Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2123: Chapter 2124: The Truth of the Illustrated Record

After reading the introduction to the dressing mirror named ”Voice of Forgetfulness,” Angel vaguely feels something amiss.

”Make the user forget someone or something,” this effect isn’t particularly potent, as spell techniques can achieve it. For example, Angel uses the Power of Nightmare Illusion to infiltrate others’ minds, achieving a similar effect.

To say even more, without using Extraordinary Power, a simple physical impact might cause a brain neural short-circuit, tossing the Memory Casket into the Abyss of Thoughts, ultimately resulting in amnesia.

Therefore, in Angel’s view, this tool seems somewhat redundant. He doesn’t understand why Culori recorded it specifically and even wrote annotations.

Could it be because Culori crafted this dressing mirror himself, which is why he recorded it specifically?

Angel’s gaze stops on the second line ”Hoopa Coefficient: 2.” What exactly is this Hoopa Coefficient? He has never heard of it.

With rising doubts, Angel’s brows involuntarily furrow, a strange feeling spreading inwardly.

”Maybe the answer lies ahead.” With doubts, Angel turns to the next page.

The hand-drawn illustrations on the second page retain a clean and clear style, with simple lines sketching a swiftly flying meteor.

However, this meteor isn’t a real meteor but rather a faery tale style. A perfect pentagonal star with lines around it that suddenly lengthen and shorten, symbolizing its glow; behind the star trails a light arc drawn in gold powder, representing its flight.

Just looking at the illustrations, Angel is full of questions. He had previously speculated whether these illustrations depicted tools crafted by Culori, but now there’s this fairy-tale meteor... would anyone really craft such a thing? For what purpose?

Full of questions, Angel’s gaze lowers to the introduction of the illustration.

”Name: Star of Hope”

”Hoopa Coefficient: 36”

”Belonging: Unknown”

”Effect: Wish upon the Star of Hope, and perhaps your wish will be granted... although the chance isn’t great.”

This information directly punctures Angel’s earlier assumptions. From the effect, it seems almost to encompass the mysterious concept of fate, which in Angel’s view, alchemy hardly achieves... perhaps someone can, but Angel currently cannot imagine it.

Moreover, if Culori truly crafted it, he shouldn’t be unclear about its belonging.

Angel continues looking down to Culori’s notes on the illustration.

”Notes: In this world, many answers are predetermined. You strive with all your might but still can never obtain them. Yet by wishing upon the Star of Hope, at least you can leverage your efforts to pry into that predetermined conclusion, revealing a glimmer of hope... well, no matter how faint, isn’t it still hope? Every three hundred years, the Star of Hope appears once, seize the chance to wish upon it.”

After reading the notes, Angel remains stunned for quite a while.

Setting aside the mentioned quirks, analyzing purely the mindset when writing these notes, you can sense from the strokes that Culori is more an absolute calm recorder rather than a participant.

Again confirming that the items in the illustration aren’t crafted by Culori; he’s merely documenting their existence.

Upon confirming this fact, rereading the Star of Hope’s notes, it remains infused with a sense of fate—

Many things are destiny; you must accept it. But with the Star of Hope, you can manifest a path to break fate from within its shackles. Whether or not you can grasp this hope depends on if you seize the opportunity.

You can see that the Star of Hope offers a glimmer of hope, though acquiring hope might not be so easy.

Angel’s initial impression is the effect seems ordinary, not something alchemy can achieve. Yet, combined with the notes and pondering deeply, he gains a new sense.

Since its inception, hope implies remoteness. If hope was so easily achievable, it wouldn’t be called hope.

Thus, the effect of ”breaking the ultimate predicament, having a glimmer of hope” indeed isn’t ordinary.

Plus, the Star of Hope’s introduction doesn’t stipulate limits on range, which is quite daunting to think about.

Each individual’s pleas and predicaments vary clearly, so encountering the Star of Hope, the karma in wishing naturally varies too.

