The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 401

The Rebirth of a Mythical Archmage-402

Sein’s sword sliced through Veil’s magic.

The wavering black mist, cut by Sein’s blade, reformed into its original shape.

A finger.

Veil’s finger, which had transformed into magic, lost its power and fell to the floor.

‘…’

Veil frowned.

The magic, which should have been impossible to block, was blocked.

The unexpected counterattack momentarily confused him.

‘Don’t think that I’ll be bound by your restrictions forever.’

Sein pointed his sword at Veil.

Veil’s eyes narrowed further.

‘Did you cut the restriction?’

‘Yes. I cut it.’

The restriction that had been in Sein’s body had weakened.

It wasn’t completely gone, but it was significantly weaker than before.

The claim that he had cut the restriction was not a bluff.

‘Now that the restriction can’t bind me, you no longer have the upper hand.’

Sein smirked.

It was a mocking smile.

‘…’

Veil met Sein’s mocking gaze and pondered.

‘I didn’t see the Heart Sword [a powerful sword technique] cut the restriction.’

What Veil had seen was not the Heart Sword cutting the restriction.

It was just the scene of mana with an incomprehensible nature seeping into the restriction.

‘Mana that embodies destruction… Did he forge that mana into a special sword and swordsmanship to cut the restriction?’

Then it was somewhat understandable why he hadn’t seen the trajectory of the Heart Sword.

Since it was mana that Veil was seeing for the first time, proper detection was impossible.

If he had created a sword using such mana, it was understandable that he had missed it.

‘…This has become troublesome.’

He didn’t know the exact method, but.

It was certain that Sein had a means to neutralize the restriction.

‘This makes it difficult for me to move as well.’

Sein being able to neutralize the restriction meant that it was no longer possible to use his own body as a shield, as he had done until now.

The terror using the dragon was now impossible.

Since Veil could no longer use himself as a shield, it was meaningless.

Veil clicked his tongue.

It was a situation that was annoying no matter how he thought about it.

‘One thing I’m curious about is why he didn’t use that method earlier.’

If Sein had neutralized the restriction earlier, the situation wouldn’t have escalated this far.

If he had neutralized the restriction during the first engagement, Veil would have been cut down along with his breath.

Then the situation might have ended there.

No, not just this situation, everything might have ended.

If it was the Heart Sword at full power, Veil might not have been able to withstand it and lost his life.

‘Let me ask you one thing.’

Veil stopped thinking for a moment and opened his mouth.

‘Even though you had a means to neutralize the restriction, why didn’t you neutralize it earlier?’

It was a question to probe the opponent. It was a question that would hit the core, so he would show some reaction.

‘Earlier? Ah. Are you talking about when you first volunteered to be a meat shield?’

Sein lowered his sword and chuckled.

‘Hmm. If I had neutralized the restriction back then, things would have been easier.’

Sein stroked his chin with his hand that wasn’t holding the sword.

Veil’s eyes sharpened at Sein’s unexpected answer.

‘What do you mean?’

He thought that Sein had a separate intention for not neutralizing it.

To create a more certain situation.

To lower Veil’s guard.

He thought that he had pretended not to be able to neutralize the restriction for the final blow.

But what was that reaction?

That expression of thinking it was a pity.

It was as if he was saying that he hadn’t even thought of it back then.

‘It’s exactly what I said.’

Sein replied with a nonchalant expression and gesture.

‘If I had grasped the knack a little earlier, things would have been easier. I’m saying it’s a pity that I grasped it too late.’

‘…’

Veil frowned.

Those words. That expression.

‘Are you saying that neutralizing the restriction wasn’t a pre-prepared means, but something you just came up with?’

Sein slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

It was a smile that contained a meaning of affirmation.

‘Nonsense…’

‘Do you think it’s nonsense?’

‘…’

If you think about it normally, it’s nonsense.

It didn’t make sense that he had learned to neutralize the restriction at this critical moment.

If an ordinary person had said those words, he would have scoffed and moved on.

