"…The path to 'immortality' has been laid out before us. If the 'experiment' succeeds, we will transcend the limits of human life…"
"…During the experiment, I stumbled upon a strange and fascinating world, filled everywhere with undead creatures — a chaotic reflection of the Primary Material World, stripped of all life… After several explorations, I discovered a magnificent palace complex deep within the Netherworld, guarded by undead numbering far more than the legendary mages of all three great Arcane Magic Empires combined. Fortunately, the vast majority of them possessed no intellect, which allowed me to slip inside and witness the 'Veil' that reveals the most fundamental mysteries of the soul — or perhaps it might be called the 'Hearth'…"
"…While studying the Soul Veil, an Ancient Mummy wearing a golden crown detected me. Its defenses were extraordinarily grotesque — I couldn't break through in time and had to retreat into the gray passage behind the Soul Veil. I didn't dare approach the entrance on the other side, for it gave me an overwhelming premonition of danger, and trusting one's premonitions is the very foundation of a diviner's survival…"
"…This is practically a 'World of Doors' — gray halls and black gates stretching on seemingly without end. Fortunately, beyond some of these gates lie all manner of bizarre worlds, filled with eerie monsters and precious materials…"
"…I found some familiar yet alien magical runes, and a world I simply cannot believe exists. How could it be here? I couldn't have dreamed of it even in my sleep… My research and experiments have made a breakthrough leap, but the sense of danger grows stronger with each passing day. Perhaps I should find a few old friends to explore with me. The Ancient Mummy outside should have relaxed its vigil by now…"
"…After extended communication, eight old friends — Vikan, McLeod, Thorins, Albert, Éloise, Eugenia, and two others — came to understand the value of the Netherworld and joined the expedition I organized. Wilfred had urgent matters to attend to and couldn't come, so he'll have to wait for the next opportunity…"
"…The nine of us hail from different empires. Gathered together, our combined strength amounts to roughly a third of the entire magical community. Yet before I set out, I was gripped by a powerful sense of unease, so I consulted the Mirror of Destiny once more. I saw a possible future… and a 'faithless one who walks between light and darkness'…"
The earlier content was similar to the notes Lucian had seen within the Grand Cross constellation's magical lock, but far more detailed — filling in many gaps and making clear that nine legendary mages had explored the Netherworld. Five had reached the third tier of legendary power, four the second tier. While their numbers might not have constituted a full third of all legendary mages at the time, their combined strength certainly did. No wonder their disappearance had thrown the three great Arcane Magic Empires into a state of collapse.
"Nine legendary mages went missing in here… This World of Doors is truly a terrifying place." Rhein stood close to Lucian, keeping watch on the door while reading the notes. "Though their overall strength still doesn't compare to your expedition this time. A peak legendary existence — even across the entire history of magic — there haven't been more than ten."
Lucian gave a slight nod without speaking, continuing to flip through the Magic Notes while working to decipher the Ancient Mummy's crown.
"Day Three within the World of Doors — we discovered some strange spectral creatures bearing a remarkable resemblance to the products of our experiments. Without that similarity, we would almost certainly never have found them. I believe studying them will help push our experiments further…"
"Day Five within the World of Doors — Vikan discovered some remnants. Someone has been in here before!"
"…The remnants mention a 'Chamber of Immortality' located behind an entrance wreathed in illusory ripples — only that place matches the described characteristics. The secret of immortality — who would have thought we would touch upon the secret of immortality! Previously I merely wanted to transcend the limits of life — a kind of immortality in a sense! Even Vikan, McLeod, and Eugenia — these three who rarely smile — were so excited they could barely form coherent sentences. As for the rest, there's no need to mention it! Could the owner of these remnants have already entered the Chamber of Immortality and truly achieved immortality?"
"This discovery set our hearts racing. We could barely calm ourselves enough to experiment. We decided to attempt exploring the Chamber of Immortality first…"
"Day Nine within the World of Doors — the passage leading to the Chamber of Immortality was something beyond our wildest imagination. We watched helplessly as Thorins and Eugenia disintegrated and vanished within it. They had survived so many dangers, only to perish in such bewildered helplessness… No! We refuse to accept this! They must have been filled with regret and defiance when they died. Perhaps there is some special method required to traverse that passage…"
Lucian let out a quiet breath. It seemed two legendary mages had perished in the passage on the other side.
"Day Ten within the World of Doors — we finally calmed down and studied the remnants in detail. After expending another use of the 'Mirror of Destiny,' we finally uncovered the hidden, massive laboratory…"
"It was Lord Thanos who had entered before us, who studied the strange spectral creatures before us, who searched for a way into the 'Chamber of Immortality' before us!"
Lucian's fingers twitched involuntarily. Thanos, the "Sun King," was truly the most illustrious figure of the late ancient Arcane Magic Empire era. Even the Netherworld and the Chamber of Immortality had been his discoveries first!
He held the title of the most powerful mage in the history of the Astrology school, and the praise of being closest to a demigod — yet he had fallen tragically at the very peak of his life, a fact that never failed to draw sighs from those who studied his history.
In historical texts, the "Sun King's" fall was hailed as the symbolic moment when the magical community turned from prosperity into decline.
"So the Sun King didn't fall — he went missing here just like the rest of them. The ancient Sylvanas Magic Empire must have announced his death during an experiment in order to keep the people at ease." Lucian felt a strange satisfaction at having solved a historical mystery.