Guy had his attention trained onto Markus and Al. Although Guy had heard of methods to peer into a mage's cultivation, he had yet to see a method that didn't require the target to die first.
The books he had read before primarily detailed optimal strategies to siphon the cultivation from a dying mage's dissipating core. Efficient ways to decipher the numerous insights condensed within the roiling ethereal mass, and so on. So, when Guy observed Al's attempt to perform an inspection into Markus' cultivation, and that too in a safe way, he was immediately enraptured. He treated this as an opportunity to gain another technique for his toolbox. After all, since he was responsible for training his Disciple, a method to gauge the boy's progress on a regular basis would be extremely useful.
To learn more about the method, Guy employed a technique he was already familiar with, and that was to extend his mana sense. After breaking into Foundation Establishment, Guy's mana domain had expanded significantly. Before the breakthrough, it barely reached 10 metres, but now it covered up to 20 metres. By directing his now more sensitive mana sense towards the interaction between Markus and Al, Guy was surprised to find nothing particular of note taking place. For all intents and purposes, there was absolutely nothing going on. It seemed as though Al was simply placing his hand on Markus' belly.
"Do you feel anything different, Markus?" Guy asked.
Markus furrowed his brows in contemplation, "There was a slight discomfort just now. It felt a bit weird. How can I explain this... It's like when you let someone into your bedroom for the first time. Although they entered with permission, it's ultimately a little uncomfortable..."
"Hmm, I can't observe anything using my mana sense," Guy added, to which Goran chimed in with an explanation. "That's because Al's using his spiritual sense."
"Spiritual sense?"
"It's a hard technique to explain on short notice," Goran added.
"Actually, it feels a little like when you showed me that vision of the black hole, Master. Except when you did it, it felt less jarring and more natural," Markus commented.
"What's he talking about?" Goran asked Guy.
"Oh, Markus was having some trouble understanding one particular topic. I used a new technique to augment the transmission of knowledge, and it was highly effective, right Markus?"
"Extremely! It was an amazing experience. All of my doubts were cleared almost immediately!" Markus vocalised.
Guy hummed in thought as he digested Markus' earlier comment about the similarity between Al's method and Guy's venture with the use of the mask in his RoK.
'So they're similar... What does that mean?' Guy thought to himself. 'Guess there is only one way to find out!'
As Guy completed that last statement, he started to feel an ominous premonition. He sighed in defeat and retreated into his RoK. At the centre table, he found the all so familiar mask. He reached for it, and without wasting any time, he plunged it onto his face. He skipped through the uncomfortable feeling washing over him and entered the default state of restrained zealousness.
After stabilising himself, Guy opened his eyes and swept his imperious gaze forward to size up his stagnant congregation. Although he had recently accessed The Church to facilitate Markus' revelations, he could already notice a few differences.
Unlike before, Guy found that Markus' ethereal form looked more opaque while seated at the pew upfront. Furthermore, Guy also noticed that the ghostly rope tethering him and Markus from before had also grown brighter, and thicker. What they meant, Guy didn't know. But something urged him that it was a good sign.
"The boy shines brighter after witnessing the wonders of the True World!" He preached instinctively.
"Now, back to business!"
Guy walked closer to Markus' ethereal form, like last time, and inspected the boy more carefully. Previously, to draw Markus into The Church, Guy simply grasped him by the shoulder. The boy was somehow drawn into this place through contact, the mechanism of which was still a mystery to Guy as he didn't have an opportunity to catch his breath and evaluate it more thoroughly after his breakthrough.
Yet, what Guy wanted to achieve now wasn't to pull Markus in, but rather to enter into Markus' core. According to the boy, what he felt just now as Al infiltrated his core was a lot similar to how he felt when Guy brought him here. So by deduction, there has to be a way for Guy to reverse the action from The Church.
"But how?" Guy muttered while scratching his chin.
Guy contemplated on it for quite some time and still failed to derive a worthwhile conclusion. Right then, at that moment, Guy started to instinctually feel a growing, sinister sentiment.
Frowning, he started to swivel his head in an attempt to target the source of this discomfort.
Like a metal detector honing in on a rogue metallic interloper, Guy's danger sense started to blare in earnest. It immediately drew his attention towards ethereal Markus' navel, which also happened to be where the ghostly rope extended out from.