‘But that guy is Sein Vinoche.’

Sein Vinoche.

The epitome of evolution.

A monstrous being that grows in real-time even during a fight.

If it was him, it wouldn’t be strange if he had learned how to neutralize the restriction during the fight.

‘Tsk.’

Veil clicked his tongue again.

He was annoyed at the current situation where he couldn’t dismiss those absurd words as nonsense.

‘Whatever it is, is today the end?’

He was furious at the reality of having to flee without gaining anything.

‘Do you think I’ll let you escape?’

Sein took a stance.

He gripped his sword, ready to rush out at any moment to stop Veil, who was clearly trying to escape.

‘Don’t bluff.’

Veil glared at Sein with narrowed eyes.

‘The restriction hasn’t completely disappeared from within you. You still can’t end my life.’

It was true that the restriction had been somewhat neutralized.

With his current strength, Sein would be able to inflict some damage on Veil.

However, that was all.

He could only inflict damage.

Just like how Veil had cut the magic that he had forged with his finger, it was possible to cut Veil.

But he couldn’t finish him off.

‘Do you think so?’

Sein glared at Veil with a meaningful expression.

Veil chuckled at Sein.

‘If you had bluffed like that two minutes ago, I might have been a little wary.’

The two minutes of silence while Veil was organizing his thoughts was proof that Sein couldn’t move carelessly either.

Sein didn’t have the means to end Veil’s life right now.

‘Then, I’ll see you again later.’

Veil soared into the sky.

Veil’s presence quickly faded away.

‘…’

Feeling Veil’s fading mana, Sein lowered his sword.

‘…Fortunately, I got through it well.’

And so, the battle ended.

* * *

After Veil disappeared.

We gathered in a nearby empty mansion.

‘Thank you for your hard work.’

I said, looking at each member of the group from the center.

Everyone was seriously injured.

Adela and Soonchan were asleep due to physical injuries.

Elena and Aslan were shut down due to overload.

Currently, Mimir was using the power of the Danteora’s Book [a magical artifact] to quickly recover the two of them.

Miho had also returned to the Danteora’s Book to rest.

The only people who could move properly right now were me and Sein.

‘I’m sorry. I was late…’

Looking at my companions’ injuries, I felt a sense of guilt.

If I had been able to move 30 minutes earlier, things wouldn’t have escalated this far.

‘There’s no need to worry about it.’

Sein replied while casually applying bandages.

‘That’s right. It’s not like it was for any other reason. You were late because of training.’

Her expression and voice changed.

It was Sophia.

‘It’s unfortunate, though it was unavoidable. To be engaged in special training that isolates the inside and outside at that timing.’

This time, it was the Black Magic King.

It was a change that I couldn’t get used to no matter how many times I saw it.

It was amazing that their personalities changed so quickly, but more than anything, it was amazing that those two and the Black Magic King coexisted in one body.

‘Yes. Is the result of that training the magic you used today?’

The Black Magic King looked at me with an interested expression.

He seemed very interested in my ‘Dissolutio’ [a mythical magic of destruction].

‘That’s not it. Dissolutio is an additional thing, the real thing is…’

At that moment, the soul was switched again.

That expression and gaze were Sein’s.

‘Indeed. You linked the 8th circle.’

I was surprised.

‘You noticed it. Even though you shouldn’t be able to see it.’

‘It’s certainly structured in a way that’s hard to see, but it can’t escape my eyes.’

As expected of Sein.

It was an amazing sense.

To even detect the Ring of Nothingness [a hidden magical structure].

‘You linked the 8th circle?’

The personality changed again, and this time Sophia came out.

She looked at my body here and there, as if savoring it.

‘There’s no sign of it at all…’

An expression of incomprehension.

It was an expression that asked where the 8th circle was on my body.

‘You fool. Look at the forest, not the trees. How can you be a mage and know less about circles than me?’

‘…Be quiet. Not everyone has a monstrous sense like you.’

