The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

[I never thought I’d see you outside.]

Outside.

This wasn’t just referring to a place. The bottom of the mine where he was facing Diablo now was not the place he was calling ‘outside’.

The outside that he was referring to meant the entire multiverse, the Three Thousand Worlds.

[And I never thought you would kill Cairo without hesitation. Hahaha.]

Diablo’s voice was toneless, but Lukas could read the pleasure in his laughter.

He couldn’t understand that.

“Why are you laughing?”

[Mm?]

“Cairo Wilsemann was your comrade, wasn’t he?”

[Did Cairo say that? Or is that just your personal opinion?]

“…”

[Huhu. I guess you won’t pick at my words. Right. You asked why I laughed. That-]

Just before Diablo finished speaking, something shot past Lukas from behind. He could see blue hair fluttering like a wave.

There was a cracking sound, like old fruits being squashed. Pale who had narrowed the distance in an instant and covered Cairo’s face with her small palm before crushing it with just her grip.

“Noisy, if you have something to say, come here and say it.”

Pale spat in an annoyed voice before licking the blood from her hand.

Just as Lukas was considering whether to praise or scold her for her actions.

Black smoke flowed like a mist out of Cairo’s body and soon took on a translucent shape.

[Let’s do that, then.]

The top of the shape soon became Diablo’s face.

“You didn’t come here yourself.”

Pale grumbled, but it seemed that she had no intention of getting rid of the fog as she crouched down on the ground and began licking Cairo’s blood.

The flickering green lights in the two eye sockets looked at her figure.

[Blue Knight of Famine, why did you appear in the Three Thousand Worlds? This place is not a world that can accept you.]

“I don’t know either.”

[You don’t know… Indeed, in other words, that means you didn’t come here of your own volition. Let me guess…]

Diablo’s eyes turned to Lukas.

[One of the Twelve Void Lords, the Exile from the Entire Multiverse. Was he the one who sent you to the Three Thousand Worlds?]

“…”

[Silence. In that case, that’s really the answer.]

Lukas returned to the subject.

“…I asked you why you laughed.”

[I can’t help but laugh. Of course, I’m not happy about Cairo’s death in itself. What is important is that you, Lukas Trowman, killed Cairo Wilsemann.]

He was gradually becoming unable to understand what Diablo was talking about.

[Didn’t you kill Cairo because he was conducting inhumane experiments in this mine?]

“And if that was the case?”

[In other words, it would mean that you vented your anger at Cairo’s behaviour. And you killed him half impulsively. Hahaha…]

He burst into laughter again. Although it was obvious, the sight of a fleshless skeleton laughing was horrifying.

A smile was an emotional expression that one made using the flesh attached to the cheeks. Naturally, as a skeleton, Diablo shouldn’t be able to smile.

That was why it was a strange sight. Perhaps Diablo, who was laughing in front of him, was more bizarre than someone who could laugh while maintaining a perfectly expressionless face.

[It was a very human reaction. I… am moved. I don’t have a heart, but my blood vessels pulsed, and I don’t have skin, but I got goosebumps.]

He couldn’t listen anymore.

There was something wrong with Cairo and Diablo. To put it bluntly, he thought they’d lost their minds.

Perhaps feeling something from Lukas’ attitude, the white skeleton’s head tilted to the side.

[It seems Cairo didn’t tell you anything. What should I say? I want to tell you so many things that I can’t even summarise it. Because now you can empathise with my thoughts.]

There was a deep conviction mixed into that unwavering voice, but Lukas’ discomfort and displeasure surpassed the peak that it had reached with Cairo.

Empathise?

Him? To Diablo’s thoughts?

“You think you can change my ideologies?”

Lukas’ sense of identity was something that even a Ruler couldn’t influence. Then what about Diablo? Did he think he could exert more influence than a Ruler?

If that was really the case, then either his sense of identity was out of control, or he was looking down on Lukas.

Either way, Lukas’ cynicism wouldn’t be erased.

[There is no longer anything like ‘sealed truth’ in the world. The knowledge in the void is now accessible to all humans. When you become an Absolute, you will be forgotten in your home universe, and it is impossible to even tell the truth to the mortals… That ridiculous law has also disappeared. That’s why Cairo could become aware of you.]

“…”

[The Absolutes who kept the balance of the universe, the Three Thousand Worlds, the Rulers that rule over them, the existence of God, the World of Void, the Void Records… All of these thoughts can even be passed down to a small child. So I spread it. The truths that I learned, and the approaching terror that we would soon face.]

[Kuhaha…]

At that moment, Lukas heard the laughter of someone else.

[I see, so this was also the Demon God’s insurance. As expected, that guy is not easy to see through.]

The distinctive sound of roaring thunder that was the voice of the Thunderous Lightning God who was still in a corner of Lukas’ consciousness.

