The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years Book 2: Chapter 539

Book 2: Chapter 539

Now, there is only one chance left.

I have already decided what to see.

But before that,

“Phew.”

I straightened my back after exhaling. Looking up at the sky. The sky, where the sun has just risen, is clear as ever.

And Lukas’s body began to slowly rise.

The levitation occurred in an impressively tranquil manner. The surrounding weeds did not shake at all, but the height Lukas had risen quickly surpa.s.sed the tree trunks and put the entire forest beneath his feet.

[Where do you intend to go?]

“Nowhere in particular.”

[Hmm?]

“I just thought I'd go up to a high place.”

[…….]

“There's no particular reason. There's still time until tomorrow arrives, and I want to check a few things before The Beginning Wizard comes.”

It's a part of changing my mood. My head still feels heavy, so thinking about something else might be a good stimulus.

Eventually, at a point surpa.s.sing 2,000 meters above ground, Lukas realized that calling Magic Planet a small asteroid was a bit of an anomaly.

“It was more of a continent than a planet.”

[Indeed.]

The overall shape of Magic Planet was not spherical, but rather, a flat continent.

And Lukas could also discern the true nature of the brightly s.h.i.+ning sun in the sky.

“A man-made sun created by magic.”

[It’s set to cycle about every day. Hmm. Were all those things that looked like stars also devices?]

“It must be The Beginning Wizard’s handiwork.”

The environment of Magic Planet was entirely crafted by The Beginning Wizard. Lukas felt certain of this.

Therefore, it was incomprehensible.

Each world has its own laws, and that includes the Void World. Although the rules of the Void World were quite alien, most of its inhabitants accepted them and lived accordingly.

But The Beginning Wizard… was different.

He was forcibly applying the laws of the Three Thousand Worlds here, using even his formidable powers to do so. It wouldn't have been without its burdens.

The casually created environment of Magic Planet was too intricate and showed too much dedication. And it wouldn’t be strange to subst.i.tute the word ‘dedication' with ‘obsession'.

…Magic Planet.

The reality of the territory known as the wizards’ star, was mostly an artificially created continental ma.s.s.

[So? Did you realize something?]

“Yes.”

Lukas muttered as he looked down at Magic Planet.

“…The Beginning Wizard might be longing for the Three Thousand Worlds.”

* * *

As the sun set, stars appeared, and then the sun rose again.

Lukas got up from his spot.

And he walked to the Spring of Wisdom, looking down at its tranquil surface.

─The last chance.

This is the last time I can view the scenery through this spring. I feel no regrets about it.

Rather, the seven times set by The Beginning Wizard were quite fitting. Any less or more might have made me ponder more.

[No going back?]

“Of course.”

What Lukas wants to see has been determined from the start. He will recall the ‘Apocalypse' witnessed by the Exile.

However, the surface might not reflect anything.

If the ‘Apocalypse,' as the Exile described, makes one feel their own powerlessness… there is a possibility that even this Fountain of Wisdom may not be able to capture it.

It doesn’t matter.

If so, I have prepared a few other scenes to view as alternatives.

Splash

With his hand dipped in the water, Lukas thought of the Apocalypse.

The surface water stirred, and the faintly s.h.i.+mmering light─

Ssshhhh─

─instantly vanished.

And then it appeared.

Squirming, as if ink were welling up from somewhere, the water began to be painted black.

“…….”

Lukas's expression hardened as much as it possibly could.

It wasn’t something familiar enough to say out loud, but this was a darkness he recognized, had acknowledged before.

[Lukas Trowman, this darkness is…….]

Residue's voice gradually became inaudible.

Was it because Lukas’s concentration had intensified to an extreme? That might be one of the reasons.

However, the more significant reason was that another sound, coming from somewhere, had swallowed Residue's voice.

──.

This sound, which Lukas had never heard before, was filled with an ominous foreboding.

Sticky and dark, like the cry of a baby. Perhaps it was closer to a scream than a cry. Just hearing it seemed to contaminate the mind.

A chill ran down his spine.

‘What did I just describe?'

Sticky and murky? Closer to a scream than a cry?

Are those words befitting the sound of a baby crying?

There was no time to continue questioning.

The sound gradually grew louder. Accordingly, Lukas felt his heart’s palpitations intensify.

It's dangerous.

It felt as if his heart might stop.

[Lukas─!]

With a voice like lightning, Lukas’s heated mind was suddenly cooled.

The darkness was gone. The crying sound was no longer audible.

The sky was dark, and his body was stiff. As if he had not moved for a long time.

‘The sun has set again…'

How long had I been like this?

[You, what did you see this time?]

“…I didn’t see anything. I heard something.”

[Heard? What did you hear?]

“The cry of a baby.”

Lukas struggled to calm his breathing. However, it took more time than expected to settle the trembling of his body.

Residue did not rush him further and calmly waited. Once his trembling ceased, he spoke.

[…The darkness that had just engulfed the surface of the water. If my eyes are still sharp, that was…]

“Yes. It's the darkness we've witnessed once before.”

The word that simultaneously came to their minds,

─Void King.

[What does that fact imply?]

It seemed even Residue needed time to make a credible inference based on the current situation.

But not Lukas.

He was able to judge, and the process came to him all too naturally.

As if someone had hinted at it, various possibilities emerged.

“It’s one of two things. The previous Void King was either already consumed by the Apocalypse…”

He paused briefly.

