Volume 2

Chapter 86 : Perfect Happiness (7K)

Standing on the balcony, Anselm lowered his head, rubbing Gleipnir in his hands.

The glossy black gun barrel reflected sunlight, as well as his sea-blue eyes and his rare, pensive expression.

“Anselm!”

A girl’s excited call came from behind him.

Before he could turn, he felt a gust of wind at his back, followed by a pair of soft, full curves crashing into the back of his head.

The tall miss wolf leaped up, hugging Anselm from behind, her legs wrapping around his waist, hanging onto him as she giggled: “Are we setting off?”

“Depends on Father’s arrangements.”

Anselm didn’t turn, reaching back to pat Hitana’s head, chuckling lightly: “Excited?”

“Of course! That Zero Point Labyrinth thing… It sounds amazing! Mr. Flamel said my chance to advance to the fifth tier lies there, so of course I want to see it.”

Just yesterday, Flamel asked Anselm at the dinner table, “Have you told Hit about the Zero Point Labyrinth?”

It was then that Hitana learned Flamel was taking Anselm to the mysterious Zero Point Labyrinth today.

The Hydra emblem Flamel gifted her on her birthday could withstand a full-force strike from a sixth-tier divine being for ten seconds.

It was also the key to unlocking the Zero Point Labyrinth, which could propel Hitana from the fourth tier to the fifth.

Unlike her scholarly sister, the wolf miss, who could be called utterly unlearned, had no idea what the Zero Point Labyrinth was.

Thus, when Flamel promised to take her along, Hitana was exceptionally excited.

“Asa, Hit.”

As the two clung closely together, a mature male voice came from behind.

Hitana turned to see the mature, handsome Hydra, one hand behind his back, the other leaning on a cane, smiling at them.

“Ready? It’s time to go.”

Hitana wanted to cheer “Hooray!” but instinctively glanced at Anselm, whom she was holding.

“All set, Father.”

Anselm nodded lightly.

The menacing black hand cannon transformed into a stately cane.

Sensing something off in Anselm’s mood, Hitana silently slid off him and stood obediently to the side.

The young Hydra stood on the balcony, in the light, facing his father, and said, “Let’s go find what you need.”

Flamel smiled: “Just a short, uneventful trip, and a chance for Hit to broaden her horizons.

Don’t be so serious, Anselm.”

His cane tapped the ground, and teleportation runes formed out of thin air on the floor: “Let’s go, someone’s waiting for us.”

With that, Flamel stepped into the teleportation array and vanished.

Anselm paused briefly before following.

Hitana, sensing Anselm’s preoccupation, trailed closely behind.

When the slight dizziness faded and she opened her eyes, Hitana screamed in shock.

“Wah! W-where… where is this?!”

Howling winds stung her skin.

A clear, boundless blue sky stretched endlessly.

Vast lands extended to the horizon’s edge.

The scene below, where all things seemed to blend into a single hue, made Hitana grab Anselm, trembling: “An, Anselm, did the teleport go wrong?”

“This is the mid-upper section of Aling Peak, the main peak of the Tianlu Mountain Range, about fourteen thousand meters above sea level.”

A cool voice came from beside Anselm’s other side: “And Mr. Flamel wouldn’t make a mistake on something like this.”

Hitana, who had been trembling for fear of free-falling, widened her eyes at the voice and turned, shouting in disbelief: “Mingfuluo!? Why are you here!”

“…Please call me Helen, Miss Hitana.”

Helen, standing close to Anselm, frowned slightly: “I’m here, of course, to enter the Zero Point Labyrinth with Father.”

“You… Anselm told you about this but not me?!”

Hitana’s angry shout drowned out the howling wind: “You’re lying!”

“Mr. Flamel told me,” Helen replied calmly.

“It was also my own willful choice.”

Hearing this, Hitana calmed slightly.

So Anselm hadn’t told her either… hmph, showing up uninvited, no sense of propriety!

As Hitana relaxed, Helen quietly glanced at Anselm, who was staring at the sky, and thought to herself: Father didn’t even tell Hitana… not even her?

And Mr. Flamel invited me, and likely her as well?

As Helen pondered, a voice came from above.

“Sorry, I was chatting with the master of this place.”

