Chapter 25

The Fifty-First Spell

After countless trips back and forth, this time, Juan came only for S11.

He had always known S11 was here and had wanted to come sooner. But too many people needed help along the way, delaying him.

Looking at the hangar buried beneath fire and rubble, Juan said nothing. He began to move the fallen debris.

In his previous body, this task would have been easy. But this body wasn’t originally his. Even though his possession had enhanced it to its limits, he could only push it as far as the body’s original capacity allowed—any further, and it would break.

Carefully, Juan moved the rubble within these limits, occasionally extinguishing the flames. Although he didn’t feel pain, if his body burned away, he wasn’t sure what would happen.

He wondered briefly, but his hands never stopped working. Piece by piece, like the legend of the Foolish Old Man removing mountains, Juan gradually cleared most of the debris from the hangar.

At last, he found what seemed to be the entrance to the lift—only to discover that half of it had already been crushed, warped, and rendered unusable.

“Even after swiping the access card, it didn’t work—the lift had been smashed. He had no choice but to find a way to pry it open himself.

Juan tried with one hand but quickly realized that, with his current strength, forcing it open was impossible.

So, he looked at the collapsed corner of the helipad.

Lifting a rock, he began smashing it down repeatedly. After much effort, he finally managed to break open a hole just big enough for him to squeeze through. Juan glanced at his left hand—three fingers were broken.

Without wasting more time, he slid into the hole he had just made.

However, the inside was a world of collapse as well.

The space where the lift once moved had caved in entirely. Broken stones and rubble were scattered everywhere, leaving no path to proceed.

Squeezed into the narrow space, Juan took out the flashlight someone had slipped him earlier. He shone it around, but after a while, it proved useless. He turned off the light, closed his eyes, and began using his senses to navigate.

Then, he moved to the left, shifted a few stones blocking his way, and uncovered a dark hole.

There was airflow coming from the hole—it seemed to connect to a ventilation shaft leading between the surface and the underground. The entrance was just big enough to fit a sturdy adult man, but it was pitch-black inside, bottomless and unknown…

Without hesitation, Juan crawled into the shaft.

At first, he dropped straight down. Then the pipe shifted direction, with tight bends that were especially hard to navigate. He got stuck halfway through a curve, and after struggling for what felt like an eternity, he barely managed to escape—only to realize what it had cost him.

His entire right arm was gone.

Without his right arm, he used his left hand, relying on the two fingers he had left, along with the support of his legs, to keep crawling. But soon, the pipe collapsed again. This time, his foot was crushed.

Finally, Juan reached the entrance to S11, battered and broken. His hair and eyebrows had been singed off. One arm was gone, along with a foot and three fingers. Only the sand and dirt packed into his wounds had kept him from bleeding out entirely. Otherwise, he would have looked even more miserable—though, truthfully, he couldn’t have looked any worse than he already did.

The boy stared at Juan, wide-eyed and in shock.

Or rather, almost wide-eyed—one of the boy’s eyes was so swollen that he could only manage to open the other slightly.

The two, both in pitiful states, were reunited.

“You… Why are you here?” The boy, curled up among the Comilla Flowers, asked blankly.

“I came for the magic book in your hands,” Juan said, his eyes fixed intently on the boy’s.

Without waiting for a response, Juan lifted the boy onto his back.

At that moment, the boy was suddenly transported back to the day they first met, struck by the familiarity of Juan’s words.

“I want to live,” the boy murmured, lying on Juan’s shoulder, dazed.

“It wasn’t until I was on the verge of death that I realized… I want to live.”

He had once thought that dying for someone was the greatest act of devotion. But now, he realized there was something even greater—wanting to live for them.

He had never wanted to live—until Juan appeared before him.

“Then live,” Juan said softly.

It was the same familiar, calm, emotionless voice.

And yet—

The boy’s lips curved into a smile, uncontrollably, as tears welled up and streamed from his eye. He tightened his arms around Juan’s neck and softly whispered, “Mm.”

With his remaining hand, Juan held the boy securely on his back and crawled back into the pipe without hesitation.

The pipe, which had already been cramped with just one person, became even more suffocating with two. The narrow, dark space would have terrified anyone—especially the boy. But with Juan there, so calm and unflinching, the boy found himself unafraid. His heart still raced, but it was from something else, not fear.

Then, he heard Juan speak.

“Do you remember the fourth spell we read together?” Juan asked, using the same slow, deliberate tone he used when they studied together.

“The one about growing Mandora vines?” the boy asked.

“Yes.” Juan’s voice was soft. “Use it. Use it as much as you can. Cover the entire inside of this pipe with Mandora vines.”

“Got it.” The boy began casting the spell.

“Mandela vines are a very useful magical plant. They’re extremely thin but incredibly tough, strong enough to support the weight of a dragon.”

“A dragon!?” the boy exclaimed.