What he was about to say next was an exceedingly unlikely possibility and verged on absurd speculation.

It was also a possibility that Lukas definitely wanted to deny.

But… isn’t it known?

The more it is so, the closer it is to the truth.

─To the one who is worthy…

Suddenly.

─I will tell you… The form of Apocalypse I saw was…

He remembered what the Exile had said.

─There were five of them…

Lukas continued speaking.

“…One of them has become an Apocalypse.”

[That is…]

It was a moment of hesitation for Residue.

Clap, clap, clap.

From somewhere, the sound of hollow applause came.

Turning around, he saw the mask of an old man floating in the darkness.

“──.”

At that moment, Lukas felt an inexplicable chill.

And The Beginning Wizard stopped clapping and said,

“The correct answer, Lukas Trowman.”

The voice that flowed out contained joy and a faint bitterness.

* * *

“Have you been well?”

When he spoke again, that sentiment had completely disappeared.

The Beginning Wizard spoke with his usual demeanor.

“Seeing you frozen, it seems I came a bit early. Shall I visit again in half a day?”

“…….”

“Just kidding. Neither of us has that kind of leisure.”

Thud, The Beginning Wizard walked up to the spring. Then, he knelt on one knee and dipped his palm into the water.

Uung-

A faint light flickered from the ‘Spring of Wisdom,’ which was clearly not fully charged. Was he trying to reflect the scene he wanted to see? It felt a bit different from that.

“You still can’t handle the spring proficiently. It should be fine for now. Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how.”

“…What?”

“Though it’s called the [Spring of Wisdom], its form isn’t fixed. If you wish, you can change it as you like. Imagination is the basis for that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The spring is the most basic form because it’s easy to handle. But my favorite is…”

Splash.

As soon as The Beginning Wizard’s palm touched the surface of the water, a change occurred.

Whoos.h.!.+

Everything turned pitch black.

It wasn’t just the surface that was mistaken for being dyed, like when glimpsing the Void King or Apocalypse. The change had spread beyond the spring.

Suddenly, they were standing in the middle of s.p.a.ce.

It wasn't dark. On the contrary, it was brilliant. The Milky Way filled the surroundings so brightly that it seemed to blind the eyes.

“I’ve always been a bit envious of s.p.a.ce. In the Void World, places where you can see such sights are extremely limited.”

“……”

“Now. If you think of the scene you want to see here… watch this.”

The moment The Beginning Wizard stretched his hand towards the Milky Way, a fragment of a star drifted over as if floating. Just before it touched his finger, it transformed into a book.

“Isn’t this much more efficient? Text, not video, so it takes up much less s.p.a.ce. Meaning you can look at it as much as you want without needing to recharge.”

“…That is.”

“It’s my favorite story. Want to hear? Just the ending part.”

He didn’t wait for an answer.

He arbitrarily opened the book and began reading aloud.

“[Lukas finally understood his role. He was the savior of all humans existing within the Three Thousand Worlds.]”

“……!”

“[When they despair, when they are frustrated by walls they can never overcome, when they want to let go of everything. Lukas will appear as a beacon of hope within them, or manifest into their reality, in the form of hope.]”

Lukas's expression hardened.

“[‘Shall we depart now?' A smile appeared on Lukas Trowman’s lips. The Great Wizard promising his return, took the first step of his long journey……]”

Thump.

He closed the book.

Lukas no longer said anything.

He looked at The Beginning Wizard with a subdued gaze.

“Don’t you think it’s a wonderful story?”

“……”

“It’s my favorite scene. It resonates with me. A clean conclusion. A good ending that allows you to close the book satisfied. How beautiful would it have been if this man’s story had ended here?”

The Beginning Wizard spoke in a teasing tone.

“But it didn’t. Of course, life cannot become a story. [‘And so, the man never gave up and achieved everything he desired.'] It can’t end with a cliché sentence like that. Those who close the book there would be happy. Without any lingering aftertaste, they could believe that Lukas Trowman never gave up and moved on to the next stage.”

“……”

“But the man’s life began anew at that point. From human to hero, from hero to G.o.d, the man who became a G.o.d found himself floundering as a plaything of fate.”

Ha-ha. The Beginning Wizard burst into laughter.

“It's not a story that can attract fans. What appeal is there in a story where the protagonist only suffers? Even reading it would only stoke one's anger.”

“…'The rest' of my life is merely superfluous.”

Lukas said.

“Is that what you want to say?”

“Plainly speaking, but I am not a reader.”

It felt as if the face behind the mask was smiling broadly.

“And it is arrogance for one human to judge another's life. Even a sage has no right to do so, in my view.”

“Who are you?”

“Until now, a bystander who could not intervene. An observer who could only watch, no matter what happened.”

“……”

“But that is no longer the case. Since you came to the Void World, I too can finally step onto the stage. Lukas, there isn’t much time left.”

“Time?”

“Apocalypse.”

The Beginning Wizard spoke up.

“Or annihilation, reset… If I told you I know a way to stop that apocalypse, which is called by many names, would you believe me?”

“A method even the Rulers did not know, you know it?”

“Of course.”

“But it doesn’t seem like you plan to tell me.”

Lukas predicted this turn of events from his life's experiences so far.

However, The Beginning Wizard shook his head.

“That's a misunderstanding. I plan to tell you everything. But there is one condition needed for that.”

“Condition?”

The Beginning Wizard said in a calm voice.

“You need to die.”

*****