Surviving The Fourth Calamity

The three individuals clearly had no intention of hiding their discord in front of Ruth!

Ruth’s awkwardness was merely for them to see, not a genuine discomfort... So, after allowing the three Eighth Ring Mages ample time to display their behaviors, he quietly surveyed the room, nodding to each person.

Of course, there was no smile, only calmness.

Once the three had reined in their excessively arrogant demeanor, he chose temporary silence... although their actions lacked malice, it didn’t mean they weren’t probing.

Even though they carried official diplomatic tasks, it didn’t mean they weren’t trying to gauge Ruth’s stance... If the Tower of Dark Enigma showed any signs of weakness, they would have plenty of opportunities.

Despite their discord, they still had a certain tacit understanding regarding common interests... which proved that their state of hostility, though serious, wasn’t fatal.

This also meant that the Master of Sia Tower still held real power... although there were some who could restrain her, they couldn’t overshadow her.

Such situations, Ruth could understand, no matter how powerful Sia was, if she rarely managed affairs, it naturally led to the growth of the factions below.

Even if these individuals, or several of them, were originally her loyal subordinates, over time, their sensitivity to their own power scope became inevitable.

Every Magic Tower began as the home of a certain Archmage.

But in the end, only a multitude of factions remained.

Ruth was simply surprised by how openly Sia Tower displayed its internal strife.

It seemed Sia Tower did not intend to let the Tower of Dark Enigma enter ’blindly.’

Obviously, everyone understood that Ruth must have already known some of Sia Tower’s situations.

Yet sometimes, while these situations remained unpublicized by Sia Tower, Ruth could only ’not know.’

Ruth had long known that factional conflicts within Sia Tower were quite intense.

The pink robes represented the Neutral Faction, competing for regular benefits... they couldn’t be left out when opportunities arose.

These people were primarily composed of the native mages initially recruited by Sia Tower, along with their students and descendants... generally speaking, those ’natural’ mages were cultivated by them.

Thus, Sia Tower allowed them to develop freely, even if this group donned colorful, lavish robes to distinguish themselves from the other two original factions.

Under normal circumstances, Ruth, or rather, the mainstream mages of the Tower of Dark Enigma, would mainly interact with these people... unless they actively chose to get caught up in the decades-long internal conflict of Sia Tower.

The true internal struggle within Sia Tower centered around the Master Sia behind the White Faction and the ’Black Artist’ behind the Black Faction... the Archmage who favored using a whip preferred to keep his real name unknown.

Ruth wasn’t entirely oblivious... after all, Lady Sia never cared about that one’s taboo, and would directly call him out by name when displeased.

However, as a rule, outsiders shouldn’t know of these occurrences within Sia Tower.

Even if understood, they could only ’not know.’

Thus Ruth enforced a rule upon himself never to mention that person’s name, not even privately... back then, it was this willpower that allowed him to persevere amidst countless scrutinizing gazes.

Even now, when he could hold himself a bit more composed like other Ninth Ring Mages, Ruth had lost interest in it.

As a mage who hadn’t truly lost his heritage, Ruth certainly understood the principle that ’one must face the past candidly, reconcile with it in order to proceed lightly and further.’

Yet he had never considered doing so.

Ruth naturally aspired to reach the legendary state of transcendence... akin to those who, upon reaching the Ninth Ring, departed the Magic Tower in search of their own paths.

They relinquished the burdens of responsibilities and hopes on their shoulders, effortlessly continuing their mage journey, indeed becoming stronger than a heavy-hearted Ruth.

However, weren’t they equally birds trapped in a cage?

Just because he stood tall and observed far, could he completely forsake life outside the cage?

Ruth absolutely did not want to become someone who looked strong yet was essentially a failure.

He deeply realized that forgetting the past would mean truly denying oneself... leading to a genuine dead-end.

Moreover, his world was still here!

His life had become inseparably intertwined with those deep-seated hatreds and his yearning for freedom... only fighting to the last moment would render his life a beautiful conclusion.

Certainly, achieving a glorious victory and witnessing a splendid future while alive would be even better.

But if fate wasn’t on his side... at least he could close his eyes peacefully, totally returning to his world.

