The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 445

Above the island that Veil was using as a base.

Looking at the dark red barrier surrounding the island, Adela, Ji Sun-chan, and Stella were having a serious conversation.

‘……You can’t break through it?’

Ji Sun-chan asked with a serious expression.

‘Yes. That magic is Sabin Belantor’s corrosion magic. It corrodes not only objects but also mana. There’s no way to break through it.’

Aslan also had a similar expression to Ji Sun-chan.

‘During the Empire’s time, only one person succeeded in breaking through that magic. It was our lord [referring to Ray Bell Bytenner].’

It couldn’t be broken through without magic on the level of Ignis [a powerful magic].

‘You can’t break through it… that’s a cheat.’

‘Yeah. It’s a cheat.’

Aslan readily admitted.

‘Sabin’s corrosion magic takes a long time to activate, but once it’s activated, it can’t be stopped.’

How much trouble they had because of Sabin’s magic during the Empire’s time.

At least hundreds of thousands of soldiers died because of that corrosion magic.

‘……Did even a guy like that appear in the latter half of the war?’

Elena bit her lip.

Sabin also began to actively participate in the war after Elena retired.

For the same reason as with Hoderiam and Jenarin before, Elena doesn’t know about Sabin’s corrosion magic.

‘I… I really don’t know anything. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt so helpless.’

She felt pathetic.

In a situation where she should be more helpful than anyone else, her situation of not being able to help at all was truly ridiculous.

‘Don’t think like that. It’s natural that you don’t know given the situation.’

Aslan comforted Elena.

‘At that time, you were in a situation where it was difficult to even take care of your own body. It’s natural that you couldn’t pay attention to outside matters.’

At that time, Elena was in a state where she couldn’t even move properly.

Elena didn’t have the capacity to observe the trends of the war at that time.

‘In addition, I forbade anyone from giving you information because I didn’t want to worry you.’

She couldn’t even hear stories from people who came to visit her.

They had forbidden anyone from giving Elena information, saying not to burden someone who had been seriously injured and left the front lines.

This is why Elena is ignorant of information about the latter half of the war.

‘What. There’s no need to blame yourself like that. Right now, only those who participated at the end are appearing, but the guys you know will also pop out. You just need to take care of those guys.’

‘……Yes.’

Elena gave a bitter smile.

‘I never thought the day would come when I’d receive comfort from you……’

‘I didn’t comfort you. I just stated the facts as they are.’

Aslan crossed his arms and chuckled with his usual expression.

‘……Is that so.’

Elena’s expression brightened a little.

Thanks to Aslan, she felt a little more at ease.

‘You two. Sorry to interrupt your conversation. But shouldn’t we figure out how to deal with that barrier first?’

Stella, who had been observing the dark red barrier all along, cautiously spoke.

‘I told you. That magic can’t be broken through. Not with my magic, not with Elena’s magic, and not with your spirit sword.’

Aslan looked at Stella and said calmly.

‘There are only two people on our side who can break through that magic. Shin Ha-yul and Sein Vinoche. With our current forces, we absolutely can’t break through it.’

During the Empire’s time.

Aslan had tried every possible method to deal with Sabin’s corrosion barrier.

But no matter what method he used, he couldn’t break through Sabin’s corrosion barrier.

The only one who succeeded in breaking through Sabin’s corrosion barrier was Ray Bell Bytenner.

It can’t be broken through by any other method.

‘Then are we just going to watch like this?’

‘Yes. That’s the best we can do.’

At Aslan’s words, Stella frowned.

Aslan met Stella’s eyes with a nonchalant expression, then turned his gaze back to the dark red barrier.

‘Among the people here right now, the only one who has the possibility of breaking through that barrier is Sein Vinoche. Rather than forcing things now, it’s right to wait for Sein Vinoche to break through that barrier.’

Even if Sabin’s corrosion barrier is broken, it’s not the end of everything.

Sabin’s corrosion barrier is just one of the obstacles.

They have to think about what comes after that.

‘Stella Vinoche. Don’t be impatient and calm yourself. Our role is to support. To safely retreat the main force. If we force things now, we won’t be able to save the people we could save.’

‘……’

Stella bit her lip.

She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t bring herself to deny it.

Because it was a correct argument with no room for denial. Even if she wanted to deny it, she couldn’t.

‘Trust your mother. Sein Vinoche will surely do something about it.’

‘……Yes.’

Stella began to take deep breaths.

She takes deep breaths and calms her mind to shake off the impatience that is wriggling inside her.

‘Everyone, keep an eye on the barrier and prepare to act immediately after the barrier is destroyed.’

Aslan looked at Stella, Adela, and Ji Sun-chan in order and said.

