The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years (Web Novel KR)
chapter-337

Editors: Ana_Banana, Sei

Fwoosh!

“Kuk…!”

The flames around Nix soared, blocking the scythe and pushing it away. The force of the eruption was so strong that he almost lost his grip on the scythe.

Then came the heat.

He could feel his skin begin to burn.

Nevertheless, Lukas didn’t stop pushing. Instead, he grit his teeth and wrung out the rest of his strength.

“Kuh…!”

The veins in his eyes burst, and blood seeped from between his clenched teeth, but he couldn’t feel any pain. This was because he was using so much energy that his senses had become muted.

Creak-

A soft sound came from the scythe in his hands. Was it already reaching its limits?…No. That wasn’t right.

It wasn’t the scythe that had creaked, it was Lukas’ body.

A certain place in his body.

‘The mana room…’

The mana room that had been embodied in Lukas body would soon disappear.

What was the reason? There was still a lot of mana left in the mana room, could it be because he was too far away from Peran?

…He didn’t have the time to think.

‘Just a bit… more…’

At last, the scythe reached Nix’s neck, causing a few droplets of blood to roll down.

But that still wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough to make her feel like her life was in danger.

It wasn’t enough to force Torkunta’s mind to awaken.

Just a bit more.

If he could cut a bit deeper…

Crack!

“…ah.”

It was the sound of something breaking.

The mana room in his body disappeared.

Sss-

The cold scythe of ice quickly became liquid and flowed between his fingers before quickly evaporating. He could no longer maintain the Fly spell either.

…Lukas’ body began to fall into the fire.

‘…’

He’d reached his limits both mentally and physically. His willpower alone was no longer enough to support his mind and body . This backlash was the price of pushing himself far past his limits.

He couldn’t even move a single finger.

Like this, his stiff body slowly fell towards the red flames which flickered like the tongue of a predator.

Just as Lukas was about to be consumed in the flames…

Snap-

Someone grabbed him by the arm.

“…hmph.”

Then came a soft snort.

“I can’t believe you would use such an ignorant method… That doesn’t suit you at all. What would you do if this body really died?”

“…”

“But I guess you didn’t have much time either. Well, it’s fine. Now let me have a good look at your shabby appearance.”

Lukas, who had already lost consciousness, could not respond.

Her eyes.

Nix’s eyes were no longer red.

Now, they had become resplendent gold like the eyes of a predator.

The Drake King, Torkunta, held Lukas in his arms as he muttered softly. (TL: Remember male pronouns for Torkunta, female for Nix.)

“First off, I guess I should congratulate you. And give you a warm welcome. Lukas Trowman. Even if this world has become crazy, you managed to return successfully…”

* * *

Two days before.

Deep within the Amalgam Forest.

Snow was feeling the dirtiest she had in years.

The reason wasn’t just because undead had appeared in this beautiful forest.

“…”

With her sword hanging at her side, she looked in front of her.

Death Knight.

A being that was generally classified as a high ranking undead.

Its combat power was comparable to a First class Swordsman or Warrior, but they weren’t just classified as high ranking because of their power.

Beings classified as high ranking undead like Death Knights, Dullahans, and Liches, were all sapient.

In other words, they knew what they were.

For example, even if they didn’t have memories of when they were alive, they still understood that they were just rotting corpses.

The lower ranking undead were different.

The emotions of resentment, hatred, or rage that they might have had at their death were what became the energy that drove them. Even after they were resurrected, they didn’t know what they were, and they didn’t care.

They simply acted upon their resentment for the living in order to fill emptiness within them that could never be satisfied.

In Snow’s opinion, it would be more accurate to call them ‘Corpse Beasts’ instead of an old fashioned name like undead.

‘These guys are different.’

Five Death Knights.

Death energy was also wrapped around them like a fog.

Since Diablo had begun to scatter undead across the continent, she had already cut down countless undead. That’s why she was clear as to why these five Death Knights were considered to be high ranking undead.

If even a single one of them were to leave the forest, a horrific disaster would occur.

Crack.

The Death Knights were facing Snow in an organised formation.

They didn’t rush in. In other words, they remained cautious

This could mean that they had some level of intelligence…

0

‘They don’t seem to possess their own ego.’

The only thing that could be seen in their blank eyes was a glint of death energy.

This was proof that they were just puppets who moved according to the orders of the caster.

“Aren’t you gonna come?”

[…]

Snow swung her sword in provocation, but she didn’t receive a response.

They were all high ranking undead, but they didn’t have their own intelligence. To be precise, it was being suppressed… This proved the strength of the Necromancer who was controlling them.

“I really wanna know who you are.”

Snow grinned before she returned Deukid to its sheath and slowly walked towards the Death Knights.

A Swordsman who put away their sword and approached their enemy with their two hands at their sides.

If the Death Knights had any of the pride they had during their lives left, they would have been outraged by the blatant insult, but they were now undead who had no care for such things.

Instead, they looked at Snow with a hint of hesitation.

In the meantime, the distance between them continued to close.

In the end, the closest Death Knight had no choice but to rush forward.

Crack.

Its armour cracked.

With a bewildered glimmer in its eyes, the Death Knight stumbled backward.

It wasn’t the only one. The other Death Knights behind it also staggered backward as if they had been hit.

Crack crack!

The armors of all five Death Knights had identical cracks.

Clink!

Then, as if their entire bodies had been crushed, they fell into a pile of rubble.

“You were even too slow to notice that attack. Stupid things.”

Snow muttered indifferently as she walked over the remains of the Death Knights.