The AI Archmage - Chapter 29

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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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AI Archmage Episode 29

 

“Are, are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Edan wore an ecstatic expression as he felt the power of the pitch-black energy flowing through his body.

 

Naturally, it wasn’t ordinary power.

 

An ominous force beyond compare, defined by the world as dark magic.

 

Demonic Energy.

 

Demonic Energy is said to originally stem from wicked beings like demons.

 

Naturally, being caught with it results in a dead-or-alive bounty.

 

But from their perspective, it didn’t matter.

 

“What difference would it make if it changes from a bounty to dead-or-alive when we already have a price on our heads?”

 

“Th, that’s true, but.”

 

“Rather, becoming stronger is power in itself. Look at the Black Tower over there. They’re so strong that even the Magic Council can’t do anything about them.”

 

Edan was currently intoxicated by the immense power the orb provided.

 

The moment he absorbed the orb’s power, he could even control his subordinates from that great distance.

 

“Heh, heh… Yes, with this power, I can definitely do it.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Using this power, it would be possible to crush even those arrogant ones. No, if I get my hands on that high-ranking mage…”

 

Plans using dark magic began rapidly forming in Edan’s mind.

 

A rosy future came to mind.

 

His future self reigning as a dark mage who had obtained countless ‘sacrifices’ and tremendous power.

 

It was while Edan was lost in such sweet fantasies, trying to move the ‘uninvited guests’ using the corpses.

 

“…Huh?”

 

The connection suddenly cut off.

 

“What, what’s this?”

 

Edan panicked and tried to connect with the corpses once more.

 

But this time, he couldn’t even approach them.

 

As if a string had been cut in the middle, his power couldn’t reach beyond a certain distance.

 

“What is this? What the hell is happening?”

 

He knew well the extent of the power he had obtained.

 

Naturally, he had never anticipated a situation where he couldn’t move corpses like this.

 

Being able to move them until the corpses completely decomposed was precisely the advantage of dark magic.

 

But why on earth…

 

“That can’t be… possible?”

 

Edan muttered with a bewildered expression.

 

But that didn’t provide any answers.

 

After all, what was happening was beyond his comprehension.

 

* * *

 

[Removal completed.]

 

Thud.

 

Like a puppet with its strings cut, the corpse simply collapsed.

 

It really happened in an instant.

 

The moment Sion gave permission, Akasha moved his mana to create a ‘Special Formula’, and through it, removed the very source that made the corpse rise.

 

‘…What?’

 

For Sion, who prided himself on knowing everything about Akasha, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

 

‘You judged Dark Magic as a virus and removed it? And it worked just like that?’

 

[It worked.]

 

‘Wait, I don’t remember inputting anything like that?’

 

[That’s what I’m saying. Even when I check, it’s certain that Human didn’t create me with this kind of data in mind.]

 

Akasha continued with what seemed like an intrigued voice.

 

[…There it is. That function.]

 

Sion briefly thought about the cause of data existing inside Akasha that he hadn’t put there.

 

His contemplation was short.

 

In cases like this, the cause usually came out when thinking about Akasha’s origin.

 

‘Akashic Record.’

 

That Ancient Artifact must be involved in something again this time.

 

If so, perhaps the Akashic Record might have been an Ancient Artifact related to Dark Magic.

 

“Sion?”

 

“Ah.”

 

Sion, who had been lost in thought, came to his senses at Lumia’s call.

 

Come to think of it, now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

 

“That worked out well.”

 

The dark aura that had been enveloping the corpse had disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed in the first place.

 

“What on earth did you do?”

 

Barean asked Sion with an expression of disbelief.

 

This time, it seemed he couldn’t compromise with reason.

 

Of course, since Sion didn’t know the exact cause of this incident either, he had no choice but to give a vague answer.

 

“Just… let’s say I used my own method.”

 

“I see. Your own method…”

 

Barean said that much and then muttered again.

 

“Hah, compromise with reason… compromise. Accept everything as natural… remember that.”

 

“Why are you doing that again? We’ve only known each other for a day.”

 

“Even in a day, you can roughly get a sense of things.”

 

Barean was a man who quickly accepted reality.

 

He intuitively and quickly realized that if he tried to sincerely ‘understand’ the human called Sion here, he would only give himself a headache for life.

 

It was truly a mindset befitting the intellect that brought glory to the Blue Tower.

