After the familiar wave of dizziness, an eerie garden of blood-soaked flowers bloomed before Lucian's eyes, stretching endlessly like a crimson ocean. As if sensing the presence of a living being, the flowers slowly unfurled petal by petal — heavy, dark red blossoms peeling open to reveal writhing, pulsating flesh beneath. Thump-thump, thump-thump — they expanded and contracted in rhythm, as if mirroring Lucian's own heartbeat. Every hair along his spine stood on end, and an involuntary shudder ran through him. These bizarre flowers were hauntingly beautiful beyond measure, and just as dangerous! After a brief moment of dread, Lucian quickly composed himself, realizing this was the garden of the "Observatory Castle" that Rhein had described. He emitted a thin, piercing sound and recited an incantation no normal person could utter. The moment the spell reached their ears, the eerie flowers swayed gently in welcome, then rapidly folded in on themselves, each one shrinking into a tiny blood-red worm the thickness of a hair. They gathered in countless numbers, writhing ceaselessly. The center parted like a receding tide, revealing cold, damp black earth beneath. "Are these flowers or worms? I've never seen this kind of magical creature before…" The arcanist in Lucian surfaced with a burning curiosity — even the "Higher Arcane and Magic Library" held no record of such a being. If he hadn't understood just how dangerous a legendary vampire's garden truly was, he would already have been casting spells to capture a few of the little creatures. "Perhaps an ancient species that's gone extinct in the outside world…" Musing to himself, Lucian stepped out of the teleportation node and followed the black path that had split open through the "crimson sea," heading toward the faintly visible main entrance of the great hall in the distance.
The blood-red worms converged once more, reforming into the eerie flowers and releasing a rich, cloying sweetness. Simply breathing in the scent made his legs go weak and his thoughts hazy. Instinctively, Lucian cast an air filtration bubble, sealing the fragrant aroma outside. The crimson flowers suddenly erupted into a frenzy, surging toward Lucian with violent undulation, like vengeful revenants reaching out with grasping arms. "Their sensitivity to magical fluctuations is this sharp?" — and they were thoroughly aggressive! Lucian fought down the urge to cast defensive magic and instead let the writhing petals drift around him freely. They occasionally grazed his cheeks, leaving behind an itchy, numbing sensation. Though no further magical fluctuations were detected, the wave-like crimson ocean showed no signs of calming, continuing to thrash and coil around him in a display of gnashing, clawing fury. Lucian tapped into the "electron" function of the Holm Crown Ring, locking himself into a state of intense focus. Blind to the danger and horror pressing in on all sides, he walked forward at an unhurried, deliberate pace. He had no way of knowing precisely how terrifying these creatures — neither flower nor worm, neither plant nor insect — truly were, but that primal premonition of peril was enough to convince him that caution was the wisest course. Even if he could destroy these monsters, Rhein's garden would surely contain plenty of other high-rank sinister "plants" to contend with.
Through the roiling "storm and surge," Lucian emerged from the "ocean" with an air of composure and stepped onto a tree-lined avenue leading straight to the castle hall's main entrance. Two rows of towering trees resembling sycamores flanked the road, their half-withered leaves spiraling down to the ground, painting an almost idyllic scene reminiscent of the Gisu District in Altor before the dark and foreboding castle. Lucian walked along the avenue toward the main entrance. Suddenly, rows upon rows of eyes — stark black and white — opened across the trunks of the sycamore-like trees. Every single eye reflected Lucian's image, yet each reflection wore a different expression: confusion, a smile, fury, icy detachment. Their deep, dark gazes fixed unblinkingly upon the real Lucian. Under the weight of those eerie stares, a light sheen of sweat broke out on Lucian's forehead. He smiled bitterly to himself: "Now I've run into genuine Crimson Demon Trees." The last time had been in a dream, conjured from his subconscious impression of the species, and therefore not entirely accurate. In truth, Crimson Demon Trees were difficult to raise, but once they reached maturity, they possessed high-rank strength. Like beholders, they excelled at firing various beams, and they had a fondness for blood, as well as a talent for conjuring illusions. Lucian, burdened with numerous high-rank magic items, estimated that if he encountered one or two Crimson Demon Trees alone, he could confidently turn them into raw materials — but here stood an entire double row! "Truly worthy of a legendary vampire's castle." Under the literal gaze of hundreds, Lucian strolled toward the castle hall's main entrance as if arriving at a banquet. When the soft ground beneath his feet gave way to hard, smooth stone, he quietly let out a breath of relief. Navigating through that densely packed horde of monsters had been agonizing, even with the incantation Rhein had provided — the instinctive, visceral fear was unavoidable no matter what. The pressure having eased considerably, Lucian stood calmly before the main entrance. He had not yet raised his right hand when a deep, resonant voice rumbled from within the castle: "I sense the master's mark upon you." "Yes. I have been entrusted by Mr. Rhein to retrieve several items from the castle," Lucian replied concisely. Once he obtained recognition from the alchemical life-form managing the castle, retrieving the Mask of Shapeshifting, the ritual artifacts, and the quest reward would be relatively safe.
