The Great Mage Returns after 4000 Years – Chapter 237 – The Great Mage Returns after 4000 Years (10)
Translator: Seven
Editors: Ana_Banana, Yahiko
“…Were you sure that we’d meet again because you’re God?”
[No way. Sure, it’s not hard to see the future, but I don’t have the time to observe it. Let’s just say I had a feeling.]
“I wanted to meet you.”
[I know. You want to ask for an absurd favor.]
Lukas’ eyes shook.
[Iris Phisfounder. You want to revive a soul that’s almost completely broken. Do you know how ridiculous that is?]
“Is it impossible even for you?”
[That’s not a question you should ask God. There are very few things that are impossible for me.]
“…”
[But I can’t just do that for you.]
“Tell me what you want. I’ll do anything I can.”
Luke glanced down at the two gems Lord had spat out. These gems then rose up to float in front of Lukas’ face.
[Swallow these two cores.]
“…then what will happen?”
[Nothing big will happen. You’ll become much stronger, but it’s not really that remarkable in my opinion. However, you will gain the qualification.]
“What qualification?”
[The qualification to travel between universes.]
God continued in a sincere voice.
[Lukas Trowman, I’ll make you an ‘Absolute’. So leave ‘this universe’ with me.]
* * *
God mentioned absolutes and the universe.
But Lukas had a feeling that the concepts God was talking about were different from what he knew.
Not minding Lukas’ silence, God opened his mouth again.
[I’m busy. I told you this the other day. Have you ever wondered, ‘just what the hell is God doing that he doesn’t care about the world?’]
“I have.”
He couldn’t help but nod.
It always felt like a contradiction for this being to say he had no time to take care of the world because he was busy.
It was already clear that this being in front of him was the creator.
So was there anything more important to such a god than caring for and managing the world he created?
A smile appeared on God’s face as he said.
[Think of the largest number you can possibly imagine.]
“…”
[Then multiply that number by 100 million.]
“…what are you trying to say.”
[It must have been an astronomical number. Right?]
That was obvious.
Lukas kept his mouth closed because he couldn’t understand his intentions.
[What if there were even more worlds than that number you thought of? What if this world you live and breathe in can only be counted as a grain of sand on a beach?]
“…!!”
Lukas felt like he’d been struck in the head by a bolt of lightning. He finally understood what God was trying to say.
“That’s… impossib-”
[It’s not. Don’t you remember? I called the Demon World and the Celestial World neighbouring worlds… This is because as long as you meet certain conditions, you can travel freely between them. The three worlds, including the Mortal World, are closely related to each other. It’s no different from being born together, so they could even be called siblings. But this is just a small group. From a broader perspective, there are countless worlds like them in the universe.]
“…”
[Seeing it once is better than a hundred explanations. Experience it yourself.]
Then.
A new world unfolded before Lukas’ eyes.
Fwoosh-
“…!!!”
Lukas stared at the scene in front of him with wide eyes.
Before him was a world that far surpassed anything he could have imagined in his long life.
Large buildings that rose high into the sky, wagons made of metal, and pieces of metal that flew around in the sky. There was also a variety of humans walking around the streets wearing clothes he’d never seen before.
While Lukas was speechlessly observing this incredible world, the scene in front of him changed again.
He was in a completely black world. Large rocks floated here and there, and countless stars shined like jewels.
This was space.
Then he saw ships. Ships as large as cities were fighting, shooting beams of light at each other.
“Ahh…”
Lukas couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.
He didn’t know what the principles were or how they were made. But he could tell.
These ships were the creation of truly developed scientific civilizations that far surpassed his imagination.
They had discovered the universe. An extremely cold space where air didn’t exist. It was so cold that even the Snowfields in the north were only a slight chill when compared to the coldness of the universe.
They had set foot in this unknown world. They had made such a great advancement using nothing but science.
How was there such an amazing civilization?
Suddenly, his vision changed again.
This time, he could see two humans dressed in white and black clothes respectively. Both were old people covered in wrinkles with oriental features.
They were confronting each other in a forest with falling leaves swirling around them. Both with swords in their hands.
When their eyes finally met…
Clang!
“…!”
Lukas was shocked once again.
It was only the first collision, but he realised that their power was beyond imagination.
‘Transcendents? No.’
They were humans. Human beings with flesh and blood.
But he still couldn’t believe it.
Could something like that really be achieved with the human body?
They were even stronger than Kasajin and Ivan, two of the best Magic Warriors whom Lukas knew.
Their blades seemed to contain the secrets of nature. Perhaps it was even comparable to the 10 stars level he’d stepped into.
He saw dozens of worlds after that.
It wasn’t just humans. He even saw worlds where beings who had bizarre features that could hardly be described with words were civilized and intelligent. They all had built their own lives and cultures that could not have been made up.
Soon, the images God showed him ended.
“Huk, huk…”
Lukas couldn’t control his breathing for a while.
That was how shocked he was.
This was no longer at the level of broadening his knowledge. He had literally seen alternate worlds. Not one, or dozens, but hundreds of them.
If it was an ordinary human being, their brain might have melted because they could not grasp such a vast amount of information.
[Now, do you believe me?]
