Surely, Senior Reheim was Muspellon, the End Mage? This was a fact that was impossible to accept when considered logically.
"Didn't I hear that he died from a magical backlash... or rather, passed away?"
"Quite a few friends helped. Thanks to them, I could live in peace."
"Friends? Ah......"
Senior Reheim, who took in my face, or rather, the mask, with his eyes. I could understand from his gaze who these 'friends' were.
"......The Devoured Moon."
"Yes, then you must have understood the meaning of the Waning Moon as well."
'Could it be... that this Waning Moon was the Devoured Moon?'
What is the Devoured Moon?
The one who ended the old war was the End Mage, Muspellon, but there was another terror that was no less notorious.
- Above the sky where Muspellon stood, the Devoured Moon rose. This was a calamity.
Muspellon's direct mage corps, the Devoured Moon.
Their true identity is almost unknown.
They are said to have roamed the battlefield, their faces hidden behind masks modeled after the Waning Moon.
When the war ended, the name of the Waning Moon, the Devoured Moon, was forgotten along with Muspellon's death.
"Let's leave the old stories here. Isn't there something more important now?"
"......Yes, what."
I gathered my thoughts at the sound of Senior Reheim's voice.
Honestly, that's why.
'Muspellon? The Devoured Moon?'
No matter what Senior Reheim or the principal were, the immediate concern was Destrue, the ancient monstrosity.
"First of all... I will call you a junior. I heard that you are alone in this support mission. Is that correct?"
"Yes, for now, but more people will be sent. I don't know when, though."
I felt like a vanguard.
The principal's disciples were in a position where they couldn't move immediately, so this was a makeshift plan.
"Hmm... Is that so?"
Senior Reheim, lost in thought, spoke after a while.
"I have a plan. However... this is something you must choose."
"What is it?"
"Will you wait for reinforcements? Or will you proceed first?"
"......"
His deep eyes looked at me. I met his gaze for a moment, trying to gauge the intent behind the question.
'If the body can't hold up... no, it won't be the case.'
For a brief moment, I saw Senior Reheim as such a mage.
Probably, in this plan, he wouldn't care about his own safety. Perhaps he was holding back, worried about his disciple Obern, but it didn't seem to be the case.
Then...
"There must be some change."
"......Yes."
Senior Reheim nodded with a serious expression.
"I have sealed all the ancient spirits. However, strangely... Destrue's seal is fading."
"Is it because of the Gold Mage... or rather, the Black Mage?"
"You can call them Gold Mages. I'm not unaware of the existence of Salvatium. In any case, it's not because of the Gold Mages."
Indeed, a mage of Senior Reheim's caliber would naturally hear and see things even if he didn't want to.
No matter how secretive Salvatium was, there are no perfect secrets in the world.
But if it's not because of the Gold Mages...
"The cause is unknown. What's certain is that we may not have much time."
"So..."
"It's your choice. Destrue is a monstrosity that must be stopped, but how can I force you?"
"......"
What should I say?
I understand why the senior and Obern are master and disciple.
Is it because he is kind, or is he just old-fashioned...?
To think of a person's safety in such a situation, rather than the greater good?
However, why is it that I don't avoid his gaze like before?
'Because it's Muspellon.'
The maddest of the mad. Although he is showing unprecedented kindness, his past remains unchanged.
Is this appearance a kind of madness?
'He's mad in the right way.'
Anyway.
"Isn't it something that has to be done?"
"That's true."
Then, what's the point of hesitation?
"Let's proceed."
"Is it okay to decide so easily? If everything goes according to plan, it shouldn't be too dangerous, but in the worst case..."
"Destrue might awaken."
"That's true."
Senior Reheim looked at me with a calm gaze.
I shrugged.
'The Gold Mages... it will be troublesome.'
Or is it just troublesome?
Last time, I realized clearly.
The old grudge from my previous life, Preszen. He wasn't even a proper Black Mage.
A proper Black Mage, a Gold Mage, their curses were so difficult that I didn't know how to deal with them.
However.
'Well, when was it ever not dangerous?'
There's no lack of insurance.
Even if I don't know the principle, didn't the 'Thirteen Sins' seal work well?
Of course, I will take precautions, but danger is not a big deal.
And if—
'The worst-case scenario.'
What if Destrue awakens?
'......What then.'
Can't it be done somehow?
You have to try to know. Maybe, who knows, Destrue might be a weakling.
That's the idea.
* * *
"The plan is as follows."
When Senior Reheim snapped his fingers, a map of the Hamehrn Great Forest appeared before him.
"This is the 4th Base Camp."
A point glowing blue.
"This is the ancient ruin. It's just an estimate. I found it through a barrier, but there might be some error."
The ancient ruin was marked in red, flashing.
"And..."
Around the flashing red point, a lighter red glow spread, covering a vast area.
It might be comparable to a decent-sized town.
"......This area is the barrier that seals the ancient spirits."
"Hmm."
For a moment, I marveled at the capabilities of Muspellon, or rather, Senior Reheim.
