"You're not coming?" asked the captain to the one who was already standing again, looking towards the human kingdom's capital.
"And listen to a boring history lesson?" he scoffed in amusement. "Of course not. I have something to do in the capital. Just summarize your discussion for me when I get back."
Before they could respond, he had already vanished, prompting Cerno to ask in confusion, "Wait, he can teleport straight to the capital? Then why did he drag me along at high speed?"
"One thing I've learned from him is that you really pissed him off if he did that," replied Aldean, already moving forward with the council toward the large central building. "I don't know what you did to him, but you'd better hope it doesn't cost you your life later on."
Seeing Cerno grow paranoid made Aldean feel a bit pleased—it was finally someone else being targeted instead of him. Especially considering how every encounter with that guy always ended in a fight.
As he reappeared in the capital, he observed the knights still patrolling, their vigilance heightened. He sensed an immense mana presence radiating from an elderly figure in a white robe, currently leading the knights. His mana surpassed even the white-haired one's, meaning this person was an important figure among the humans and a shortcut to uncovering what was really happening.
The mission remained unchanged.
Still the same as before.
All he had to do was follow the heroes.
So rather than being bored, why not help them resolve this issue?
Of course, in his own way.
He dropped down, deliberately avoiding his glitch ability to cause chaos and draw attention. The knights instantly unsheathed their swords, while the previously hidden mages revealed themselves, gripping their staffs, ready to cast spells.
The Grand Mage was shocked to see him back in the capital so soon—without Cerno. That meant only two things.
Either Cerno had been disposed of, or he was somewhere else.
As the Grand Mage of the human race, he wouldn't let this slide, even if he couldn't detect any mana from the figure before him. Especially when his instincts screamed at him to flee immediately—something he couldn't do, not with the knights and young mages around. He wouldn't allow the man before him to take their lives.
"Why did you take Cerno?" he asked in a deep, authoritative voice fitting for a Grand Mage. A voice that could make the King think twice—but not the man before him.
"You're so confident you'll find him that you're not even asking where he is?" he replied.
A grin spread across his face.
A grin that infuriated the mages, as their esteemed master was being mocked by an arrogant fool.
The Grand Mage observed him closely, trying to read his next move, but his posture was too relaxed. As if he had no concern about facing the elite human knights and a battalion of personally trained mages.
Whether that was sheer confidence or utter foolishness—he was about to find out.
"Are you on the same side as the Demon King?" he asked, catching him off guard.
"Oh? So you already know he has risen, yet you haven't told the other races?" he shot back with an even wider grin. "Now I'm even more curious. What are you planning that you'd hide this, even from the heroes?"
The Grand Mage's eyes widened.
"How do you know?" He shook his head. "No, that doesn't matter. The fact that you do means you must be eliminated immediately."
At those words, the mages unleashed their spells, lighting up the night with a brilliant red-orange glow that was impossible to ignore. The knights charged forward, their swords shimmering with bright blue energy.
But just as their attacks obliterated the spot where he had been standing, he was already beside the Grand Mage, sending a cold shock through his veins. His speed far surpassed what he had displayed before, meaning he was far stronger than expected.
He attacked.
With years of battle experience, the Grand Mage had already cast protective barriers on both sides of his body. Though the impact only struck the barrier, it still sent him hurtling backward, crashing through several buildings before stopping in the middle of the street.
He barely had time to breathe before his opponent was upon him again, delivering a second blow that shattered the ground around them. His protective spell cracked—something that had never happened before.
The realization hit him. Even those so-called heroes couldn't withstand this strength.
"They couldn't even take that," the man mused, shocking the Grand Mage even further. Now he found himself wondering about their fate.
"Oh, don't worry. They're not dead."
For a moment, his brow furrowed—subtle, but not unnoticed.
"Shouldn't you feel relieved? Shouldn't you be grateful?" He kicked the Grand Mage, sending him crashing into a massive central tower, which began tilting dangerously.
The mages rushed to stabilize it, ensuring it didn't collapse onto the surrounding buildings, while the Grand Mage stood up again, dusting off his robe. His protective magic was completely fractured.
So he deactivated it.
"Why have we never heard of someone like you before?" he asked, trying to hide his trembling left hand, still shaking from the earlier kick.
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me. But if you really want to know, I'm from another world," he answered, stepping closer.
"Is that why your body looks so strange?"
"Oh, you mean these glitches?" He grinned wider. "No. This is proof that your world is trying to erase me. But even that failed. So tell me—what can an old man like you possibly do?"
The Grand Mage stiffened for a moment. Then, suddenly, laughter erupted from his lips.
A deep, resounding laugh that hadn't been heard in a long time.
The laughter of someone who had finally found a worthy opponent. A battle where he could unleash his full power without worrying about the consequences.
"After all this time holding back, I can finally test that spell," he muttered to himself.
Slowly, his body became enveloped in golden light.
Tribal markings appeared on his skin, glowing with the same radiance—a sign that he had activated a forbidden spell. A spell that drained the user's lifespan with each passing second.
"One minute, one year of my life gone. I've waited so long to find someone worth using this on. Finally, I can feel what it was like to be one of the heroes of old."
"You're really willing to throw away your years just for something this trivial?"
"It's worth it in this dull life of mine."
"I hope you don't regret it."