The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

─A short while before the Twelve Void Lords' meeting was held.

In the office of The Beginning Wizard on the Magic Planet.

Thud.

As a thick stack of documents landed on the desk, Residue's head tilted.

“What is this?”

“Documents.”

With a stone-face that perfectly matched her blunt tone, the green-haired woman replied.

Her name was… right, ‘Altata.'

The 44th floor's Seven Magicians, and someone who knew a few ‘secrets' about him.

It was just that the previous Beginning Wizard was related to him as a brother, things like that.

“What documents.”

“Documents that briefly records all the members and the exact territory of the Magic Planet, information about the surrounding territories, and the relationship with the Twelve Void Lords. I hope you memorize it as soon as possible. Since it contains many top-secret matters, it would be best to dispose of them immediately after.”

“Memorize them. Me?”

“Because you're the new lord.”

“……”

“It is one of the tasks entrusted to me by the previous lord.”

One of the tasks.

Residue asked.

“What else is there?”

“……”

No. This tone seemed a bit off.

Again.

“What else is there besides that.”

“I will inform you when the time comes.”

“……”

Altata spoke in a business-like tone.

For a moment, Residue contemplated whether to threaten this woman into confessing everything she knew. But no matter how he thought about it, that was not the choice Lukas would make.

─What attitude would he take at such a moment?

It was a thought he had become accustomed to lately, but there was a problem. There was no clear answer in sight.

‘Isn't it strange, Lukas?'

If Residue had shared his mind with Lukas, he would have judged that he could perfectly imitate him. But in reality, it was like this.

Residue couldn't imitate Lukas.

Why?

“……”

Residue tried to continue his contemplation, but seeing Altata staring intently at his face, he shrugged.

“You can leave now.”

“I will stay by your side until you finish reading, in case there are parts you don't understand.”

“If there is something like that, I will call you again.”

“……”

“What are you doing? I told you to go out.”

Altata looked at Residue with sunken eyes. This woman seemed to have a knack for hiding her true feelings, but Residue could clearly see the faint dissatisfaction she was harboring.

So what.

When he didn't avoid her gaze and met it directly, she finally lowered her head.

“…Understood.”

She maintained an attitude that seemed polite until the end, but she left the office before Residue even answered. Was this the most rebellious attitude she could muster?

Residue chuckled as he watched her back.

Politeness.

If there was a word that he was least familiar with, it might be that.

“Hmm.”

When he took off his mask with a click, the frustration seemed to ease a bit.

The old man's mask, there was no particular need to wear it even in front of that woman. However, he still hadn't made Lukas' expressions fully his own. Until he became familiar with it, he needed to avoid showing his face.

After briefly glancing at the documents piled up like a mountain, he stood up from his seat. Then, he stood in front of the full-length mirror in the corner of the office and looked at himself.

Dark blonde hair and sunken eyes, along with tightly closed, lips

The man with the gloomy impression in the mirror changed his expression according to Residue's will.

He even tried making a ridiculous face for fun, but it looked shockingly out of place. It might be the first time Lukas' face made such an expression since the beginning of time.

Even after doing such things, the sense of incongruity didn't disappear.

The man in the mirror didn't feel like ‘himself' at all.

Could he adapt?

“……”

Residue shrugged his shoulders and thought.

He must adapt.

***

There was still some time before the meeting.

This was fortunate for Residue more than anything. What he needed most right now was time.

Adapting to the body, adapting to the power, adapting to Lukas…

There were countless things he had to get used to. But he didn't have the luxury of getting accustomed to everything.

So he had to choose.

What should he prioritize?

“Power, of course.”

There was no need to ponder.

Residue lightly stretched his body and looked around.

The personal workshop of The Beginning Wizard, the training room in its basement… a place Residue had temporarily named.

As expected, The Beginning Wizard had a knack for handling space.

This place was completely independent from the outside world, making it impossible for anyone to interfere or even spy.

In other words, he could act freely without worrying about others, and he didn't need to pretend to be Lukas.

“It's a pity the flow of time is the same…”

How great would it be if one year here was equivalent to a day outside? Considering that efficiency, he would have renamed it something like ‘The Room of Time and Mind'.

There might be a way to manipulate the flow of time as desired. Though it was impossible for Residue right now.

Unless he could use ‘Thunder', dealing with space based on magicology was beyond his skill level.

No. Was it different from skill level?

“It's not that this body lacks talent.”

Tsst-

A dark red light sparked from Residue's fingers.

Absolute.

A state close to ‘the pinnacle of magicology' that one can reach only with a combination of talent, effort, and fate, but Residue could unfold it without difficulty.

This was not all.

Whether it was martial arts, academics, or the arts, Residue could easily reach ‘a state close to the pinnacle' in any field. It wouldn't take long.

In the case of the sword, it would be enough to swing it a few times, and martial arts would be similar. Arts and academics might require more focus, but it wouldn't take days, let alone hours.

This seemed like an immense blessing that couldn't be attributed to mere talent—

“But it's not enough.”

Thud, Residue sat down and propped his chin, lost in thought.

