Chapter 181: Althausen (6)

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Was it possible for the Black Mages to succeed in summoning the Demon King?

It wasn’t such a difficult question.

“There was that kind of branching point too.”

“…Branching point?”

When Carl asked again as if he didn’t understand, Yuria let out a short sigh.

“Ah, right. Sorry. I forgot you said you didn’t remember.”

“It’s fine. But by branching point, you mean…”

“Just what it sounds like. A stage of choices that determine the future. Do you remember the concept of save and load? It lets you save a situation where a choice appears, and then experience different outcomes.”

Carl gave a brief nod, signaling that he understood somewhat.

‘Is she talking about regression? Being able to return to any desired point in the past—what a convenient ability.’

Was that level of power really just used for a game?

He found himself curious once again about the place Yuria came from—called ‘Earth.’

“So, like I said earlier, there were multiple routes. Just like you said, Carl, there was a route where the Demon King and the demon army invaded the Middle Realm and waged war, and another where the demigods clashed and caused chaos.”

“Was there also a route where both the demigods and the Demon Realm ran rampant in the Middle Realm?”

“They say it exists in Hard Mode. In Normal Mode, the difficulty spikes too much, so they made it so the two factors can’t coexist.”

As she continued her explanation, Yuria suddenly widened her eyes as if she realized something and asked,

“Carl, are you thinking that not just the demigods’ followers, but the Demon Realm will invade too?”

“…Yes.”

After a moment of deliberation, Carl decided to be honest with Yuria.

“I’ve encountered not only the demigods’ followers but also demons, demonkin, and even Demon Humans operating in the capital.”

“…!”

Yuria was startled by Carl’s words.

She knew he was working behind the scenes, but she hadn’t expected him to be that active.

‘That must all be part of NOX’s operations, right?’

But she didn’t let on that she knew.

There had to be a reason Carl hadn’t mentioned NOX by name, and he might question how she knew in return.

There were plenty of things they were keeping from each other.

She herself hadn’t told Carl everything either, so she decided to let this slide.

“Even Demon Humans, fine, but demons and demonkin too?”

“Strictly speaking, I encountered them through a Demon Human. One of my abilities allows me to interfere with and destroy an opponent’s mind, and while delving into the Demon Human’s psyche, I encountered a being that seemed to be a high-ranking demon.”

Had it not been within the world of mental imagery, the being was so powerful that it would’ve been impossible to even oppose it.

Even Carius, the demigod who resided in his own psyche, was not stronger than that entity.

“If it’s bold enough to roam the Imperial Capital, then it must be scattered throughout the continent. I don’t believe their presence is unrelated to the Black Mages.”

“Of course not. In the end, they’re all followers of the Demon Realm.”

Whether Demon Humans or Black Mages, they all gained their power by forming contracts with demons or demonkin.

That was why the Holy Nation and other powers of the continent had always sought to eliminate them.

Black Mages from the Black Magic Tower claimed to train in black magic using only their own power without forming contracts with demonkin—but who could easily trust such people with pitch-black hearts?

That was why the Holy Nation had responded with near-military force.

“In the worst-case scenario, things could get messy.”

“Indeed.”

The followers of demigods who wished to become gods, the invasion of the demon army, and the ambitions of the continent’s powerful nations already rooted in place—

Carl briefly imagined a future spiraling into catastrophe.

‘…No matter the outcome, it’s grim.’

The only small comfort was that the body he now inhabited belonged to the Ribera Empire, which ruled the continent—not some small, weak nation.

He would need to build up his strength more proactively than he had originally planned.

‘I’ll need to revise the Academy plans too.’

Originally, he intended to stay at Bayern for the full four years and graduate normally.

He had hoped to build camaraderie with other cadets, establish a broad network, and turn the name ‘Karl Leipzig’ into a brand—but such optimism no longer seemed feasible.

‘The most important thing is absorbing the power of Carius.’

Demigod Carius.

His power and relics were scattered across the continent.

Currently, NOX had ceased all searches for traces left by ancient heroes and was focusing all its efforts on Carius.

To survive the coming chaos, one would need to possess at least the power of a demigod.

“What’s on your mind so deeply?”

“…If, hypothetically.”

“Yeah?”

“If you were to complete the Four Seasons, would you be able to wield power comparable to a demigod?”

“…”

Faced with the sudden question, Yuria closed her mouth.

To enter the final path as a mage, mastering the Four Seasons was essential.

There were more details she hadn’t yet revealed, but that was a secret she had to keep to herself.

For that reason, there were too many concerns to speak of it lightly.

“Ah, if it’s uncomfortable to talk about, you don’t need to tell me.”

“…It’s fine. You’ve shared a lot, so I should at least tell you this much for fairness.”

However, Yuria decided to willingly accept the cost.

After all, the Four Seasons she was currently creating was a personal system that only she could use.

Even if Carl desired it, it wasn’t something that could be taken from her.

At best, neutralizing it by killing her would be the most he could do.

Sssrrk.

A small orb appeared and floated above Yuria’s palm.

