The Mage’s Nemesis Has Reincarnated - Chapter 142

—————

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

—————

The Natural Enemy of Mages Has Been Reincarnated – Episode 142
[You summoned me faster than expected. Your abilities are impressive.]
“Thank you, Dantalian.”
Even as dizziness washed over me from the severe depletion of magical power, I prostrated myself to greet the commander of the Demon Legion.
Dantalian’s gaze shifted to the side.
[Hmm, I thought I detected the scent of fine blood somewhere. You’ve brought fresh sacrifices as promised.]
Dantalian, who had been staring intently at the women upon the Altar, twisted his lips into a sinister smile.
Pure terror incarnate.
With a visage so nightmarish that one feared it might haunt their dreams, the women shrieked.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Silence! How dare you make such noise, mere sacrifices…!”
[Enough, Carrocksina’s subordinate.]
Dantalian stopped me as I shouted.
[The screams of humans are like music to my ears, bringing me joy. Let them cry out.]
“Ah… My apologies.”
[More importantly, where is the one I asked you to find? You surely summoned me because you’ve prepared him, yes?]
“Of course! Not only have I found him, but I’ve also located Carrocksina.”
[Carrocksina as well?]
“Yes. She is right here….”
I pointed toward where Carbollearos stood.
It seemed the darkness had concealed her from view.
Dantalian’s head turned, though belatedly.
[I sense no aura from that one. What do you mean you’ve found her….]
The moment Dantalian laid eyes upon Carbollearos, he fell silent.
His gaze remained fixed, yet there was no warmth of recognition in it.
Only suspicion filled those eyes.
[Who are you?]
“….”
Carbollearos did not answer, taken aback.
He and Zeke had only planned up to summoning Dantalian; what came after was not part of the script.
Dantalian asked again, his eyes narrowing with irritation.
[Why do you occupy Carrocksina’s body?]
“….”
[You need not answer. It will not be difficult to discern your true nature.]
Dantalian read my thoughts.
There was no way for Carbollearos to prevent the information from being stripped away.
[I see. So a mere Gold Dragon whelp has taken possession of the body.]
‘Damn it! Exposed so easily?’
Silence would avail nothing before him.
Though Carbollearos was aware of this fact, experiencing it firsthand was utterly bewildering.
‘This is exactly why I told you not to summon me, Zeke McLafflin!’
I could only resent Zeke McLafflin, the one who had orchestrated this mess.
But Dantalian, as if reading my every thought, had regained his composure.
[So that’s what happened. You summoned me deliberately. But why? And who is this Zeke McLafflin character?]
It was at that moment Dantalian began hurling questions.
“Um… excuse me.”
Terion, unable to contain his curiosity, finally spoke up.
“I don’t understand the current situation, so could you perhaps explain what you’re discussing with Carrocksina?”
The talk of possessing bodies, summoning, and all manner of strange utterances—Terion could bear it no longer.
And so, gathering his courage, he dared pose a question to this great Demon Faction being.
Even prepared to accept punishment for his audacity.
However, Dantalian proved to be a rather magnanimous demon.
Fortunately, he did not issue the harsh rebuke Terion had feared.
He merely offered a scornful laugh.
[This one is not your master. The shell may wear Carrocksina’s form, but nothing more.]
“I beg your pardon?”
[The name is Carbollearos. A Gold Dragon who murdered Carrocksina and seized her body. Is that not correct?]
Dantalian posed the question directly.
With everything already laid bare, Carbollearos could not deny it.
“…That is correct. I am a being of the Demon Realm.”
[Your tone is rather presumptuous. For a mere lizard of this world.]
“…”
In that instant, Carbollearos felt a chill run through him.