Sein and Sophia bickered with each other.

It seemed like they had gotten much closer while I wasn’t looking.

‘…Looking at it more broadly, there is something I can see. The structure is strange to call it a ring, but… it’s not like it can’t be seen as a ring. Is that your eighth circle?’

‘Yes.’

Sophia smiled benevolently.

‘It’s a wonderful circle.’

‘Thank you.’

I bowed my head slightly.

‘…Hmm.’

When I raised my head again, Sophia had turned into the Black Magic King.

‘It’s a strange structure. I want to dissect it and dig into it properly.’

It was a change speed that I could never get used to.

‘Can I dissect it later?’

‘…I will politely refuse.’

‘Hmm. Is that so? That’s a shame.’

The Black Magic King disappeared, and Sein reappeared.

‘…It’s chaotic.’

The main personality changed too often, so Sein himself seemed dizzy.

‘You two, go inside for a while. The conversation isn’t progressing because of you two.’

Sein’s expression momentarily changed to Sophia’s.

However, that change was only for a moment.

It immediately returned to Sein’s expression.

‘Don’t come out. I won’t allow it. Stay inside.’

It seemed like he had forcefully suppressed Sophia.

‘It doesn’t matter if this is your body or not. I’m the strongest of the three. Follow my words.’

It seemed that Sein had the strongest influence among the three.

It might be a little unfair for Sophia.

The body was Sophia’s, but Sein had the most powerful influence.

Sein focused his gaze on me.

‘The traffic control took a while. Now we can get to the main topic…’

He stopped talking and frowned as if he was annoyed.

‘…Fight moderately. My head is ringing.’

It seemed like Sophia and the Black Magic King were bickering in his head.

‘Yes. Back to the main topic. About the mythical magic that neutralized my restriction a little while ago… I believe it was called Dissolutio.’

‘Yes. That’s correct.’

Sein’s eyes shone sharply.

‘I’ll ask you directly. Is it impossible to completely erase my restriction with that magic?’

I slowly shook my head.

‘It’s impossible right now.’

All that Dissolutio could do right now was to make some scratches on the restriction.

It was impossible to completely break it.

‘Right now…? Does that mean it will be possible later?’

‘Yes. Later, when I link the ninth circle, it will be possible then.’

The Bytenner style [a type of magic] and black magic have equal status.

They are perfectly equal forces with no superiority in terms of compatibility.

That’s why it’s impossible to destroy the restriction right now.

The restriction ‘Black Tongue’ that Veil placed was a 9th circle black magic, so in order to completely break it, I also need to reach the 9th circle.

‘…9th circle. I see.’

Sein nodded as if he understood.

‘Then until that time comes, it’s best not to touch the restriction as much as possible.’

‘Yes. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, it’s best not to touch it.’

Sein raised his right hand and repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist.

His hand couldn’t be properly clenched or properly extended.

‘After all, forcibly destroying the restriction that is embedded in the soul, there’s no way there wouldn’t be aftereffects.’

That was one of the aftereffects of destroying the restriction with Dissolutio.

Due to the damage to the soul caused by Dissolutio, Sein was currently unable to properly hold a sword.

‘It will be like that for at least two days.’

‘…Two days. The aftereffects are much greater than I thought.’

Sein frowned with a serious expression.

Two days. What if Veil moves again during that time? He seemed to be worried about that.

‘You don’t have to worry about an attack. Veil won’t… no, he can’t move for a while.’

The plan that Veil had set up was completely shattered today.

For a while, he would be lying low, setting up new plans, and focusing on building his strength.

‘So don’t worry too much. You can focus on resting now…’

It was then that an unexpected event occurred.

Flash-!

Light began to emanate from one of the mythical relics I always carried with me.

‘What is that light?’

‘This is…’

The only mythical magic that I haven’t fully controlled yet, Umbra [a type of magic].

‘Is Umbra calling me?’

The evil god who had always been silent.

The goddess Umbra was calling me.