The three nodded respectively.

‘……Aslan.’

At that moment, Elena’s expression turned cold.

Almost at the same time as Elena, Adela’s expression also hardened.

‘It seems like we can’t just idly wait for the barrier to be destroyed.’

‘……’

Belatedly, Aslan’s expression also hardened.

Stella’s expression was no different from the other three.

‘This is……’

Following the four, Ji Sun-chan’s expression also turned cold.

All five of them sensed the ominous mana around them and went on alert.

‘Three…… No. Is it four?’

Adela said, looking around.

‘Yes. It’s four. I didn’t notice at all because their presence was hidden inside the barrier.’

Elena clicked her tongue.

To think they would use that barrier for concealment. She hadn’t expected that at all.

‘Aslan. Why didn’t you tell me that magic had such a use?’

‘……I saw it for the first time too.’

Aslan was surprised and at the same time flustered.

Aslan was also learning for the first time that the corrosion barrier had such a use.

‘Was Sabin’s corrosion barrier the type of barrier that could distinguish friend from foe?’

It seems that Sabin’s corrosion barrier was not a magic that indiscriminately corroded everything within the barrier, but a magic that could selectively corrode targets.

‘……If that’s the case, then there’s a way to break through Sabin’s corrosion barrier.’

The fact that it can distinguish friend from foe means that there is a ‘means’ to select targets.

If they use that ‘means’, they might be able to break the barrier.

‘Ugh. Damn it. I’m so uncomfortable. Ptoo, ptoo.’

At that moment, a man appeared from inside the barrier.

He was a man with a wild appearance, with messy, overgrown hair.

‘Sabin is really consistent. He’s consistently annoying.’

Following the man, a petite woman appeared.

‘I agree. If you’re going to deploy a barrier, at least give us a heads up. Tsk.’

‘I’m satisfied. He didn’t act up this time, right?’

Behind the woman, a petite man and a bald, sturdy man appeared in succession.

‘What do you mean he didn’t act up? He just threatened us with magic to get out if we didn’t want to die. That’s acting up.’

The man with messy hair gritted his teeth.

‘He’s going to monopolize all the good stuff inside. How annoying.’

The woman covered her mouth and frowned.

‘Tsk. Hearing it like that makes me even more annoyed. He’s making us deal with this trash.’

‘Why are you getting annoyed over something like that? It’s good if we use less power, right?’

The petite man and the bald man each chimed in.

It was then.

Clang!

The space where the bald man was standing shattered like glass.

Whoosh!

Then, tree roots flew to where the petite man was standing.

Swoosh-!

Finally, a sword strike flew to where the messy-haired man and the woman were standing.

Taking advantage of the enemies’ carelessness, the group made the first move.

‘A surprise attack without even saying hello? That’s too cowardly, isn’t it?’

However, the group’s attack failed.

The timing was good, but the enemies’ skills were better than expected.

All four of them blocked the attack without any difficulty.

‘This magic……’

‘This sword. It’s the same as that woman inside……’

‘Breaking space? This is……’

Except for the messy-haired man, who had fought Sein 1:1 before the barrier was deployed, everyone’s expression changed.

Some frowned, some smiled, and some exclaimed.

‘Why? What’s wrong?’

The messy-haired man asked, looking at the three’s expressions.

As the worst of Veil’s direct subordinates when it came to intelligence, he was the only one who couldn’t grasp the situation.

‘They weren’t small fry?’

‘Looks like it.’

‘……’

The three ignored the messy-haired man and turned their gaze towards the group.

‘Long time no see. Aslan Polohamruin.’

‘……Third [referring to the bald man].’

Aslan frowned, reciting the name of the bald man who had just cast the space collapse magic.

‘It’s been a really long time for us, right? Elena Lo Greenwood.’

‘……Yes. It’s been a really long time, both in actual time and in my perception. Comet [referring to the petite man].’

Elena was making eye contact with the petite man.

She was on high alert, glaring at the man.

‘Aslan? Elena?’

The messy-haired man, Hekil, widened his eyes and looked at the two.

‘Those two? Are they them?’

‘Yes. They’re them.’

The four people in this place are old members of the Four Nations who participated from the beginning of the war.

There’s no way they wouldn’t know each other.

‘Oh ho. So, they’ve revived their past retainers like us.’

Hekil licked his lips.

He looked very pleased.

‘You idiot. Can’t you see their faces? Their faces are different. They’re not revived.’

The petite man scoffed.

‘Huh? Really? If they’re not revived, then what are they?’

‘I don’t know either. Maybe it’s reincarnation or something?’

‘Ah. Reincarnation.’

The four officers simultaneously looked at Aslan and Elena.

