The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 135

The Rebirth of the Mythical Archmage-136

Immediately after finishing my thoughts,

I headed straight for the passage of light.

‘Here, the path bends again to the right…’

Since I had already explored this passage once, there was no difficulty in proceeding.

The monsters were already dealt with, and I knew the locations of the traps.

This passage was no longer dangerous.

Whoosh!

“Hup!”

The moment I thought that, a volley of arrows flew from the side of the passage.

I was startled and used a barrier while simultaneously ducking.

It was such a sudden trap that I couldn’t react perfectly.

A slightly deflected arrow, having barely missed the barrier, grazed my forearm.

Fortunately, the wound wasn’t too serious.

‘……That was close.’

I let out a sigh of relief and quickly treated the wound, taking out disinfectant, bandages, and ointment from the first-aid kit I had brought.

Normally, I would have left such minor scratches alone, but in a labyrinth like this, it was important to treat them properly.

Especially in a labyrinth with such extreme difficulty.

After disinfecting, I applied ointment and began wrapping the bandage.

‘More importantly, that trap didn’t activate before.’

While wrapping the bandage, I glared in the direction the arrows had come from.

It was a trap that hadn’t activated when I passed through here before.

Was there another trigger, and did I accidentally step on it this time?

‘No, that can’t be. I’m walking the exact same path as before, without a single difference.’

I was even following the footprints I had left before.

My movements now were almost 99% identical to my movements before.

Yet, a new trap had activated.

That meant.

‘……Is this a second trap, set up to deal with the second person entering after learning about the passage’s traps?’

Should I call it a hidden trap to repel intruders who are off guard?

‘I really can’t let my guard down.’

I thought I was being vigilant enough, but it seems I was still lacking.

I raised my guard to an extreme level once again.

‘……Haa. This is like starting over from the beginning.’

This wasn’t the time to waste my energy like this.

With that thought, I slowly proceeded through the passage.

Being very careful, watching out for any hidden traps.

‘Here, another 12-degree bend to the right…’

I hastened my steps while identifying the positions of the terrain.

* * *

About 20 minutes passed like that.

After obtaining the information I wanted from the passage of light and returning to the cathedral, I was grinding my teeth.

“This damn labyrinth…”

The person who created this labyrinth was no ordinary psycho.

A sadist or a psychopath who had a knack for tormenting people.

‘Or maybe both.’

The hidden traps didn’t appear again after that arrow trap. It was very malicious.

‘This labyrinth really knows how to get into people’s heads…’

If there were no additional hidden traps, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

Yes, it was a good thing.

In fact, nothing dangerous happened to my body.

But it wasn’t just my body that was affected.

That hidden trap was designed to eat away at my mind, not my body.

‘Suspicion and paranoia. Because of that trap, I had to proceed with extreme caution, as if it were my first time, even though it was my second time through.’

If there’s one, there are two or three.

The existence of one hidden trap was enough to wear down my nerves.

‘……Haa. I’m going to have a hard time going through the passage of darkness too.’

An invisible threat.

It was a name I came up with, but it was a device that perfectly fit the name ‘hidden trap.’

I got up from my spot again and moved towards the passage of darkness.

‘Haa. Let’s be careful.’

I proceeded slowly, very slowly, being cautious of the hidden traps that were likely set up in the passage of darkness as well.

‘Here, a 7-degree bend to the left. About 132.45 meters have been covered…’

Just like with the passage of light, I checked the terrain.

Following the footprints I had left before, I walked towards the deepest part of the darkness, towards the dark wyvern, Darkness.

* * *

Deep within the Labyrinth of Desire.

Asran Polohamruin, the master of this labyrinth, was observing Shin Hayul with an intrigued gaze.

‘His skills aren’t bad, judging by how he avoids the traps and explores the labyrinth.’

Shin Hayul was at the entrance of the labyrinth.

Even though it was tens of kilometers away from the deepest part where Asran was, it looked as if it was right in front of his eyes.

Asran had the power to see anything that happened in this labyrinth.

‘His magical abilities aren’t bad either, judging by how he deals with the monsters that are placed.’

About 3 hours.

The conclusion Asran reached after observing Shin Hayul was, ‘Not bad.’

‘It was also quite decent how he defeated the dream-eating wraith in the abandoned cathedral.’

He was somewhat lacking as the Lord’s successor, but he could barely pass the mark.

‘Not bad.’

Mimir or Elena.

Anyone else who knew Asran would be shocked to hear that.

That Asran was acknowledging someone other than Ray.

Was I dreaming?

Or was the sun going to rise in the west tomorrow?

They would definitely say that with wide eyes.

That’s how rare it was for Asran to acknowledge someone.

‘That’s why I don’t understand it even more.’

Asran’s eyes shone sharply.

‘How can someone with that level of skill not see through such a simple trick?’

The four passages that started from the abandoned cathedral. Exploring them wasn’t that difficult.

With a certain amount of knowledge and caution, it was structured in a way that could be easily passed.

‘Judging by how he explored the passages, he’s not lacking in knowledge, and judging by how he didn’t get caught in the second trap, he’s cautious enough.’

It was strange that the successor didn’t notice that.

‘Why doesn’t someone like that know about the uniqueness of the Nine-Tailed Fox?’

The Nine-Tailed Fox is classified as a ‘divine beast,’ not a ‘monster.’

As such, it doesn’t blindly antagonize humans.

If you prepare a suitable offering and ask for a conversation, the Nine-Tailed Fox will respond.