His body stiffened as though struck by petrification magic, and he found himself at a complete loss.
To attack Dantalian would be courting death, yet to remain silent meant having his thoughts read and his secrets extracted.
His mind was in utter turmoil.
Though Terion’s state was no different.
‘Not… not Carrocksina?’
The one he had believed was his master and love—the one he would gladly stake his entire existence upon—had been nothing but a delusion?
The true Carrocksina’s soul was dead and gone, and another dragon merely inhabited her body?
‘I’ve been deceived all this time? By a scoundrel who murdered my master and stole her form?’
Though the situation was difficult to comprehend, there was no reason for Dantalian to lie.
Yet doubt clouded his judgment nonetheless.
What if Dantalian was merely toying with Carrocksina as punishment?
After all, demons were known to delight in such games.
Above all, the appearance before him was undeniably that of the Carrocksina he loved.
Shell or not, there was no way to think rationally about it.
Perceiving this conflict through his mind-reading, Dantalian clicked his tongue in disapproval.
[Foolish human. I speak the truth, yet you refuse to accept it. If you doubt me so, ask that one directly. Whether she possesses memories with Carrocksina or not.]
Indeed, confirming their shared memories would settle the matter of identity conclusively.
Terion’s gaze immediately fixed on Carbollearos, whose expression had turned rigid.
“Carrocksina. Do you remember that? You gave me a gift long ago….”
“Of course I remember.”
Carbollearos answered without hesitation, unwilling to make Terion an enemy as well.
Yet the moment Terion heard the response, his expression darkened considerably.
“Carrocksina would never have given me a gift. What would a master give to a servant?”
His tone shifted, now carrying the certainty that this being was not his true master.
His eyes blazed with killing intent and thirst for vengeance.
“Carbollearos? You dare impersonate Carrocksina and deceive me?”
Kuuuuuuuu―
Despite having exhausted his mana mere moments ago, a formidable surge of magical power erupted from Terion’s body.
It wasn’t a level Carbollearos couldn’t handle, but the problem was Dantalian’s presence.
‘There’s no way to defeat Dantalian. Zeke, help me quickly!’
It was the worst-case scenario—one that might force combat—yet Dantalian didn’t rush forward so easily.
Instead, curiosity gleamed in his eyes.
[Fascinating. He refuses to retreat despite knowing he cannot stand against me. And the reason is this human called Zeke.]
Dantalian narrowed his gaze, as if attempting to peer deeper into the dragon’s true thoughts.
[A descendant of the divine… I thought only insignificant humans believed such absurd tales. Yet this so-called superior dragon relies upon a mere mortal.]
‘D-did he see through that I’m a descendant of the divine?’
Despite his attempts to conceal his thoughts, Carbollearos was the type who couldn’t hide his mind.
From Dantalian’s perspective, it was satisfying.
[Even if a descendant of the divine truly exists, they could never be my match. How foolish, to cling to false hope, Golden Dragon.]
“…If it’s Zeke, he must have some method. That’s why you summoned him….”
Dantalian let out a cold laugh.
[Hmph, a method? You summoned him because you wish to die. Or perhaps he has betrayed you.]
“That’s impossible. Zeke would never betray me.”
[Then where is this human called Zeke you’ve been searching for all this time?]
“….”
[No need to speak. I shall simply read your thoughts and learn naturally….]
“No need to read. I’m already here.”
Another voice echoed from the far end of the cavern.
Dantalian’s gaze naturally turned toward the source of the sound.
There stood a human, his face brimming with confidence.
“So you’re Dantalian?”
It was none other than Zeke McLafflin.

