The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 257

The Rebirth of the Mythical Archmage-258

Just as Ignis was about to completely incinerate Carius,

an unexpected variable occurred.

‘Dangerous.’

The characteristics of Carius that I know are powerful corrosiveness, strong contagiousness, and vitality.

Among these, the strongest power is not contagiousness or corrosiveness, but vitality.

It’s a power born from the combination of contagiousness, which contaminates the surroundings, and corrosiveness, which instantly annihilates, ‘infecting’ the target and ‘corroding’ only the soul, thus taking over the target’s body.

In that way, it ‘steals’ the target’s life and gains new life.

That’s the secret to Carius’s powerful survival ability.

The book I read called this ability ‘plunder survival.’

‘There aren’t any holy relics nearby. I thought plunder survival wouldn’t activate.’

The Doctor wasn’t utilizing Carius’s power at 100%.

Unlike Shadow, the Doctor didn’t absorb any holy relics.

He had only borrowed and used some of Carius’s power through research.

In terms of output, it was probably only about 20%.

The fact that the rampage ended at this level is proof of that.

If the real Carius had rampaged, there would have been no way for me to stop it, no matter what I did.

No, in the first place, there wouldn’t have been any need to cause a rampage.

If the Doctor could control Carius’s power at 100%, even Saint would have been helpless.

Contagion and annihilation.

And infinite vitality through plunder.

How could anyone stop a being who freely wields such power?

Anyway, the conclusion is that the Doctor only ‘borrowed’ and used Carius’s power.

In other words, there are no holy relics of Carius around here.

The Carius energy rampaging around is not the original, but a weakened energy.

That was the conclusion I reached.

That’s why I devised this plan to block the attack with Ignis.

However.

‘To think that it could use plunder survival even in a weakened state…’

I hadn’t anticipated it.

No, I did anticipate it, but I concluded that the probability was less than 1%, and I completely excluded it from the possibilities, which is a more accurate way to put it.

‘This is really dangerous.’

The mana of Carius is still slowly approaching me.

I increased Ignis’s firepower to the limit to block its approach, but it didn’t yield any significant results.

I succeeded in slowing down Carius’s invasion speed a little, but completely blocking it was impossible.

Completely breaking Carius’s survival instinct is beyond my current capabilities.

Is this how it feels to face an immortal being who resurrects no matter how many times you kill them?

‘I need to come up with a countermeasure.’

There isn’t much time left.

If I stay like this, I’ll be completely infected by Carius, my soul will be corroded, and I’ll end up as an empty shell, becoming its energy source, and my life will end.

I have to find a way somehow before that happens.

‘There must be an answer in Carius’s lore. Think. Think.’

While maintaining Ignis’s output to the maximum, I accelerated my thoughts.

The book that recorded Carius’s lore that I read in Mimir’s Library.

How was Carius depicted in that book?

What kind of person was Carius, what gods did he fight, and what was his end?

‘Carius didn’t lose because he was defeated by someone in the end, but he chose death himself.’

The story of his end, which would normally be the most helpful, is not particularly helpful.

His cause of death was suicide, not murder.

Carius, who had fallen in love with a woman, was deeply moved by her pure love, realized how great a sin plunder was, and after living a life of atonement, committed suicide with the death of his beloved woman.

That’s the end of the evil god Carius.

He had never had his life threatened by anyone in his life.

‘No. In the lore, no one has ever stopped Carius’s plunder survival.’

In the lore, Carius was virtually invincible.

All those who fought him could not withstand his plunder survival and turned into his energy source.

The word ‘defeat’ does not exist in his lore.

‘……There are no hints in the lore.’

His lore only describes how much of a fraudulent evil god he was with his abilities.

There isn’t even a hint of a crisis in his lore.

‘Then what should I do?’

I can’t think of any way to stop plunder survival.

The mana of Carius is getting closer and closer.

It felt like the god of death was slowly approaching me.

‘What should I do…’

Just as I was biting my lip,

Krrng!

Miho, who was on my shoulder and focused only on backing me up, cried out loudly.

I thought she was urging me to come to my senses, but it didn’t seem like she was shouting with that intention.

“……Miho?”

Miho’s eyes seemed to say, ‘Trust me.’

It seems like she has a way.