Diablo spoke.

[I wasn’t able to completely control Lucid’s mind. However, he chose to be my hands and feet and move as I wished. You must have been puzzled by that fact, weren’t you?]

“…”

[The answer to that is simple. It’s because Lucid was my first understanding.]

“What the hell kind of enlightenment did you give him?

[I can’t talk about that here.]

Diablo spoke nonchalantly before adding.

[No. To be precise, I can’t talk about it in front of her.]

And his gaze was directed at Pale as he said that.

With her blood stained face, she glanced over at the fog that shimmered like a demonic figure before straightening her bent back and smiling.

“Why? I heard you told the Black Knight.”

[It seems you don’t know. The White Knight and the Red Knight already know this truth. You’re the only one who doesn’t seem to know. Blue Knight Pale.]

The smile disappeared from Pale’s face.

[Didn’t you notice the difference between yourself and them? It’s not that they couldn’t find a being they wanted to follow as ‘King’. You’re really unstable, that’s why it’s too dangerous. Even if a wild dog with the power to destroy a universe was to roam around freely, I wouldn’t feel as anxious.]

“The only reason you can say that to my face.”

Pale smiled brightly.

“Is it because of the Demon God backing you?”

[No one is backing me. My relationship with the Demon God is purely contractual. For instance, if you tried to kill me here, the Demon God wouldn’t try to stop you.]

“Indeed. So you want to die. You know what? I didn’t like you from the beginning. The only reason I left you alive was because I don’t like eating bones.”

Diablo wasn’t there. But Pale released a momentum as if she was on the verge of killing him.

She reached out as if she didn’t care about the constraints of space. This movement was familiar. It was the way she summoned her sword.

“Stop.”

Lukas stopped her. Naturally, this wasn’t to protect Diablo. There were still things he still needed to talk to him about, and more importantly, Pale wasn’t the one that would end him.

“Hmph.”

Pale snorted and let go of her murderous intent. Although he didn’t voice it, Diablo was surprised by this fact.

[When I entered the World of Void and could see the Castle, I was elated. Because it meant that I’d gained the qualification I so badly wanted. Do you know what I’m talking about? It meant I was qualified to become the Void King. In the end, sitting on the throne would be a new beginning.]

“…”

[I’m certain. After you hear my story, you will make one of two choices. Either you will support me to become the Void King, or you yourself will become the Void King.]

He had thought of the latter several times. He felt that he would eventually end up sitting in the seat of the Void King. Even if it would be a hassle.

However, he’d never thought of the former. It was so absurd to the point that it even made him angry.

Lukas would support Diablo to be the Void King? That would be almost impossible even if the sky was to flip over hundreds of times. Diablo’s eyes curled like crescent moons.

[And I will support you regardless of whichever choice you make. In the first place, I’m not the only one who can achieve my goal. Perhaps you will be the real master of this mission.]

“What is your goal?”

[To spread death. If possible, not just to this universe, but to all of the Three Thousand Worlds.]

Lukas let out a sigh. It was an expression of exhaustion at the story that continued to go around in circles.

But Diablo continued with the same attitude.

[You have the mindset of a human again. You can see things from the eyes of a mortal. That’s why I’m certain. That you will understand my choice, and empathise with my plan.]

At that moment, a crack appeared beside Diablo’s image. Lukas realised it was both an entrance and exit to another space.

[It’s not like a trap or anything.]

“…”

[Go in. Then you will be able to draw your own conclusions. Maybe you won’t have to wander anymore. In my opinion, it would be nice if you could regain your original goal and mission.]

He had no intention of going in. Even if everything Diablo said was true, sometimes knowing the truth only lead to responsibilities. And at that moment, Lukas didn’t want to increase his responsibilities even more.

The reason he’d come to the Three Thousand Worlds was to kill Diablo and the Demon King.

That should be enough for now.

But.

“—”

The next moment, Lukas stepped into the crack.

* * *

Right after that, Lukas felt like he’d been trapped in a small room. It wasn’t a trap. The meaning of that sensation was simple.

It was just that the size of the crack in space was very small.

It was dark.

It was a place where there was almost no light. Nevertheless, his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the dark.

“…!”

Instantly, his heart sank. The moment he had instinctively stretched out his hand, he felt the touch of something resembling a soft skein* of thread. (*: Fun fact, these are also called ‘hanks’)

It only took Lukas a moment to realise it was someone’s hair.

And the fact that the owner was so close he could feel their breath.

“…ah.”

It was immediately clear to him who the woman was.

A woman with ebony hair and unfathomable eyes.

Iris Peacefinder was staring at Lukas in surprise.

(TL: Diablo… best wingman?)

Here’s Sedi ^-^