It took Little Hydra, the newly awakened spirit, only about fifteen minutes to transmit all the information about Aeon's magical pagoda into Andrew's mind. The images once again left him in awe of the pagoda's grandiosity.
The topmost ninth floor was an observatory offering a stunning view of the surrounding areas, while below was the eighth floor's broad hall containing a secret passage to the concealed seventh-floor housing the treasury, a library, and the pagoda's control core. Andrew found himself in the same hidden chamber.
The sixth floor was the residential section where Andrew underwent his bloodline awakening. As for the fifth floor, it housed a storage room, a kitchen, a meeting room, and apprentice and guard sleeping quarters.
The fourth floor contained the lobby with the pagoda's only entrance and exit, which was the mirror portal. Below were the third, second, first, and underground floors housing a magnificent indoor botanical garden, a prison, beast-holding cages, and an energy chamber, in that order.
The enormous energy chamber within the underground floor caught most of Andrew's attention. It was a fascinating sight, with its intricate runic arrays intricately connected to a dimensional crystal and six mana pools that provided the energy needed to power the entire pagoda. It was a remarkable feat of alchemy, engineering, and magic, and Andrew couldn't help but marvel at the complexity of it all.
"Aeon was really an incredible sorcerer!"
Andrew was again reminded of the immense powers possessed by Aeon, the legendary magician who constructed the impressive pagoda, as the flow of images ceased. Even more astonishing was that such an eminent figure perished before attaining the much-desired rank-seven life status, which would have enabled him to ascend to the immortal lands.
Andrew's mind raced with thoughts, realizing that even such a celestial sorcerer at their peak could die in mysterious ways. It made him wonder about his 'own' mortality, especially since he was only a rank-one sorcerer.
The sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning, causing him to let go of the arrogance that had slowly crept up on him. Yes, he had achieved the realm of a peak-stage rank-one sorcerer within two months of his rebirth, but this humbling experience forced him to reassess his attitude.
With a slight sigh, he shifted his focus back to Little Hydra, the spectral spirit that continued to float above the control core of the pagoda. "You mentioned that you could control all the arrays and formations in the pagoda! Is that correct?" he asked.
"Yes, Forefather," Little Hydra responded telepathically while her nine heads bobbed up and down.
Andrew's excitement grew as he nodded. "Is there any way to temporarily remove the barriers sealing the treasures in the treasure room?" he asked Little Hydra.
"I'm sorry to say that I'm incapable of fulfilling that request," Little Hydra responded with a tone of helplessness. "The sealing barriers inside the treasury are completely independent of the runic arrays that make up the core structure of the pagoda. Even their energy source differs from mine, so I can't control them."
Andrew felt his heart sink, fearing the worst. He turned towards the towering shelves stocked with books on the other side of the cavernous room and asked, "What about the enchantments protecting this library? Are you able to control them?"
"Those I can," said Little Hydra. "As long as you give the go-ahead, I can remove the barriers since they are connected to my power source."
"Excellent!"
Andrew was overjoyed. At least he had access to the books that would unlock the secrets of Aeon's pagoda and inheritance. A sense of relief washed over him as he realized he could bide his time and wait until he had the knowledge and power to claim the treasures that awaited him.
However, his happiness was short-lived as he remembered the three demons lurking outside the pagoda, waiting to ambush him. The thought sent shivers down his spine. He knew he had to face them and emerge victorious before he could totally secure Aeon's legacy.
With a fierce determination in his eyes, he turned to the newly awakened pagoda spirit. "Little Hydra, help me locate where those demons are hiding," he ordered.
"Yes, Forefather," Little Hydra replied dutifully. "Place your hands on the control core again, and I will directly transmit their present locations and situations to your mind."
Andrew gave a nod and rested his hands on the hydra statue that sat atop the crystal pedestal, which was the control center of the pagoda. In response, the dutiful Little Hydra transmitted images of the three demons and their locations into Andrew's mind.
The situation was dire. Anabel, the notorious demon girl, was lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to exit the pagoda. She was positioned near one of the only two mirror portals that led out of the hidden dimension. She certainly meant to intercept him if he attempted to make a run for it.
To make matters worse, her two demon companions stood guard at the second portal exit, blocking his only other escape route. They were determined to prevent him from leaving the hidden dimension with Aeon's Legacy at any cost.
While sitting on the cool stone floor of the pagoda, Andrew couldn't help but ponder, "How am I going to handle them?" He knew he had to exterminate the demons outside. But he was unsure how to accomplish this daunting task.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused on controlling his breathing. He allowed his mind to wander, considering all the available options. Eventually, he formulated a plan. He would stay in the pagoda a little longer, practicing his magical skills until he was confident enough to take on the demons. Only then would he venture out to confront them head-on.