Flash-!

At that moment, Miho’s body shone brightly.

No, it’s not her body that’s shining.

It’s her soul.

Miho’s soul was emitting pure white light in all directions.

‘I don’t know why, but… I think I know what Miho is trying to do.’

Is it because I’m connected to Miho through ‘Factio’ [a magical bond]?

For some reason, I felt like I knew what Miho was trying to do.

“Soul binding?”

Right now, Miho is trying to connect her soul with someone.

She’s planning to use her spirit body as a core to summon a supporter, even if only in spirit, to overcome this situation.

‘But who…?’

But I don’t know who she’s trying to summon.

I couldn’t know that far.

All I could know was the emotions Miho was feeling right now.

‘Longing and yearning.’

Miho’s soul is weeping sadly.

While weeping sadly, she’s rejoicing.

As if she had been waiting for this moment.

As if she had been waiting for this day, continuously, endlessly.

She’s crying and laughing while wailing like that.

……

Miho made eye contact with me.

Miho’s eyes are telling me.

To match the wavelength of her soul.

I nodded as if I was possessed.

And then, I let my soul flow along with the soul wave that Miho was emitting.

It wasn’t particularly difficult.

Is it because it’s Miho that I’m matching with? Or is it because I had experienced it once before in the spiritual world?

I was able to synchronize my soul as naturally as breathing.

‘Thank you.’

A voice was heard.

A neutral voice that I couldn’t tell if it was male or female.

It was a voice I was hearing for the first time, but for some reason, it felt familiar.

‘This voice is…’

There was no basis, but I was sure.

This voice is Miho’s voice.

‘I’ve called someone to help. When you wake up, everything will be resolved.’

So, this is what Miho’s voice was like.

There was no time to realize that.

As soon as Miho finished speaking, my mind began to fade.

‘My head… hurts.’

A blurry vision.

Amidst the dazed mind, someone’s voice was clearly heard.

“I wanted to have a conversation, but it doesn’t seem like the situation allows it.”

A voice that was somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar.

‘Who is it?’

The voice felt familiar, but the tone and manner of speaking were too awkward.

“Well. It’s not disappointing. There are still opportunities left.”

Ah.

I think I know.

Whose voice this is.

And whose tone and manner of speaking this is.

“However, I’m worried. I wonder if this child can fully withstand the aftermath of my power.”

This voice is not anyone else’s but my own.

“Yes. You’ve already prepared for it. Excellent.”

And this tone and manner of speaking is.

“Then I won’t hesitate.”

My teacher.

Ray Bell Bytenner.

It was his voice.

“It’s been 18,000 years since I last saw you too.”

Thud!

At the same time as my teacher called out Ignis, he slammed the ground with Kailum [a magical staff].

“Come forth, Ignis.”

And at that moment, my mind completely sank into darkness.

* * *

Adela was currently running through the burning passage without rest.

‘Will there be enough oxygen until I get back?’

The flames are not a problem.

For some reason, the flames filling the passage do not cause any harm to Adela.

The key issue now is oxygen.

Will the oxygen content of the ‘wind magic mass’ that I prepared outside last until I escape?

‘If it were just me, I think I could manage somehow… but if I think about sharing it with Hayul… it’s far from enough.’

This amount of wind sphere is not enough to supply the breathing of two people.

It seems like I’ll have to come up with another method when I go back.

‘That shadow mage. Once I safely deal with these flames, he’ll be able to come here too. Let’s contact him and ask for help.’

I heard that long-distance travel through shadows is also possible.

If I can contact him, it’ll work out somehow.

I can somehow contact him through the phone that Shin Hayul has.

‘Ah!’

‘It’s him!’

While Adela was organizing her thoughts, the surrounding mana cried out in surprise.

‘He’s here!’

‘Let’s go quickly!’

‘I wanted to meet him!’

The mana is rejoicing.

‘……Him?’

Adela narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly.

He’s here. I don’t know what that means.

‘Quickly! Hurry!’

‘At this rate, it’ll be too late!’

Adela was startled by the mana’s urging.

At this rate, it’ll be too late.

That means Shin Hayul’s life is in danger.

“Okay.”

Adela increased her speed even more.

If I push myself like this, my breathing will become more rapid, and my oxygen consumption will be faster.

