The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

Book 2 Chapter 646

“Looks like you’ve got quite a few spare lives.”

The startled expression vanished in an instant, and a beast-like aura surged from Pale. The moment Luca tried to say something in response, Pale's figure disappeared from view.

Huh? In the blink of an eye, a blue flash completely engulfed her vision.

An attack executed so fast it was impossible to observe...!

“...!”

She dodged the attack─!

‘How?’

Pale’s expression seemed to say that, but in truth, the one more surprised was Luca.

‘What was that? How did I just dodge that?’

There was no time to question or answer herself.

Pale, who had paused for just a moment, resumed her attack. The force behind her fists and kicks was so fierce that even a graze felt like it could blow her body apart like a firework.

But what followed was even more astonishing.

Blue Knight Pale’s onslaught.

Her greatest strength lay in its unpredictability, in the impossibility of anticipating the next move. Pale’s attacks didn’t follow a set form or aim for efficiency. It was because she had never contemplated the meaning of strength. For those who sought to become the strongest, that would be an unacceptable notion, but she had never once worried about advancing to the next level.

She had simply picked up the sword to survive, and a “sword for survival” was, in other words, a “sword for killing”.

A blade wielded recklessly for the sole purpose of severing the enemy’s breath, a ferocious assault that ignored her own injuries and charged forward, it was so overwhelming that even seasoned swordsmen couldn’t help but be flustered.

As a simple example, even Yang In-hyun had no choice but to click his tongue in dismay at Pale’s ferocity when facing her sword.

And Luca dodged that storm-like attack by a paper-thin margin every time.

Crash!

The shockwave from the swung sword completely shattered the damaged inner wall of Amdal. Seeing an opportunity, Luca hurled her body into the newly opened space.

Crunch.

Gritting her teeth, Pale chased after her.

“……”

“……”

The two facing each other on the grassland stared at each other. Luca waved her hand with an ambiguous expression.

Strangely, dodging had been easy. She could read the next attack without much difficulty, and her body moved on its own before she even had to think.

…Which was honestly a good thing in the current situation, but now what?

‘I don’t know how to fight.’

Even when she fought the Absolutes, she had merely subdued and placated them before sending them away. That was only possible because of the overwhelming power gap. ȑΑΝô𝐁Ёs

But what about Pale?

Luca didn’t even know how to fight against someone of equal strength, or someone only slightly weaker. She could keep dodging with her exceptional dynamic vision and reflexes, but if she only focused on defense, the battle would never end.

…So does that mean she should attack?

How?

“C-can’t we talk this out instead?”

She didn’t know.

Luca didn’t know how to attack.

That was why she had no choice but to fall back on the few countermeasures she knew.

Pale was looking at her with an odd expression. She didn’t seem like she was about to attack immediately, and there was even a hint of “go on, keep talking” so Luca hastily continued.

“I don’t know why you’re doing this. But the crew members... I haven’t known them long, but they’re not bad people.”

Then Pale, who had been staring silently at Luca, gave a faint smile.

“And how would you know that?”

“……”

Luca was momentarily flustered, she hadn’t expected a smile in this situation. Moreover, Pale’s smile was so innocent that it was hard to believe she had just slaughtered dozens of people.

“Huh?”

“You haven’t known them long. So how do you know?”

“…We’ve spent a few days together.”

“A few days.”

Pale chuckled.

“So, you came to that conclusion all on your own.”

“……”

“Do you have any idea how long it takes to truly understand even one person? How much must be sacrificed?”

Luca, slightly irritated by the condescending tone, replied curtly.

“I don’t know. But my belief is that if people open their hearts, time doesn’t matter when it comes to understanding each other. Besides, you don’t know anything about them either. Killing people without even knowing who they are─”

“I give only one warning. That’s the only courtesy I’ve gained recently.”

The woman before her was utterly unfitting of the word “courtesy”.

“I clearly told them to step aside, and they disobeyed.”

“So you killed them for that alone? Even though you had no personal grudge against them?”

