The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years (Web Novel KR) Vol 1 Chapter 234

[Urk…]

Lord suddenly felt nauseous. He collapsed to the ground while holding his chest.

[Urk! Wek… ]

Tok, tok…

Then he vomited something.

It was a thick, viscous substance with a disgusting smell like it was something that had almost been digested.

Moreover, this liquid was black and wriggled as though it was alive.

'I'm not sure what's happening.'

Lord was currently defenseless.

Seeing this, Ivan charged towards him. He wanted to take advantage of this opening.

He couldn't help but think about the battle with Agni. Nora had lost her arm, and Beniang risked her life to give him an opening, which he then used to land a punch.

He remembered the feeling he'd had at that time.

'I can do it.'

After that battle with Agni, Ivan had done his best to perfect 'Ivan's Fist', which had become his trump card.

That fist was the limit of the path that Ivan pursued. But it was still incomplete. This was proven by the fact that it hadn't even been able to finish off the weakened Agni.

That was why he was confident now. This time would be different from back then.

If everything went well, he would be able to reach Lord's core.

Kooo-

Ivan began condensing mana into his fist.

'Not enough.'

He wouldn't be able to do it with this much.

It had to be cleared. Denser. More compressed.

He would bear the burden for it on his own.

Fwoosh.

His hair seemed to have been turning white.

In a pure white world, Ivan recalled the path he'd walked on so far. At the end of his teenage years, which could only be described as trash, he met a benefactor by the name of Nora and was taught the Warrior King Fist.

He was talented, and for the first time in his life, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

It was on one faithful day when he found out about the Demigods.

-The secret of the Warrior King Fist.

It was to kill Demigods. That was what the martial art had been created for.

And the existence in front of him was now an amalgamation of almost every member of this transcendent race to the extent that it wouldn't be strange to call him The Demigod.

As long as he killed him, everything would be over.

'So I will steel my resolve.'

He wouldn't swing his fist again.

For Ivan, who had devoted himself to the Warrior King Fist, he had more than enough determination to give up his life.

This determination then created a miracle.

Jurk.

Blood flowed from Ivan's lips. It wasn't just his lips. Red blood flowed from his eyes, nose, and even his ears.

Crunch.

He felt his molars crack, the veins in his eyeballs burst, and his eardrums tear.

If it wasn't for this pain, he might have lost his mind by then.

Kooo-

And finally.

Ivan had gathered his 'everything' into his fist.

'This is it.'

This fist was the limit of Ivan's ability.

He looked at Lord with calm eyes. He could reach him with this. An unknown conviction filled his heart at that moment.

Ivan swung his fist, his hand penetrating Lord's body.

Clang.

Or, at least, that was what should have happened.

Ivan stared at the scene in front of him with disbelieving eyes.

There was nothing in front of him. But 'Ivan's Fist' had been blocked.

He hadn't even gotten the chance to reach Lord. In fact, Lord wasn't even looking at him. He was still wheezing on the ground with his back bent.

Nevertheless, Ivan's fist had been blocked by an invisible wall.

“Kurk…”

The backlash came before he could even figure out what had just happened.

Ivan couldn't swallow the bubble of blood that shot up from his throat. Blood and pieces of his internal organs shot out from his mouth.

'Impossible.'

He stared at his fist in disbelief. It felt like he had struck something that was unimaginably hard.

It didn't make sense.

In front of Ivan's Fist, even the hardest metal in the world, Adamantium, which was praised for its durability, would be torn apart like paper.

Then Lord, who had finished vomiting, wiped his mouth before saying.

[I already told you. I don't think I can lose anymore.]

“What… the hell… did you do…?”

[I used my power. But it's only natural that insects like you wouldn't understand.]

Ivan couldn't hold it anymore and collapsed to the ground. His stamina and strength were already depleted.

He had literally put everything he had into that punch.

'What the hell… kind of monster did he become?'

Ivan felt fear for the first time.

He cast a fearful gaze towards Lord, but Lord was still not paying any attention to him. Instead, he was looking down at his vomit.

“Hup!”

The Great Medium gasped and stumbled backwards. She realised what Lord's vomit was.

“Th-, the Demigods…”

“What did you say?”

Anastasia was shocked by the Great Medium's murmur. She hurriedly observed the black liquid.

