The Great Mage Returns after 4000 Years – Chapter 215 – Individual Schemes (3)
Translator: Seven
Editors: Ana_Banana, Yahiko
‘If I became the balance, I would be more than a transcendent being.’
Frey looked at himself objectively. He realised that he had less resistance to being a non-human being than before.
Another voice inside of him was dismissing his faint hesitation as stubbornness.
Stubbornness.
It wasn’t wrong.
His heart was gradually leaning towards what Lord and Lucifer said.
‘The Continent needs a being to protect it.’
And he wanted to fulfill that role. He wanted to protect not only the humans but every other being on the Continent.
He also had the confidence.
Lord and the Dragon Lord were not capable of such a task. It was impossible for them, who were born as transcendent beings, to understand the lives and needs of mortals.
But Frey was different.
He had climbed up from the bottom. It would not be hard for him to handle something potentially impossible for them.
It would also let him paint the continent in his own colors. Selecting only those who understood him, who had the will to fight, the ideal world…
“…”
Frey shook his head.
He felt the arrogance of the Absolute sprouting up inside him. This certainly didn’t bode well with him.
Ever since he’d come to hell, he felt his inner self undergoing subtle changes.
‘Is it because I left my body behind?’
It was possible that this was the reason, but it could also have been that this was an inevitable change.
What Frey was feeling was his being becoming closer and closer to the order and following the path of fate.
Lucifer had been right. He was already in a cocoon.
Even if he personally destroyed the chrysalis, he could no longer return to being a caterpillar. The moment he wrapped the silk around his body, he was destined to become a butterfly.
Frey realised that there were only two paths in front of him.
Evolution or destruction.
‘Sooner or later.’
Frey was more aware of his internal changes than anyone else.
It was not a matter of willpower.
He would soon have to accept the fact that he’d truly become a transcendent being.
* * *
Asura roughly sat down on a chair. Then, with a rough voice, he growled threateningly towards Beelzebub.
“The meeting was supposed to be held tomorrow.”
“This is an urgent matter.”
“Then speak quickly. I left my territory unattended.”
This wasn’t strange, considering the fact that the Demigods had invaded.
Asura wanted nothing more than to tear the Demigods apart with his own hands as soon as possible. But Beelzebub shook his head.
“You don’t need to worry about your territory anymore.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I will explain when everyone arrives.”
“…”
Asura snorted before falling silent in his seat.
Soon after, Zefar, Barbatos, and Lilith arrived. Then the doors shut on their own.
Asura’s eyebrows furrowed.
“What’s the meaning of this, Beelzebub?”
“What do you mean?”
“There is still one empty seat.”
“No. Everyone is here. The Archdukes that I invited.”
Beelzebub spoke in a firm tone.
Just as Asura was about to open his mouth again.
Click.
Someone walked through a door on the other side of the room.
Asura’s expression became stranger. It wasn’t Lucifer that walked into the room. Instead, it was someone much more surprising.
“You…”
Frey Blake first bowed his head slightly to Beelzebub. This was to show his appreciation for the effort to bring the other Demon Lords together on such short notice.
Seeing this, Zefar spoke in a disbelieving voice.
“Are you working with the Demigods now, Beelzebub?”
Demonic energy began surging from Zefar’s body. It seemed he thought Frey was a Demigod and believed that this meeting was a trap.
But Asura shook his head.
“No. He’s not a Demigod.”
“Then what is he?”
“…a human.”
“What did you say?”
Barbatos, who had risen from his seat, turned to look at Asura and said.
“What the hell are you talking about? How could a human come to Hell? And… and why can I feel divine power in him? No. It’s something more than that… Shit. Who the hell is this monkey?”
“He really is a human.”
This time, it was Lilith who spoke.
Barbatos turned to look at Zefar with a strange expression.
“Are these lunatics going crazy together? They’ve been living long enough that it’s obviously possible, but it’s too sudden.”
“There must be a reason. Let’s listen to them first.”
Frey turned to the empty seat and spoke.
“I told him not to call Lucifer.”
“With what right?”
Asura’s voice was full of hostility as he asked this question. He originally didn’t have any bad feelings towards Frey, but things were different now.
As the Ruler of the Slaughter Hell, he didn’t tolerate others invading his world.
This fact wouldn’t change just because he was a human whom he liked a little.
“I will tell you Lucifer’s plan. You can make your own decision after that.”
After saying that, Frey recounted what he’d told Beelzebub before. He didn’t hide the information about balances.
-When he was finished speaking, the five Rulers reacted differently.
“Hell is going to be destroyed? Are you bluffing to gain our trust?”
When he heard Zefar’s cynical words, Beelzebub turned to look at him.
“All of Frey’s words are true. I can vouch for him.”
Then Barbatos spoke up.
“Who the hell are you?”
“At least I’m a Demon with a much better brain than yours.”
“You fly bastard.”
Unlike Barbatos, who seemed reluctant to even think about it, Zefar seemed genuinely surprised by Beelzebub’s unexpected confirmation.
He obviously knew how wise and knowledgeable the King of Flies was. He was not someone who would be deceived by someone else or cooperate with someone without a good enough reason.
Lilith also lifted her hand.
“I believe him.”
“Why?”
“…”
Lilith couldn’t answer Zefar’s question. This was because her pride wouldn’t allow her to admit that Frey saved her life.
Then Barbatos snorted.
“You trashy bitch who couldn’t even protect her own territory. You seem to have mistakenly thought you have the right to speak here. You should be thankful you haven’t been kicked out of your spot yet.”
“Your breath stinks, Barbatos. Do you want to give me your territory, then?”
“Oh. You can try.”
“…”
It was only then when Frey truly understood Lucifer’s influence.
