The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 362

Twenty minutes before the operation.

We were reviewing the plan one last time.

“The operation itself is very simple. Sever the Red Dragon’s breath, which is sleeping in the Italian Florence Mafia-owned building. That’s all.”

I looked at my father standing on my left, then Adela, Soonchan, and Stella in order, summarizing the outline of the operation as concisely as possible.

“Father, you will deal with the Destroyer. If the Destroyer is not present, please assist me.”

My father nodded slightly.

The Destroyer’s mana is very troublesome.

It’s difficult to perfectly counter it on the first encounter unless it’s my father, who has fought him before.

“Adela, I’d like you to take on Roper. Similarly, if Roper isn’t there, please assist me.”

“Yes.”

Roper, the leader of Anti-Magia [a group that opposes magic users].

As befits the name Anti-Magia, magic doesn’t work on him.

The only people who can stand against him are me and Adela.

If Adela doesn’t take on Roper, the operation itself won’t work.

“And Soonchan, I’d like you to take on the rest except for the two executives. Is that okay?”

“It’s okay, but… even when I think about it again, my role is very plain.”

Besides the two powerful enemies, the Destroyer and Roper, the rest of the forces deployed in the building were left to Soonchan.

“It may not be noticeable, but it’s an important mission to support everyone from behind. You’re the only one who can do this role.”

A defense-specialized mage and, at the same time, the only space-attribute magic user.

Soonchan’s space control ability has risen to an unparalleled level.

With Soonchan’s current abilities, he could control the entire building and provide support where needed.

“Ah. So, in chess terms, I’m the rook?”

“Similar.”

Soonchan’s mission is ultimately to coordinate the entire board.

If Soonchan makes a wrong judgment, the four of us will be in danger.

“…Hearing it like that suddenly makes me start to worry.”

“It’s okay. It’s not like I’m entrusting you with such an important mission because I trust you.”

“Huh?”

Although Soonchan’s skills are improving day by day.

He’s not yet skilled enough to coordinate the entire board.

“What I trust isn’t you, but Aslan.”

But Soonchan isn’t alone now.

As long as Aslan is with him, there’s no chance of a problem arising from a wrong judgment.

“So, don’t feel burdened and just do as Aslan tells you, brainlessly.”

“…He’s my friend, but he sure doesn’t speak nicely.”

Soonchan smiled and shook his fist.

“It’s the truth.”

“Even if it’s the truth, couldn’t you have expressed it a little nicer, friend?”

“I expressed it as nicely as possible. I didn’t say you’re a brainless idiot not worth thinking about, so just follow orders like a machine.”

“This bastard…?”

Soonchan’s eyelids trembled. It was a reaction that felt like he was about to punch me right away.

“Seriously… I’m holding back because it’s right before the operation.”

Soonchan gritted his teeth.

His expression became quite soft.

‘Good.’

Only the right amount of tension remained, making it the best expression for carrying out the operation. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about if he’s like that.

I turned my gaze away from Soonchan and looked at Stella, who was on my right.

“Lastly, Stella…”

A depressed expression that couldn’t be better described as dark.

A sense of guilt from not being able to help prevent the fall of France, and a sense of powerlessness that she wouldn’t have been able to help even if she had been there. Her expression seemed to be a mixture of all sorts of negative emotions.

The emptiness and despair in her eyes were frightening.

I even lost my words for a moment while making eye contact with those eyes.

“…Successor. Is she okay?”

Mimir, who had been quietly waiting for my operation briefing to end, spoke quietly.

She must have been worried after seeing Stella’s condition.

“It might be better to let her rest and go with the four of us…”

“…”

Mimir’s opinion is valid.

If her condition is this bad, there’s no point in taking her.

She’ll just be a burden. Normally, it would be right to leave her behind.

‘…Normally, I would have done that, but this time, Stella’s power is essential…’

However, this time, I can’t do that.

Stella’s presence is important for this operation.

I don’t want to leave her behind if I can help it.

“Stella. No, Stella.”

I slowly moved in front of Stella and made eye contact with her.

“I don’t know what you’re feeling right now. Because I haven’t experienced that yet.”

No one knows the despair Stella is feeling.

How can I understand the feelings of someone who has lost their country, friends, and family in an instant?

To say I understand is just hypocrisy.

“There’s nothing I can say to you right now.”

I can’t even say ‘cheer up’.

Because to someone who is truly struggling, the words ‘cheer up’ will sound like mockery, not encouragement.

“If you say it’s too hard, I’ll leave you behind.”

Stella’s presence is very important for this operation.

But what’s needed is a Stella with will, not a Stella who has lost all will.

In this state, it’s right to just leave her behind.

‘I thought she’d be burning with revenge.’

I thought that if Stella got up, she would naturally participate in the operation.

I thought she would draw out even the will she didn’t have to make a resolution to avenge the villains who destroyed France.

But that was my miscalculation.

Stella didn’t burn with revenge; she just collapsed.

As soon as she heard that France had fallen, she broke down like a doll with a severed string.

“…Now, I have nothing left.”

Stella said in a dying voice.

“After my mother passed away. I worked hard to make the Vinoche family the best knight family in the world, following my mother’s will. For the peace of my country… I risked everything.”

It was like despair was singing.

“But… everything disappeared. My mother, Vinoche, the Vinoche family. Even my country.”