“You seem quite sure of that.”

“What?”

“You’re confident, aren’t you? That I have no personal grudge against them.”

Pale’s smile changed in tone.

“In other words, you know that they’re not my target, but someone else is.”

“……”

“You’re connected to that asshole.”

Pale spoke in a humming tone, then drew her sword.

Sreung.

From the scabbard wrapped tightly in chains, a chilling blade revealed itself. In that moment, Luca realized that her opponent had never intended to have a conversation from the start.

At the same time, an overwhelming bloodlust, incomparable to before, struck her entire body. Luca didn’t have the discernment to measure her opponent’s level, but even she could tell that Pale had become five times stronger than before.

The moment she opened her mouth again, thinking it was dangerous, something cold sliced through her entire body.

There wasn’t even time to make a sound.

Luca’s body was shredded to pieces in an instant and collapsed. Of course, Pale had already learned that no matter how finely she diced this one, she wouldn’t die.

Kukwa-ga─!

Thousands of sword winds burst out from her blade simultaneously, further disintegrating Luca’s blood-soaked remains.

Smaller, and even smaller.

If she was crushed so finely she couldn’t regenerate, that would be enough. Let’s see if she can come back even when her shredded flesh is smaller than grains of sand.

“...Cough!”

…She regenerated.

Once again, Pale found herself staring dumbfounded at Luca. Though coughing a little with a pale complexion, Luca had returned, fully intact once more.

Pale.

Despite how she looked, had a wealth of experience.

She had wandered the Void world for a very long time, encountering all sorts of lifeforms. Among them, of course, were beings who resurrected no matter how many times you killed them, even undead creatures that couldn’t be killed by conventional means.

She had killed and devoured them all.

So should she try eating this girl too? If she devoured her, maybe she wouldn’t come back.

That was her assumption, but somehow, she didn’t think it would work.

Yes. From the beginning, the point was clear.

Luca was a type of enemy even Pale had never encountered before.

“Cough, cough...!”

But that didn’t mean Luca’s situation was any good either.

She was buying time, yes, but she had no means of fighting back, which was frustrating.

On top of that, she had no idea how far she could regenerate or under what conditions her resurrection was triggered, which made her afraid.

At that moment, Luca briefly regretted it.

This was her fault too.

She had always resisted reflecting on herself. Despite hearing so many words of comfort, the one thing Luca feared most was herself. So she had turned away from that fear. Pretended desperately not to see it.

…If she hadn’t done that, maybe she could use this power better. Maybe she could’ve understood herself much more deeply.

‘─Ugh. I don’t know anymore.’

That chilling sword aura was felt once again. It was a prelude. The dreadful sensation of being sliced through, one that she could never grow used to, was coming again.

With a sense of resignation, Luca closed her eyes.

“……”

But this time, no matter how long she waited, the pain didn’t come.

Luca opened her eyes slightly and looked ahead.

Pale was staring at her with widened eyes.

“……?”

“Are you by any chance─”

Pale stepped forward one step with a hand slightly extended. The hostility that had been there all along had vanished completely.

Just as Luca began to feel puzzled by her change in attitude,

─suddenly, a new figure intervened between them.

***

Bardrog sensed death approaching.

He was, of course, aware of the Blue Knight. The head of the Grand Galactic Alliance, Kiel Marlgol, had created a guideline for maintaining large organizations in the current world, and within that document was a list of individuals who must be absolutely avoided.

Pale was among them.

Then why hadn’t he backed down at her warning...?

‘Because I didn’t know she was the Blue Knight!’

Bardrog screamed inwardly.

She looked completely different from the image he had of her! Moreover, it wasn’t like he had defied the so-called “warning” she mentioned, he had merely asked her once what reason there was to step aside.

The cost of that question had been devastating...

Pale, who killed dozens of prisoners in an instant, dragged Bardrog and a few other crew members around, bound in chains.

And just when he thought there was no choice but to die, Luca appeared.

That girl, with her small body, stood up against the monster.

