Type-Moon, the Path of a Magician

The bartender at the bar greeted him. Xia Yuan, who often visited this restaurant, had become their regular customer.

However, he did not sit at the bar to order this time. Instead, he nodded and walked into an open private room, found a seat and sat down.

"Happy New Year, Team Leader Fujimura."

"Happy New Year, young man."

Dim lights flickered.

An old man was sitting opposite him.

"Would you like something to drink? The sake here tastes good. Would you like to have a drink with me?"

"Captain Fujimura, you are still as spirited as ever."

"Hahaha, you young man really know how to joke. I'm almost half buried in the ground, how can I be energetic?"

The sixty-year-old man in a black kimono smiled, poured a glass of sake and pushed it in front of Xia Yuan, indicating that he should drink with him.

Looking at the old man in front of him who was teasing him, Xia Yuan also smiled and shook his head.

He thought to himself: You are so incredibly strong that a few months ago you were able to lead people to kill other organizations in Fuyuki Port. When the cops came, you still had the strength to run away. He would definitely not believe such a ruthless person if he said he was old.

I don’t know how such a gangster boss could cultivate a lively girl like Yamato.

After saying that, the old man drank the glass of sake, and Xia Yuan immediately raised his glass and drank it too.

After one cup, the old man put one arm on the table, tapped the table lightly with his fingers, and asked, "Xia Yuan, how have you been recently?"

"It's okay. Thanks to your care, my life is pretty good now." Hearing this, Xia Yuan teased.

"At least we won't be sleeping on the streets like before."

"Is that so? Gold will shine no matter where it is. The same is true for capable people. You can't say that this is all thanks to me. Everything you have now is something you have fought for yourself."

"Thank you for the compliment, Team Leader Fujimura."

After a while of greetings, there were only two people left in the huge private room, which seemed empty. It was this feeling of emptiness that made Xia Yuan feel a little uncomfortable, and his eyes kept looking towards several blind spots in his vision.

[There is no one around, only two ordinary people guarding the door. ]

count?

Hearing the voice in his ear, Xia Yuan paused, then reacted and became more confident. Although he trusted Team Leader Fujimura, he would be more confident if the Earl backed him up. He looked at the old man in front of him with confusion.

It shouldn't be too difficult for him to submit the application I submitted a few months ago. Why would he ask me to come out for a meeting?

Although he had indeed received a lot of care from the Fujimura Group, he had already made enough contributions to repay the organization over such a long period of time, so they had no reason to stop him.

He came alone because he trusted Team Leader Fujimura and didn't want to trouble the Earl. But he could only look at a person's face and not his heart. If things really developed in a direction he didn't want...

"..."

I can only apologize.

"Are you nervous, young man?"

"You're joking. Anyone would be nervous being alone with Team Leader Fujimura like this." Xia Yuan nodded.

"I'm worried that I might have done something wrong and that it would be bad if I made you unhappy."

"Hahaha, you are really frank, young man." Hearing this, Fujimura smiled, waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, there are only two of us here, and I am not a pedantic person, so just say whatever you want to say."

"I also want to hear your true feelings."

"Since you've said so, I won't hide it anymore. I want to ask you if you agree with that matter?"

"Are you talking about the resignation application you submitted?"

"Haha, I thought a young man as decisive as you would just throw in a letter of resignation and run away. I'm surprised that you actually handed in your application obediently." The old man looked at Xia Yuan with a smile.

"Team leader, you are embarrassing me." Xia Yuan scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "I still have to sort out such a big thing."

"Well, after such a long time together, I am considered your elder and I understand your character."

"But why? You have a high position in the Fujimura Group and have never done anything illegal. I can't imagine why you are in such a hurry to leave."

"Is the answer important? This should be my personal freedom."

"Of course it's important." Team leader Fujimura nodded and replied, "Compared to an old guy like me who should have retired long ago, capable young people like you are the fresh blood that Fujimura Team lacks the most. If you don't have a reason that can convince me, I won't let you go easily."

"Is it because the Fujimura Group didn't treat you well enough? Originally, because you were too inexperienced, I was going to train you for a few more years before letting you take over the Fujimura Group's Wakaguchi in Tokyo. If you really can't wait, now is not the time..."

"That's not the reason, Team Leader."

Xia Yuan shook his head and rejected the old man's words, explaining: "Everyone in the Fujimura Group has been very kind to me and has been very kind to me. If it weren't for your help, I would still be a homeless person sleeping on the street and I might starve to death one day. So I am very grateful for everything the Fujimura Group has given me, and I will always remember this kindness."

"Then why did you leave?" The old man took a puff of cigarette and looked at him deeply.

"I'm sorry, this is my own fault and has nothing to do with the organization. Captain, I have reasons to quit. This is not only for my own good, but also for the good of the Fujimura Group. Can you please trust me again, Captain?"

"..."

Looking closely at Xia Yuan's eyes, he saw solemnity and determination, and there seemed to be a little struggle in it.

"..."

"That's it, that's all."

They were silent for a long time. Finally, old man Fujimura shook his head and said slowly: "Since you don't want to talk about it, forget it."

After saying that, he took out the resignation letter he had prepared long ago from under the table and pushed it in front of Xia Yuan.

"This is?"

"Humph, the resignation you submitted. Although we haven't been together for too long, I know you very well. You are obviously a young man but you are stubborn as hell. You are just like me back then."

"Since you don't want to say it, then you won't tell it no matter how much I ask, right? Or you can just make up a random excuse to trick me?"

“……” Instead of denying it, Xia Yuan scratched his head awkwardly.

"Humph, since you don't want to talk about it, then just leave it to me. I know your temper, you know your limits, and you must have your own reasons for doing this."

"Team leader, I..."