The resonant voice continued, with a hint of echo: "I am 'Mihalik,' the castle's guardian. Please recite the passage incantation." "Kleehami." Only then did Lucian understand the origin of the spell Rhein had set up — it was simply the alchemical life-form's name spelled backwards. He couldn't help but smirk inwardly: "Not exactly a burst of creativity. He might as well have used 'open sesame.'" "Honored guest, you may enter." The castle doors slowly swung open, revealing an elegantly appointed hall. "Aside from the control core, the energy chamber, and the lowest level of the treasury, you may go anywhere you wish, provided you have the opening incantation."
……
In a room lined with books from various historical eras and different styles, Lucian followed Rhein's instructions, reciting incantations while condensing his spiritual energy into a sharp spike and driving it into the pen holder. A dim, somber glow bloomed across the surface of the pen holder, accompanied by a grating mechanical sound that set his teeth on edge. It slowly slid aside, revealing a dark, circular hole. After carefully inspecting the space and finding no traps, Lucian used Mage Hand to retrieve several items from within. They were: a small sphinx figurine, a lump of corrupted blood, a golden broom pin, and a clown mask bearing a comically exaggerated grin. "Mask of Shapeshifting. Mid-rank ninth-tier magic item. The wearer can transform into any creature of the same sex, though they will not gain that creature's innate abilities. However, if the wearer has obtained a sample of the target's blood, they can assume that target's appearance perfectly." "Seven thousand eight hundred and ninety-five different blood types have been recorded to date. The wearer may select from these to shapeshift." "This transformation originates from the blood itself. Unless one has stepped into the legendary realm, it cannot be perceived. Even a legendary being who does not examine carefully enough can be deceived." "The wearer's spiritual energy or willpower must be at or near the high rank, otherwise they will become lost among the countless identities and descend into complete madness." "Many times, identity is more useful than magic!" — *An anonymous mage of the "Psychic Schism."* As Lucian cast "Identify," the information and structure of the clown mask surfaced clearly in his mind. For the remaining three items, he could only discern that each contained a strange, obscure supernatural energy, differing slightly in nature. These were the ritual objects needed to unlock the three magic circles.
Packing away the items and the mask, Lucian seized the opportunity to "record" a portion of the books Rhein had collected into his Soul Library. He called himself an "observer of history," and among these volumes, there were sure to be curiosities and accounts of great value. Yet wary of being detected by "Mihalik," he flipped through them at a measured pace, taking a full six hours to archive the fifty books he had deemed worthy.
……
Glittering gemstones of every kind, gold coins from different eras and nations, pristine sets of knight's armor, exquisitely crafted magic robes, and extraordinary weapons — longswords, warhammers, axes, spears — as well as magic items of every variety: belts, boots, rings, amulets, necklaces. Scrolls, liquids, metals, feathers, gases — an array of treasures that dazzled Lucian's eyes. Anything collected by a legendary vampire like Rhein was either of immense historical or artistic value, or exceedingly rare and powerful. Among all the extraordinary items, the lowest-ranked were mid-tier, with the majority classified as high-rank. None, however, were ninth-tier or of the legendary grade — those were clearly stored on the treasury's lowest level. After much "careful deliberation," "loath to part," "wavering back and forth," and "reluctant selections," Lucian finally chose a scroll and a belt. "Eighth-circle magic scroll: Night Shuttle!" "Belt of Health. Eighth-tier high-rank magic item. Grants immunity to diseases, toxins, level-sealing effects from negative energy damage, and all sub-legendary magic that reduces Constitution." "Health is the true meaning of life." — *White Maegeri.* Of these two items, the former could counteract spatial locks, making it an excellent choice for escape. Moreover, it was a high-rank vampire's innate magic that arcanists had yet to replicate. Lucian intended to use the scroll as a reference and deploy it at a critical moment. The latter's cascade of immunity effects was equally invaluable. After inscribing his Spiritual Mark into the Belt of Health, Lucian turned to the display of magic wands, intending to select one with care. The wand he currently carried was only second-tier — far beneath the dignity of a high-rank mage. As he agonized over a selection of seventh- and eighth-tier wands, his gaze suddenly fell upon an ordinary longsword resting on a nearby rack. It was thoroughly unremarkable, with even its crossguard carved from plain wood. "Why would Mr. Rhein collect such a common sword?" A surge of intense curiosity rose within him, and he cast "Identify" on the blade. When the information returned, Lucian froze. "Pallid Justice. Eighth-tier Perfect-rank extraordinary longsword. When wielded against evil creatures (undead, devils, demons, etc.), it ascends to the level of a first-tier legendary weapon. The bearer of this sword is immune to fear, charm, frenzy, helplessness, and all other negative conditions. Every stroke guided by the pull of justice never misses its mark." "A minimum of sixth-tier Heavenly Knight strength is required to wield this sword of justice." "Justice, compared to vanity and power that is merely superficial, is pale and diminished indeed. But justice applies to every person — rich or poor, noble or common, learned or ignorant. Whether in a farmer's field or upon a furious battlefield, justice is ever-present." It was *this* — the legendary, utterly famous longsword!