In other words, if you knew about the Nine-Tailed Fox, passing through that passage wouldn’t be that difficult.

But the successor seemed to know nothing about the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Judging by the expression he made when he met the Nine-Tailed Fox earlier, it was clear that he didn’t even know that the Nine-Tailed Fox was a ‘divine beast.’

Why was that?

Asran narrowed his eyes and pondered.

And soon, he succeeded in forming a hypothesis.

‘Perhaps, in the successor’s era, there are no divine beasts left?’

He didn’t know how much time had passed since the Vaitener Empire, but it was clear that an immeasurable amount of time had passed.

If that much time had passed, it wouldn’t be strange if all the divine beasts had disappeared.

And if the divine beasts disappeared, the traditions and information about them would have disappeared into the depths of history.

‘If that’s the case, the successor cannot explore that passage.’

Without knowledge of the Nine-Tailed Fox, it was impossible to explore.

Therefore, the successor could not explore the labyrinth beyond that point.

‘……This is troublesome.’

Asran Polohamruin was given the task by Ray to ‘evaluate’ the future successor.

This Labyrinth of Desire was a place that existed for that ‘evaluation.’

Successfully exploring this labyrinth was the indicator of passing.

But.

‘Ignorance due to the difference in knowledge between the past and the future is not subject to evaluation.’

This could not be a fair evaluation.

Not knowing knowledge that could not be learned was not ignorance, but natural.

Just watching like this was something that a supervisor, who was burdened with the task of evaluation, should not do.

‘……It’s not my intention, but I have to step in.’

Asran clicked his tongue and got up from his seat.

First, he had to get the successor out of the four passages, and then he could evaluate him again.

‘After passing through that passage, there are no such special tricks. That should be enough for the evaluation.’

What was prepared after that were just the labyrinth itself, such as traps, monsters, and poisons.

That was enough to evaluate the successor.

With that thought, Asran began to move.

‘He’s almost at the end of the passage of darkness, so he’ll return to the abandoned cathedral and head to the passage of nothingness.’

If he went to the passage of nothingness now, he would be there roughly on time.

Asran began to run towards the passage of nothingness.

While quickly crossing the labyrinth.

‘……What?’

Shin Hayul showed an unexpected behavior.

‘……He’s entering Darkness’s resting place?’

Shin Hayul, who had reached the end of the passage of darkness, had entered the great cavern where the dark wyvern, Darkness, was sleeping.

At that moment, Asran’s expression instantly distorted.

‘You foolish fool! Giving up on yourself!’

Even if there was no other way, how could he choose to wake up Darkness?

‘I was wrong. That successor is unqualified.’

Asran stood up with a disgusted expression.

Asran Polohamruin.

He hated those who gave up on thinking and acted on their emotions.

Kugugugugugugugu-!

The sound of the entire labyrinth shaking could be heard.

‘It’s awake.’

The roar of the dark wyvern, Darkness, was shaking the entire labyrinth.

‘Tsk. I have no obligation to save a successor who is not qualified to inherit the Lord’s magic, but…’

I have to stop the dark wyvern, Darkness, from rampaging.

Asran clicked his tongue again as if he didn’t like it, and rotated his mana circle.

‘Confirm coordinates. Link. Connect space.’

A 9th circle archmage [A mage who has reached the highest level of magic].

A genius who could use space-time magic, of which there was only one other person in the empire besides Ray.

‘9th circle space magic. Hyper Loop.’

Asran Polohamruin.

His body turned into light and disappeared.

The place where he reappeared was the deepest part of the passage of darkness, the resting place of the dark wyvern, Darkness.

Kkyaaaaaaak!

The piercing cry of a bird struck Asran’s ears.

The sound was quite annoying.

‘Go back to sleep.’

Asran reached out his hand towards Darkness.

The magic he was going to use was ‘Eternal Rest.’

A 9th circle magic that completely froze the target’s physical activity, forcibly stopping it.

‘Eternal…’

Just as Asran was about to cast the magic.

The successor’s expression caught his eye.

‘……He’s smiling?’

Even though he was receiving Darkness’s murderous gaze, he was still smiling.

As if he was very pleased with the current situation.

As if creating this situation was one of his goals.

He was smiling brightly with a bright expression full of hope and joy.

‘……He didn’t give up?’

Asran, who hated stopping thinking, could tell.

That expression was not one that someone who had given up could make.

‘……He has another purpose.’

It was certain.

That successor had a clear purpose for coming here.

‘Then, I’ll watch for now.’

Asran canceled ‘Eternal Rest.’ At the same time, he erased his presence.

His presence, which was already almost non-existent, had now completely disappeared.

‘Now, what are you going to show me?’

Since ancient times, those who made such an expression were one of two things.

Either a fool who was caught up in arrogance and conceit.

‘Or a once-in-a-lifetime genius.’

Which one was that successor?

Just as Asran’s eyes were shining with anticipation.

Kkyaaaaaaaaaaaaaak-!

A cry was heard from beyond the wall.

A sound that was slightly different from Darkness’s cry, but strangely similar.

‘……Horus?’

It was the cry of the light wyvern, Horus.

The moment that sound was heard, Darkness’s gaze turned.

Darkness was staring intently at the wall where the sound came from.

At that moment.

Kwaaaaaaaang-!

The wall exploded, and a pillar of light erupted.

And.

‘Horus… how is he here?’

The light wyvern, Horus, appeared from beyond the shattered wall.