The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

Among the ranks of the Absolute Beings, the proportion occupied by [Lords] is extremely low.

From the beginning, the majority of Absolute Beings never even manage to escape the lowest rank, [Assistant]. Though they are called Absolute Beings, in reality, they are nothing more than intergalactic troubleshooters traveling between worlds to resolve conflicts according to a system designed by the gods.

From [Manager] onward, the situation changes.

Unlike the Assistants at the very bottom, they no longer wander between universes. While they are not entirely free from such duties, they are entrusted with responsibilities far more significant.

They manage universes.

Each Manager is given one or more universes to oversee directly, along with the power to shape those universes according to their own desires.

For example, if an Absolute Being values 'struggle' as the highest virtue, then all life forms in their universe will regard strength and victory as the greatest honor. If an Absolute Being cherishes love and virtue, then the beings in that universe will generally have an inclination toward goodwill...

Moreover, there are no restrictions on their involvement in the universe.

If the universe does not develop in the direction the Manager desires-

In extreme cases, they can annihilate all existing civilizations and restart from zero.

This is why most Absolute Beings become satisfied once they reach the rank of Manager. Unless something extraordinary occurs, they focus on managing and protecting their universe, leaving them with little opportunity to travel to other universes.

Then what about the Lords?

Not only do they own their universes, but they have also resolved multiple universe-scale catastrophes in the so-called 'Great Universe', enough to earn even the recognition of the Rulers.

Unlike most Managers who are content with their position, the Lords still possess a lingering desire for advancement. Although compared to the fierce ambition of mortals, theirs was but a faint, flickering flame-

The Rulers saw potential in this.

They thought that those who still maintained their pride even after hundreds of millions or billions of years might become Rulers themselves.

But that expectation was utterly shattered.

While it was true that Lords had not forgotten their ambition, the majority of them never considered becoming Rulers as their ultimate goal. They did not even dare to imagine such a thing.

The Lord of Lords,

The right hand of the Ruler, known as the ‘Conqueror’, at best, that was the highest position they aspired to.

The Rulers were inevitably disappointed, yet they understood.

From the moment the Three Thousand Worlds came into existence until now, the number of Rulers had never wavered from four.

Until very recently, that is.

The Seven Fanged Dragon God.

Regardless of what her plans were, she had become too weak to claim the title of Ruler, even temporarily.

For the first time, the number they believed to be absolute and unchanging had a gap.

[The Great Game]

Some Absolute Beings realized that it was a plan to select a new Ruler, but the majority reacted with indifference.

Because they already knew.

The overwhelming gap between the Rulers and themselves,

How fundamentally different their very nature was from birth.

But that belief began to crack.

‘4’ had become ‘3’.

A Ruler had fallen, and an empty seat had been left behind.

The shock that swept through the Absolute Beings was on a completely different level from when they first heard rumors of the Great Game.

A being so overwhelming, so transcendent, so utterly beyond reach and comprehension.

For the first time, they could see the edge of that unreachable summit.

The Rulers were not, in fact, perfect and invincible!

The world was stirring violently.

For mortals, this was a cause for despair, but for the Absolute Beings, it was different. After all, their status was only attainable by standing at the very pinnacle of a universe.

Though it had been an unfathomably long time, they still retained a sense of pride. They had once possessed soaring self-esteem and an unshakable sense of self.

But over the eons, their spirits had weakened, and they had no choice but to submit to the Rulers.

...Now, however, the situation had changed slightly.

The ones who felt the strongest impact were, of course, the Lords.

Countless Absolute Beings who had long been seated beneath the Rulers suddenly began to think.

Perhaps now, in this era, it might be possible?

To become the next Ruler.......

*

‘I knew what you were thinking.’

The being that was once the Lightning God gazed at his former subordinates with dull eyes.

Symetra and Sera.

Undisputed Lords, and among the Absolute Beings who had once relied on the Lightning God, they ranked within the top ten in strength. In the past, their fangs had never even come close to reaching him, but now, things were different.

Now, they had a chance of victory even against the Rulers. Not Residue. He was referring to the current Rulers who still stood aloof, observing from above the universe.

Though that so-called chance was as faint as the likelihood of sand on a beach swept by waves randomly forming a sandcastle, that was not the important part.

In the entire universe, the most difficult step was always the transition from ‘0’ to ‘1’. That was why the moment this world was created was considered the greatest of all.

Thus, Residue did not underestimate this battle. He did not take it lightly.

To put it simply.

They had grown stronger,

And he had grown weaker.

Whoosh-

Symetra pulled out multiple daggers.

