I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 130

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 130

 

“Shall we go through this one by one?”

 

When a Mage uses magic, they don’t only use their own mana. In response to the Mage’s will and mana, the surrounding mana is used together.

 

That’s why a Mage’s Mana Affinity and manipulation ability are important. It’s not just about making mana easier to sense and increasing mana capacity, but it’s also a factor that determines one’s dominance over mana.

 

“Your casting speed and power are flawless. Plus Multicasting… It’s good that you use magic well. I understand.”

 

Naturally, when a powerful Mage casts magic, relatively less skilled mages face restrictions in their magic usage. The greater this difference, the more they eventually fall into a sense of helplessness where they can do nothing, as if they’ve been hit by a Dispel.

 

“But you need to pay attention to magic attributes. What are you doing using fire and ice together?”

 

Such was the magic of Kaela Rowan, humanity’s greatest Mage.

 

The Magic Circle glowing in the void greedily absorbed the surrounding mana. Its suction power was so strong that fierce winds blew according to the movement of mana.

 

“In that case, it would be better to use just one type of magic. Be careful, because if you recklessly pour out magic without considering compatibility between spells, they might cancel each other out.”

 

Shtidy gritted her teeth and tried to prevent the Magic Circle from activating.

 

However, it wasn’t easy. Even though Shtidy had made remarkable progress, the gap between her and Kaella was still large.

 

This was due to the nature of magic as a field of study.

 

Though the overwhelming senses from her time with the Hero had been lost, the knowledge built upon those experiences had completed Kaela Rowan as an Archmage. The vast mana spread across the Continent had aided her recovery, so she was certainly no less capable than when she faced the Demons.

 

“Words alone would be hard to understand, so I’ll show you.”

 

Of course, that wasn’t everything. This place was the Black Tower. A Sanctuary created by Kaela Rowan.

 

Finally, the magic activated.

 

As the Staff that Kaela Rowan held emitted light once again, the Magic Circle contracted to a single point. Simultaneously, wind began to blow.

 

An intense storm so fierce that the original wind seemed like a gentle breeze in comparison. Dark clouds gathered, and soon raindrops began to fall.

 

Shtidy barely managed to weave together magic. What she deployed was.

 

“Trying to block it?”

 

Defensive Magic.

 

The sand that had been getting soaked by the rainwater surged up and enveloped Shtidy. Immediately after, lightning struck down repeatedly upon it.

 

Once, twice, and beyond that, dozens of times.

 

The massive glass mass formed from the melted sand cooled in the rainwater.

 

“How’s that? Stronger than what you unleashed earlier, right?”

 

Through the streaks of rain, at the voice that came so nonchalantly, Shtidy gritted his teeth.

 

“Such filthy power obtained through Dark Magic…”

 

“It hurts my feelings when you say that.”

 

Lightning enhanced with mana was different from natural lightning. If he had taken a direct hit, he would have died several times over from its power. Even though he had layered three defensive spells, the shock was considerable.

 

Of course, that alone could hardly be called Grand Magic. The real thing was this environment. It was a storm that disrupted the flow of mana and made it difficult to even aim properly.

 

“Dark Mages use mana. Knights use aura, and Priests use holy power. These are all forces processed from mana.”

 

When Kaella extended her hand, the sand and glass mass that had been surrounding Shtidy burst apart.

 

It was such a simple movement that she could have done it even while lightning was striking down. It seemed to say that she could take Shtidy’s life whenever she wanted.

 

“But why do you think only Mages use mana as it is?”

 

Shtidy didn’t answer. However, his mind recalled the answer he had learned repeatedly.

 

‘To accumulate the purest power and reach the truth.’

 

A story he had heard relentlessly since the Academy. It was the reason Mages despised Dark Mages.

 

“Truth. That’s right, isn’t it? The First Tower Master, our senior, said that. What a foolish thought.”

 

Kaella spoke as if she had read Shtidy’s thoughts.

 

Without harboring pure mana, one cannot reach the truth. Dark Mages are those who have given up on reaching the truth, distracted by power. A Mage’s experiments are a noble process to reach the truth, while a Dark Mage’s experiments are evil acts for personal gain.

 

“Isn’t it strange? Accumulating mana to reach the truth. What exactly is this truth?”

 

“Truth is the world…”

 

Shtidy recalled.

 

Magic isn’t simply about increasing power. It’s about exploring the principles that make up the world and using them to benefit life. That’s how he had learned it, and that’s what he had believed.

 

That was why he had rejected offers from other Magic Towers and headed to the Green Magic Tower.

 

“If it means the principles that make up the world, then aren’t Dark Mages who contract with demons to gain wisdom also right?”

 

“What do you mean…!”

 

“Then is it wrong? Are Mages who defeat Dark Mages and steal their research to publish it right?”

 

Shtidy, who was about to argue back, was left speechless.

 

It was true that Mages’ research benefited the world. But as Kaella said, there were plenty of records of developing research stolen from Dark Mages since the past.

 

If they were to say Dark Mages were wrong, wouldn’t they have to deny all of that research?

 

“Mages are!”

 

Lightning struck down from the sky. But it didn’t head toward the floor.

 

It gathered above Kaella’s raised palm, rotating and compressing.

 

“They’re proudly babbling without even properly knowing what they pursue!”

 

An alarm bell rang in Shtidy’s head.

