Chapter 241: 241
Chapter 241 - Fate of the Races (3)
5
“What are you thinking right now?”
A very soft voice could be heard from his side . Her voice woke Atein up from his revery .
Atein was sitting lotus style in front of an enormous magic circle . On the surface of the magic circle, the light was being tossed around like a wave . He turned his head to look . He caught sight of the shy face of Aincera . She was pushing a trolley containing his dinner .
While he was progressing with his ritual, Atein couldn’t leave the magic circle for an extended amount of time . He wasn’t working on the magic circle 24/7, but problems occurred intermittently . He had to fix errors, and he had to provide magical energy when the flow of magical energy thinned out . He had to continuously make adjustments .
While he was doing this, Aincera waited on him . If something needed to be done, she didn’t order her maids . She did it herself . She was acting very differently from how she normally acted over the years . The servants didn’t know what to make of this stark difference .
“Thanks to the numerous sacrifices the ritual was able to move on to the next step . At the very least, I can now sleep in my bed for a couple hours each day . ”
Atein let out a bright smile as he spoke .
He could feel it at this moment . The Great Darkness was being filled .
The Dragon Demon worshippers, who promised to follow his cause, continued to die . Their deaths were fattening up the Great Darkness . The specters of intelligent beings were the essence that made up the Great Darkness .
‘I lost the Infinite Beast and the Tree god, but…… . ’
He had lost two pillars, and it was a very big loss . In losing them, he was no longer able to use their abilities . He would have to make up for the loss with his own magic . Time and effort had to be diverted to bridge this gap .
However, the Great Darkness was stronger than ever despite losing the two pillars .
Unfortunately, this boost in power was temporary . In the long term, the loss of the pillars was larger than the gain achieved through the deaths of the Dragon Demon King worshippers .
Still, it was enough power to stop the threat from his enemies . He would be able to finish his ritual .
Suddenly, Atein spoke .
“Another one of my friends have left my side . ”
“You are talking about general Almarick . ”
“That’s right . His fate didn’t allow him to achieve his earnest wish… . ”
Beings that occupied the same time frame as him were dying one by one .
Aunsaurus, Baldazark and even Almarick… .
Each death hurt Atein .
The life of a human being was akin to a firefly in front of his eyes . They let out a bright light before they disappeared . It was exceedingly fleeting .
This was why the existence of the Dragon Demon generals was precious to him . Atein was able to see the world only in the macroscopic view . That was why there weren’t many beings that could occupy the same time period as him for an extended amount of time .
“If I kill Reygus with my own hands, there will be no one left . ”
“You have me . ”
Aincera embraced Atein .
“I will be with you until the end . ”
“Thank you . ”
Atein smiled as he spoke . His eyes couldn’t see Aincera . His eyes were empty .
She truly was a lovely mate . She was a precious partner that shared his cause . However, she could not exist in the same time frame as him .
In comparison to the years he had to live, her life was fleeting . He was true to the love being felt in the present . However, he couldn’t help but imagine the future where this love would erode away . This was the pain that Atein would have to bear .
“If you treat the world with hate, you have to be ready to be hated by the world… . . ”
Suddenly, Atein mumbled the resolve that he had recited to himself during the Dragon Demon war .
In truth, Atein hadn’t come up with those words .
In the distant past, a human had told him those words . From Atein’s perspective, the youth had lived for a very short amount of time .
He could no longer remember the name or the face of this youth . However, when he closed his eyes, he could recall the conversation . He could do it at will .
‘Do you hate the world, magician-nim?’
‘You don’t hate it?’
‘I’ll be lying if I said I didn’t hate it . It is a messed up world . ’
‘Why do you live like this then?’
He was a youth that was born with nothing .
He was born to a poor family, and he had lost his parents at a young age . He had lived an arduous life, and he got sick before he could achieve anything . In the end, he died before he could recover from the illness .
Until the moment of his death, the youth lived to help the young homeless children of the streets .
Atein had disguised himself as a human magician during his travels . In some small city, he had rescued a youth protecting a young girl, who had been selling her body in the back streets . The youth was being beaten as a price for helping the young girl . Atein had rescued the young man, and they had become friends . This was why Atein decided to stay near this city for a couple months . It was also the reason why Atein was able to hear the last will of the dying youth .
‘If you treat the world with hate, you have to be ready to be hated by the world . ’
‘Aren’t you already hated by this world?’
‘I suppose so . Despite being hated, I cannot bring myself to hate the world . I refuse to hate the world even if the world hates me . If I do this, I know there will be people that’ll love me . ’
It was as the youth had said . There were a lot of people, who loved this youth .
He didn’t have any parents or relatives . When his body became so weak that he couldn’t stand up, people willingly searched him out . They came to take care of him . When Atein held a funeral service for the young man, a great number of people had attended the funeral, and they had cried for him .
The youth’s last will was simple .
‘I worked myself to death, yet the only thing I have is my house . Please use this house to help the children I fed . ’
Basically, he wanted to give his home to the homeless street urchins .
The life of this young youth was an example of ridiculous amount of selflessness and sacrifice . He hadn't been a philosopher or a magician . He was a poor youth that had a hard time making ends meet everyday . This was why he had left behind a deep impression within Atein’s mind . After countless years had passed, he still remembered the youth .
‘Magician-nim, you are handsome, so you should laugh more . Women will line up for you . They’ll love you . ’
‘Even if I don’t do that, there are many women that want me . ’
‘Wow . You are so full of yourself . Well, I guess I can see it since you are a mage . Magician-nim?’
‘What is it?’
‘I don’t know the source of your hatred, but you should hate in moderation . You should try to live without doing so . ’
‘What if I said I’m incapable of feeling hate?’
‘How could you be considered to be a person if that is possible?’