"Can't be penetrated if I can't penetrate it..."
"......Can you penetrate it?"
I nodded casually.
Actually, hiding is not that difficult.
With the purity of my mana improved from my previous life, hiding my presence was not impossible.
Although the distance was far, I managed to hide my presence from Pahern before.
'That's the problem, though.'
The ancient spirits shouldn't be that difficult.
However.
"Isn't the seal of Destrue what needs to be dealt with?"
"Destroying the seal is fine. They sealed it in ancient times because they couldn't handle it, but now it can be destroyed. There are precedents. However..."
I listened silently to Senior Reheim's words.
"From what I observed with the barrier... it seems the Gold Mages have been up to something. The remnants of black magic are heavily concentrated."
"Then it will be troublesome."
Honestly, destroying the seal of Destrue is not an easy task.
Avoiding the Gold Mages' notice is not that difficult, but the risk if discovered?
If a battle breaks out, I would have to face not only the Gold Mages but also an uncountable army of undead.
"My plan is as follows."
Senior Reheim continued.
First...
"I will clear all the undead within the barrier area."
Use Turn Undead to clear the area near the ancient ruin.
"However, it won't be a perfect Turn Undead. It's quite hastily prepared... so it will only exclude the ancient spirits."
The undead of the Gold Mages need to be considered.
And...
"While the Turn Undead is active, you will..."
"Deal with the Gold Mages and completely destroy the seal of Destrue?"
"Yes, that's right."
"......Hmm."
It sounded like a simple plan.
Actually, if it weren't for the swarming ancient spirits, the Gold Mages themselves wouldn't be impossible to handle.
However, there was a question.
'He said he would "clear" the ancient spirits with Turn Undead, but in reality, it will only exclude them. The ancient spirits won't be destroyed.'
If there was such a convenient magic, why did Senior Reheim wait for us?
He would have used Turn Undead to destroy the ancient spirits long ago.
But since he only confined them, there must have been some constraints.
And I found the answer in his words.
"Not a perfect Turn Undead... but creating a possession-free zone. The reason you can't exclude the undead with a caster is because of that."
"Yes."
"Then, the ancient spirits..."
"If the seal is this far undone, Destrue must have noticed this side."
In other words.
"The moment Turn Undead is activated..."
"He will send the ancient spirits this way. Even if he doesn't know our purpose, he will notice something is wrong."
So, it's like this.
'A time attack.'
The one who strikes the king first wins.
Their king is Destrue. And our king is... Senior Reheim.
"Can you do it?"
"......Hmm."
If asked whether it's possible or not, of course...
"I don't know."
At my nonchalant answer, Senior Reheim looked at me with deep eyes.
Honestly, how can I predict whether something is possible or not before the plan even starts?
Moreover, plans are often distorted by various variables.
"Let's try and see. Can I ask one question before that?"
"Go ahead."
Unlike before, I looked at Senior Reheim with slightly cold eyes.
Throughout the conversation, a nagging sense of déjà vu.
This question started from there.
Muspellon Giga Adarian
The old mage in front of me is clearly Muspellon.
Who else in this world could handle such a barrier? It was a feat only Muspellon could accomplish.
However.
'If it's Muspellon...'
Is such a plan necessary?
Overwhelming power.
Muspellon's barrier magic can only be described as such.
After setting up a barrier over a vast area and manipulating the environment inside, who could withstand it?
For example...
The Final Battlefield
There, he increased gravity by several times, crushing a hundred thousand enemy soldiers.
'Turn Undead?'
Useless.
Just clear all the visible undead, crush the Gold Mages, and break the seal.
Even now...
'Can't you just crush the Gold Mages?'
But.
Why don't you?
"Is there something you're hiding?"
"......Hmm."
It was an ambiguous question, but Senior Reheim's face hardened.
At the same time, the atmosphere grew tense.
"......Master? Senior?"
In the middle, only Obern, who didn't understand the situation, tilted his head.
I silently stared at Senior Reheim.
"......"
Senior Reheim's eyes closed tightly. After a moment, as if pondering something, his mouth opened.
"Obern."
"......Yes, Master."
"Can you step out for a moment?"
"......"
Obern hesitated at the ominous atmosphere, but Senior Reheim urged him again.
"Hurry."
"......Yes, I understand."
Obern reluctantly stepped back, looking worriedly at me and Senior Reheim until the door closed. At that moment, Senior Reheim spoke.
"Can I ask you one favor?"
"If it's not too big, it's fine."
"This matter... Obern, keep it from that child. That's my request."
"......?"
The confusion was brief.
Senior Reheim spoke at that moment.
"I'll allow it. Observe my body."
No matter how excellent one's senses are, observing the inside of another's body is impossible.
Unless, of course, the other person allows it.
Anyway.
"Um."
When I observed Senior Reheim's body, I finally understood what he was trying to hide.
As befitting a Great Mage, his insides were vast. It was like a circuit, a core, a universe.