Chapter 44: Holy War, Absolute Holy War! (3)

Becoming a mage must feel something like this.

The scenery of the Akashic Record, which I had visited countless times before, suddenly felt different.

When I saw the Akashic Record in the past, it was like the night sky.

Endless darkness stretching out, with thousands upon thousands of stars shining within it.

It gave the impression of being nothing more than a speck of dust. That was the Akashic Record I had seen before.

But now, the Akashic Record before me was not black darkness, but a dazzling, radiant ocean of blue light.

At its center, Albatron was smiling.

“Can you see it now? This vast flow of mana?”

“This… where does it start, and where does it flow to?”

“Heh heh, now that’s a more mage-like question. Look closely. The source of mana is over there.”

I followed Albatron’s pointed finger with my eyes.

There, a single point shone brilliantly.

“From the beginning of this universe, from that place.”

Then, following Albatron’s hand again, I looked elsewhere.

There was a darkness shining in a different way.

The phrase “shining darkness” sounded strange, but it was the only way to describe it — the most beautiful black I had ever seen.

“That all flows to the end of this entire universe.”

“So, mages are beings who borrow strength from this flow, even if just for a moment.”

“Exactly. That’s the correct answer. The idea of stacking mana within oneself and accumulating it to reach the 7th Circle or 8th Circle is nothing but a pseudo-practice by those who don’t truly understand mana.”

To say that the abilities of an 8th Circle Mage are just pseudo-practice—anyone hearing that might think I’m insane, but seeing this spectacle before me, I couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Moere, who was an Intermediate Swordmaster?

If he resisted the flow of mana spreading out before him, how long would he last?

One second? Two?

Who knows.

Could he even resist at all?

Albatron continued his explanation with a joyful expression.

“When I saw your soul, I never thought you could master magic to this extent.”

“Huh? So, this isn’t something that happened because my soul was pulled out?”

“Heh heh heh, no. If everyone who met their soul could see the flow of mana, then countless people who read my books would have become true mages. But are there many 9th Circle Mages in the world?”

Obviously not.

A 9th Circle Mage is an absolute being who appears only once every hundred or two hundred years.

Is there even one in our era?

I’ve heard rumors that there might be one in the Empire, but no one knows for sure.

“Have you touched any powerful magical items recently? Something like… a Catalyst.”

Catalyst? Is that the kind of item the old gentleman gave me back then?

“Judging by your expression, I guess you have an idea. You’re lucky. What you touched was likely something painstakingly crafted by a woman on the verge of becoming a 9th Circle Mage. Your soul was shattered, but since your body had no mana, it stole mana from that item.”

“Is it possible to steal magic from a magic circle instead of a Catalyst?”

“If the conditions are right, absolutely. For example, if a powerful magic disrupts the perfect balance of a well-designed magic circle.”

Ah…

Then the reason the magic in the library was broken must have been because a stronger magic—this Akashic Record—activated.

Somehow, I felt sorry for Talio, Lord of the Magic Tower, whom I had never even met before.

Hearing Albatron’s story, it seemed it wasn’t just a pseudo-magic as Duke Squaret suggested.

No, it seemed like a catalyst and magic circle that had truly been crafted with the utmost care, yet I had even been treated as if it were a fraud.

“But there’s one thing you must remember. Just because you can borrow mana doesn’t mean you can manifest magic. It’s like how being able to move your body doesn’t mean you’ve become a master swordsman.”

I nodded at Albatron’s warning.

Even if I can see the lines, it doesn’t mean I’ve become a Swordmaster.

“Good. Since you seem to have grown faster than expected, now I will tell you the true significance of this Akashic Record’s existence. You’ve been curious, haven’t you?”

Finally, could this endless question be answered?

Albatron grinned, baring his teeth.

“You brat. Brace yourself.”

“Huh?”

“The scene you’re about to see could drive you mad just by looking at it, if you’re not careful.”

Before I could even reply, the once steady flow began to falter.

The gentle ripples quickly escalated into a tidal wave.

The universe was distorting.

“This is…”

This phenomenon wasn’t caused by the universe breaking or suffering some kind of malfunction.

It was simply that ‘it’ had appeared in the universe.

‘It’ was an indescribable dark writhing.

‘It’ was so vaporous that it couldn’t be called a living creature, yet it had a clear will and was devouring the universe.

“That is… what exactly…”

“Future beings call it a Black Hole. The end of all things that bring about the world’s demise.”

Countless stars were extinguished as the flow disappeared.

“We call those beings Outer Gods. The Akashic Record was created to prevent the end of the world that comes with the arrival of the Outer Gods.”

‘It’ opened its mouth.

At the same time, part of the universe crumbled.

“Gah!”

Suddenly, as if surfacing from the depths of the sea, air rushed into my lungs.

With the sound of air leaking, I gasped deeply. The cold night air cleared my head.

Reality was just as Cethily finished setting the alarm magic.

Like last time, the Akashic Record seemed to have briefly visited from outside the time axis for a few seconds.

But just now, did it say Outer Gods?

Just looking at them felt like a mass of pure evil, so strong it sucked all the strength—and even life—out of me.

Now I understood.

The reason I couldn’t stay long in the Akashic Record was that it was protecting me from the Outer Gods.

A place to observe and block the Outer Gods, collecting all knowledge from past, present, and future.

And gathering those who can use that knowledge.

Hmm?

That was the Akashic Record.

Then why had the Akashic Record chosen me?

