The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 375

“You. You’re Ray’s successor.”

While hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity.

‘……What?’

An unexpected remark was heard.

‘Could it be that he knows I’m here?’

The sudden appearance of an unexpected keyword sent a chill down my spine.

‘No. I don’t think that’s it.’

However, that tremor was short-lived.

Soon, I realized it was my mistake.

‘He’s not even looking at me.’

If he had noticed my presence, he should be looking at me while speaking.

But right now, he’s only looking at Sein.

With eyes full of vigilance, he’s staring intently only at Sein.

‘Could it be that he thinks Sein is a successor of the Vaitener lineage?’

The look in his eyes was as if he was looking at an enemy he would tear apart and devour.

It’s certain.

Right now, he thinks Sein is a successor of the Vaitener lineage.

‘……Why?’

It was something I couldn’t understand at all.

‘Veil Stole, the originator of black magic, can’t even distinguish between a regular mage and a successor of the Vaitener lineage?’

Veil Stole is an ancient monster that even my master couldn’t defeat.

Such a monstrous being can’t distinguish a successor of the Vaitener lineage?

Even if he’s in a weakened state, it doesn’t make sense.

‘Right now, Sein is mixed with the soul of the Black Magic King, so there’s no way he could be mistaken.’

It’s something that can be seen just by his words and actions.

Veil Stole knows about the black magic curse that has taken root in Sein’s body.

‘There’s no way a successor of the Vaitener lineage would be under a black magic curse. But why……’

Nothing adds up.

To see someone with the aura of black magic and mistake them for a successor of the Vaitener lineage.

I couldn’t understand that man’s thoughts.

‘Is he a fake?’

I had encountered Veil Stole in the previous test page [a previous trial or challenge].

The face of Veil Stole I saw then was completely different from the man in front of me now.

Veil Stole didn’t have such a rough impression; he had a more noble, refined look.

I should say he had a noble feeling.

Yes. He had a somewhat similar impression to my master.

“Successor. Veil Stole can freely change his appearance. You shouldn’t judge by his looks.”

At that moment, Mimir spoke.

She read my thoughts and offered a contrasting opinion.

“What we should be looking at now isn’t his appearance or his incomprehensible words, but his inner self and the current situation.”

Mimir glared at the man with sharp eyes.

“That guy sensed the curse engraved on the Black Magic King’s soul. He sensed it and even thought of using it. Only Veil Stole can do that.”

That’s right.

From the moment he sensed the curse engraved on the Black Magic King’s soul and thought of using it, that man could only be Veil Stole.

‘Then why does he think Sein is a successor of the Vaitener lineage?’

My thoughts circled back to the initial question.

Why is Veil Stole unable to distinguish a successor of the Vaitener lineage?

‘What did he see in Sein that made him think he was a successor of the Vaitener lineage?’

The question gave rise to new questions, growing larger and larger.

“Can I take that silence as a sign of agreement?”

At that moment, Veil Stole, who had been silent for a while, spoke again.

“……”

Sein lowered the sword he had raised.

‘Wasn’t he trying to escape?’

I know Sein’s sword better than anyone, next to Sein himself.

Just by looking at the mana fluctuating in Sein’s sword, I can tell what Sein is thinking.

Just now, Sein was trying to leave this place by cutting through the air and jumping through space.

There’s no chance of winning if we fight as we are now. He must have judged that and chosen to flee.

‘But why all of a sudden……?’

But now, that sign has completely disappeared from Sein’s sword.

What I feel now is only the determination to accomplish something.

‘What are you trying to do?’

With that question in mind, I looked at Sein’s back.

“As expected of my nemesis. You tried to hide it, but it was useless.”

My question was immediately resolved.

“Yes. I am a successor of the Vaitener lineage.”

That word. That expression. That action.

‘……Information gathering!’

Sein is trying to extract information from him right now.

What is the true meaning behind his incomprehensible words?

To figure that out, he has decided to take the risk.

“How did you notice? My current Vaitener lineage is very different from the previous one.”

My eyes widened.

I’m flustered.

‘From the beginning, he took such a dangerous gamble……?’

The only information we have right now is that he mistakes Sein for a successor of the Vaitener lineage.

That’s it.

There is no other definite information.

‘To make such a statement in this situation……’

That’s not something to be dismissed as just being bold.

It’s all or nothing.

It’s literally a gamble.

If Veil Stole says, ‘What are you talking about?’ here, it’s over.

At that moment, we won’t get any information.

“There’s no way I wouldn’t notice.”

‘The gamble worked.’

However, contrary to my worries, Sein’s gamble worked perfectly.

“Even if countless years have passed and the Vaitener lineage has changed so much that it doesn’t even retain its original form, it cannot escape my eyes.”

Veil Stole said with a triumphant expression.

“The foundation of the Vaitener lineage. As long as the sin you committed does not disappear.”

……Sin?

‘Mimir. That word……’

‘Yeah. It seems to have the same meaning as what the Red Dragon said.’

The words the Red Dragon said as it disappeared before.

The 15% of heterogeneous elements mixed in the Vaitener lineage.

The dragon called that 15% a sin.

Those words came out of Veil Stole’s mouth again.

‘The sin of the Vaitener lineage…… What is my master’s sin?’

Sin.