Flamel’s laughter cut through the roaring gale: “Greetings done, get ready, little ones, the boundary gate is opening.”

The mature Hydra landed in midair before them, his coat unflinched by the stone-shattering wind.

He gracefully extended his cane forward.

Hitana and Helen simultaneously felt… an ether of terrifying quality and magnitude, surging with an annihilating force at the cane’s tip!

Helen focused on the incomprehensible ether manipulation at Flamel’s cane tip.

Hitana suddenly felt a chill down her spine and whipped her head toward the higher, cloud-shrouded peaks, unreachable to sight.

Anselm, rubbing his snake-headed cane, silently stared at Flamel’s back, his unusual mood noticeable even to Hitana.

Soon, ripples began oscillating from the cane’s tip.

The ripples grew, their amplitude and frequency escalating with the rising ether volume.

The gale enveloping the peak was crushed by the vortex of condensed ether, and then—

Bang!

Hitana couldn’t describe the sound she heard, somewhat like… shattering glass.

But what Flamel’s cane tip revealed was no broken glass.

It was… a shattered world.

“Don’t look,” Anselm said softly, covering Hitana’s and Helen’s eyes.

“The essence is too early for you. Father has blocked all corruption, but for you now, merely looking would plunge you into the abyss.”

He himself gazed at the scene, his expression unchanged.

It wasn’t some eerie kaleidoscope of colors or abstract, distorted patches.

It was simple.

Just black.

Encompassing all, containing everything… when the world shattered, the essence of all things naturally flowed forth.

No chaotic colors—that was the most normal.

After all, when all colors merged, the result was only black.

“Take care of them, Asa.”

Flamel laughed heartily: “Taking the girls to the Zero Point Labyrinth—this’ll be a tale you’ll tell everyone later.”

He stepped into the infinite black.

After making the girls close their eyes, Anselm took their hands and, without a word, led them into the darkness that seemed to reduce all to nothingness.

“An… Anselm.”

Hitana whispered nervously: “Can I open my eyes now?”

“You can,” Anselm replied gently.

“Take a good look.

The scenery here… is indeed beautiful.”

Relaxing slightly, Hitana’s eyelids trembled as she slowly opened them.

Her dark red eyes then beheld a sight she’d never forget.

First, there was black—endless, boundless, darker than sky or earth, without limit.

But within this black… countless twinkling specks of light.

They floated forward in this endless black, dotted with shimmering lights.

“What… is this?”

Hitana murmured, her eyes full of wonder: “It’s so beautiful…”

“Helen, explain to Hit,” Anselm said, patting Helen’s head.

“Yes, Father.”

The petite scholar, eyes narrowing slightly from Anselm’s touch, responded: “We’re not in a specific Zero Point Labyrinth yet, but in a passage moving forward.”

“…Passage?”

“Yes, Miss Hitana, these specks of light may seem near or far, but in reality, the distance between us and any speck is truly… infinite.”

“The Zero Point Labyrinth, in essence, is a series of worlds completely separate from ours. Some may lack life, vegetation, land, or sea, just void, perhaps without even ether. Some are as small as a room, others larger than an entire continent.”

Helen gazed at the vast, endless star-like specks, their infinite possibilities stirring her nearly emotionless heart with fervent waves.

This was… possibility, infinite possibility, infinite futures.

Gripping Anselm’s hand tightly, she continued: “Zero Point means the origin, the potential to develop in any direction.”

“Huh? Then, could there be people in the Zero Point Labyrinth?”

“No, a Zero Point Labyrinth could give rise to anything—life isn’t surprising—but it will never produce ‘people’ or anything with human-like intelligence.”

Anselm answered this question.

“…Eh? Why?”

Hitana asked, puzzled: “Didn’t you say there are countless possibilities? Why no people specifically?”

“You’ll understand later.”

This perfunctory reply made Hitana pout, but thinking of Anselm’s mood, she rubbed her face and flashed a bright smile: “Then this… no, all these Zero Point Labyrinths, aren’t they amazing places!

With every possibility… Doesn't that mean there could be places suitable for people to live?

If no one’s there, couldn’t we send people to settle?”

“…Why do you think it’s called a ‘Labyrinth’?”

Helen adjusted her gray-white glasses: “Theoretically, entering a Zero Point Labyrinth is tantamount to suicide.

