The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 379

The Mythical Archmage’s Rebirth-380

Immediately after.

The three of us packed our bags quickly and began moving to the place where we would train for two months.

“…Greenland, of all places.”

We took a military jet and, after about four hours, arrived at our destination, Greenland.

“I never thought I’d come here in my lifetime.”

Greenland.

A land of death swarming with monsters.

Two and a half years ago, it was still at a level where at least a search was possible.

In the two and a half years since, due to the abnormal climate that has covered the entire world, the number of monsters has increased rapidly, and now it has become a truly dangerous place where people cannot even set foot.

“Don’t get distracted. If you get separated from me, you could die.”

How dangerous is it? Even if the three of us joined forces, it would be difficult to survive even a single day.

In terms of quality, we would never be pushed back, but there are just too many of them, so there’s no way to hold out.

“Do you think I’m an idiot? Get separated from you here… Ugh! Crazy. A Reaper Tarantula?”

Soonchan grabbed my shoulder even harder.

He was horrified to see the giant spider-type monster building a nest with spiderwebs in front of us.

“Are there only S-rank monsters on this crazy continent? Ugh. I hate it, I hate it.”

“…Is it really something to be that horrified about?”

Adela looked at Soonchan and tilted her head.

We’ve fought dragons, so is a monster like that a big deal?

That was the look on her face.

“Of course, it’s something to be horrified about. It means there are monsters like that swarming around us. If something happens and our stealth is broken… Ugh. I don’t even want to imagine it.”

Soonchan trembled with an anxious expression.

“I wouldn’t be worried if you were using Umbra [a powerful stealth technique]. But what you’re using now is just ordinary stealth magic.”

I cannot use Umbra right now.

As a price for using long-distance teleportation, I cannot use Umbra for the next three days.

Currently, we are moving while concealing ourselves with ordinary stealth magic, not Umbra.

“Don’t worry. It’s none other than Seokhyun’s stealth magic. It won’t be easily broken.”

I guess it’s not ordinary stealth magic.

Seokhyun’s secret magic, as a specialist in stealth, is not ordinary magic.

“Adela and I are also casting it together.”

Just in case, we are also receiving Adela’s support.

It’s impossible for any ordinary mutated monster to detect us.

“So just relax and follow me. We don’t have much further to go.”

“…Ugh.”

Soonchan groaned.

He understands it in his head. But when he sees the monsters swarming around, he instinctively shrinks back.

That was the look on his face.

“I’ll try my best to calm down. I don’t know if I can…”

Soonchan repeated deep breaths.

I could see his efforts to somehow calm his trembling heart.

“Hoo. Okay. I’ve calmed down to some extent…”

Just when Soonchan had repeated his deep breaths about five times.

Kieeeeeeeek-!

Suddenly, a monster popped out in front of us.

A spider-type monster with a similar appearance to the Reaper Tarantula we had passed earlier.

It was a monster I had never seen before, with hundreds of eyes all over its body.

It was blocking our path and staring intently at us.

“…Is it a mutation?”

If it’s a type I don’t know, it means it’s a species that has never been discovered before. In other words, it’s a mutation.

“Yes. It seems to be a mutation derived from the Reaper Tarantula. Judging by its form, it seems to have exceptionally developed vision.”

“A vision-specialized mutation…”

I concentrated mana in my right hand and formed it into a sphere.

Then, I slowly moved it to the right.

The mutated tarantula’s eyes followed the sphere.

“It seems to be sensitive to the movement of mana, so I guess that’s right.”

“A sense-specialized mutation… It’s going to be tricky.”

Among mutations, these sense-specialized mutations are very tricky.

Their already good senses are even more refined. Our attacks won’t work properly.

“You said we were safe! You said we wouldn’t be easily detected, so we could relax!”

Soonchan shouted at me with a blaming expression.

“…I clearly said? That we would be fine unless it was an ‘uncommon’ mutation.”

And that one is an individual that belongs to an uncommon mutation.

“It’s impossible to detour, given our location, right?”

“Usually, spider-type creatures establish territories. So, there’s a high chance that the place we’re heading to is also within its territory. We have no choice but to take it down.”

Besides, leaving a monster alive that can detect us is dangerous in many ways.

It would be better to take it down right here to eliminate any future threats.

“Even if we take it down, how are we going to do it? If we start fighting that thing here, all sorts of monsters will rush towards us. Can we handle that?”

The mutated tarantula is a problem, but the bigger problem is what happens after the fight.

Seokhyun’s stealth magic has the disadvantage of requiring a considerable amount of preparation time to activate.

It’s impossible to use it when the opponent is aware of you.

It’s difficult to use stealth when there are monsters around.

In short, if a fight breaks out now, we’ll have to fight not only the mutated tarantula but also all the monsters located nearby.

“Well, what can we do? We’ll have to deal with them all.”

Of course, that’s what will happen if the fight drags on.

We need to take down this one as quickly as possible, eliminate the individuals that are aware of us, and then quickly cast stealth magic before other monsters arrive.

“Hey, even so, that seems too reckless…”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Ignoring Soonchan’s complaints, I released the stealth magic.

“Ugh!”

The moment, a surge of killing intent.

All the monsters around us recognized us and focused their killing intent on us at once.

Soonchan, who received that killing intent with his bare body, trembled.

“Hey! At least give me a warning…!”

“Mimir. I’m counting on you.”

Once again, Soonchan’s complaints were ignored.

“Huh? Why did you call me?”

Mimir appeared.

“Ah. It’s a battle.”

“Please support me.”

“Okay. Leave it to me.”

Mimir quickly came out and synchronized her senses with mine.

With this, the preparations are complete.