 

For now, Sion decided to check one thing before moving on.

 

‘Akasha, can I use this power without restrictions?’

 

[Not at the moment. I haven’t created a vaccine strong enough to eliminate all viruses.]

 

‘Then what about dark magic at the current level?’

 

[That should be removable by some means.]

 

‘I understand.’

 

That was sufficient then.

 

After all, there was no immediate need to eliminate high-level dark magic.

 

“Then let’s continue. I’ll remove any useless things we see along the way.”

 

“U-useless things…”

 

Barean muttered in a voice that sounded quite unfamiliar with the concept.

 

Dark magic wasn’t something that could be purified so casually…

 

Once again, Barean’s reason tried to refuse compromise.

 

But having decided not to understand and just feel instead, he immediately nodded his head.

 

“Good, let’s go!”

 

“You’ve compromised too much…”

 

Lumia, who had been watching from the side, muttered worriedly, but Barean decided to pretend he didn’t hear it.

 

Sion led the two of them forward without hesitation.

 

In the process, no bandits appeared to block their way.

 

Traces of dark magic appeared everywhere, targeting Sion and the two, but they simply crumbled without reaching Sion.

 

“It won’t end this easily, right?”

 

Lumia said casually.

 

“No matter what, these are bandits who threatened you and the entire village, senior. It won’t end so anticlimactically, right?”

 

“Wouldn’t it be good if it did end?”

 

“Ah, that’s true.”

 

It was true, but…

 

Lumia tilted her head.

 

“The bandit leader, that Edan person, must feel really wronged. Don’t you think so, senior?”

 

“…”

 

It was absurd to say such things in front of a victim who had suffered from that damn bastard, but Barean had no choice but to nod.

 

“…That would be good, wouldn’t it.”

 

“Right, it would be good.”

 

The Edan Brotherhood was inherently vicious, so it was right for them to meet a miserable destruction here.

 

It’s just that neither the perpetrator of the destruction nor even Barean, the victim, had expected it to happen this way.

 

‘At this rate, I won’t have any chance to use that.’

 

Barean smiled bitterly and quietly followed Sion.

 

At some point, Sion suddenly stopped moving.

 

Right at the point where the ground began to change color.

 

Beyond the point where he stopped, everything was discolored to pitch black.

 

“…So this is how it is.”

 

Sion crouched down and reached out to lightly touch the soil of the discolored ground.

 

At that moment, the soil began to writhe like a caterpillar and tried to wrap around Sion’s finger.

 

“…Tsk.”

 

Sion immediately removed the virus through Akasha.

 

Then, as if nothing had happened, it returned to ordinary sand and crumbled away.

 

“Now I understand why the Council is so sensitive about dark magic.”

 

“Dark magic is no different from evil itself. Even if it weren’t the Council, it would be an enemy that should rightfully be eradicated.”

 

Barean said this while looking around the surroundings.

 

The land that should have been full of life now felt nothing but death.

 

“…Even if I had accepted that proposal, they wouldn’t have left the village alone.”

 

Since it was confirmed that the Brotherhood was related to dark magic, that was as good as certain.

 

Sion looked at the soil and muttered coldly.

 

“Disgusting.”

 

He didn’t like having such a sight before his eyes.

 

Death, of all things.

 

‘Just looking at that makes me irritated.’

 

When he was Altair, how hard had he struggled because he didn’t want to die.

 

In the end, ‘Altair’s’ body couldn’t avoid death.

 

Though he was still alive.

 

He immediately reached out his hand and expanded the range of the ‘vaccine’ through Akasha’s power.

 

At first he had received Akasha’s help, but as he did it, he gradually became familiar with it and could do it on his own.

 

It was easier than expected.

 

Looking at the principle alone, it wasn’t particularly different from the programming he always did.

 

It was easier to use when thinking based on that rather than magic.

 

Thus, with each step he took, the ground was purified.

 

And before long.

 

“You’ve come, mage.”

 

Sion was able to face Edan, the leader of the Edan Brotherhood who was the source of this problem.

 

He sat quietly, wrapped in pitch-black energy like armor.

 

As soon as Sion saw him, he asked bluntly.

 

“Did you eat them?”

 

“….”

 

“From your reaction, you did eat them. No wonder I haven’t seen a single bandit since earlier.”

 

Sion clicked his tongue and shook his head, and Edan raised his head as if responding to that.