Even if you withstand the pressure of crossing worlds, no one can guarantee… you’ll return the same way.”

Hitana was shocked: “You can’t come back?”

“Almost certainly not. Each Zero Point Labyrinth’s entrance is random, its opening time random, its closing time random… ‘returning the same way’ is nearly impossible. To return to our world, you need an extremely costly anchor that even the ‘infinite’ between worlds can’t block, and it’s a consumable most explorers can’t afford.”

“B-but… didn’t Mr. Flamel open that boundary gate himself?”

Helen didn’t respond, just gave Hitana a look as if she were an idiot.

The miss wolf froze, then realized, her face flushing red.

Of course Flamel could do it—he was a Hydra, one of the four strongest divine beings!

Breaking through world barriers to reach the Zero Point Labyrinth was no challenge for him.

“But even Father needs to find the right position,” Anselm said.

“A divine being can only open the boundary gate early and ensure no errors entering the Zero Point Labyrinth.”

Helen quickly noticed an issue in his words and looked at Anselm, puzzled: “Is that all… what about the return?”

“The return…”

The young Hydra lowered his eyes: “In the most void, chaotic realms without a specific target, even a divine being risks getting lost.”

“Uh… why go to such a dangerous place?”

“Because ultimate chaos also means vast possibilities. Such Zero Point Labyrinths are incredibly dangerous but also hold…”

His sea-blue eyes pierced the darkness, resting on the man leading them.

Anselm had lost count of how many times he’d stared at his father today.

It had been so long since he’d… looked at him like this.

Flamel couldn’t possibly miss his son’s gaze, but he said nothing.

Perhaps he was avoiding the past, or…

Perhaps he was too mad to have the energy to feel much anymore.

“…Miracles even divine beings need.”

After saying this, Helen, increasingly sensing something gravely amiss behind this “trip,” was about to ask when Flamel’s voice came from ahead: “Get ready, we’re almost there.”

Anselm covered Helen’s and Hitana’s eyes again.

When he removed his hands, the girls saw a new scene—

The “sky” above was studded with dense, iron-gray spikes.

Giant boulders floated in midair.

They stood on one such boulder, and below… nothing but bottomless void.

Hitana, never having seen such a sight, wailed in a mix of excitement and fear, clutching Anselm’s arm.

Helen closed her eyes, sensing the ether flow around her, her brows slightly furrowed.

“The ether here… is too thin, almost impossible to manipulate.”

The petite scholar surveyed her surroundings, looking up at the endless spikes and down at the bottomless abyss, murmuring: “How was such a world formed?”

“Is it down there?” Anselm suddenly asked.

“About one and a half million meters down,” Flamel replied easily.

“Tyr and the others are waiting below. Peregrine is ascending… oh, it’s here.”

In this dead, eerie world, a massive gale surged upward.

With a clear cry, a giant eagle soared from the black void, its wings’ cyan airflow shredding the unsettling black matter, landing smoothly before Flamel.

“Master, apologies, Peregrine was late,” the gentle-voiced eagle said, sounding anxious.

Flamel smiled, patting its head: “Nonsense. Without you, finding the last material would’ve taken ages. You’ve worked hard, Peregrine.”

The majestic eagle responded with joyful pride: “This is Peregrine’s purpose.”

“What are Tyr and Tornado doing now?”

“Waiting for you… as per your orders, we haven’t touched the prey.”

“Pretty obedient. I thought they’d try something first.”

“…Actually, Laurence already tried and gave up after dying two hundred sixty-seven times.”

“That little thing…” Flamel shook his head, chuckling.

“No harm done. Dive again and protect the girls.”

“Peregrine understands… ladies.”

It spread its wings before Anselm and the two girls, lowering its head: “Please sit on Peregrine’s back.”

Both girls almost simultaneously looked at Anselm, who merely shook his head with a smile: “You two go with Peregrine. I’ll follow Father.”

With that, he tapped the boulder beneath with his cane and flew to the stone where Flamel stood.

“…”

Helen gazed at Anselm’s back, then quickly withdrew her gaze, climbing onto Peregrine’s broad back.

Flamel’s Head of Wind flapped its wings, enveloping Helen and Hitana in a cyan airflow, then dove straight into the bottomless abyss.