What contribution could I possibly make to block the Outer Gods?

Wouldn’t Duke Helpion or Talio, Lord of the Magic Tower—soon to be a 9th Circle Mage—be more talented people?

No… I’ve heard that those chosen and those who break through are different.

That means what I must do is something even 9th Circle Mages or Grand Swordmasters cannot accomplish.

For some reason, that sent chills down my spine.

What exactly was the Akashic Record demanding from me?

That question remained unanswered even when I arrived at the Helpion Duchy.

Duke Helpion greeted everyone casually before calling me separately to the audience chamber.

I had thought I would spend a long time catching up with Lady Titania, but apparently that wouldn’t be the case.

Entering the chamber, I met Duke Helpion.

“Congratulations on your return sooner than expected.”

I was so overwhelmed by the scenery before me that I couldn’t speak, only staring with my mouth agape.

Ha ha ha, haha.

The talk about those not chosen—this man was truly a monster.

There’s an old saying: you see as much as you know.

That phrase fit perfectly right now.

Before, when I faced Duke Helpion, I only thought he was a remarkable person, but now it was different.

The overwhelming aura radiating from his entire body was immense.

It felt like the entire world was in his grasp.

With every small breath he took, the surrounding mana tensed, flowing in harmony with him.

No wonder someone of that ability could break into the Akashic Record.

“You make me even more certain now.”

“Certain of what?”

His eyes lightly scanned every part of my body.

It wasn’t a simple gaze—it felt like he was looking through my organs and bones.

“The terrible state your body was in, as if it could explode at any moment, has improved. It’s not completely normal, but it’s enough for you to live out your natural lifespan.”

That’s right. I had come to extend the thread of my life.

I had forgotten that amid so many things.

Still, struggling desperately to survive seemed to have been worth it.

“And… your vigor has also improved considerably. Now you can pull your own weight.”

Like when I first met Albatron, I wondered why absolute beings used such harsh standards for ‘pulling your own weight.’

“Are you aware of the situation in the duchy now?”

“I heard a bit from Miss Alice.”

The Helpion Duchy had been preparing for a large-scale monster purge since the Duke’s realization.

It was the war the old gentleman had mentioned.

Although Lumpen Hound was only an Intermediate Swordmaster, Alice, a Sword Master Beginner, had been dispatched to the Squaret Duchy for this reason.

Because the war with monsters was in full swing, they couldn’t pull their main forces away. The best they could spare were assassin-type Swordmasters skilled in stealth.

“You’ve expanded the front lines quite a bit. The boundary used to be the Ma Forest, but now it’s right before the Demon King’s Castle.”

The Ma Forest.

Ah.

That was probably the territory of the Silver Werewolf, Griffon, Hobgoblin, and Twin Headed Ogre.

While Duke Helpion probably dealt with the Twin Headed Ogre, the other three were monsters that lived in groups, making them quite troublesome opponents.

They were prolific breeders and cunning; if not handled carefully, they could quickly recover their numbers and come back.

Just a few months ago, the Helpion Duchy only pushed back the Sandworm habitat, barely opening a trade route. But within weeks, they had completely cleared out the Ma Forest.

I could vividly picture how fierce that battle must have been.

“How long do you estimate it will take to capture and stabilize the Demon King’s Castle?”

“You’ll have to look at the monster distribution map and calculate the exact timeframe, but I’d say about a month. Besides monsters, there are demons around there as well.”

Demons.

The Demon King’s subordinates and remnants of the Demon World.

Originally, they couldn’t exist alone in the human world.

For them to descend into the present world, there had to be shamanistic rituals, sacrifices, and contracts performed by dark wizards.

But after the Demon King’s death, those absolute laws collapsed.

He sacrificed his own life to open a Gate leading to the Demon World inside the Demon King’s Castle.

The monsters now swarming around the Helpion Duchy were born from that aftermath.

This war was to destroy that Gate once and for all.

If successful, Duke Helpion would no longer be a mere border lord tied to the duchy.

In other words, it would truly change the balance of power in the world.

“What should we do with the scholars you brought?”

“You said there are seven of them, right?”

“Including Teron, there are eight.”

“Place them relatively safely in the rear units to devise strategy. Lady Elcia provided artifacts so they can send messages between units using magic.”

The rear units, huh.

“You don’t seem to trust them much.”

“You sent me letters about what happened in the Squaret Duchy, didn’t you? I can’t give absolute power to commanders who don’t respect those fighting on the front lines. They’ll be under the command of mercenary captains of various ranks.”

I could already see the tough road ahead for the scholars.

Mercenary captains of the Helpion Duchy were known across the world for their pride and stubbornness…

They deserved whatever hardships came their way.

Maybe they’ll learn something from being pushed around like that.

Especially Teron.

I hope this opportunity will change his childish and petty nature.

“By the way, Duke, aren’t you going to talk with Lady Titania?”

“Hmm…”

Was my question so unexpected?

The Duke faltered, hesitating to speak.

But this feeling—it was familiar.

A very ominous, uneasy feeling.

Yes.

I first felt it during my initial interview with the Duke.

Just around the time I learned the secretary was hired to write love letters.

“Chief Advisor Laward.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Of course I want to talk with Lady Titania. Of course I want to reunite with her. But now is wartime. I must look at the bigger picture.”

No way. Please don’t, no.

“Once this war is over, I intend to formally propose to Lady Titania.”

Ugh! He actually said it!

Is this doomed now?