"It's hope..."
Ian seemed to understand a part of the operation of the high tower.
It's unknown what kind of terrible catastrophe this kingdom was once fighting against, but it's clear that the power of love and hope was an important element in the means to fight against that catastrophe.
These stories engraved on the tower, are the carriers of that ancient magic. However, unfortunately, the power used by Lily Evans to defeat Voldemort was not invincible.
At least in the final moments of this fallen Netherworld kingdom, love and hope could not create a miracle. It's unclear whether this was related to the collapse of the people's faith and hearts in the kingdom.
"Nevertheless, gathering so much hope and love still cannot withstand a disaster... thinking carefully about it is terrifying." Ian recalled the fallen sun and the sunken city.
That grand and tragic scene, just a glance at it would be unforgettable for a lifetime. He suspected the cause of the catastrophe might be related to some illusory and distant Divine Spirit.
Just like how the vast universe wouldn't only have humans from Earth, since the God of Death has already been proven to exist as a real entity, the existence of other Divine Spirits is naturally reasonable.
Perhaps he could ask Teacher Morgan, who, after all, saw Senior Sister on the mural.
"God of Death's world destruction? Or some other god I don't understand?" Ian continued walking upwards, all the murals depicted different content, and he saw some diverse wizards in the murals.
These wizards wore black robes or long cloaks, holding magic wands or magic books.
They were often associated with elements like darkness, thunder, and storm, symbolizing their glorious and powerful magic power.
Perhaps the figures of this group of wizards once interspersed through various fairy tales, yet in the current murals, Ian could only see the radiant proof on them showing they all have become legends.
"If characters in fairy tales all existed in the human world, then whether their figures also exist in the Misty Illusion Realm." Ian slowly walked to the top floor, with a curious and complex emotion in his heart.
It was dim here.
The red moonlight outside could not shine in at all.
"Fluorescent Flickering!"
Ian lifted his magic wand and chanted a spell, and a cluster of pure white light was frozen mid-air by him, like a small sun, illuminating everything in the top floor room.
"Magic Stone!!"
Ian saw his Black Phoenix resting on a stone slab, and before he could ask Black Phoenix what it brought him here to find, his gaze was drawn to the pile of gemstones embedded on the slab.
Dozens of glittering magic stones lay quietly on it. These magic stones varied in size and had peculiar shapes, but without exception, their properties were just like the magic stones Ian knew.
They can turn any metal into pure gold, and can also produce the elixir of immortality, allowing anyone who drank it to never die, something only Nicolas Flamel in this century had has managed to manufacture.
"It's a pity, they've all lost their magic power." Ian hurried forward and pried the magic stones off the slab, yet his luck didn't surge to an unbelievable degree.
All the magic stones, despite still having a sheen, were just in slightly better condition than the one Voldemort absorbed; the magic power contained within them had almost completely been depleted.
Many people actually aren't aware.
Magic stones indeed can make people immortal, but their magic power isn't everlasting, the specifics of how much magic power they contain is related to the alchemist's skill and the process of refinement.
"They must've been drained while supporting the previous operation of the tower." Ian sighed heavily, with a faint feeling of disappointment from empty joy.
"One should not be too greedy."
He thus consoled himself.
"Heh heh heh heh heh~"
The Black Phoenix seemed to respond, then spread its wings and flew towards the depths of the tower's top—Ian followed, and saw a tall platform appearing ahead.
It seemed to naturally grow from the ancient stone walls, like two giant hands, holding a box. Inside the box that the Black Phoenix had opened with its beak lay an emerald seed.
"What is this thing?"
Ian moved closer, observing it carefully. It appeared ordinary and unremarkable, yet in this dim and mysterious environment, it exuded a vibrant vitality of life.
Seemingly containing some extraordinary power.
The black box holding this seed was engraved with many runes, similar to the ones seen earlier on the tower wall, except these runes still possess magic, faintly flickering.
"It's definitely something good."
Ian cautiously picked up the seed, feeling the warmth and life force transmitted from its surface. Despite it being just a small seed at the moment, Ian's heart arose with a very strong premonition that as long as it receives suitable soil, sunlight, and water, it would surely bloom with astounding brilliance.
"Crack crack crack crack~"
Just as Ian wondered whether he could grow a World Tree from this seed, his actions of taking the seed seemed to trigger some mechanism within the tower.
"Taking one is taking! Taking all is taking!"
Seeing the ground shake, a dull sound arose, Ian didn't hesitate, grabbing the small box the seed was previously in, dashed towards the window.
His magic wand was already drawn, planning to see if he could blast the window larger, yet unexpectedly, before reaching the window, the movements of the tower abruptly ceased.