Chapter 63

EP.63 Ancient Lich, Skeval (3)

Hundreds of years ago, there was a kingdom.

That kingdom turned to ashes overnight.

All records related to the kingdom were erased. Only the fact that a kingdom existed there was known. Information about the kingdom is extremely rare.

There were four calamities that turned the place into ashes.

The Black Storm, the Black Dragon Belial.

The Apostate, Gletus.

The Death Blade, Ganikart.

And...

‘The Ancient Lich, Skeval.’

The skull in front of me now.

These four erased the kingdom from the map overnight. All that remained was ashes.

The kingdom, which is now believed to have been reduced to ashes, was not small at all. It was a nation that could be called a great power. And during my time as the next head of the magic tower, I had undertaken a project to restore the kingdom's magic.

‘Even though what I restored was less than 1%, ...’

It was enough to turn the world of magic upside down.

A nation with such magic was destroyed by just four calamities. It is known that the Demon King did not interfere in its destruction.

The four calamities that destroyed the nation overnight.

‘The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s army.’

Talking about their infamy would only make my mouth sore.

I have faced all of them at least once on the battlefield and personally experienced that they were not just rumors but real nightmares.

The day I first met the Apostate Gletus.

I had to break all ten of my fingers and the bones in both of my arms. I had to offer a part of my body to the balance scale in exchange for mimicking incantations. Only then was it possible to stop that mad summoner.

What about the day I met the Black Dragon?

I eventually managed to exterminate it, but the extermination took a month. I had to tear its wings, pull out its claws, and drive stakes into its neck to seal its breath. Even then, I fought the rampaging Black Dragon for three days and nights to barely achieve victory.

I nearly died several times.

I had to risk my life several times.

‘...The Death Blade, Ganikart, is...’

That monster.

I never once defeated the knight who guarded the Demon King closest. Even the Sword Master who taught me and Kyle martial arts knelt before Ganikart and lost his life.

The Four Heavenly Kings were always like that.

They cannot be judged by common sense.

To deal with those who transcend common sense, Kyle and I had to do crazy things. Only then could we stop them or at least escape.

“Except for one.”

I take a step forward.

In front of me is one of the four calamities.

The Ancient Lich, Skeval.

Skeval is no less formidable than the other three. In fact, his infamy is second only to the Black Storm, Belial.

‘Nightmare of the battlefield.’

His infamy is not undeserved.

Most of the damage on the battlefield was due to Skeval.

Skeval is a mage who has lived for hundreds of years.

He reads all spells and steals circuits to make them his own.

No matter how large-scale the circuits the mages set up and how grand the spells they prepare, Skeval easily steals them. The spells prepared to exterminate the Demon King’s army soon turn back on the knights.

Click.

I take another step forward.

“Skeval, is that you?”

The circuits on my forearms start to glow.

“I only recently learned, but I’m told I’m the founder of the Battle-Mage class.”

It’s ridiculous.

I mumbled, cracking my fingers.

“A combat system for surviving on the battlefield and a fighting style designed to deal with a single mage... I never imagined it would become a class.”

It’s only natural that I didn’t know.

When I saw the academic field of battle magic, I felt a sense of disconnection.

-A combat system suitable for the battlefield.

-A practical mage.

-A combat system that covers both close and long-range combat.

It’s true.

It’s true, but...

‘It wasn’t something I meticulously planned out.’

What is called battle magic in the world...

The origin of the combat system that utilizes pre-stored spells... is surprisingly simple.

“This was made to catch you.”

It is true that it is a combat system for surviving on the battlefield.

However, more accurately, it was a combat system designed to deal with the Ancient Lich Skeval.

It evolved into a complete combat method as I added various elements, but it wasn’t something I planned from the beginning.

Skeval is one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Common sense doesn’t apply to the Four Heavenly Kings.

To deal with an enemy that defies common sense, I had to first break down my own common sense.

At the time, things that were taken for granted...

Spells need to be cast.

Incantations take a long time.

During that time, a vanguard is needed to protect the mage.

Mages are weak in close combat.

If the attributes are disadvantageous, mages become ineffective.

Mages have poor efficiency.

I had to...

Pre-store spells.

Shorten incantations and engrave circuits on my body.

Serve as the vanguard myself.

Learn martial arts to engage in close combat.

Primarily use impact spells to avoid being disadvantaged by attributes.

Design a system to not waste a single mana.

Stand at the front line myself.

I overturned everything.

That is the true nature of the magic system called battle magic.

‘That was the only way I knew.’

If it didn’t work, I would fix it.

I overturned everything until it did work.

‘A mage must be such an existence.’

I take another step forward.

I stop in front of the defensive barrier Skeval has set up. Skeval glares at me from inside the barrier.

His black eyes gleam.

His bones weave spells.

As I look at him, I say:

“Whether the opponent is a knight, a summoner, or even an ancient dragon... I can’t win.”

I can’t win alone.

Kyle and that bitch are needed.

But...

“However...”

If the opponent...

“Is a mage like me, a Wizard...”

If it’s Skeval...

“I can’t afford to lose.”

I will win.

I will win no matter what.

“This is a matter of pride, isn’t it?”

I curl the corners of my mouth upward.

