The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

Book 2 Chapter 614

Kururur……

A thunderous roar echoed from the clouds.

The presence of naturally occurring thunder and lightning always excited Retip.

But this time, it felt a little different.

“It’s pouring like crazy.”

Chiik-

He exhaled smoke with a cigarette between his lips. Though he quite liked the atmosphere, for some reason, it didn’t stir his emotions. Was it because of the crisis at hand? Or was it because that thunder and lightning weren’t naturally occurring?

“The atmosphere is nice enough, though.”

Retip looked as if he were a wreck, slumped against the wall, waiting for death. However, his condition wasn’t as bad as it appeared. In fact, he was in good shape.

Even so, he leaned against the collapsed wall, setting the mood, for several reasons.

First, to observe the expanding form of Destruction in more detail.

Second, because the Black Witch might die in the fight against it.

Third, because he had to see with his own eyes the so-called Half King who would appear upon noticing this commotion.

And finally—

Retip suddenly turned his head.

In the nearly deserted street, someone was staggering toward him.

His eyes widened slightly.

It was a familiar face.

“Symetra… you survived?”

"...Fa, ther."

A broken, stuttering voice reached his ears, and Retip’s expression changed once more.

It was the face of someone consumed by fear.

He had never seen Symetra look this terrified before. Her mental state was trembling so precariously that it seemed it might shatter at any moment.

“What happened? What about the others?”

“They’re all… dead, no, maybe… from the beginning… I…”

Her words came out haltingly, disjointed and unclear.

Retip pushed himself up from his heavy seat.

At that moment, Symetra let out a scream.

“D-don’t come any closer…!”

Her fear-stricken eyes were now fixed on him.

Retip quietly took in her overly sensitive reaction. Then, without stepping closer, he asked,

“What did you see?”

“……”

“There’s no need to rush your words. You don’t have to let your guard down either. From where you are now, keeping your distance from me, just tell me what you saw and what you experienced.”

Her violently trembling eyes settled slightly.

Still unable to completely overcome her fear, Symetra muttered under her breath.

“L-lords… the Lords I gathered… every single one of them was Destruction.”

“……”

“I don’t know when it started. I don’t know how it was possible. I… I shared my mind with them. Using the power even Father is aware of. But I never sensed anything off. Their minds were those of Lords, through and through.”

Symetra wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

Like a rain-drenched beast, she looked both pitiful and on the verge of collapse.

“M-maybe they were watching me instead. Over and over, dozens of times… into the depths of my mind… It’s terrifying. Their inorganic eyes, their thought process that I can’t even begin to grasp, it’s all so terrifying. B-but what scares me the most is the thought that… maybe I… am a part of them too…”

As he watched her murmur, Retip let out a quiet sigh.

Had she already broken halfway?

Once someone reached that state, there was no overcoming it. At least, Residue had never seen an Absolute recover after falling that far. Nor had he ever heard of such a case.

Thinking about Symetra’s fate, he sighed again.

Though Retip and Symetra had the relationship of parent and child, what did that matter?

For Retip, the most important thing was the will of the one he served.

And as far as Retip dared to guess, his master would not accept Symetra in this state.

Yes.

Perhaps his own lightning would be more merciful than his master’s.

Squelch-

Symetra flinched as Retip took a step toward her.

“D-don’t come any closer.”

Squelch.

“P-please…”

Symetra could do nothing.

It was as if she had no means of defense except squeezing out her voice. Though, to begin with, that could hardly be called a defense.

Kwa-rurung!

At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky. As it neared the ground, its size gradually shrank until it fit perfectly in Retip’s hand.

Astrafe.

Retip’s Soul Weapon and the token of loyalty bestowed upon him by the Lightning God.

Symetra's face turned pale. She knew exactly when Retip would bring out Astrafe. Countless thoughts rushed through her mind at once.

Yes. From the beginning, Retip had been skeptical about eliminating that ‘Fallen One’. He had also shaken his head at the proposal to become a Ruler together.

