A Sorcerer's Journey - Chapter 96

Chapter 96: The Mask of Truth

On the test table in front of Grimm were specimens of a foam frog and a phosphorus snake which belonged to Peranos. They were actually kept in a magical ward where low temperature was ensured by consuming magical stones, and a mist of water filled the air. Beside the specimens laid a huge scroll.

A giant pair of human eyes were on the center of the scroll. The eyes were elaborately depicted with neural paths, vital sign reaction structures, element storage reactions, nerve electrolysis structures, lens, retinas, papillary refraction and so on.

Next to the human eyes were the drawings of a pair of foam frog eyes and a pair of phosphorus snake eyes. The pupils of the frog each contained a horizontal black line. Although the frog eyes had much more complicated neurons than human eyes had, the element variety seemed to be less; to be specific, they only had two main elements—thunder and light elements. It meant that foam frogs were born to be color blind and their visual sense toward the world was weak.

The pupils of the phosphorus snake, on the contrary, were two vertical lines, giving off a creepy image. The nerve electrolysis structure of the snake was quite primitive, with much less neural pathways than humans had. However, the snake’s lens contained only ice elements while the retinas stored a thick layer of fire elements, which was strange.

Pointing to the two creatures, Peranos said in a low and mysterious tone: “The secrets of the Infinity Eye lie in them.”

“Them?” Grimm became confused. “I suppose the biggest difference in perceiving the world between us and them is about colors. It’s my understanding that they are both color blind.”

Grimm knew that creatures perceived the world in different ways. Although some had eyes, they might be of no use.

Such as the Shade Butterfly Grimm caught in the Black Tower mirror, they perceived the world by recognizing the various smells in the air. The Three-Headed Dog had a highly-evolved nose that could sense the shape of a smell which human would have regarded as odorless. And Grimm’s own Ashen Mask “viewed” the world via ultrasound.

As for the live, black creature in the tank of Varo’s laboratory, God knows how they felt the world.

To talk about the visual perception of eyes, Robin’s Green-Eyed Macaque definitely saw a different world from the other creatures. Lefay’s Eagle Eye could observe things from a great long distance. The Dark Lord from a foreign world, as the creature called itself, which was once deceived by Grimm, saw the spiritual world, a discovery made by Grimm after his observation on his Greed Fire Giant; And the green-eyed student who Grimm ran into during his sneak into Section 19 could also see the world differently…

Thus, what made these two creatures special?

Peranos smiled but didn’t care to comment. He pointed to the eyes of the foam frog and said: “Their eyes! My tutor found out their secret and took advantage of that property himself. And he named his enhanced eye as the Mystic Eye.”

“What is the enhancement?” Grimm was still confused.

“Dynamic vision!” Peranos stopped smiling.

He motioned Grimm to have a look at the complex neurons and elements in the frog’s eyes and said seriously: “Dynamic vision is an enhanced vision by which moving objects would slow down their motion and more detailed information would be thus caught visually. When trying to catch prey moving in high speed, the dynamic vision would be used to capture more of the target’s movements in the split of a second. My tutor’s Mystic Eye simulates slow-motion and magnifies his vision to observe things. It’s a powerful weapon against the sneaking predators. A very rare and precious visual ability.”

Grimm opened his mouth in astonishment.

“The foam frogs? Such small creatures which were reduced into the bottom of the food chain, which he had dissected so many of, should have such a wondrous ability?”

Soon, he remembered an application of this vision—if he could use the dynamic vision to study the lightning veins in the twig twice a day, he might learn a lot in a very short time.

With this in mind, he smiled in secret. “It’s indeed a good idea, but perhaps I can’t work out the vein thing before the Holy Tower Tryout.”

Catching Grimm’s reaction, Peranos’ sewed-up face showed a trace of pride. “My mentor is a great wizard, but your mentor is great, too! I found the secret in the phosphorus snake’s eyes!”

Grimm felt a little amused by Peranos complacent look, but he put on a face of admiration, eager to know the answer. “What is it?”

Seeing Grimm’s flattering expression on his face, Peranos raised his head and showed a vivid satisfaction, saying out loud. “Heat Radiation Vision! I enhanced the other eye and named it the Boundless Eye. That, plus my mentor’s Mystic Eye now comprise the Infinity Eye.”