 

The moment he tried to block that, he would die. It was on a different dimension from the previous attacks. It wasn’t something that could be blocked with crude Defensive Magic.

 

He gave up trying to gather the wildly rampaging mana. He would only use the mana contained within his body. Naturally, it would be less powerful than using natural mana together, but now wasn’t the time to be picky.

 

Fortunately, his mana was sufficient.

 

Kaella pointed her hand downward. The floating sphere descended.

 

The moment it touched, no, before it even touched, his entire body would be annihilated. Facing a life-or-death moment, Shtidy’s brain spun rapidly.

 

“Oh.”

 

There was no sound. Where the magic had passed, only heat and a deep pit remained.

 

Kaella turned around and said.

 

“Spatial Movement? Spatial Magic is tricky, but not bad. Moreover…”

 

However, her words didn’t continue. Suddenly the temperature dropped drastically and her breath became clearly visible.

 

The falling rain turned to hail. But that was only momentary. The clouds gathered to form a giant spear.

 

“Ice Spear. And.”

 

The ground surged up and bound Kaella’s feet.

 

“Bind.”

 

I used all my remaining mana for Dispel. No matter how great the gap between us, if I could disrupt her this much, Spatial Movement would be impossible. If she tried it recklessly, her body would be torn to pieces.

 

Kaella had two choices left.

 

Either obediently die pierced by the ice spear, or defend using only her own mana like Shtidy had done. But it was too late. The Ice Spear was already rapidly descending toward Kaella, and the defensive magic she could deploy in such a short time was limited.

 

She did manage to deploy several spells in an instant, but…

 

The Ice Spear with its massive weight tore through the magic and crushed Kaella. There was no sign of Spatial Movement or any other magic activating. Even her mana response had vanished.

 

“Were you expecting something?”

 

A voice reached Shtidy’s ears as he collapsed from released tension. It was undoubtedly Kaella, who should have just died.

 

Kaella appeared wrapped in Black Mist, looking at Shtidy with a playful smile.

 

“That’s…”

 

Shtidy’s brow furrowed as he panted. The Black Mist that had initially swallowed all attacks against the Black Tower.

 

Was it just his imagination that it felt somehow familiar?

 

“That attack just now was quite strong. If it had hit me properly, I really would have died.”

 

“…”

 

“You copied it, didn’t you? The ice that wrapped around the Dragon.”

 

Shtidy gritted his teeth. As a Mage, having his magic instantly analyzed was quite damaging to his pride.

 

“As magic, it passes, but to say you copied Divine Authority… well, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

 

“Divine Authority?”

 

“Yes. Divine Authority.”

 

Kaella spoke while watching the Black Mist move according to her gestures.

 

“Truth is Divinity.”

 

Divinity.

 

It was a sudden statement, but the weight contained within it was anything but ordinary.

 

“He shared trials with the Hero and ultimately slew the Demon Lord, thus understanding the concept of divinity. And he pondered how he could obtain divinity.”

 

“What’s with this sudden…!”

 

“It’s an important story. Divinity and Divine Authority are inseparable, after all.”

 

The Black Mist surrounding Kaella soon devoured the Ice Spear. The spear disappeared as if it had never existed.

 

“No matter how much mana you accumulate, no matter how high you raise your magical prowess. Divinity cannot be reached through such methods. What kind of energy you use is even less relevant.”

 

“Then?”

 

At that overwhelming sight, at a scene that seemed utterly insurmountable, Shtidy asked. It seemed understanding of this thing called divinity was necessary to pierce through that strange mist.

 

Kaella looked at him with satisfaction before answering.

 

“Other divinity.”

 

“…Other divinity?”

 

If other divinity was needed to reach divinity, then that was…

 

“The amount of divinity is limited, and to obtain it, you have no choice but to steal it. Yes! The Mythical Age!”

 

Kaella passionately embraced her own body.

 

“Just like the age when the Gods who actually existed on this Continent fought against the Otherworld Raiders!”

 

The World Tree worshipped by the Elves. Giants wreathed in Hellfire. Ice that could freeze even time, and Dragons possessing endless wisdom. Endless Darkness that made one forget even death. And…

 

People speak of the Mythical Age. A Dragon attacked the Empire, and even a Fire Giant appeared. The Mythical Age was no longer just a story from fairy tales.

 

Though it was just about one book, Shtidy too had read records dealing with that era.

 

But nowhere in them was there any story about Otherworld Raiders.

 

“You don’t know?”

 

Kaella let out a hollow laugh as if it were absurd.

 

“You do know, don’t you?”

 

Then she drew up her mana.

 

Shtidy couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh as well. To have that much mana remaining after casting such magic repeatedly. Wasn’t this a level that transcended common sense.

 

“One is the Demon Lord that you were supposed to defeat… No, this time it’s different. Anyway, the Demon Lord that we defeated.”

 

Mana flowed into the Black Mist. The mist that absorbed the mana grew in size and became darker in color. Soon, when Kaella’s figure became completely invisible to the eye.

 

“The other one is.”

 

From somewhere, a Light-Imbued Sword was swung. The Black Mist made a strange sound as it tried to block the sword, but soon split apart helplessly.

 

In the meantime, Kaella, who had escaped from her position by using Spatial Movement once again, looked at the panting Hero Johnny with cold eyes and said.

 

“The Goddess.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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