“Elena.”

“Yes, yes. I know.”

Adela also finished her preparations in an instant.

“…Agh. Seriously…”

“If you have time to complain, focus.”

Soonchan also grumbled and finished his battle preparations.

“Let’s finish this within five minutes. If the battle drags on longer than that, there’s a high chance that monsters will swarm and it will become dangerous.”

The longer the battle drags on, the more monsters from a wider area will swarm.

It’s best to end the battle as quickly as possible.

We must finish it within 10 minutes at the latest.

“That’s easier said than done. How are we going to deal with all these guys in five minutes?”

“Stop complaining. Okay. Here they come. Defense duty. I’m counting on you.”

“Ah, seriously…!”

Soonchan stretched out both hands.

Kaaaaaaang-!

A total of 43 octagonal gates appeared around me and Adela.

* * *

After that, we succeeded in eliminating the surrounding monsters after about seven minutes of fierce fighting.

“…Ah. I’m so tired I could die.”

It was quite close.

“This crazy continent… How can two mutations pop out at the same time?”

While fighting the mutated tarantula, another mutated monster popped out, making it quite a difficult ordeal.

“Stop exaggerating. You fought well.”

“…Does this look like exaggerating to you? Can’t you see I’m almost exhausted right now?”

If it weren’t for Soonchan, the battle time would have exceeded 10 minutes, and we would have been in a very difficult situation.

“You were almost exhausted, but you’re not actually exhausted. So, you’re fine.”

“…Wow. Is that what you say to a comrade who gave their all to block the enemies?”

“Did you block them? Aslan did it all. If you had blocked them all, I wouldn’t have said that.”

No, it would be more accurate to say that if it weren’t for Aslan, not Soonchan, we would have been in a difficult situation.

I applaud Aslan’s excellent judgment in quickly assessing the situation and immediately choosing to unleash his full power.

“…When you put it that way, I have nothing to say…”

Soonchan is currently on the verge of exhaustion, but Aslan is asleep due to overload.

It’s clear who exerted more power.

“…Tsk.”

Soonchan clicked his tongue.

He has a somewhat sulky expression.

“Soonchan, your magic has improved a lot?”

At that moment, Elena spoke to Soonchan.

“…Improved?”

Soonchan asked back with an expression that seemed to say, ‘What do you mean?’

“Your magic. The number of octagonal gates you can activate simultaneously has increased. The speed has also increased. Oh, and it seems you can now handle space magic without Aslan’s possession. Am I right?”

“Yes. A little…”

“I knew it! Amazing. It hasn’t been long since training started, and you’re already there… As expected, geniuses are different.”

Soonchan’s eyes widened.

“M-Me? A genius?”

“Yes.”

“…Isn’t that too much of a compliment…?”

“A compliment? It’s the truth.”

“I-Is that so?”

Soonchan’s expression melted away. He’s grinning, which is quite comical.

“Yes. I’m serious. I couldn’t help but be amazed the whole time. How refined your magic is…”

Praise poured out of Elena’s mouth.

Soonchan’s expression melts away every moment. He tries to hide his joy, but he can’t quite manage to do so.

“…Wow.”

Looking at the two of them, Mimir let out a small exclamation.

“It’s like watching the time during the Empire when Elena and Aslan were instructors at the same time.”

“…There was such a time?”

“Yeah. For about a year.”

Mimir said with a nostalgic expression.

“Aslan was the whip, and Elena was the carrot. The trainees couldn’t handle the two of them working together. You know what? The trainees who graduated during that time were the most outstanding of all the classes?”

Aslan whipping and Elena comforting… It seems like it would be effective.

“So, try a little harder. If you have any difficulties, I’ll help you.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”

It’s something you can see just by looking at Soonchan.

The guy who was grumbling with a dying expression has now become as sharp and alert as a newly enlisted recruit.

His will is 100% charged.

That’s what his expression seems to say.

“It’s definitely effective.”

“Right?”

Mimir chuckled.

‘For two months, I can leave Soonchan’s care to Elena.’

I was a bit worried about Soonchan’s mental state. But it seems I don’t have to worry about that.

I have faith that Elena will somehow take care of it.

“Then, are you all rested now?”

I asked, looking at Soonchan and Adela, who was standing blankly next to him.

“I’m all rested~”

“Yes.”

Soonchan answered energetically, and Adela answered calmly as usual.

“Okay. Let’s go then.”

We started walking again.

“But, how much further do we have to go? Shouldn’t we be arriving soon?”

“We’re really almost there.”

We’re really almost there.

“I can see it over there.”

In the distance, the place we had set as our destination is visible.

“Where?”

“There.”

“…?”

Soonchan tilted his head.

“What’s there? I can’t see anything.”

All we can see right now is a barren field.

There’s nothing special to be found.

“You can’t see it now.”

“…What do you mean?”

“It’s hidden.”

I turned my back on Soonchan, who was looking at me with a strange expression, and approached the destination.

Then, I knelt down on one knee and placed my hand on the ground.

“Mimir. I need your support.”

“Okay.”

Mimir closed her eyes and sharpened her senses.

I could feel my senses becoming sharper with Mimir’s support.

“Hoo…”

Taking a deep breath, I maximized the output of the Infinity Circle [a powerful magic source].

The mana began to surge.

I concentrated that mana in my right hand and poured it into the ground.

“As a formal successor of the Vaitener lineage. I request entry.”

The mana from my hand and the words from my mouth became one and flowed into the ground.

And the mana and words soon converged into a single phenomenon.

“The Hallamanium Site.”

The last arrangement left by my master.

The Hallamanium Site.

The entrance to that place slowly began to open.