Were they designed to fit between her fingers? The handles were much thinner than usual. But they were certainly no ordinary weapons. At the very least, they were divine artifacts capable of holding external force, and there was a good chance they were Soul Weapons.

Weapons Residue didn't know about,

In other words, Symetra had obtained them very recently.

…How troublesome.

He didn't know the functions of those weapons, , but he was well aware of Symetra’s external force and the concept she governed. If those two elements were to align perfectly, this battle would become significantly more troublesome for Residue.

As expected, it would be best to kill Symetra before dealing with Sera.

Tzzzt.

As Residue finished his judgment, electricity surged through his body.

The two Absolute Beings watching this sight simultaneously frowned.

“…I see.”

“As I’ve heard, it’s an unpleasant power.”

Srrng.

Sera unsheathed her sword. The shield hanging near her waist… she wasn’t even thinking of using it. Was she underestimating him? If she wasn’t planning to go all out from the beginning, that worked in his favor.

Pak!

In an instant, her blade was at his throat. Residue tilted his head to the side. The cold steel grazed his cheek, leaving a thin cut.

Residue saw the openings in Sera’s upper body. It seemed like he could easily penetrate by just extending his hand.

But because the trap was so obvious, he decided against it. Instead, he changed his approach,

Something fresh.

Drip.

He caught the blood dripping from his cheek in his palm and flung it toward her.

The blood mixed with the rain and splattered toward Sera.

For a brief moment, she seemed taken aback, as if she hadn’t expected him to use the wound she inflicted as a weapon. However, she quickly regained her composure and swung her sword once more.

Blood smeared onto the blade.

“……!”

Sera’s eyes widened.

Her highly developed eyesight allowed her to see it clearly, the blade had failed to cut through the blood droplets.

Instead, the blood clung to the blade as if it possessed an intense viscosity.

Residue took exactly five steps back and snapped his fingers.

Boom!

The blood exploded.

He had simultaneously invoked the power of blood and the power of explosion, powers once held by a demigod.

A deafening roar and a cloud of dust enveloped the area, temporarily impairing both sight and hearing.

Of course, his opponents were Lords. They could freely shift into their transcendent forms, so such physical constraints were meaningless.

Residue’s body shot into the sky.

Almost at the same time, daggers cut through the dust and came into view.

Four of them, aimed at his vital points, shot toward him like arrows.

By twisting his body midair, he narrowly avoided them.

But that wouldn’t be all.

The moment he dodged all four, he made his assessment and unleashed a surge of electricity throughout his body.

Like an intricate web, the current spread widely, illuminating the surrounding terrain and revealing the shape of the incoming attacks.

As expected, three more daggers were flying toward him.

One from each side and one from behind,

Their presence was so faint, they were even less noticeable than the raindrops falling from the sky.

Anyway, once their position was identified, there was no need to be afraid.

Residue’s body ascended even higher into the sky.

Then, as if the daggers had a will of their own, they twisted midair and pursued him.

Of course they would.

Symetra was a hunter, and she was also the Lord of the Hunt. Naturally. Naturally, she possessed every skill necessary for hunting to absolute perfection.

Accuracy, tracking ability, stealth, trap design… and

“……”

The moment Residue sensed something off, he felt the currents he had spread in all directions get severed in an instant.

Turning around in midair, he found Sera suddenly behind him. She gripped a two-handed sword in reverse and was driving it down with the force to skewer his entire body.

Rather than swinging it like a sword, it felt more like she was thrusting a spear with her full weight behind it.

It was too late to dodge, so Residue reached out with his hand.

Thuck!

The blade pierced through his palm.

Blood splattered across his eyes, but he didn’t even blink. Instead, he pushed his hand further, gripping the guard of the sword.

Tighten.

His forearm tensed. His eyes turned crimson, and his muscles suddenly swelled dramatically. His strength multiplied by hundreds of times in an instant.

He attempted to hurl Sera toward Symetra’s daggers with brute force, but it wasn’t easy.

Flash!

Sera’s eyes glowed golden. A similar radiance flowed through the blade.

Residue’s left hand immediately ignited in flames.

“Hm……”

At that moment, he sensed Symetra’s daggers drawing near, almost within striking distance.

Too late to evade.

Thud! Thud!

Two daggers embedded themselves in his back.

At the last moment, he twisted his body, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike.

Residue caught the final dagger with his remaining hand and then severed his own left hand.

Fwoosh!

At the same time, his burning left hand turned to ash and vanished.

If he had hesitated even a moment longer, the flames would have spread across his entire body.