The 『Four Seasons』—the magical essence of the Gray Magic Tower and everything Yuria had built up until now.

It was a miraculous construct not found in this world, a system that turned magic into something automated.

“In truth, the Four Seasons is only a step in the process.”

“Only a step in the process?”

“You know who created the Gray Magic Tower, right?”

“The Archmage of ‘Eternity,’ isn’t it?”

One of the ancient heroes, ‘Eternity.’

He had conquered all magic in existence and created a new classification called the Eternal School.

Over time, the Eternal School became the Gray Magic Tower, leading to the present day.

“The magical essence that ‘Eternity’ created is a system called All Things in Creation. And the Four Seasons is a degraded version of that. So…”

“The Four Seasons is a step toward All Things in Creation?”

As Carl finished her sentence, Yuria nodded with a calm expression.

“The true stage of completion would be becoming All Things in Creation. But I don’t know what form that’ll take. There are just too many differences between the game and reality. It might become an object that unleashes catastrophic high-tier magic, or it could be a staircase leading to a new realm. Maybe even both.”

Yuria was hoping for the latter.

The realm above Archmage was one approaching that of a demigod.

In other words, walking that path could be a way to challenge a demigod.

If so, wouldn’t that be a way to return to Earth?

‘The reason I’ve been throwing myself into researching the Four Seasons so desperately is exactly that.’

With a serious expression, Yuria looked up and met Carl’s gaze.

“Carl, do you want to return to your homeland?”

“……”

At the unexpected question, Carl narrowed his eyes.

The homeland Yuria spoke of and his own were entirely different.

She had become Yuria after being swept up in a ‘game,’ while he had reincarnated into Carlos’s body after death.

They had arrived here through different situations and under different conditions.

“As I mentioned earlier, I have no memories. So I don’t really have any lingering nostalgia for my homeland.”

“I see.”

“Still, I intend to find a way. There’s a big difference between not going because you can’t and not going even though you can. My thoughts might also change later.”

As of now, Carl had no reason to return to the Central Plains.

He was already busy running NOX—what reason would there be to go back?

The fiend Naraksal, who had driven him to death, had been killed by the Bloodburst that exploded his heart, so there was no one left to take revenge on.

‘If I had to name one, the Killing Veil still remains.’

But the Killing Veil would never disappear.

Even if he returned to the Central Plains and erased the Killing Veil, another assassin group would eventually rise up under the same name and begin operating again.

That was the nature of the martial world—of the Central Plains.

“Still, I would like to go back and see it. I might recover some memories.”

Of course, once everything was over in Artenia, he intended to return to the Central Plains.

At the very least, he wanted to die in his true homeland.

And if he could live a new life there as well?

‘Not as the Greatest Assassin of the Central Plains, but as the Greatest Martial Artist of the Central Plains.’

For someone like him who had mastered the Primordial Unity Divine Art, it wasn’t an impossible dream.

He might not even need to possess someone’s body like he had to in Artenia if he returned to the other world.

If he could return in his current state, he might be able to dominate the martial world in no time and truly become the Greatest Martial Artist.

“…Carl, your face looks scary.”

“Ah, I apologize.”

For a brief moment, he had imagined the heads of the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, the Heavenly Demon, the Wudang Sect Leader, the Shaolin Abbot, and the Lord of the Martial Alliance kneeling at his feet.

He had thought he was above such vanity, but just imagining the scene made his heart race.

‘A martial artist is still a martial artist, after all.’

Even a second life could not suppress the bold spirit that came with being a true martial artist.

“Ah, I think I drank too much. Feeling a bit dizzy.”

Having emptied two bottles of wine while talking with Carl, Yuria fanned herself lightly with her hand.

As he poured her a glass of water and opened the window, Carl realized how late it had become.

‘I got too caught up in the conversation.’

There were still things to do tomorrow, and rest was important.

Though he could train through the night for a week with no issue, stamina was a crucial concern for a mage like Yuria.

“It would be best to continue this conversation another time. Yuria needs rest too.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Yuria nodded and tried to rise from her seat.

But perhaps due to the alcohol, she swayed slightly, and Carl quickly supported her from the side and steadied her.

“……”

Feeling his firm hand holding her arm, Yuria shut her lips tightly.

Maybe it was the alcohol.

Suppressing her fluttering heart, she cast a Cure spell to rid herself of the drunkenness.

“…Hoo.”

She barely managed to regain her composure.

Calming her pounding heart, Yuria gave Carl a small nod as she stood by the door.

“Then I’ll be heading back. Sleep well.”

“Have a good night.”

Click.

Yuria carefully opened the door and stepped out into the dark hallway.

Perhaps because she was still a bit lightheaded, she forgot to cast a magic to conceal her presence—but it was late at night, so she assumed no one would be around and moved with light steps.

“……”

The end of the hallway.

She had no idea that Laysis, who had gone downstairs for a drink, had just returned and had witnessed everything from beginning to end.

“Huh? Huh?”

In the deep night,

Laysis stood frozen in place, stunned by the sight of Yuria leaving Carl’s room, clearly drunk.

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