A depth of one and a half million meters would take some time.

Seizing the moment, Helen, clutching Peregrine’s feathers, asked: “Lord Peregrine, Father… seems to resist this place—not here specifically, but the Zero Point Labyrinth.”

“…”

Peregrine, diving swiftly, glanced back at Helen with its piercing cyan eagle eyes.

Helen had seen those eyes before, but now she had nothing to hide.

“Why would you think that?” Peregrine replied.

“Anselm… he does seem in a bad mood today,” Hitana interjected.

“But I’m curious, shorty, how did you notice?”

“Intuition, and… understanding.”

“Understanding?”

Hitana huffed: “You understand Anselm?

Do you understand him better than I do?”

Helen slowly turned her head: “How old is Father this year, down to the day?”

The question stumped Hitana.

Snapping back, she retorted: “Are you crazy?

Who keeps track of that stuff?”

“Sixteen years, eleven months, and nine days.”

Helen calmly adjusted her glasses: “I keep track of that stuff.”

“You… knowing that doesn’t mean you understand Anselm!

I… I know—”

Hitana opened her mouth but faltered.

She realized that while she could keenly sense Anselm’s subtle emotional shifts, she didn’t know or easily grasp his thoughts, let alone specific details.

In truth, her sensitivity was more than enough, but in this confrontation… Hitana had to admit that while she could empathize with Anselm accurately, she lacked the most direct “understanding.”

…Do positions and techniques count?

“Your expression suggests you’re considering whether bedroom skills count as understanding Father.”

Helen looked at Hitana expressionlessly.

“I’m not!”

“I’m not interested in arguing with you about this. Lord Peregrine, I’m not trying to trouble you.

I just want an answer.”

After shutting Hitana down, Helen lowered her eyes slightly: “Anything that makes Father unhappy or sad shouldn’t happen.”

“Has the young master shown any unusual behavior?”

After a brief silence, Peregrine showed signs of answering.

“Father… didn’t tell either me or Miss Hitana about today’s trip to the Zero Point Labyrinth. We’re here because Mr. Flamel revealed it.”

“Because the master already sees both of you as the young master’s Contract Heads. Miss Helen may need some time, but it’s inevitable. But the young master’s choice…”

Peregrine paused, then shook its head: “Sorry, Peregrine can’t think of a reasonable explanation. This Zero Point Labyrinth isn’t dangerous. With the master’s protection, you two can’t possibly be harmed.”

Meanwhile, beside Flamel, Anselm’s expression was calm.

He didn’t want Helen or Hitana here, but the reason was simple, not complex.

He couldn’t guarantee he’d control his emotions on this short journey with Flamel.

And he especially didn’t want his uncontrolled emotions to be noticed by Helen, becoming a weapon for fate to exploit… as had happened with Hitana before.

But what he dreaded came to pass.

Flamel insisted on Helen and Hitana’s presence, and Anselm didn’t believe for a second that fate wasn’t meddling.

“Annihilation, void, devouring, destruction…”

Flamel narrowed his eyes, waving his hands lightly, like a conductor of an orchestra, saying joyfully: “Truly… perfect. So many [annihilation-type] elements blended together, yet achieving ultimate balance. This is what I lacked… the final material.”

He reached obsessively into the void, where nothing existed but flowing black matter: “The final… fuse.”

The mature Hydra’s fingertips trembled.

His sea-blue eyes, nearly identical to Anselm’s, gleamed with a madness that made even the black matter recoil.

He grabbed casually, and the black “ocean” formed by endless annihilation and destruction elements was scooped out, instantly condensed by Flamel into a tangible entity.

Without a thought, he tossed the pill into his mouth.

His body trembled more violently—not from injury or fear, but… ecstasy.

“Yes… this taste, this feeling, this… erosion and destruction that even I can feel.”

The frenzied Hydra sighed in satisfaction, then turned to Anselm.

“It’s almost over, Asa.”

In the endless darkness, Flamel smiled, patting Anselm’s head: “After today, everything will move toward the perfection I’ve planned.”

In that fleeting moment, as he turned, the chaos and madness in his eyes vanished, leaving only pure affection and gentleness.

“I promised your mother, and I promised you.”

The aging divine being, beyond salvation, whispered: “I’ll give you… a perfectly happy life.”