Kuaaah-

This disgusting, viscous liquid, which she'd thought was vomit, was covered in numerous 'face'-like bubbles.

It was like grieving ghosts had become tangled together, forming a liquid and becoming prisoners in a hell-like place where the punishment never ended.

Even Anastasia, who had witnessed numerous horrifying scenes before, could not help but feel cold at the sight.

“What the hell did you do?”

[They no longer have divine power. So I filtered them out… As you saw, having multiple egos coexisting in one body is very dangerous.]

Lord's voice was emotionless.

This caused Anastasia to feel that the being in front of them was not 'Lord' but an entirely new being.

“But they were once your kind. Are you really saying this is okay? Are you really going to throw away the people who trusted you and followed you for so long in such a way? That's a fate more miserable than dying.”

[You're wrong.]

Crack!

Lord stomped on the vomit without any changes to his expression. (TL: So disrespectful to still call them vomit, oof)

Power from the soles of his feet spread deep into the vomit.

Kuaah-

The Demigods screamed even more painfully.

Lord spoke without any fluctuations in his voice.

[How can you call beings without divine power Demigods?]

“You… you are even more disgusting that the vomit you just spat out.”

It was Dro who spoke with a disgusted voice.

Lord tilted his head as though he couldn't understand those words.

[That's strange. Why are you baring your teeth at me? You were in the same situation as me. Lucifer and Dragon Lord. I don't think you separated the cores because you wanted to be separate beings. You did it because your two powerful egos were unable to coexist in one body. I also got this idea from your actions.]

“Don't equate our decision to your disgusting actions.”

[You don't understand that it's just a difference of perspective.]

Lord shrugged nonchalantly before looking at Dro and saying.

[And from now on, it would be best if you watched your mouth.]

“Quit your bullshit, you son of a bitch.”

Ivan growled, spitting out a mouthful of blood. This was his step of courage to not be devoured by fear.

Ivan's courage was certainly something to be admired. It was possible that his body and mind were in a situation much worse than any human had ever encountered. To swear at Lord in this state was something no one would dare do.

However, Ivan's courage didn't work in his favor.

Lord looked down at this man who was barely conscious and nodded.

[Then you can disappear.]

Lord's words immediately became a reality.

Paht.

Ivan disappeared.

By the time the people in the room noticed, he was no longer in the throne room.

“Huh?”

Anastasia exclaimed softly.

Ivan's entire existence had disappeared, as if he'd evaporated, as if an invisible force had agreed with Lord's words.

It wasn't just Ivan. Even the blood he'd shed had disappeared.

Flap!

Lord spread his wings.

This sight caused the Great Medium to be momentarily speechless. This was because for a moment, this being, who seemed to shine with a holy light, looked like an Angel, an Apostle of God, or even God itself.

'It's not possible!'

The Great Medium only froze for a moment before she immediately discarded those thoughts.

God's Apostle?

This disgusting creature?

She would never accept it. As the Great Medium who had devoutly served God for hundreds of years, she wholeheartedly denied Lord's existence.

“What the hell is your goal? Do you intend to rule this world alone, with no one by your side? Do you really think such a life is worth living?”

[I do not intend to rule.]

Lord had naturally given up such a foolish goal. He closed his eyes and muttered.

[I will meet God.]

“What…?”

[However, he is very busy. He never shows up unless he absolutely has to.]

After saying this, Lord paused for a moment.

He recalled the extremely unusual case of God's appearance to meet an individual named Lukas Trowman.

He wondered just what their conversation was about for a moment before shaking his head and continuing.

[…so I will create a 'special situation'. A special situation that will force him to make an appearance.]

“A special situation…”

[I will destroy every world. And return the world to the state of nothingness just like in the beginning.]

Everyone there was shocked by his words.

Destroy the world?

Return it to nothingness?

These were normally ridiculous statements. But it was Lord who said them.

He definitely had the power to do what he said.

More importantly, he meant it. Lord was serious about destroying the world.

'This is Lord's real goal.'

Cold sweat dripped down their backs.

She understood what he said, but Anastasia couldn't stop herself from arguing.

“Yo-, you're insane… Then you'll die too! Regardless of how strong you are now, you wouldn't be able to maintain your body if the world didn't exist!”

[Did you forget? I have a world of my own.]