Residue was not weak. That was certain.

But if asked if he was strong… well.

Strength is relative.

In a suitable universe, he could live as an absolute god, but what about now?

Can he face the Twelve Void Lords with what he has now? What about beings superior to them? What about ‘Destruction'?

“No.”

It's insufficient. Hopelessly so.

Countless shining talents, like stars in the night sky. Genius that stands out in every field means nothing.

After all, terms like talent and genius are just measurements by mortal standards.

Residue knew what he needed most right now.

“One…”

He needed a single weapon that would not be inferior to anyone else, no matter what.

And Residue had not yet decided what to make his mainstay.

If thinking normally— it would be magicology.

That was the case for Lukas. He incorporated all the power and enlightenment he gained into it. Whatever experiences he had in life, he ultimately digested them into the form of magicology.

The path he had walked, the values formed as a result, made him do so.

So should I follow the same path?

Is that what it means to inherit ‘Lucas Trowman'?

“……”

It might, or it might not.

At this point, nothing could be confirmed.

“I'll have to try everything.”

The most important thing is suitability.

The current me,

The ‘remnant of the Lightning God',

The successor of ‘Lukas Trowman',

Wearing the guise of ‘The Beginning Wizard',

And existing with the name ‘Residue'.

The being named ‘Residue'.

He had to find what talent suits this existence the best.

***

Does that mean the options are perfectly free?

For instance, to the extent of applying every talent that exists in this world one by one?

No, they are not.

No matter how immense Residue's talents are across all fields and how capable he is of handling any power, he cannot choose a power that is entirely detached from the existence of Lukas.

The powers and authorities that Lukas used.

Residue must choose one of these to focus on.

“It would be best if I could use magic, but……”

He chewed over the thought that had crossed his mind countless times.

He knew how Lukas used magic. He also remembered the sensations.

But this seemingly brilliant choice would be the worst of all. Magic was, in fact, the power Residue should avoid the most.

“No matter how hard I try, I won't be able to reach his level.”

And a lack of proficiency would arouse suspicion. People would think, ‘There's no way Lukas Trowman would use such clumsy magic'.

Choosing magic meant having to make the most perfect judgment in every situation, and the manifestation of that judgment also had to be magic. It would become a shackle far beyond simply pretending to be Lukas.

“Conversely, a Lukas who doesn't use magic might also raise suspicions.”

But in such cases, the position of The Beginning Wizard would serve as a good excuse. He could bluff that it was a new power he acquired upon becoming one of the Twelve Void Lords.

To circle back to the point,

The conditions for the power Residue must hone are:

“A power that Lukas used but did not perfect to a mature level.”

Whether it suited him or not could only be determined through use, but as mentioned, there was no time. Moreover, such persistent tasks did not suit Residue's temperament.

There was no other choice.

This time, Residue decided to experience patience.

Without haste and with calm, he drew out the powers Lukas had handled one by one.

Then something interesting happened.

“…Ha.”

He remembered the moments Lukas used these powers. Recalling them was no different from reminiscing about the past.

Of course.

For Lukas, power was the footsteps and memories he walked, and now they had become memories for Residue.

He would feel this way many times in the future.

Residue shook his head. He could indulge in sentimentality but should not be consumed by it. Honestly, it felt strange for him to be a being capable of feeling such emotions—

“Hmm.”

It was time to curb these distracting thoughts.

Residue embarked on a full-fledged ‘talent search'.

  *

Residue had about three days. Considering the types of powers Lukas possessed, this was an extremely short amount of time.

Nevertheless, he managed to meet the deadline.

“This must be it. The power that best probably suits me right now.”

Probably so.

The reason he had to add the uncertain qualifier “probably” was because he hadn't tried out all of Lukas' powers. That guy had collected all sorts of discarded possibilities from the Dumpsite.

Because of his perverse behavior, the talents he possessed had multiplied thousands of times, and thanks to that, Residue now had a tough road ahead.

Honestly, there were still powers he wanted to test.

“This is it.”

He had already pushed it to the limit. How he would use it in actual combat was another matter altogether… but it wouldn't be bad to postpone that as a pleasure for later.

Residue finished his thoughts and stepped out of the training room.

“Hmm?”

Two figures were standing in front. Judging from their appearance, they seemed to have waited for quite a while.

Haike and Altata.

They were ‘Seven Magicians', key figures even on the Magic Planet, and had been decided to accompany him to the upcoming meeting.

“…Time is running out, my lord.”

Altata spoke in a strangely reproachful tone.

“Since it's all done, let's go right away.”

In contrast, Residue's voice was indifferent.

The man beside him, Hyke, looked at Residue's somewhat disheveled appearance and spoke awkwardly.

“Straight away, you mean? Preparations…”

“There's no problem.”

As mentioned, time was already tight. If they delayed even a few more minutes, they wouldn't make it on time.

The Beginning Wizard, who was supposed to lead the meeting, being late would be beyond a joke.

“Then shall we depart.”

To the place where the meeting would be held,

To the King’s Castle.

*****

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