Perhaps… he had been a watcher planted by the Lightning God all along.

Thinking that way, she felt a bit more at ease.

Yes. Maybe this was better.

Rather than trembling in fear, uncertain of her own identity, it would be preferable to die by her father’s hand as herself, rather than as a part of Destruction.

“Bow.”

At Residue’s short command, her body instinctively reacted. The moment Symetra flattened herself against the ground, a bolt of lightning from Astrafe pierced through a tentacle.

“……!”

It was right behind her.

Chills ran down her spine.

When had it gotten so close?

She stared blankly at the charred tentacle fragment as it fell.

But that was only the beginning.

In an instant, the space was filled with tentacles. They dripped with a repulsive slime, slithering closer and closer. It was like a pack of starving beasts closing in.

Paah!

Without a single gap to escape, the mass of tentacles lunged all at once.

Kwoong!

Retip slammed Astrafe against the ground. His disheveled hair bristled violently, and currents of lightning flickered in his eyes.

Paaang!

With a sound like an explosion of compressed air, lightning expanded with ferocious intensity. The surrounding temperature soared.

Kkieeek-!

The approaching tentacles melted like mud under the sun.

The effect was clear, but ultimately meaningless. New tentacles took their place.

“Hmm…”

There was no end to them.

Had he only managed to draw more attention to himself? Clicking his tongue, Retip looked up at the sky.

It seemed Iris’s resistance was weakening. The entire city was gradually collapsing as proof.

Was she reaching her limit?

She had held out remarkably well in a mere mortal body.

Yes. At this moment, killing her wouldn’t be too difficult.

The Black Witch, now completely focused on Destruction and defenseless.

‘The important part is what happens after.’

If Iris disappeared, Retip would likely become the next target of that tentacle tree.

He wasn’t sure if it had intelligence, but at the very least, it seemed capable of assessing and prioritizing threats within its territory.

Retip felt troubled.

If he was going to kill Iris, now was the time.

If he was going to flee, now was also the time.

‘What to do.’

At that moment, the ground overturned, and from within, dozens of hands burst forth.

“……!”

Beyond the shattered debris, the melted faces of Lords came into view.

Beneath the flesh dripping like sludge, glimpses of Destruction’s repulsive form flickered through.

For that instant, even Retip’s heart sank.

Until they had revealed themselves, he hadn’t sensed a single trace of their presence.

But his reaction afterward was precise.

He split Astrafe in two.

The cut surfaces formed sharp, blade-like edges.

Now wielding twin blades, Retip swung them viciously.

The sound of flesh being severed, never came.

Zzzt-

The superheated blades partially melted Destruction’s flesh before even making contact. But that was all. The finishing blow was lacking. The durability and regenerative power of these things were at abnormal levels. Not to mention their tenacity. He somewhat understood why Symetra feared these creatures.

Jjaak!

Suddenly, he felt a searing pain, as if his back had been torn open. The impact crushed his waist, forcing a bloodied breath from his lips. A tentacle. Come to think of it, he had forgotten about them.

Retip swung the Astrafe in his left hand, severing the mass of tentacles.

“D-don’t come any clos-”

In the meantime, Destruction was approaching Symetra.

Her face had turned deathly pale, making her look nothing like the ruler once praised as one of the Thirteen Thunderclouds.

Retip had to make a decision now.

Kwa-gwagwang!

At that moment, a massive bolt of lightning struck down from the sky.

It carried a far more intense and violent thunder than the one that accompanied Retip’s swings of Astrafe. And as far as he knew, there was only one existence with greater control over lightning than himself.

"Lightning God…?"

A man stepped out from within the lightning.

But it was not the Lightning God.

The man was in a terrible state, his robe tattered, his hair disheveled, blood staining the corner of his lips, and his entire body covered in wounds.

Yet his expression was bright.

He even carried a leisurely air, as if he were merely out for a stroll.