* * *
Zeke McLafflin was waiting for his moment to act.
More precisely, he was waiting for the system’s response.
[Dantalian Summoning Complete!]
[Sudden Quest Cleared!]
[Reward: Random Stats increased by 1,400.]
[Reward: 6th Tier Skill Proficiency increased by 5,000.]
[Skill ‘Mana Absorption’ Achievement has reached 6-Star.]
[Mana Detection and Absorption Range expanded: 35m▶40m.]
[Daily Stat Increase Cap from Mana Absorption raised: 5▶6.]
[Proficiency Remaining Until 7-Star Achievement: 3,763/30,000]
‘The Dantalian Summoning Quest is complete.’
Zeke waited for the next Quest to appear.
If I’ve come this far, there’s definitely another directive waiting.
With that anticipation, I summoned the demon without hesitation, and my conviction was rewarded.
【Main Quest: Kill Terion Maldorado!】
└The Forerunner of Earth, Terion Maldorado, has outlived his usefulness.
└Slay this worthless creature and appease the vengeful spirits who have suffered all this time.
【Conditions】
└Eliminate Terion Maldorado
【Rewards】
└Acquire Skill ‘Protection of the Earth’
└Acquire Item ‘Gauntlets of the Earth’
【Sub Quest: Kill Dantalian!】
└Rank 71 Demon Legion Commander Dantalian has been summoned at 20% power.
└Use your Mana Absorption skill to neutralize and slay him, sending him back to the Demon Realm.
【Conditions】
└Eliminate Dantalian
【Rewards】
└Acquire Skill ‘Read True Intentions’
Two Quests had appeared at once.
‘As I thought. When I encountered Terion before, no Quest appeared because the timing wasn’t right.’
The system hadn’t wanted me to kill Terion.
After all, there was a need to summon Dantalian first.
And now, at last, the Quest I truly desired had materialized.
‘So I just beat them both to death, right?’
A dark smile spread across my lips.
Having accepted all the Quests, Zeke turned toward Dantalian.
‘Wow, look at this tall bastard.’
The demon before me was far taller than I’d expected.
Moreover, the massive bat wings attached to it bore an uncanny resemblance to the demons of legend.
‘The only difference being that it looked weaker?’
In truth, I had been somewhat worried ever since hearing that Dantalian could toy with dragons.
Worried that Dantalian might be stronger than me.
‘But I toy with them just the same. There’s no reason to be intimidated.’
Besides, the system never issued Quests that pitted me against opponents I couldn’t defeat.
Rather, the Quest had been issued precisely because victory seemed likely.
Hadn’t the Quest itself spelled out the strategy—to neutralize him using Mana Absorption?
‘If there were no chance of winning, the system wouldn’t have issued a summoning Quest. At worst, it would have told me to flee.’
I didn’t know how powerful Dantalian truly was, but according to the Quest details, only twenty percent of his strength manifested here.
It seemed some constraint of being summoned to this world prevented him from wielding his full power.
‘Either way, I need to act before Carbollearos finds himself in real trouble.’
With the Quest secured, I resumed my approach.
Thud, thud.
As I drew near in my restraint collar, I caught fragments of conversation between Dantalian and Carbollearos.
[Where exactly is this human Zeke? Regardless, if I simply read his thoughts, I’ll naturally discover—]
“No need to read. I’m right here.”
All attention turned toward me as Dantalian’s gaze fixed in my direction.
“So you’re Dantalian? You look like absolute trash.”
[You….]
“Try to guess who I am. Since you’re supposedly a mind reader, it shouldn’t be difficult.”
[I already know. You’re the human with that peculiar ability to store magic in another dimension—Zeke.]
“Impressive. Got it right away.”
[So you’re the devoted subordinate I saw in Terion’s memories—Carrocksina’s right hand. Or did the two of you conspire to pose as subordinates merely to summon me?]
“You’re well-informed. Do you also know why I summoned you?”
Dantalian’s yellow eyes studied my face with unsettling stillness.
Then one corner of his mouth curled upward as a contemptuous chuckle escaped him.
[Heh heh, a mere human who doesn’t know his place dares speak of killing me? You place far too much faith in that trivial ability of yours.]
“And what gives you the confidence to go around declaring you’ll make me your subordinate? Who would ever serve beneath a cockroach like you?”
[Cockroach?]
Dantalian’s expression shifted.
A killing intent so palpable it made the spine shudder rose alongside his demonic aura.
His face twisted into an expression of pure, murderous severity.
Yet I remained utterly composed throughout.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something inaccurate?”

—————

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

—————