Residue, now with only one hand, swung the dagger and engaged in a brief skirmish with Sera.

He had no time to maintain his levitation, and their bodies, which had risen to the height of a building, were now gradually descending toward the ground.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In the chaotic aerial battle, a short weapon like a dagger had the advantage.

Moreover, Residue was seamlessly integrating martial arts with the powers of a demigod, causing wounds to accumulate rapidly across Sera’s body.

“……”

Sera didn’t seem surprised that she was being pushed back.

That only deepened Residue’s sense of unease.

The ground was now approaching fast.

Sera’s body was nearly drenched in blood.

But the injuries weren’t particularly significant.

More than that,

Even as he clashed with Sera, Residue’s mind was elsewhere.

This dagger he was using… it was a fine weapon. Hard yet razor-sharp, a rarity among blades. Its thin hilt was a distinct feature of Symetra’s weapons.

A total of four daggers could fit between five fingers. Since Symetra had two hands, that meant she wielded eight daggers in total.

…How many daggers had he dodged so far?

At that moment, Sera’s chest split open, and a dagger shot out from within.

There had been no indication whatsoever.

And that dagger, was incomparably faster than any of the ones he had faced before.

He was too close to Sera to dodge or deflect it.

In that fleeting moment, Residue kicked Sera’s chin upward, using the recoil to spin his body.

But he couldn’t avoid contact entirely.

Boom!

The long yet brief descent ended as their bodies crashed into the ground.

From a distance, Symetra observed the scene and spoke.

“What happened?”

Shhhk.

Sera’s form appeared behind Symetra.

She was still covered in blood, and the wound on her chest remained.

Even after a coordinated attack by two Lords, this was the extent of the damage.

As expected, he was…

“I saw the dagger strike a vital point.”

“I see. Even so-”

“-Do not let your guard down.”

From within the dust cloud, Residue’s voice echoed.

Moments later, his figure emerged.

“Is that what you were about to say? For someone who looks down on mortals, you’re being awfully cautious.”

Residue stepped forward from the settling dust.

A dagger was still lodged in his chest.

“…Didn’t it pierce a vital point?”

“A ridiculous thing happened.”

Residue pulled out the mask of The Beginning Wizard from inside his robe.

Made from an unidentified material from the 'Outside', this mask had an astonishing level of durability, so much so that even Symetra’s trump card had failed to leave a single scratch on it.

“Symetra. An Absolute Being who possesses all the virtues of a hunter… I’ve felt a sense of unease for a while. I was slow to realize it. But then again, I was never particularly interested in you lot.”

“……”

“The essence of hunting is composure. Perhaps because of that, you have always been cautious. That, at the very least, was impressive.”

Even at the moment she pledged allegiance before the Ruler, Symetra’s gaze had remained icy.

But.

“That same you has been showing emotions all day. You didn’t flinch before the Ruler, yet now, in front of someone you call a mere mortal, you’ve lost your cool. The reason? Simple. Your behavior right now is a lie.”

“……”

Yes. A lie.

From start to finish, everything was.

They had offered Tian and Volcast, those foolhardy duo, as sacrifices, all to reduce any sense of unease Residue might feel.

“You all knew about me from the start. You understood perfectly well who I was and what state I was in. Yet, despite that, you put on a pathetic act, pretending to be pushed into a corner.”

“……”

Sera was no exception.

Residue had assumed that she wasn’t fighting at full power because she hadn’t drawn her shield, but that wasn’t it. That was simply what she wanted to make him believe.

The goal was to plant the illusion that she wasn’t going all out.

What confirmed it was the recent aerial battle.

In that brief skirmish, Sera had fought with everything she had. She had given her all.

Not once had she harbored any arrogant belief that her opponent was a ‘mortal’ unworthy of her full strength.

Residue spoke.

“You came here fully prepared to kill me.”

“……”

“And you’re not the only ones, are you? Let me ask, has the entire Thirteen Thunderclouds gathered here?”

“No.”

Symetra’s tone shifted.

“They are not the only ones. Those gathered here today are all contenders for the position of the next Ruler. Their numbers-”

At that moment, the presence of others began to be felt from all directions.

From the entrance of dark alleyways,

Beyond shattered window frames,

Atop crumbling rooftops,

Hidden behind the clouds,

And even beneath the very ground.

“……”

Residue began counting their numbers, but before he could finish, Symetra’s voice rang out.

“Sixty-nine in total. All of them, of course, are Lords. Now then, do you think this is enough to hunt you down?”

Symetra smiled.

“-O former Ruler.”