground Labyrinth wouldnât stir much in me. But the Ghosteye Witch is differentâI associate its existence with some unique meanings."
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