A tear flowed from Stella’s eye.

“I have nothing left.”

An expression devoid of all emotion.

Despair that seemed to be the embodiment of death.

“…Is there a reason for me to live?”

There was even greater despair than that of Commander Charles, who was dying in despair over the death of Sophia.

“Even if I take revenge… what will change?”

Stella’s expression was full of despair.

“…I’m tired. I don’t want to do anything anymore…”

The death of her mother, the destruction of her family, and the collapse of her country.

In her early twenties.

It must have been an unbearable despair for the still young Stella.

It’s too heavy a trial for Stella, who has just overcome her mother’s death.

“…Okay.”

It seems like there’s no point in saying anything to Stella right now.

She needs time to sort out her thoughts and overcome her despair.

“I understand. Then, Stella, you rest.”

The current Stella is not in a state to carry out the operation.

It’s right to let her rest.

“Rest well. I’ll be back soon.”

I gently stroked Stella’s head as kindly as possible.

Stella lowered her head.

As if she had no face to look me in the eye, she clenched her fist and stared at the floor.

“I’m sorry… but…”

“I know. You don’t have to say more. I understand.”

I patted Stella on the shoulder and turned my gaze to the other three.

“I’m sorry. The talk got long. I assume you all already know the routes and other things, so I’ll skip that.”

Before even checking the expressions of the three, I turned my gaze back to Mimir.

“Mimir. Please prepare Umbra.”

“Okay.”

Just as Mimir was about to synchronize with my nerves to prepare Umbra.

“About how to fill Stella’s absence…”

Adela whispered quietly. She was being considerate not to let Stella hear.

Her eyes were full of worry as she looked at me.

“You don’t have to worry about that. There’s another way.”

Although Stella’s absence is painful, it’s not impossible to carry out the operation.

…It’s a bit risky, though.

“Adela, don’t think about anything else and just focus on defeating Roper.”

“…Yes. I understand.”

Adela paused for a moment with a suspicious expression, then nodded as if she couldn’t help it.

“Then, I’ll assume there are no more questions. Let’s move for real.”

I gestured to Mimir again.

Mimir nodded slightly and moved her mana in sync with my nerves.

“Umbra.”

‘Umbra.’

And the next moment, the four of us were sucked into Umbra’s shadow.

* * *

Florence, Italy.

The entrance of a high-rise building owned by the Mafia.

“Adela. How is it? Can you feel it?”

“Yes. I can feel it. It’s inside. The energy is very similar to what I felt at the Rid Furniture Factory.”

“…Okay. So, this must be the dragon’s mana.”

Adela and I each used our Divine Eye and Mind’s Eye to detect the energy of the Red Dragon inside the building.

“Can you sense it?”

“Yeah, I can.”

Adela asked with a slightly surprised expression.

She must be thinking about the time at the Rid Furniture Factory.

Back then, my Divine Eye couldn’t detect the dragon’s presence, so she must have thought I wouldn’t be able to detect it this time either.

“Why…?”

“I didn’t think I’d be able to see it either.”

Honestly, I was surprised too.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to see it this time either.

“Is it because, unlike the one we met before, the gap between the soul and the body isn’t that big? I can see it faintly.”

Adela’s expression stiffened.

“Does that mean… that the dragon above us now is stronger than the dragon we met before?”

“Probably.”

The gap between the soul and the body isn’t big. This means that the soul and body are in a state of harmony to some extent.

It will definitely be stronger than the entity we met before.

“…Can we win?”

We felt the dragon’s strength with our own bodies.

The one we met at the Rid Furniture Factory was so strong, and this one is even stronger. It was natural for Adela to be anxious.

“We wouldn’t be able to win if we were in perfect condition. But as I said, the Red Dragon above us now isn’t in perfect condition.”

The fact that it hasn’t shown any movement yet is proof of that.

The Red Dragon hasn’t fully recovered its strength yet.

“We can defeat it now.”

It used all its power in France.

We can deal with it now.

‘The key is how much power it has recovered…’

It’s certain that the Red Dragon hasn’t recovered 100% of its power yet.

But that’s all we can be sure of.

We don’t know if it has recovered 30%, 50%, or 80% of its power.

If it has recovered more than 50% of its power, it might be a bit difficult.

If it has recovered more than 80%, the only option is to flee.

“Have you confirmed the locations of the Destroyer and Roper?”

My father asked me.

“Yes. They’re both inside the building.”

The mana of what appears to be the two of them is detected on the top floor of the building.

“…I see.”

My father’s eyes shone sharply.

Two and a half years ago, he couldn’t settle the score with the Destroyer, and now he can finally do it.

He can wash away his past mistakes.

He seemed to be happy about that fact.

“Then, there’s no change in the plan?”

“Yes. Please move as planned.”

“I see.”

My father nodded and moved his mana.

“Then, there’s no need to waste any more time. I’ll start right away.”

My father’s internal mana rotates at a tremendous speed.

“Yes. A big one. Please.”

With a mana rotation speed that was even faster than what I saw half a year ago.

He concentrates an even larger mana in his right hand.

“I’ll start.”

The mana was soon compressed into a single black mass.

“Black Core.”

And immediately.

“Distortion.”

It was distorted.

Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing-!

A twisted black hole began to crush and swallow the building.