‘…… . ’
‘For some reason, i know that magician-nim is different from other people . You really seem like someone that is capable of hating the world despite the whole world hating you back . That is why you should reign in your hate . Magician-nim is a good person . ’
After the youth died, Atein left the small city .
He revisited the city after a couple of years, but the young man's home was no longer there .
A criminal organization that ruled over that part of the city had started selling drugs to the residents . After making the residents addicted to the drug, the residents were chased out of the district . The crime organization made an entertainment district in place of the residential area .
Some left in disgust and others were chased out with no place to go . Many people became ruined by the drugs, and they died in the streets .
Atein checked up on the children that the young man had taken under his wing . He also looked for the young girl, who the youth had saved in their first meeting . She had been the last act of kindness carried out by the young man . Every one of them had become hooked on drugs, and they had been worked to death like slaves . In the end, they became ruined or they died .
When Atein confirmed this truth, he killed all the members of the criminal organization that had been involved in their deaths . Then he killed all the men of influence that pulled the strings from behind the scenes . He knew it wouldn't change anything, but he couldn't help it . He killed them all .
“I can take on the hate of the entire world . If humanity can gain their future as a price……"
He couldn’t remember the face or the name of the youth . He recalled the youth's words as he mumbled to himself .
“…it'll be well worth it . ”
In the middle of his torment, he reaffirmed his resolve . For some reason, his smile looked sad .
6
The death of Almarick was an event worthy of a celebration to the members of the Guardian Shadows .
However, they didn't pause in their work .
They knew that they were given a finite time .
Kayalia spoke .
-The Great Darkness is getting stronger .
The destruction of two pillars had been a huge loss . It was apt to say that the Great Darkness had lost significant portion of its function .
However, this loss was being made up by the deaths of the Dragon Demon King worshippers . In terms of strength, Atein was becoming stronger . He was at the peak of his power .
-My power is getting stronger .
Her essence was within the great Darkness, so she could feel her power grow continuously .
-You can also observe it through the Guardian Shadows .
“You are right . They are capable of pulling this off now… . . . ”
Leticia nodded her head .
It was as Kayalia had said . The Guardian Shadows had gotten stronger too . Each specter's ability was clearly becoming stronger . This increased ability allowed the user of the staff to manifest oneself through the specter . It was a new supplemental power .
They had discussed this new new phenomena with Kayalia .
-This ability might be based on the changes Atein made . It is to help him manifest his clones through the Darkness Incarnate .
“It functions akin to Azell’s Dawn’s Defender . ”
Leticia spoke in astonishment as she looked at the specters that had taken on the form of herself . Each of the specters was wielding a spear .
Of course, their battle capability couldn’t be compared to Leticia . At most, the specters of the Guardian Shadow could use this new ability to copy Leticia’s appearance and style . Still, this was enough . It was quite useful in many ways .
She was quickly learning how to control the multiple Guardian Shadows thanks to Azell . It was similar in technique to his cloning technique .
While she researched on how to make better use of this ability, she became deeply occupied in finishing her secret technique .
Azell spoke .
“At this point, I think you can use it in a real battle . ”
“You want me to use the technique at this degree of completion?”
Leticia was cultivating a secret technique learned from Azell .
She had been instructed on it from before, but it was such a high level technique that she was only able to learn it recently . This was the first time Azell had said her technique was good enough to use in battle .
Azell nodded his head .
“The most important part is your confidence and trust in your technique . You have to be confident that you’ll be able to succeed in using the technique in any situation . We were going at each other, and you were able to succeed in using it in all ten attempts . That means you are ready to use it in a real battle . ”
“I don’t think this is enough… . . ”
Leticia still didn’t look confident in herself . Azell cut her off .
“If two combatants are fighting equipped with long sword and armor, there comes a moment in a fight where a dagger might be useful . The degree of completion of your technique might look poor to you, but it can be used in a live battle . ”
“Mmmm…… . ”
“Every technique doesn’t have to be a killer technique . Each skill has its own role . You know this to be true . ”
“…you are right . ”
Leticia smirked .
When she heard Azell’s words, she realized that she had unnecessarily set her expectations too high . Her expectation was so high that she had missed the big picture .
Suddenly, she asked a question .
“If I get into a fight with Reshoo, will I be able to win against him?”
“I do not know the level of Reshoo’s power . ”
“It isn’t as if we are devoid of any information about him . There is the information we heard from Kayalia . ”
Azell’s party learned about what had happened in the fight between Reygus and Reshoo . It was an extremely important piece of information .
“…he would be too much for you . Even if you are being supported by Laura and Kairen, I think you might need one or two more of our members if you want to face Reshoo . ”
"As expected…… . ”
Leticia let out a cold smile at his honest answer .
“It is a good thing I asked you that question . If I asked Kairen, he would have tried to spare my feelings with his answer . I wouldn’t have received a proper answer . ”
“Unexpectedly, the Duke is soft in some ways . He is like that even when he is harsh on himself . ”
Azell smirked . As he looked at Leticia, he had a thought .
‘I’m lucky . ’
Two hundred twenty years had passed, yet he still had good comrades by his side . It was the same during his era . He was surrounded by good people .
It wasn’t just the comrades that were alive right now . Carlos had endured personal hell to give Azell hope in the future . Then there were his descendents, who had given up their lives as humans . They had taken up the duty of finding someone that they could entrust the future… . .
These were relationships that he would never forget .
It was the same for the comrades that were currently next to him . If he hadn’t met them, he wouldn’t be alive right now .
‘That is why I’ll give you my answer as many times as you want, Atein . ’
The traces of all these people were etched into his soul . That was why he wouldn’t hesitate to answer Atein’s enormous question . Moreover, that time wasn’t too far off . Atein would hear his answer .
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login