But the Star of Hope almost seems to treat all equally, tearing the absolute shackles and paving a hopeful path for different wishes.

This threshold range appears unforgiving, reaching infinity?

If that were truly the case, the effect isn’t ordinary; it’s downright miraculous!

Though Culori doesn’t state directly, Angel still faintly senses the Star of Hope indeed bringing a glimmer of hope to all predicaments.

It’s as if the creator of the Star of Hope—assuming there really is a creator—never considered such limits, but from inception bestowed upon it the ability to defy even Laws.

This sensation, to Angel, carries a familiar flavor.

Breaking through the Laws’ boundaries, entirely illogical... isn’t that a Mysterious Object?

”Could it be that this illustration book is documenting Mysterious Objects?” As this thought arises, it quickly conquers the high ground in Angel’s mind, banishing former doubts, illuminating his thoughts with radiant clarity, showcasing an absolute presence.

”Yes, only Mysterious Objects explain everything!” Angel’s eyes abruptly brighten, the discomfort he’s felt dissipates instantly when explained as ”mysterious.”

Angel now almost concludes this illustration book is documenting Mysterious Objects! However, he still needs corroboration.

Angel swiftly turns to the next page.

The illustration on the next page is of a very exquisite envelope, framed on all four sides with golden patterns and even the seal embedded with pure white feathered golden mud.

In drawing, Culori likely used much gold powder, as even the flat illustration exudes a golden glow.

”Name: Time Postcard”

”Hoopa Coefficient: 24”

”Belonging: Orderly Guild”

”Effect: Sends a postcard to a specific moment’s future recipient, with an attached ability for the recipient’s temporary use.”

”Notes: This is a gift from bygone times. However, can you really see through time and deem that future person worthy of your gift? Of course, if you’re sending it to yourself in the future, pretend I didn’t say anything.”

After reading the introduction to Time Postcard, Angel doesn’t ponder the reasonableness of the effect because it’s unnecessary.

His entire focus gathers solely on the postcard’s belonging.

Orderly Guild!

Others might not understand what this organization is, but Angel, who has had interactions with Froster, has already received information about this Orderly Guild from him.

It is a transcendent congress from the Origin World! The main task of the Orderly Guild is to recover out-of-control mysterious objects to prevent greater catastrophe.

In a way, the Orderly Guild is the home to most mysterious objects!

Because the mystic hunters who can recover out-of-control mysterious objects must also carry mysterious objects themselves.

The Time Postcard being collected by the Orderly Guild, considering its illogical effects, can be fundamentally confirmed as a mysterious object.

Then the earlier assumption becomes clear; this book is indeed a record of mysterious objects!

However, what puzzles Angel is that Froster once told him that mysterious objects are very private things, not easily disclosed. How did Culori know so many mysterious objects and even made hand-drawn studies?

Angel recalls that previously, to search for a hidden room, Rhein used the Time Gap in the underground third-floor laboratory, and at that time, he sensed a mysterious presence.

Connecting this information, is Culori researching mysterious objects? Or, is he actually a mysterious alchemist?

Angel pondered for a moment, temporarily shelved this question. These inquiries may find answers from the Culori Chronicles, but can be set aside for now.

Angel turned the book pages back to the first page.

After confirming the nature of this hand-drawn catalog, what is recorded on the first page as the ”Sound of Forgetting” also seems to be a mysterious object.

Angel is a bit intrigued; why does this mysterious object’s effect seem so weak?

Angel read the introduction to the Sound of Forgetting again, and from a literal perspective, he made two discoveries.

First, the Hoopa Coefficient. The two later mysterious objects both have a Hoopa Coefficient in double digits, while the Sound of Forgetting only has a mere ”2”.

Once, Lord Isabel told him there is a ranking system for mysterious objects in the Origin World.

Could it be referring to this Hoopa Coefficient?

Perhaps the higher the Hoopa Coefficient, the more powerful it is? Because the Sound of Forgetting has a very low Hoopa Coefficient, only 2, its effect is unsatisfactory?