 

Barean and Lumiha, who confirmed that face, flinched.

 

It was a natural reaction.

 

Edan’s face when he raised his head was so horrible it couldn’t be described in words.

 

【It’s because of you.】

 

Edan’s face was twisted.

 

Where his mouth should have been, there was an eye, and where his nose should have been, there was a mouth.

 

His nose had disappeared, leaving only a horrible breathing hole.

 

“Th, this is horrible…”

 

“How thoroughly twisted. Is this the end result of dark magic?”

 

Sion let out a hollow laugh.

 

Did he want power so badly that he was willing to become like this?

 

“You’ve devoured dozens of them. What, once your dark magic hit a wall, you thought it would be better to devour your subordinates to increase your power?”

 

【Shut up.】

 

“Cut the bullshit.”

 

Sion snorted.

 

The bastard who had tormented people living quietly in the village and used the village as blackmail material apparently didn’t like hearing such words.

 

【You son of a bitch!】

 

Edan spat out curses in an agitated voice as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.

 

【【Dark Arrow】!】

 

And immediately magic was activated.

 

Without an incantation.

 

Dozens of pitch-black arrows were summoned and aimed at Sion.

 

“…Chantless magic!”

 

Lumia’s body trembled with shock.

 

【Kuhaha, that’s right! This chantless authority I obtained by sacrificing everything…!】

 

Edan declared with a triumphant expression.

 

【You should know if you’re a high-ranking mage, right? I can manifest even 4th Circle magic chantlessly! This is something even the elders of the Four Great Magic Towers can’t easily imitate!】

 

It was true.

 

As he said, being able to use up to 4th Circle magic chantlessly was like starting a battle with an overwhelming advantage.

 

Naturally, Edan was confident.

 

That the mages before him would be shocked and tremble with fear.

 

However.

 

“Sion, he says it’s chantless!”

 

【…Huh?】

 

Edan was flustered by the unexpected reaction.

 

【What, what’s this? Why are you reacting like that? It’s chantless! 4th Circle chantless magic!】

 

“Did you hear that, Sion! He says 4th Circle, 4th Circle!”

 

【No, no, why is the reaction…】

 

Before he could even ask why the reaction was like that.

 

“【Magic Missile】, 【Multi Casting】, 【Magic Field】.”

 

Suddenly magic burst forth from Sion in rapid succession.

 

【…Huh?】

 

“You’re interesting.”

 

Sion commanded an even greater number of Magic Missiles than Edan.

 

Just like Edan, chantlessly.

 

Seeing this, Edan’s eyes widened greatly.

 

【What, what the…】

 

“He doesn’t seem to have brought any magic tools, and those things don’t appear to have brains capable of calculation either…”

 

Sion chuckled and said.

 

“But you can ignore incantations? That means…”

 

【【D, Dark Spear】!】

 

Realizing the situation was not looking good, Edan cried out urgently.

 

Then pitch-black spears poured toward Sion all at once.

 

However.

 

Crash!

 

Every single one of them, without exception, shattered into pieces and disappeared before even reaching Sion.

 

Edan froze in place, staring with hollow eyes at his magic that had been shattered to pieces.

 

【My, my magic…】

 

He had sacrificed all the subordinates he had gathered so far.

 

Not only that, but he had even devoured the one who was like a younger brother to him to gain this power.

 

But that power…

 

“【Magic Missile】.”

 

At that moment, an overwhelming number of spells filled Edan’s entire field of vision.

 

A number reminiscent of stars in the night sky was all aimed at him.

 

‘Why.’

 

That was something even he, who had sacrificed everything for dark magic, could not reproduce…

 

“No.”

 

Then, as if reading his thoughts, Sion spoke.

 

“You were just someone who couldn’t make it.”

 

【…What?】

 

“Sacrificing people as offerings, ha! It’s laughable to call that effort. You just didn’t want to put in the work.”

 

Sion respects effort.

 

He believes that if one makes an effort, they should reap the appropriate rewards.

 

Therefore, he cannot forgive acts that belittle effort like this.

 

“I’ll give you a role that suits you.”

 

Sion grabbed the face of Edan, who was in a state of despair.

 

【…What?】

 

“Akasha, analyze him.”

 

Sion delivered his ultimatum with a cold voice.

 

“I don’t care whether he lives or dies.”

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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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