"Don't interrupt me, just listen to what I, an old man, have to say for a while." The old man raised his hand to interrupt him and continued.

"I can guess that maybe you've gotten into a big trouble, a big trouble that the entire Fujimura Group can't solve. You don't want to get us into trouble, so you decided to quit. Although I really want to help you, if this is your choice, then I will choose to respect your choice."

"But...even though you have left the Fujimura Group now, please don't forget that you were once a member of the Fujimura Group. We are a family. No matter what troubles you encounter, don't forget us. Even if the Fujimura Group is not strong enough, we will do our best to help you, young man."

"Thank you, Team Leader."

With a chuckle, feeling indescribably moved, Xia Yuan slowly stood up and bowed deeply to the elderly man in front of him, thanking him for his care and understanding over the years.

Seeing this, the old man just smiled slightly, shook his head slowly and waved his hand.

"Come on, brat, don't keep wasting time here, go do what you want to do, don't worry about us old guys, just don't forget the Fujimura Group, and come home often."

"I'm counting on you to continue to be Taiga's tutor in a few years."

Thank you...

Xia Yuan stood up and bowed deeply to the old man to express his gratitude.

Before leaving.

"Team Leader, I actually have something else I want to ask of you."

"Well, what's the matter?"

"In a few months, I would like to ask you to take the Fujimura Group away from Fuyuki City for a while and come back in a week. Just treat it as a vacation. Is that okay?"

"Leaving Fuyuki City?"

Upon hearing this, old man Fujimura was silent for a while, looked up at Xia Yuan's serious eyes, and nodded slowly.

"Got it. I'll think about it."

"Farewell."

Xia Yuan turned and left.

----

Chapter 3: Dream of the Prison Tower

"—Have you ever envied others?"

"Envy of others' talents, gifts, or status?"

“Have you ever had regrets because of abilities you don’t have? Have you ever missed out on wealth or opportunities because of your own mistakes?”

Who is this...

In the haze, the man's familiar voice kept echoing in my ears.

"Jealousy, envy, and tears of regret that come from envy of other people's opportunities."

"The world has never been bright, and fate has never been fair. What a luxurious experience the so-called equality is."

The sound was very penetrating, going straight into people's hearts and difficult to dissipate in Xia Yuan's ears.

"No need to answer. The answer in your heart has not yet been revealed."

"Don't look away. Because everyone has it, there's no escaping it."

"The envy of others and the sighs and injustices of your own fate will give rise to all kinds of original sins. Tears of regret have already flowed in the corners of your eyes."

In a deep sleep, Xia Yuan heard a male voice chattering in his ear. He felt that his sleep quality was extremely poor. After rolling around impatiently several times, he finally slowly opened his eyes.

When I looked up, I realized that what I saw was indeed a pitch-black fortress.

"Prison Tower!"

Completely awake, Xia Yuan began to recall the voice, only to find it more and more familiar. Except for the absence of the familiar "氪哈哈!" noise, this timbre was completely identical to the Count's. He just didn't recognize it because he was too sleepy. After waking up, he immediately recalled it all.

Wow, the Prison Tower dungeon has been reproduced!

He actually experienced the same treatment as Fujimaru Ritsuka, but in his dream, he was dragged to the Count's Prison Tower copy.

"Are you awake so quickly? I'm really surprised. It seems that your compatibility with this prison tower is surprisingly good. No wonder you were able to summon my Master."

"count?"

"Yes, it's me, the man you call the Count of Monte Cristo, a true vengeful ghost, Edmond Dantès, the King of the Grottoes."

"Welcome to this island of despair and prison tower of sinners, young man!"

"This tower is the other side of grudges and hatreds. Anyone who enters it will be imprisoned here, whether they are prisoners with deep sins or innocent people!"

"Of course, you are no exception."

Appearing from the darkness, a silver-haired man in a green cloak walked out from the dark corner and said so.

"This is the first gate, which contains the sin of jealousy. You are now in it, trapped in the quagmire, unable to escape. All the pain is gathered here. Sorrow, pain, anger, sighs and various sounds have never stopped. This is the hell that exists in the world. No one can escape. Do you understand?"

The cold prison, with worms and rats crawling on the ground and the screams of evil spirits in the distance, all created a terrifying atmosphere.

Xia Yuan: “…”

He did not show any desperate wails or panic as the other party imagined. Seeing the Count so into the role, he even wanted to laugh.

Ignoring the nervous count who was still performing, facing this situation, he just reached into his pocket, slowly took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep breath.

When encountering such a thing, he chose to smoke a cigarette to calm down first.

"Are you desperate? Have you given up?"

"In this hell, death and despair are intertwined. Any tiny hope will be swallowed up. The sinners of this world will be damned and tortured for eternity. Evil spirits, dead souls, death and despair are intertwined... No beautiful words will appear here, but you are different. You have the hope of being redeemed. You..."

"Stop."

Xia Yuan put out his cigarette, looked back at the Cave King, and then said, "Don't tell me these vague settings. Just tell me why you brought me here. That's it."

"Me, trapping you here? This sounds like a really funny joke, Krypton, hahahaha..."

It was an extremely abrupt laugh. Upon hearing this voice, Xia Yuan immediately knew that he was not mistaken. It was a familiar mentally polluted laugh. The one in front of him was none other than the Three Laughing Heroes of Chaldea whom he had summoned.

"You broke in by yourself. This fortress is not as easy to enter as you think. I don't know how you got connected to me, and even your soul was pulled into this hell, but this is all your own choice."

"Intruder, what do you want?"

Is there really no memory? Or are these two earls not the same person...

Although the Cave King's boasting failed to explain Xia Yuan's situation, it made him realize other things.

Rubbing the disappeared Command Seal on the back of his hand, Xia Yuan almost had the answer in his mind.