Grimm murmured with great surprise. “That’s the origin of the Infinity Eye now!”

Peranos waved to the description of the snake’s eyes on the scroll and said with pride and excitement. “See? These eyes are special in their lens, retinas and usual electrolysis structures. They’re as delicate as art. With these natural structures, the snakes view the world by mapping the creatures giving off heat. Thus, my Boundless Eye would capture everything with body temperatures!”

Grimm studied the special structures of the frog and the snake for a moment. Suddenly he asked. “Master, which parts of our body would adapt if one wants the Infinity Eye?”

Peranos’ cat Garnigel once said that the Infinity Eye and the Repulsion and Attraction forces would transform a sorcerer’s appearance and physical structure.

Peranos smiled. “Relax. The side effects of having Infinity Eye have been minimalized. It’s nearly perfect. Except for the slight change in pupils, one more thing might change.”

Grimm looked up and found about Peranos’ tongue which parted ways like a snake. He became shocked for some time. “Your tongue…”

“Exactly, the tongue. After my mentor and I had studied the neurons, the electrolytic structural reaction and the element allocation for a very long time, we eventually decided to have the tongue as the carrier of the Infinity Eye,” said Peranos. He then flicked his tongue like a frog and rolled up a red fruit far away from him. He then chewed the fruit loudly. “Sometimes this tongue can work out magic. Many of the sorcerers want a tongue like mine, but nobody knew it had anything to do with the Infinity Eye.”

Grimm made a face.

Peranos’s manner of eating reminded him of Sorcerer Apollo’s red-eyed frog. It ate the hateful butler in viscount’s residence back in Bi Seer City in the same way.

Having finished eating up the fruit, Peranos spoke with pride. “Grimm, you are talented in some aspects, but human beings have only one pair of eyes. My mentor and I both agreed on the perfection of the Infinity Eye transformation to human eyes. A supreme work. Even in the future when you have the chance to become a Stigmata sorcerer or even a Celestial Sorcerer, I don’t think you can conduct more improvement easily in this regard. However, as your mentor, I still hope you can surpass me in some way. Here’s a suggestion, try to work more on Hematology, grow more eyes. It might work. Haha…”

Peranos was so proud that he became very excited. He finally had someone to show off his own accomplishment to besides his mentor.

As for the suggestion he made, Grimm could tell from his confident look that it would be a difficult road to embark on. Maybe one wouldn’t be able to realize it in a lifetime.

Grimm hesitated for a moment and made up his mind to speak with an awkward look on his face. “Hmm…Master, the last time I was practicing the Repulsion and Attraction forces, I figured out a perfect solution to the possible side effects of body transformations.”

Grimm put the Ashen Mask on the table.

Peranos was confused for a few second and then he said with astonishment. “You’re saying to use magical tools as carriers for the Infinity Eye? It…sounds…far-fetched.”

Grimm considered it for a while. He then shook his head and said firmly: “Since the ultrasonic function can be embedded in the Ashen Mask, why not the Infinity Eye? If it do fail, there are only two possible reasons. One is poor handle of alchemy, the other poor understanding of the Infinity Eye.”

He then continued proudly. “I obtained the Heteromorphic Marrow, and I’ve decided my alchemy road should start from making a new legendary mask. I’d like to add all of the exploring enchantments into it!”

His ambitions surprised Peranos, a level-three sorcerer.

“Put all of the exploring enchantments into a mask? A legendary…?”

If over five of the exploring enchantments were contained in the mask, it would be indeed a legendary mask.

But still Peranos thought Grimm became a little too conceited.

On one hand, Peranos, as a sorcerer, was dissatisfied for his “low-class” student being so conceited. On the other hand, Peranos thought Grimm was certainly far sighted than any other students. The majority of the students must be forging ahead by merely following the magic books step by step.

Peranos made no comments but asked calmly. “So, this…legendary mask, how will you name it?”

Upon hearing his words, Grimm calmed himself down. He looked Peranos in the eyes, catching sight of the dissatisfaction and expectation in them, saying. “Let’s call it the Mask of Truth.”