“…no way.”

[The Abyss.]

Lord laughed.

[There are currently guests who are using it without permission, but it won't be hard for me to break through the walls they set up. I will wait there. For thousands or even tens of thousands of years… until God comes. Then, after meeting him, I will make a suggestion. To rebuild the world.]

Lord's eyes shined. It was as though he was already looking at the newly created world instead of the beings in front of him. (TL: sometimes I really think the author forgets Lord is 'featureless')

[I'm certain that the newly created world will be a paradise. I'll make sure it is. Right… it would be nice if I could recreate my kind as well.]

“…do you really intend to become God's Apostle?”

[I'd prefer that.]

“…God might not appear in the end.”

[Then I'll make it myself. Of course, it might take tens of thousands of years, but… it would be fun. I told your dead friend before: creation is not impossible for me any longer.]

He was serious when he said this as well.

It was only then when those remaining in the room realised just what kind of being they were fighting against.

Maybe Lord was a god.

It was hard for them to call a being whom they had never seen or heard before and who didn't even seem to care about what was happening, God.

Lord, on the other hand, was a god of destruction who could kill hundreds of thousands of people in an instant.

[Of course, you would be long dead by then, Dro.]

In the next instant, Dro's body floated into the air.

This was Lord's power.

Dro didn't struggle uselessly. Instead, he bit his lip and quickly used Dragontongue.

[Reject.]

The Dragontongue was deflected.

Instead, it was the body of the one who used it that had been bound.

Dro's jaw dropped in shock.

“How the hell did you cancel out my Dragontongue?”

[I don't know what power it is. I'm just imitating.]

So this was the power that Lukas was using.

As he had this thought, Lord looked at Dro's shocked expression.

“What do you…”

[You don't deserve to know. Shut up and give me your heart.]

Shik!

With those words, a heart was pulled out of Dro's chest, covered in blood and still beating.

“Ku-, uk…”

Dro shook with his eyes wide open before he stopped moving completely.

He was dead.

Dro's artificial body had strong vitality. But the power source at the core of its vitality was the heart.

If he had lost another vital part, he would not have died so easily.

Lord gestured lightly.

[Come, my last piece.]

The heart slowly floated towards Lord.

'If we just leave it.'

'It's over.'

Jekid and Anastasia exchanged glances. Then they threw themselves toward Lord at the same time.

[Get lost.]

Their bodies were sent flying in an instant.

As they'd expected this, they bounced up immediately and charged again.

[Fall.]

Terrible pressure landed on their bodies. Unable to overcome this pressure, they collapsed face-first into the ground.

In an instant, it felt like gravity had increased by hundreds of times.

The pressure was so strong that the ground around them shattered.

[This power is pretty good.]

Although, it was a bit annoying to admit it himself.

Lord turned to look at the Great Medium who was standing in a corner and asked.

[What will you do?]

[Right. Just stay still. In a way, you might be the smartest bug here.]

The end was finally there.

A smile appeared on Lord's face. He stretched out to the heart that was finally within reach.

The Dragon Lord's heart. This alone could have been called a supreme treasure, but for Lord, it was a simple shell.

The shell which hid the core that Lord was searching for.

The last piece that he wanted so badly was kept in this very heart.

Or, at least, it should have been.

Lord's expression stiffened.

[…what's going on?]

It wasn't there. There was no core.

Just when he'd thought it was impossible, another accident occurred.

Naturally, the image of a woman appeared in the mind of Lord who stood there as though he'd been frozen.

Iris Phisfounder.

The person who'd created Dro's artificial body.

[…where did you hide it…]

His voice seemed to rumble with anger, like an active volcano that was about to erupt.

Lord clenched his fist tightly.

Bang!

The Dragon Heart exploded, sending blood flying in every direction.

[Where did you hide the balance's core, Iris?!]

“I have it.”

Lord turned around slowly, his expression still one of extreme rage.

No, it was so distorted that even 'rage' was not enough to describe it.

Lukas Trowman was standing there calmly as if he'd been there from the beginning.

He looked at Lord's distorted expression before pointing to his chest. He pointed to the last arrangement of Iris, who had brought him back from the dead and whose soul was inches away from disappearing.

“I have the balance's core.”

(TL: bruh… LET'S GOOOO!!!)

Chapter end