“…”
[Huhu.]
God couldn’t help but smile when he saw Lukas’ speechless face.
[Then I’ll continue with my explanation. Most of the worlds you just saw are independent universes. In fact, there aren’t many worlds that can be traversed as you please like your world.]
“…that sounds like a very big secret. Can you really tell me that?”
[You have reached the basic qualifications to be an Absolute, so you deserve to know. Of course, you are a special case. This is something that even Lucifer didn’t know.]
“…”
Lukas forcibly swallowed his saliva before asking.
“What exactly is an ‘Absolute’?”
[The balance of the cosmic scale, the being seeking harmony, the saviour of the weak, and the apostle of God. They are usually mortals who become strong in a world that has lost its balance, and so, they can’t help but undertake the role of eradicating evil.]
“Why do you need such a being?”
[To save suffering universes.]
God looked around the island, but he wasn’t looking at the island; he was looking at something larger. He was looking at the entire continent.
[You may not believe it, but such stability is rare. In terms of percentage, they make up only 0.001% of the total.]
“This world? Stable?”
[That’s right. Most of the universes are like hell for the weak. Demigods? Huht. They are nothing compared to real monsters.]
God flicked his finger.
Then, a new image appeared before Lukas’ eyes.
“…this.”
It was a terrible sight.
He was looking at a dark, small room. In this room was a small, filthy cage.
And there were humans inside the cage.
No. Could they even be called human?
They were so fat that it was impossible for them to even stand. It was fine to just call them balls of flesh.
More importantly, they had lifeless eyes.
Then, another being appeared. It was a small, insect-like being who observed the humans in the cage before slitting the throat of one of them with its hand.
“…!”
It didn’t seem to care about the blood that spurted out. It simply grabbed the human whom it had slaughtered and dragged it away.
Even up to that point, the other humans did not move. They just ate the food in the bowls in front of them like pigs.
[They are born on a farm and die on the farm. In a confined space where it is difficult to even twist their bodies, they eat the food that comes out at a fixed time. And when they’ve fattened up enough, they are slaughtered and eaten.]
“…”
[They also had egos at first. But they lost the war of fate, and this was the result. They have been living like livestock for years, and their intelligence has degenerated. As you can see, they are no different from animals.]
Lukas bit his lip.
Intense rage towards this insect-like race soared in his heart as he saw them treating humans like livestock.
If he could have interfered, he would have torn this being apart in an instant.
Only then did he vaguely understand that the Demigods were truly nothing. The Demigods’ goal had always been domination.
Of course, he would never have forgiven them for treating humans like bugs, but they were still better than these bastards.
Their goal was breeding and slaughtering. Something absolutely blasphemous to an intellectual race.
God laughed when he saw the look in Lukas’ eyes.
[Your views are still biased.]
“Are they?”
[Right. Your obsession with humans is still beyond imagination. This is not a virtue an Absolute should have.]
“…you are certain that I’ll become an Absolute.”
[That’s right. It’s not just about Iris Phisfounder. I’m certain you know. That leaving is a positive thing for you… and for this universe.]
“…”
God’s words penetrated Lukas’ heart like a cold blade.
They were correct.
Change was about to begin. Perhaps it had already started.
That inner voice that he’d heard that day. The thought that manifested when he first became a transcendent being.
It was a problem that Lukas had been agonising over ever since, but he still had not thought of a countermeasure.
For now, it was still fine.
As God said, he still had a biased view towards the humans. This was proof that Lukas did not forget that he was also human.
But that wouldn’t last long.
‘The second Lord. Perhaps I would be even worse.’
That was why Lukas wanted to revive Iris as soon as possible. If too much time passed, perhaps the sympathy and sadness he had for her would also disappear. (TL: no love?)
Lukas, who had been silent, finally spoke heavily.
“…after becoming an Absolute, will I be able to return to this world someday?”
[No.]
God’s answer came immediately.
Then he looked at Lukas’ face and elaborated.
[This isn’t to say that it’s absolutely impossible. Something dangerous might happen here that might require the intervention of an Absolute. However, everything has a ‘flow’. There were three beings in this world who were close to being Absolute. From the universe’s perspective, something like that might not happen again in the next hundreds of thousands of years.]
“…”
[Even if they appear, the chances of you being assigned as the saviour would be even lower.]
This was natural.
After all, Lukas wouldn’t be the only one.
Even if there really was a crisis of some sort in this world, it was more likely that another Absolute would be tasked with saving it.
Lukas’ heart became heavy.
His chances of returning were slim. And even if he did return, it would probably be hundreds of thousands of years later.
By that time, everything Lukas remembered would be changed, and the world would be completely different.
[You can refuse.]
“…”
[But what else can you do to save Iris Phisfounder?]
It was a shocking remark, but Lukas shook his head.
God was right.
For him and his world, it would be best if he left.
“…the balance’s core has already become one with me. The Mortal World won’t collapse if I leave, will it?”
[Of course. Unless you become immortal. This world can survive until its appointed destruction.]
Then there was no other reason to hesitate.
Lukas made up his mind.
“Then can I ask for a favor before I leave?”
[Say it.]
Lukas spoke in a soft voice.
“…just give me one day.”