I pondered that word, focusing all my attention on the conversation between the two.

“No matter what you do, you can’t escape my eyes? Hmm. It seems like you didn’t notice it at first, though.”

A great answer.

The fact that it’s vaguely ambiguous is very good.

“I admit it. I certainly didn’t notice it at first.”

Veil Stole’s eyes lit up.

His eyes were filled with the emotion of joy.

“That’s because it has changed too much.”

It was like the smile of a fallen angel.

The ugly smile of a fallen angel rejoicing in the fall of another angel.

“I never expected it. I never thought the Vaitener lineage would choose to absorb black magic and evolve.”

Sein’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

He was so flustered that he couldn’t hide his fluster for a moment.

“I wonder what kind of expression Ray would make if he saw this scene. I’d like to see it. He’d show a pretty good expression.”

Veil Stole laughed out loud.

“Are you watching, Ray? Ray Bell Vaitener.”

He looked up at the sky and laughed wildly.

“It was destined to end up like this. From the beginning, you and I were originally one being. The magic you and I created was also destined to become one.”

Another new word popped out.

‘My master and Veil Stole…… were originally one? What is that……’

What is this all about?

The questions are not being resolved, but keep growing.

My head hurts.

It feels like someone is stabbing my brain with an awl.

“It’s quite exhilarating.”

Veil Stole chuckled.

“I never thought I’d get my hands on victory so easily.”

He looks at Sein with a smile.

“Isn’t it too early to declare victory?”

“Early? There’s no way.”

Veil Stole smiled.

“The match is already decided. You can’t be my opponent.”

As if looking at a clown.

As if looking at a pitiful stray dog.

He stares at Sein with such an expression.

“You made the wrong choice. You shouldn’t have used black magic as a stepping stone for evolution.”

He has a smile on his face, as if he’s having the most fun in the world.

“Your Vaitener lineage has already been completely devoured by my black magic. The remaining intact form of the Vaitener lineage is 30%. No, is it only about 20%? At that point, it’s safe to say that only the mythic magic remains, and the original form has disappeared.”

At that moment, something flashed through my mind.

‘Only mythic magic remains…… and disappears?’

A feeling like drifting in a dense fog, wandering in the vast ocean, and seeing the light from a lighthouse far away.

‘The Vaitener lineage devoured by black magic…… Only mythic magic barely remains in form……?’

Everything that had been just a question until now seemed to be slowly falling into place.

‘Could it be. Is it because of the new black magic that the Black Magic King used…?’

The Black Magic King evolved the existing black magic in his own way.

Mythic magic, the exclusive property of the Vaitener lineage, which is forged using the legacy of myth as a medium.

He analyzed that magic and forged it into black magic.

The result was the ‘darkness’ used in the decisive battle two and a half years ago.

‘That’s right. Veil Stole is now mistaking the new black magic used by the Black Magic King for the Vaitener lineage.’

If this hypothesis is correct, everything is explained.

Why he mistook Sein for a successor of the Vaitener lineage.

Why Veil Stole asked if he was a successor of the Vaitener lineage even after sensing the black magic curse.

Even the words that the Vaitener lineage was devoured by black magic.

‘Moreover, the soul of the Black Magic King is now somewhat mixed with the souls of Sein and Sophia. It’s understandable that he would be mistaken.’

If Veil Stole had faced the Black Magic King, he wouldn’t have made this mistake.

He would have immediately noticed that the Black Magic King had newly evolved black magic.

Veil Stole isn’t stupid enough to not be able to distinguish a black mage.

But now, the Black Magic King is residing in Sophia’s body.

The body is just that of an ordinary mage.

That discrepancy must have caused the current misunderstanding.

“This is my last mercy. Surrender.”

Veil Stole crossed his arms and smiled arrogantly.

“You must be feeling it too. You can’t harm me. It seems that you can refuse my orders because my power hasn’t fully recovered yet. But it’s only a matter of time. There is no chance of victory for you.”

Veil Stole is completely confident of victory.

‘Successor. This……’

‘……Yeah.’

I made eye contact with Mimir.

Mimir seems to be thinking the same thing as me.

‘It’s an opportunity.’

Right now, Veil Stole is completely off the mark.

In terms of war, it’s like mistaking an enemy country.

He doesn’t know who the real enemy is, and he’s convinced of victory, assuming that a random country is the enemy.

‘He’s completely off guard right now.’

An enemy who is off guard is the easiest to deal with.

This is a golden opportunity.

‘Now, all Sein needs to do is react appropriately and leave the place.’

Surely, Sein will read this situation and show an appropriate response.

With that belief, I waited for Sein’s next words.

“Not yet. I have no intention of giving up.”

Sein smiled and replied.

‘As expected!’

Sein moved as I expected.

“It’s true that I can’t oppose you right now. But I can’t say for sure that it will be the same in the future. It’s too early to give up.”

Sein raised his sword as it was.

“I will fight you to the end.”

And he swung his sword as it was.

Crack-!

The space was cut open by Sein’s sword.

Sein stepped into the crack in space as it was.

“See you again, Veil Stole. My arch-nemesis.”

With those words, Sein completely disappeared.

‘Mimir.’

‘I’ve already prepared it! Umbra!’

At that timing, Mimir and I also left the place as it was.