Then, I stretch out my hand.

The spells on my forearms ignite one after another.

‘Thinking about it, it’s ridiculous.’

The combat system I created to defeat Skeval...

The class called Battle-Mage, as far as I know, is not well understood.

‘How can it be complete without that one thing?’

The reason Battle-Mages can stand alongside warriors on the battlefield is not because of their usefulness. The combat system was originally created to overwhelm Skeval.

Skeval is a mage who defies common sense. However, he still remains within the realm of a Wizard.

Wizards, mages, have their weaknesses.

Assuming all spells can be penetrated, a Wizard can never defeat a close-combat warrior.

‘Thinking about it, the solution was simple.’

I can handle Skeval-level magic.

And yet, I have a warrior-level body.

That is the condition to defeat Skeval.

If I know the condition, there is only one thing left.

“Balance.”

I meet the condition.

And I know the method.

2.

“I heard a class based on that guy was created.”

“Yes, it seems you didn’t know... A class called Battle-Mage has been created. Mages who stand alongside knights on the battlefield...”

“...Can they really emulate him?”

Gail nodded.

“Yes, it’s quite famous these days. Mages who stand alongside knights on the battlefield, called Battle-Mages...”

Kyle’s expression turned sour.

Gail continued, gauging Kyle’s reaction.

“After all, there is one among the heads of the magic towers who is skilled in battle magic. The Black Magic Tower head.”

“...I know him well. I’ve met him many times.”

“Oh, have you?”

Kyle’s eyes momentarily lost their sharpness, but Gail continued regardless.

“I heard he is raising a child with the qualities of a hero. Wasn’t her name Chloe? Besides you, Kyle, another hero has appeared.”

“...I seem to have heard that story on the battlefield.”

“Yes, she is still in training, but... it seems she has more talent for magic than swordsmanship. So, they plan to raise her as a Battle-Mage.”

“...Necessarily?”

“Yes?”

Gail tilted his head.

“If a hero-level Battle-Mage appears, wouldn’t it be helpful to you, Kyle? She might fill the void left by the Ashen Mage...”

“No, that’s not the case.”

Kyle said firmly.

“Seems you have a misunderstanding.”

“...A misunderstanding?”

“I’ve seen the books on Battle-Mages. But the most important part was missing.”

His voice lacked emotion.

“No matter how much a mage reinforces their body, they can’t exceed a certain level. Many tried to emulate him on the battlefield, but...”

Kyle said calmly.

“But only one followed me.”

No knight.

No warrior could stand beside Kyle. Let alone a mage. Kyle’s body is different. He has a body blessed by the stars.

Kyle’s movements, burning starlight, are on a different level. The knights who tried to follow him were left behind. That’s why Kyle was always alone on the battlefield.

Until Lanie came along.

‘It took less than a year.’

Lanie emulated the method Kyle took years to master, burning starlight, in just a year.

“When I burn starlight and run.”

The starlight is Kyle’s alone.

But Lanie has something similar.

“She burns mana and runs.”

Kyle closes his eyes.

He closes his eyes and recalls the scene.

Lanie, running beside him on the battlefield, scattered ash-colored mana. The principle is unknown, but the scattered ash-colored mana resembled ashes.

“The reason she could maintain the front line, the reason she could follow me...”

Kyle opens his eyes.

He looks at Gail.

“It was because of her unique combat method. But that part was missing from the battle magic textbooks.”

Kyle stated firmly.

“Learning battle magic won’t replace her.”

“...Is that so?”

After that, Kyle was silent.

Gail tilted his head and continued guiding the way.

‘...Burning mana while running...?’

Then, he recalled something his senior had said. Gail suddenly remembered those words.

-Many people misunderstand.

Those were the words of Kalt, who had assisted the Ashen Mage, Lanie.

-My superior, Lanie, was called the Ashen Mage not because she was the next head of the Ashen Magic Tower.

Kalt continued:

-At the front lines, things like origin are meaningless. We didn’t know she was the next head of the Ashen Magic Tower at first. Yet, she was called the Ashen Mage.

Why was that?

-Really, ashes were scattered.

Her ash-colored hair swayed.

Ash-colored mana scattered behind her hair. The mage crossing the battlefield was ash-colored.

-Battle magic or whatever, it’s a ridiculous story.

No one can emulate her.

Kalt’s voice, heard long ago, echoed in Gail’s ears.

3.

With the balance scale set up, I stretch out my arms.

Clap!

My palms collide. Circuits rub against each other, merging. I cast the reinforced spell on my body.

Spell-nesting.

Accel.

Muscular.

Enhance-Strength.

These are basic body reinforcement spells.

I cast them over my already reinforced body. My bones creak. My body bears the load.

This is why mages can’t become warriors.

Body reinforcement spells place a load on the body in some form. Depending on the mage’s skill, the limits vary... but it means they can’t have the same physical strength as a warrior of the same level.

‘That’s why I couldn’t catch up to Kyle.’

At first, that is.

So, I had one idea.

Accel.

Muscular.

Enhance-Strength.

I cast the spells again, raising my creaking arms. Then, I snap my fingers. The balance scale approaches me.

“Balance, I request a trade.”