‘So that’s why they’ve become so pathetic?’

‘That’s right.’

The four have repeatedly engaged in combat with Aslan and Elena.

There’s no way they wouldn’t know that Elena and Aslan are weaker compared to their time in the Empire.

‘Then it’ll be a bit boring, won’t it?’

‘You idiot. Why would it be boring?’

The petite man smiled and replied to Hekil’s grumbling.

‘We can capture those damn bastards alive and torture them for the rest of our lives.’

He licked his lips, smiling as if he was ecstatic at the thought.

‘Oh. That might not be so bad?’

Hekil also smiled as if he was amused.

All four officers wore relaxed smiles.

‘……’

‘……’

Unlike those officers, the expressions of the five members of the group, including Aslan and Elena, were very serious.

‘……This is dangerous. We’re already at a disadvantage in terms of power, and now the numbers too……’

They are at a disadvantage in terms of individual skills, and now they are also outnumbered.

This is dangerous.

At this rate, they have no chance of winning.

‘Aslan. Let’s retreat for now.’

Elena said calmly.

It’s right to retreat for now.

It’s right to retreat a little and then re-enter the moment Sabin’s corrosion barrier disappears.

‘Well. I also want to retreat more than anything……’

Aslan glared at the four officers and continued.

‘They’re familiar with my space magic. It won’t be easy to retreat.’

The opponents are officers of the Four Nations who are well-versed in Aslan’s space magic.

He doesn’t think they can escape the eyes of those four.

‘I know that too. It’ll be difficult to retreat.’

Elena said with a determined expression.

‘I’ll buy time.’

It’s better to sacrifice one person than for all three to die.

‘Adela. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s alright.’

Adela shook her head with her usual indifferent expression.

She was the only one who could play the role of bait in this situation.

She was going to die here.

She seemed to have already finished organizing her thoughts.

‘Adela, you……’

Ji Sun-chan looked at Adela’s back with trembling eyes.

Adela didn’t turn her head.

‘Go ahead first. I’ll follow slowly.’

She looked at the four black mages, trying to act as relaxed as possible.

‘Alone……!’

Ji Sun-chan tried to say something, but stopped and closed his mouth.

He didn’t know what to say.

He wanted to stop her, but he couldn’t.

He couldn’t trample on Adela’s determination, so he had no choice but to close his mouth.

‘……I’m counting on you.’

Aslan said, looking at the two.

As Elena said, it’s better to sacrifice one person and save two than for all three to die in this place.

It’s a painful thing, but he has to be cool-headed. He can’t be swayed by emotions here.

‘Yes. Leave it to us.’

Elena smiled and met Aslan’s eyes.

‘There’s no separate signal. I’ll leave it to your judgment.’

The timing of the retreat is entirely up to Aslan.

It’s better to leave it to Aslan’s sense than to give a separate signal.

‘……Okay.’

Aslan nodded and took a step back.

Elena and Adela would use magic, and at the same time, he would look for an opportunity to retreat immediately.

Aslan’s nerves became extremely sensitive.

It was then.

‘I know what you guys are thinking.’

‘……!’

‘……!’

Aslan and Elena.

Ji Sun-chan and Adela.

The petite man appeared between the two groups.

‘There’s no way we’d let you escape. Right? Aslan Polohamruin.’

He didn’t even notice when or how he moved.

When he noticed, the man was standing right in front of him.

‘This guy didn’t have this kind of ability……’

None of the four could move at such high speed.

No, they didn’t have it.

‘Just how……’

Aslan had such a question, and extended his right hand.

The question was a question, and now it was a priority to respond to the guy’s attack.

‘Kuhahaha!’

At that moment, a shadow fell behind Aslan. Hekil, who had transformed into a chimera form, was raising his fist high behind Aslan.

‘You’re weak. Really.’

Next to Elena and Adela, the woman was extending her right hand with black mana floating around it.

‘Too easy, isn’t it?’

The bald man was sneering, extending both hands towards Elena and Aslan, as if he was hanging upside down in the air.

All four of them had jumped through space in the blink of an eye and moved right in front of them.

‘This is dangerous.’

He had no idea how they did it.

No, whether he had an idea or not wasn’t the problem.

The problem was that they were already surrounded.

There was no way to block all four attacks in this state.

It was checkmate.

‘Goodbye!’

Triggered by the petite man’s words, the four simultaneously cast magic.

No.

‘I will not allow it.’

They were about to cast it.

Step. Step.

If a woman hadn’t appeared between those four, they would have done so.

‘You cannot use black magic without my permission.’

The Black Magic King.

‘No one can.’

A black king in the form of Sophia Anecheffri appeared.