With a face full of fear and terror, trembling as though she might collapse at any moment. She fought to save them.

“Cough, cough...”

Bardrog, forcibly freeing himself from the cold chains, coughed as if spitting out dust. A crew member approached and supported him, asking,

“Captain, are you all right?”

“Yes. What about all of you?”

“We’re okay too.”

Another crew member spoke with a dark expression.

“…What should we do now?”

“You all evacuate. That monster seems to be heading toward the Fortress City, so for now, run in the opposite direction. A rescue ship from the Alliance will arrive nearby soon, so just hold out until then.”

“What about you, Captain?”

“I’ll follow right after.”

Though the crew looked at him with suspicion, Bardrog said no more and sent them away.

Now alone, Bardrog staggered toward a certain location.

…At this rate, Luca will die.

At first, he had thought that girl was unbelievably strong. After seeing her easily subdue Rirokan, who essentially ruled Amdal, he had considered her a monster on the level of Residue.

He realized otherwise when he saw her face while confronting Pale.

Luca was exactly as she appeared, a girl.

And yet, she didn’t run from her fear. She stood tall before Pale.

In that moment, Bardrog was overwhelmed by a profound emotion he had never felt before in his life. Call it awe, or inspiration. Even now, whenever he recalled that moment, his chest felt tight.

…But at this rate, Luca will die.

That small girl who threw herself into danger to save them would be sacrificed.

“……”

Bardrog looked at the Detention Cell.

The one and only Special Detention Cell in Amdal, this space built from the hardest metal in the universe was far sturdier than even the outer armor of a space battleship. Naturally, even a fall from thousands of meters in the sky didn’t leave a scratch on it.

Inside this cell was a prisoner not listed in the records.

Bardrog didn’t know what kind of heinous crimes that individual had committed.

Originally, this “worst criminal” had been incarcerated at another prison, and even during their transfer, the entire cell had been moved, so he had never even seen a strand of their hair.

But he knew one thing.

That this prisoner was incredibly powerful.

Of course, not stronger than the Blue Knight, probably. And there was no reason for them to take his side. But... what was needed now was a variable. There was no chance they’d join forces with the Blue Knight, so in this worst-case scenario, any kind of disruption was necessary.

However… now standing before the Detention Cell, he hesitated once more.

Was this really the right choice?

Would this decision just make the situation even worse?

[Bardrog.]

A voice rang in his head at that moment.

Startled, Bardrog answered,

“G-Grand Commander? Is that you?”

[It is. I have a command for you.]

“A command...?”

At a time like this, all of a sudden?

[Open the Special Detention Cell.]

It was a firm voice, as though ordering him to cast aside all hesitation.

Bardrog swallowed dryly and said,

“I was considering it as well, but I’m not sure if it will actually improve the situation...”

[It will be better than it is now. That much is certain.]

“…May I ask why you’ve made that judgment?”

[Because,]

Kiel spoke in a flat, indifferent voice.

[Only a Ruler can stand against the Four Knights.]

***

The moment the unexpected figure suddenly intruded, all traces of the gentle expression on Pale’s face vanished without a trace.

In its place, a savage smile curled on her lips.

“─Ruler.”

At that moment, the dark aura Pale unleashed nearly made Luca collapse on the spot.

At the same time, she instinctively realized that Pale had not been using her full strength until now.

No, maybe this was an emotional shift? She couldn’t be sure.

While Luca stumbled backward on trembling legs, Pale’s gaze remained fixed on the man standing between them.

Around the man, black thorns bloomed like flowers, but he showed no sign of being intimidated by Pale’s murderous aura and replied in a brusque tone.

“I’m not a Ruler.”

“What an amusing thing to say! Then what should I call someone who manipulates ‘Black Thorns’?”

“This is merely a tool to me. I simply use every resource available to do my job. For example, dealing with uncontrollable beasts...”

After a brief pause, the man continued.

“─Or hunting demons that pose a threat to humanity.”

"Hunting?"

“Yes.”

The man nodded as he spoke.

“I’m a hunter.”