“Mm.” Like me, Juan thought, though he didn’t say it out loud, continuing his explanation instead.

“Because they’re thin, they won’t take up too much space in this narrow pipe. We can’t afford to waste room on large plants.”

“Plus, the vines have many branches, and their rough surface will increase friction, making it easier for us to climb.”

“They’re truly convenient vines.”

“Mm!” The boy moved his fingers, and slender vines began sprouting from nothing, growing from short tendrils into long, winding strands that gradually covered the entire inside of the pipe. With the vines in place, Juan’s climbing speed increased, much to the boy’s delight.

“Now, we’ll need you to summon some Comilla Flowers,” Juan continued. “This section of the pipe collapsed when I came through earlier. The Mandra vines you just grew should have wrapped around the broken parts, but now we need the Comilla Flowers to help clear the debris ahead.”

“Okay…” the boy responded quietly and summoned two Komi Lahuas. He listened silently as the flowers crunched through the dirt and sand.

So… was this where Juan had lost his arm or his foot? the boy wondered.

But Juan didn’t give him time to dwell on it. He kept guiding the boy, having him cast several more spells. After they passed the most difficult bends, Juan spoke again:

“Just a little farther, and we’ll be out of here.” 

“Once we’re out, you’ll finally be free to leave this place.” 

“Lan and Eric once told me that people who leave here usually give themselves a new name. So, what do you think—do you want to name yourself?” 

It was almost the first time Juan had spoken so much voluntarily. Before the boy could even process this realization, he was stunned by Juan’s suggestion. 

“A name?” the boy repeated cautiously. 

“Yes.” 

The boy froze. 

After all this time in this place, it had never once occurred to him to give himself a name. 

He stayed quiet for a long time before finally saying, “I don’t know what to call myself. Why don’t you give me a name?” 

Juan paused briefly in his climb. After a moment, he resumed climbing and said: 

“Ped.” 

“It’s a name I had someone divine for me, using all my savings.” 

“It’s a very expensive, very good name.” 

It was the name Juan had intended to use for himself when he came of age—if only someone else hadn’t taken it first. 

Pressing his lips together, Juan continued, “The last person to use this name lived a very good life. I hope the same for you.” 

Hearing this, the boy smiled foolishly. “Ped? That sounds good! From now on, I’ll be Ped!” 

Just as he was about to say more, the boy saw it—a bright, brilliant light ahead. 

The outside! They were almost out! 

The realization filled the boy with excitement. Clinging to Juan, he couldn’t wait to tell him what he had seen. But— 

Wait… Why hadn’t Juan said anything? 

The boy, lying on his back, raised his head in confusion. Juan should’ve seen the light before he did, right? And if Juan had seen it, he would have told him… 

Had his teacher really reached such a level of calm that even this didn’t faze him? 

As this thought lingered, the boy’s eyes adjusted to the bright light seeping into the pipe. When he looked at Juan again, what he saw stunned him— 

Juan’s feet were gone. 

Both of them. One leg had even been severed below the knee. 

And, as the boy watched in horror, Juan reached to grab a vine from the side, struggling to tie his body to it. Then, right in front of him, the hand holding the vine detached. 

Like a broken toy, no longer able to function, the hand—already missing three fingers—fell from Juan’s arm. Then, the entire arm followed. 

The boy was speechless with shock. 

But Juan didn’t seem to notice. He just kept climbing upward, using the one leg he had left. 

Carrying the boy, he climbed toward the light. 

As they drew closer to the opening, the boy finally saw what the light truly was. 

It was fire! 

A wall of fire, raging fiercely! 

But Juan seemed oblivious to it, continuing to crawl forward with great effort. 

Then, the boy heard Juan speak again: 

“Shall we read another page from the magic book?” 

Covering his mouth and nose to stifle the sob that threatened to escape, the boy summoned the magic book. 

With trembling fingers, he began to trace the words from the page onto Juan’s back. As he wrote, Juan calmly translated the difficult text aloud for him: 

“I call this spell ‘Everything Will Be Alright.’ It’s a spell that makes everything okay. I discovered it as a gift after a difficult adventure. Now, I hope you receive the same gift.” 

“Everything will be alright.” 

As Juan recited the spell, the boy finished writing the last word. 

And then, right before them, a round portal appeared at the mouth of the tunnel. 

It was a miraculous sight! 

Through the portal, they could see damp earth and pouring rain. The sound of heavy rainfall echoed from the other side—it was like a whole different world. 

At the moment the portal appeared, Juan could no longer hold on. His body, piece by piece, seemed to melt, like a candle slowly dissolving. 

With the boy still on his back, Juan slumped forward and fell into the portal. As they tumbled through to the other side, Juan’s neck finally gave out, and his head drooped lifelessly to the ground. Together, they rolled into the torrential rain on the other side of the portal.