The man raised the edge of his hand.

Pajijik-

The lightning extending from it immediately formed into a blade.

It was a sword of lightning with no original form.

It felt somewhat similar to Astrafe, which Retip wielded-

Skeug.

But this weapon was far more suited to the role of a blade.

It had a clear purpose, to cut.

With a single stroke, half of Destruction’s neck was severed in one motion.

A bizarre occurrence.

Retip knew how quickly those creatures regenerated... so why aren't they regenerating?

[……!]

[……!]

Kekik, kekik.

The remaining Destructions shrank back momentarily, emitting eerie noises, before quickly retreating.

The man did not chase after them.

"Greetings, my former subordinates."

A voice rang out, carrying a hint of amusement.

That delayed Retip’s realization.

"You are…?"

Now that the lightning had cleared, he could see the man properly.

He was a Fallen One.

Or was he?

Retip couldn’t be certain so easily.

He knew the original owner of that body.

Lukas Trowman.

An Absolute, a human, a Grand Wizard, a madman… a man known by many names.

But the presence before him did not feel like that man.

Then, was it Residue?

Even that, he couldn’t be sure of.

The staggering man from just moments ago and the existence now standing before him, Retip couldn’t consider them the same.

"Oh? So you’re still alive."

Residue’s gaze shifted toward Symetra.

"In a world without moonlight, you sure are clinging to life."

"How-"

"And Retip. I can’t leave you out. Good thing you’re still in this city. Now, I suppose we have most of the pieces in place."

Residue’s lips curled into a smirk.

"What are you talking about…?"

"Hold on a moment."

Pazik-

Residue vanished in an instant.

And when he reappeared, a struggling woman was caught under his arm.

"You… you son of a bitch, what the hell are you doing?!"

Iris glared at Residue as if she were ready to tear him apart.

But his face remained indifferent.

"You didn’t seem like you wanted to die just yet, so I graciously saved you."

"You crazy bastard, what nonsense-"

"Ah, right. No need for a thank you."

“…Are you seriously not understanding the situation? Or was my explanation lacking? I clearly told you-"

"I said no need for a thank you."

With that, Residue casually tossed Iris between Retip and Symetra.

His sheer disregard left Iris speechless.

Then, realizing she was now surrounded by Absolutes, tension belatedly crept into her expression.

"Now then, focus, focus, you brats."

Residue plopped onto a nearby rock, clasped his fingers together, and spoke in a serious tone.

"I have a plan. Retip, Black Witch, and Reject. Compared to that Destruction, our combined power is nothing but scraps. But precisely because of that, there’s a way forward. Cooperate fully."

"……?"

A beat late, Symetra’s face stiffened as she processed being referred to as 'Reject'.

"I am not-"

"Shut up. You’re noisy. And ugly. If you want to live, just obey me, you dull-witted fool."

"……."

At the storm of insults, Symetra shut her mouth. Instinctively, she ran her fingers over her face, a fundamental doubt creeping into her mind.

Am I… ugly?

In contrast, Retip was feeling something peculiar.

‘What is this feeling?’

As if he were receiving orders from the Lightning God.

No.

It was something different.

"Retip, is there any reason to rack your brain?"

"…What?"

"Didn’t he say it all the time? ‘When standing at an important crossroads—’"

After a brief silence, Retip continued the words.

"…‘Follow your intuition.’"

"‘Because—’"

"‘It will always be the more entertaining choice.’"

Residue grinned and raised his index finger.

Then, like a set of choices, he flicked it back and forth.

Retip’s eyes wavered, following the movement of that finger.

"So? Which way is your intuition pointing?"

Which way, indeed?

Two choices lay before Retip.

One was to leave the city immediately and report everything that had happened to the Lightning God.

The other was to follow the orders of this seemingly mentally broken man, joining forces with the Black Witch and the half-broken Symetra to fight against Destruction.

After a long silence.

“…Heh."

Retip couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

*****

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