While overflowing with determination, he rose from the ground, stretched his limbs, and walked out of the pagoda's control room. He headed straight to the sixth floor and found himself in one of the most well-equipped spell-testing rooms. For the following seven days, he dedicated himself to practicing his sorcery and honing his combat skills.
The room echoed with explosions and other sounds as he experimented with his newly mastered innate rank-one spells. He repeatedly cast spells like the [luminous shift], [shadow jump], [sword of light], and [greater invisibility] until he could control them with ease. He understood their core mechanisms and how to use them in different situations.
With each passing day, he could feel his sorcery skills growing stronger. His confidence soared as he mastered the delicate balance between mana and mentality for efficient spell-casting while also understanding the limitations of individual spells.
The seventh day soon arrived, and he emerged from the spell-testing room feeling invigorated and accomplished. He took a well-deserved break to recharge his spirits and then set off to explore the storage room on the fifth floor.
The room was chock-full of mysterious items that a rank-six sorcerer like Aeon deemed unworthy. But for Andrew, a no-name rank-one, the items were precious treasures that could immediately improve his combat prowess and enhance his chances of victory when he later faced off against the three demons.
He carefully sifted through the scattered items, most of which had been damaged by the ravages of time, before ultimately selecting five valuable treasures. Among them was a pitch-black runic cloak inscribed with a rank-three defensive array of the earth attribute, a pair of combat boots enchanted with rank-two agility-enhancing wind runes, and three magical scrolls with various functions.
As he equipped himself with his new treasures, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. He had spent days preparing for this moment and was finally ready to take on the three demons lurking outside the pagoda.
Quietly and cautiously, he made his way out of the pagoda using the mirror portal on the fourth floor. As he stepped out, he was greeted by a stunning sky adorned with millions of twinkling stars and the radiance of a full moon illuminating his path.
Pausing for just a moment, he reflected on the immense power of the pagoda's mirror portal. Thanks to Little Hydra's help, he had managed to travel instantly to the area behind the pagoda, thus avoiding detection by the three demons and saving himself a lot of precious time and energy.
Despite his excitement, he knew that he had to be careful. To ensure his safety, he activated his trusty book-type totem, consuming five units of mana and mentality to cast his innate rank-one [greater invisibility] spell upon himself. He also used the rank-zero [cat's agility] to lighten his steps and avoid detection by the three demons as he approached them.
Soon enough, he circled around the pagoda and saw two demons guarding one of the portals leading out of the dimension. They were the weird-looking brutes with towering twelve-foot frames, long tails, and muscular physiques exuding demonic aura. They were oblivious to his presence since they were busy feasting on an enormous roasted beast's thigh.
Andrew's heart was racing with excitement and a hint of fear as he carefully headed towards the two demons. He knew that he needed to tread carefully, or else his life would be in grave danger. The new innate spells and antimagic saint dagger he had recently acquired seemed to be his only hope of defeating these creatures.
He took each step cautiously, trying to stifle the sound of his footsteps and conceal his presence in the bushes. Every rustle or snap of a branch could give him away and lead to his demise. But he was determined to succeed, no matter the cost.
As he inched closer and closer to the demons, he felt a sudden wave of relief, knowing that Anabel, the demon princess, wasn't with them. With only eighty meters left, he drew a deep breath and held his dagger tightly. His heart was racing, and his hands were trembling with anticipation. It was time to act.
[Shadow Jump]
With a swift trigger of his book totem, Andrew expended five more units of mana and mentality to cast his newly embedded [shadow jump] innate spell. In the blink of an eye, his silhouette vanished into the darkness and flickered into existence within a shadow behind one of the demons.
Holding his saint dagger in a tight grip, Andrew made his move, jumping and slashing at the demon's neck with all his might. The saint magic dagger did not disappoint - it easily penetrated the demon's defenses, leaving it powerless from the force of the blow. In a split second, Andrew was able to behead the creature, sending its head flying into the air before it even had a chance to react.
One down, two to go!
Adrenaline surged within Andrew's system as he turned to the other demon, which had just turned his way. Its red eyes were full of fear and surprise, and it was just beginning to register what had just transpired. But Andrew didn't give it time to react or make a sound.
As if he were one with the shadows, he executed his innate [Shadow Jump] rank-one spell again. He materialized right behind the towering demon, catching it off guard.
With a single, swift motion, he unleashed his dagger and sliced through the demon's neck, severing its head from its body. The demon's blood spurted out like a fountain, but he remained unfazed and swiftly moved aside, dodging the spurt of crimson blood.