Although he had never witnessed a meeting when he was present, he was certain that such a messy scene had never occurred.
To call the relationship between the various Rulers bad would be an understatement.
But Frey didn’t intervene in their fight. Instead, his gaze was locked onto Asura, who was also looking at him.
Asura then closed his eyes while muttering.
“Right. I knew that there had to be a reason why Lucifer was willing to give up the Corrupted Hell. He even bowed his head, which made it even more unbelievable. Kuku. Right. Now, I’m in a bad mood.”
He opened his eyes and turned to Beelzebub.
“Beelzebub, do you agree with him?”
“That’s right.”
“Right. I should have expected as much from you.”
The hostility in his voice was evident.
At that moment, Frey knew what choice Asura would make.
Asura then turned to look at Lilith and Zefar respectively.
“It seems the Black Dream slut has decided to shake her ass to the humans now, and of course, the greatest coward in the Demon World will wait until the last moment before making his decision, as always.”
“What?”
“…Asura, are you crazy?”
Anger was evident on the faces of the two Rulers who had been insulted.
But Asura ignored them and laughed, saying.
“You guys are the crazy ones. You want to entrust the fate of Hell to a human? Are you serious? Kuhaha! You bunch of fools can’t tell the difference between cooperation and dependence!”
“…”
“The fact that you guys claim to be Rulers is so disgusting. I can’t be a part of that. So I’m going to step out of this frame.”
Frey responded in a calm voice.
“Asura, this isn’t a matter to be handled with emotions. Isn’t it you who doesn’t understand what it means to be a Ruler?”
“Pay attention to where you’re standing. Outsider, you have no right to interfere in this war. I’ll let this go for the sake of our past relationship, but if you dare stand before me again, I will kill you.”
Barbatos nodded.
“You said it perfectly. I agree with the War Demon King. This is our fight. The fact that an outsider was even in this meeting makes me feel dirty.”
After making their positions known, the two Demon Lords prepared to leave.
Frey, who was looking at them, muttered just as Asura was about to leave the room.
“Stop barking, Asura.”
Of course, Asura did not miss this murmur.
He turned around as a fierce aura began rising up from his body.
“What did you just say? Human.”
Crack.
The stone wall cracked from just his aura.
Lilith gulped subconsciously.
‘He grew stronger.’
Asura’s aura made her feel as though she was a mortal who could die at any time, not a transcendent being who could live for an eternity.
Whenever wars broke out, he was also standing on the frontlines, and he never neglected training his body to become stronger.
As a result, the gap between them had widened over time, and it was now impossible for her to close it.
At that moment, all of the demons in the room had a similar realisation.
Asura was the strongest demon present.
But Beelzebub was the only one who didn’t shrink back.
‘Asura is probably the strongest demon in the world.’
This demon wasn’t currently targeting him.
“I’m saying to act like a predator if you are a predator.”
“Are you trying to provoke me?”
“Is that what you think?”
Frey got up from his seat.
Then he looked up at Asura and said.
“I’m weaker than Lucifer.”
“Hmph. That’s natu…”
“However, I’m still stronger than you.”
“…”
Asura’s eyes narrowed.
“So I’ll give you a test. To see if you will just be killed by Lucifer or if you’ll manage to scratch him first.”
“It seems your tongue has gotten longer, Lukas Trowman. But don’t be mistaken. You don’t think this is the Continent, do you?”
Krrr.
Beelzebub’s castle began shaking.
It shook as though it was terrified of Asura’s aura.
Frey smiled and said.
“Right. My words were long. But the meaning is simple. As you say, I’m an outsider, so I will obtain your cooperation by invoking the only law in this world.”
“Hoh.”
The only law in Hell.
Asura, who knew what this meant, finally restrained his anger. Instead, he smiled widely and said.
“Then?”
“Right.”
And that was the end of their conversation.
Asura’s figure disappeared. The floor above which he was standing was crushed, sending pieces of rock flying in every direction.
Then, in an instant, he appeared in front of Frey.
Crack!
Asura’s large hand grabbed Frey’s head and squeezed as though he was crumpling a piece of paper.
But that wasn’t the end.
He then smashed Frey’s head into the floor before dragging it across the Demon World’s ground.
Crack, crack, crack!
He also added demonic energy to his grip.
Even if it was a head made of steel, it would have been crushed in his hands.
But Asura frowned as he felt a sudden pain in his wrist.
“…!”
Frey’s hand was holding his wrist.
Crunch.
His bones, which wouldn’t melt even when dipped in lava, had been broken by a human?
Asura burst into maniacal laughter.
“Hahaha! Kuhahaha!”
Then, he slammed Frey into the ground and drew his six weapons.
* * *
“Asura can’t win.”
Lucifer muttered as he watched from a distance.
Seeing the two transcendent beings wrestling through the land of Hell, Dro asked.
“Why didn’t you intervene while Frey was convincing them? If you had appeared on time, the Rulers might have followed you instead.”
“I don’t need the help of such small fry. And this situation is actually rather good for us.”
Lucifer could already see the outcome of the fight.
In the end, Frey would win and obtain the assistance of the five Rulers of Hell. He now had that much power.
But the truly important thing was what would come after.
Lucifer looked across Hell.
He looked towards the being who could not be seen nor felt but was definitely paying attention to this situation.
“Lord, I know you’re watching.”
Lucifer smiled contentedly.
“Your pure love has been horribly betrayed. So what are you going to do now?”
(TL: …love…?
This is the end of Book 9 guys. Quite a chapter I must say… I don’t know how I feel about this one if I’ll be honest. Lots of schemes and plot twists. And somehow the author is still revealing new things. The sadistic side of me wants to pause here before continuing, but I won’t. See you tomorrow for the beginning of Book 10. The last book in volume 1. ^-^)