The mages initially chose self-destruction not because they feared their souls falling into the enemy’s hands... The most terrifying outcome wasn’t having one’s soul tortured, but that all the memories and secrets embedded in his soul would be laid bare.

After entangling with the enemy for thousands... possibly even hundreds of thousands of years, the mages at least understood that this group was skilled in soul-related spells.

In the past, the mages might have harbored some illusionary hope, but today, even some Eighth Ring Mages would refuse to leave a complete soul behind after death.

Fortunately, despite being reduced to dust, with their souls extinguished, at least their deaths would return a trace of strength to the World Will... Every mage who reached the Eighth Ring had resonated with the World Rules.

Those forces were stored within the mages’ Mental Seas...Of course, it could also be said they resided within their souls.

Originally, the souls carrying this power were meant to enter the Divine Kingdom or the Styx.

A normal world wouldn’t require such faint Law Force.

But their world was not normal.

When mages could still survive, they wouldn’t choose self-destruction to offer up strength akin to a drop in the ocean for the World Will, as no one would willingly do so.

However, if one had to die, with no place to return upon death, only suffering, the mages were inclined to transform into that drop of water.

Ruth smiled at a few mages, with a hint of hesitation on his face, yet still nodded: ”Good day, gentlemen. Today’s weather is quite nice. It’s a good day to meet friends.”

Then, before the three could respond, he decisively said what he wanted to say: ”So, Master of Sia Tower... Do you have time these days to meet us?

Or, regarding our future arrangements at the Tower of Dark Enigma... will we have to seek out Mr. Black Artist instead?”

”Lady Sia has recently gone into seclusion and won’t be out for a year,” the white-robed mage quickly answered. ”As for the esteemed artist... hmm... I reckon he’s unwell enough that he can’t come to see you.

However, rest assured, Archmage Ruth, Lady Sia has already arranged a future dwelling for the Tower of Dark Enigma.

All you need to do is directly lead your people over there.

Lady Sia mentioned that this year can be used for you and your people to recuperate, and when the time comes, she’ll bring delicious feasts to entertain you.

She asks for your understanding that she can’t extricate herself temporarily.”

Ruth could only nod... he never expected that the Master of Sia Tower, who rarely showed her face, would meet him.

A reasonable narrative sufficed.

In any case, a year later, surely there would be another reason... until Ruth becomes Ruth of Sia Tower, then there would be even less reason to see him.

But that Black Artist couldn’t come either... Ruth caught a flash of resentment on the serious face of the black-robed figure.

What? Was that person injured by the Master of Sia Tower the last time he was suddenly summoned back?

Wait... would the Sia Tower really play it this big?

To the extent of directly hitting the Deputy Tower Master in charge of real power?

No, it was probably an overreaction on his part, perhaps that artist was sent to do something and got hurt as a result?

It’s just that this white-robed youth appeared so arrogant that it created a misleading impression.

No matter how arrogant, one couldn’t, without handling things properly, directly strike their most valued aide!

Unless they had prepared a replacement and could effortlessly eliminate the former, only then would one do such... hmm... incomprehensible things.

Ruth clenched his fists, realizing he couldn’t attribute Aislin’s potential connection to the Master of Sia Tower by lumping all of her faults upon them... Damn it!

Yet, for Aislin, some things, though unbelievable, were bound to happen.

Ruth also understood why, at this moment, he was more inclined to associate Aislin with Sia... The white-robe standing before him had an unmistakably familiar aura.

That aura... the kind that would prompt Oliva to hastily send away, to not appear in front of Aislin, charismatic, sweet-tongued, with eyes filled with tender expression, brimming with artistic air.

Ruth didn’t know what other white robes looked like... but this one, who clearly had the Master of Sia Tower’s favor and was privy to much internal information, even daring to openly speak of it, really surprised him with that familiar feeling.

Speaking of which, during the previous visit to the Tower of Dark Enigma, their demeanor was more earnest, utterly lacking this pampered aura.

Look at that challenging gaze aimed towards the black-robed figure next door! Listen to the nonsense he’s spewing!

Ruth nearly turned his head to observe the expression on the face of the clearly unhappy ’Aislin’ standing at the back.