This speculation appears to be correct from a realistic standpoint. However, Angel still feels something odd, as strength and weakness can truly define mysterious objects?

Alchemist assess the power of an alchemy tool mainly from its energy level. Whether it is destructive energy level, defensive energy level, or the level of inherent energy, there are clear and direct differences in rank.

But mysterious objects seem different; mysterious power itself is hard to classify by energy level.

And setting energy level aside, categorizing mysterious objects by destructiveness is also unfair because many mysterious objects lack destructive power, yet still possess very potent effects.

Another key factor that bothers Angel is his own experiences.

Angel possesses a mysterious object: the Dream Conch of Moonlit Coast.

Angel’s initial impression of the Dream Conch was weak. This consensus was formed through years of magazine publicity, even influencing the entire Wizards’ Realm’s perception of the Dream Conch.

But is the Dream Conch truly weak? Absolutely not. Especially after Angel created the Wilderness of Dreams, the Dream Conch transformed into a strategic-level existence, potentially ushering in a new era!

Upon witnessing the Dream Conch’s rise, Angel developed a theory that it’s hard to define a mysterious object’s strength absolutely. With the right methods, mysteriously overshadowed objects can shine brightly.

With such thoughts in mind, when Angel speculates ”Hoopa Coefficient distinguishes mysterious object strength,” he feels a noticeable discord in his heart.

This discord leads him to another discovery regarding the Sound of Forgetting.

Second, the root.

The effect of the Sound of Forgetting is: ”By repeatedly reciting a certain name to this object, you will utterly forget everything about it from the root. This also works on items.”

The ”root” in the effect might have a slight discrepancy with his understanding of memory erasure, and this might be the true ability of the mysterious object?

Angel is unsure if this discovery is valid or if he’s overanalyzing. Yet, when he reads the phrase ”utterly forget everything about it from the root,” he feels a sharp and severe aura sweeping over him.

He doesn’t know which of these discoveries is correct.

Perhaps only by understanding the truth about the Hoopa Coefficient can he make a judgment.

Angel’s gaze unintentionally shifted to the thick stack of books on the desk... Could there be records of the Hoopa Coefficient among them?

”Hmm, someone is calling my true body.” While Angel’s mind was filled with thoughts, the Tree Spirit’s voice suddenly came.

Angel raised his head and found Tree Spirit grumbling with a face full of complaints: ”I was just seeing how Belos used the guild’s influence to suppress new followers when the excitement was interrupted.”

Although Tree Spirit was full of reluctance, he still closed his eyes and directed his thoughts to where his true body was.

A few seconds later, Tree Spirit raised his head and said to Angel: ”It’s Rhein looking for me. He has emerged.”

Angel: ”Did Lord Rhein come? Shall we go to receive him now?”

Tree Spirit quickly waved his hand: ”He will come by himself. Let’s wait until he arrives at the room door, and then I’ll finish reading this segment first.”

Tree Spirit proceeded, swiftly picking up the chronicles in his hand and flipping through it rapidly, his expression entranced, as if he was reading a thrilling novel rather than casual notes.

”Novels also stem from reality, and sometimes fail to depict the excitement of real life. Perhaps Culori’s experiences are even more dramatic than novels,” thought Angel as he resumed flipping through the catalog in his hand.

This time, Angel no longer sought deep understanding but instead browsed quickly through various catalog information.

The more he read, the more he marveled.

The capabilities of mysterious objects are incredibly diverse, most involve tangible vessels, but some mysterious existences have no physical form.

For instance, there is a mysterious object called ”Loneliness Clown’s Heartbeat,” whose effect is that all who hear the heartbeat will dance along.

Although Culori drew a heart on the catalog, the subsequent note clearly states that the heart is not the mysterious object; the heartbeat is the so-called mysterious core.

Once you resonate with the heartbeat sound, you become the vessel hosting this mysterious object.

Notably, this mysterious object seems inconspicuous in effect, but its Hoopa Coefficient is as high as 61!