"Is it this?" Guy uttered while grasping at the rope near its base.
The moment his hand wrapped around the object, Guy felt his form getting sucked in rapidly through his arm and into the rope. He felt as though he was falling through a dark water slide, twisting and twirling, slipping with increasing speed.
With an inaudible plop, Guy was suddenly sucked out and dropped at an unfamiliar place that was completely dark.
After dusting himself off, Guy looked around and frowned with disappointment.
He clicked his tongue and bellowed, "Let there be light!"
With two claps of his hand, the room started to brighten visibly, originating from Guy as the source. As the light spread outwards, a peculiar sight entered Guy's line of sight.
"What the hell is he doing?" Guy exclaimed as he observed the bizarre visual of Al prostrating himself and peeking his head through a small hole in the ground.
However, Guy didn't feel amused. Not one bit! This was because the sinister feeling Guy followed from The Church was originating from that place.
Without a hint of hesitation, Guy walked over briskly, and tightly grasped onto Al by his shoulders. With a forceful jerk, Guy pulled the man out.
As Al's head left the hole, the man unleashed a loud gasp and started to hyperventilate.
"I- I- I'm alive? I'm alive!" Al exclaimed in disbelief and relief.
"Tsk! Get a hold of yourself, man!" Guy bellowed with a furious growl.
"Guy! Guy? What are you doing here?" Al retorted.
"Saving you, of course!" Guy answered matter-of-factly. Why was he so certain that he had saved Al? He wasn't sure... But his gut told him so.
"No, I mean... How are you here?" Al replied.
"I just came in," Guy answered with surety, once again.
"But- Forget it! I need to get out of here," Al stated with a tinge of fear in his voice. Without wasting even a second, Al's figure quickly dissipated from before him.
Guy shrugged his shoulders and, with familiarity, reached out into empty space opening a circular tear similar to the one that deposited him here. He leapt through the hole and returned to The Church. Before retreating to the outside world, Guy removed the mask over his face and shifted the surroundings to the more comfortable RoK.
Outside, Al was fidgeting in his seat, carefully inspecting his body and his own cultivation to make sure that no damage had been done.
"What's gotten you so riled up?" Goran asked lightly.
"Dangerous! Too dangerous!" Al muttered continuously.
"What happened in there, Teacher Jeeves?" Guy asked after exiting the RoK.
"I was caught off guard," Al explained. "I didn't expect his comprehension of insights to be so... Whatever cultivation method he's practising, it is extremely thorough. There were no weaknesses or lapses, at least by my understanding. This kind of profundity is unheard of! I have never seen anything like it before in my life!"
Goran noticed Al's voice wavering as he spoke. He had never seen the man so shaken in such a long time. While he was growing increasingly intrigued at the Master-Disciple duo capable of affecting his friend to such an extent, he was also a little anxious.
'Is it safe to leave Jean under their care?' He thought to himself.
Then, with a measured tone, Goran asked, "What happened in there?"
"The region surrounding his nascent core was empty, like an unending void. At its centre, there was a ring of light, which I guessed was his core. In approaching this ring, I saw that it was like a portal. I submerged myself through the portal and found myself in outer space. It was an uncannily precise representation!"
Al looked towards Markus and with a mix of awe and bitterness, he said, "Your understanding of outer space is unbelievably accurate. It's hard to fathom that you haven't personally been out there!"
"Anyways, after that point, I was greeted by a sight far beyond my comprehension. I don't think I have read anything about what took place after that, and I don't think I can describe it in great detail either. It all happened too quickly! I was assaulted by so many insights that I was completely rendered incapacitated. I didn't expect such intensity from a mage that hasn't even entered Foundation Establishment realm. If not for Guy personally pulling me out, I fear I would have lost myself in there for good..."
Almost everyone in the room gasped in unison. To them, Al was a peak they could only ever dream of reaching in their lifetime. And hearing that the man they looked up to nearly lost his life...
All eyes within the room turned towards Markus, who was casually putting on his shirt. Noticing the piercing gazes, Markus froze comically. The tips of his ears reddened in embarrassment, and he shrunk his head into his neck.
Al exhaled out loud one last time, and asked, "Tell me honestly -" He alternated his gaze between Markus and Guy and continued, "What exactly have you been doing here?"
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