But now is not the time to worry about that.

Adela squeezed out all her strength and began to run through the passage.

‘It’s right ahead!’

‘We’re almost there!’

It was the first time I had run through this passage, but thanks to the guidance of the mana, I was able to easily reach the vicinity of my destination.

I can see something in the distance.

A destroyed door and a completely burned white wall.

It seems like I’ve arrived at the research lab.

‘Arrival!’

‘We’ve arrived!’

As expected, the mana announced the arrival.

Adela slowly reduced her speed and then stepped into the research lab.

I have to be careful from here.

There might be enemies.

‘Slowly. Pay attention.’

Thinking that, she slowly walked forward with full readiness.

And after a while, she arrived at the central hall of the research lab.

And at the same time as she confirmed the figure of a man standing alone in the hall.

‘Waaah!’

‘Waaaaaah!’

The mana cheered.

‘……He’s okay?’

Shin Hayul is standing there unharmed.

Looking at his condition, he didn’t seem to have any problems.

There were no enemies around either.

No matter how I looked at it, he didn’t seem to be in a dangerous state.

“Hayul…”

Just as Adela, whose mind was blank due to the incomprehensible situation, was about to call Shin Hayul’s name,

“So, you’re the child that the Nine-Tailed Fox called.”

Shin Hayul interrupted Adela and opened his mouth.

“I see. That soul’s radiance. Is it the grace of God?”

Shin Hayul slowly turned his head and made eye contact with Adela.

At that moment, Adela’s whole body stiffened.

The golden eyes.

Looking at those eyes, her body naturally froze.

It was like standing naked in front of a tiger.

“No, this feeling… it’s not just the grace of God. Amazing. It’s no wonder the Nine-Tailed Fox follows you.”

It was definitely Shin Hayul, but it was as if it wasn’t Shin Hayul.

It was as if someone had taken over Shin Hayul’s body.

Adela immediately took a battle stance.

“……Who are you?”

I heard that this happened while fighting with someone named the Doctor.

If so, there’s a high probability that Shin Hayul’s body has been taken over by the Doctor.

Adela glared at Shin Hayul with a murderous expression.

“Calm down. I’m not here to harm this child by entering this body.”

The being occupying Shin Hayul’s body smiled kindly.

It was a warm smile reminiscent of a mother.

Kang!

At that time, the Nine-Tailed Fox, who was standing next to Shin Hayul, cried out loudly.

A cry full of hostility.

She was looking at the empty air, sending a murderous gaze.

“Hmm. You’re still not dead. Indeed, a tremendous survival instinct.”

The man also turned his gaze in the direction Miho was looking.

As if there was something there, he narrowed his eyes while staring at a point.

“You’re a talented child.”

He spoke to Adela again while staring at that place.

“After I disappear. I’ll entrust this child to you.”

“What do you mean…”

And right after that.

Thud!

He slammed the staff he was holding in his hand onto the ground.

A unique pattern appeared above the staff.

The Möbius strip symbolizing infinity.

Mana rotated infinitely along the Möbius strip.

“Gather.”

And at the same time as he recited the command.

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-!

The flames began to gather towards him.

Just as it’s natural for water to flow from top to bottom.

Very naturally, all the flames gathered around him.

‘……No way.’

It’s not just the flames filling this research lab.

Even the flames that were spewing out through the passage are all gathering here.

‘How can he do that…’

That man is now gathering all the flames that fill a distance of several tens of kilometers.

It was something that Adela couldn’t understand with her common sense.

Sizzle!

The gathered flames concentrated in the man’s grasp.

The flames that filled tens of kilometers were condensed into a sphere of only about 1 cm.

The man slowly grasped the condensed sphere in his hand.

And with his hand outstretched, he proclaimed.

“Ignis.”

The flame in his hand surged explosively.

It was as if something that had been asleep was awakening.

Was it an illusion?

The flame somehow felt like a living creature.

And.

‘That back view…’

For some reason.

I don’t know why, but someone comes to mind.

“Burn that.”

The beginning of magic.

The first Archmage.

‘Ray Bell Bytenner…?’

His figure overlapped with Shin Hayul’s back.

“Don’t leave even a single speck of mana.”

Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-!!

The flames began to burn something.