Book 2: Chapter 413

Silence fell upon the room as if time had frozen.

They had all been surprised by Lukas appearance, but it didnt take too long for them to regain their composure.

Pale was the first one to open her mouth.

wow.

Pure admiration glistened in her eyes like starlight.

Its been a really long time.

When he heard her unique, bubbly voice, Lukas briefly turned his eyes to look at her.

Was it like that for you too?

The person she was talking to responded with an embarra.s.singly emotionless tone and expression. Nevertheless, Pale bobbed her head and giggled as if nothing happened.

Not really.

Pale hadnt stayed in the dump site with Lukas for 4,000 years. Because Lukas hadnt met her at all in his time there. Shed probably left right after shed disappeared.

And here, outside, the flow of time was different from the time inside.

From Lukas perspective, their last conversation had been a long time ago, but it wouldnt have been the case for her.

It seems my advice worked.

Advice?

Huh. Dont you remember?

Lukas turned away instead of answering. It was an act that seemed dismissive at first, but Pale didnt seem to be displeased as she continued to smile brightly. It was almost as if she was happy just looking at Lukas face.

The other two.

Their gazes were not as friendly as Pales.

Deep, sunken eyes glared at Lukas. At the same time, the intangible aura in the room became sharp and pressed heavily on his entire body.

Focused aura seemed to stab into his body.

Despite the pressure being so strong that it wouldnt be weird if he had trouble breathing or was writhing in pain, Lukas expression didnt change. Naturally, he didnt stop walking either. After walking up to the table, he looked around and said.

It doesnt seem like there are any more chairs.

There arent.

It was Corpse Ghost who responded.

There was a faint smile on his badly wrinkled face.

Thats because I only invited two people here.

Lukas tilted his head slightly. He looked at Corpse Ghost as if he was observing him. He was certain of one thing. Unlike before with the skeletons, this time, he was not possessing anything.

In front of him now was the main body of the Corpse Ghost, one of the Twelve Void Lords.

Then, why dont you give yours up?

Corpse Ghost smiled as if hed just heard something funny.

There are a total of three people sitting here right now. Isnt that right?

Right.

So among the three, why are you asking me to give mine up?

A chair is a device that is usually used to reduce leg fatigue. By placing your b.u.t.t on it.

Corpse Ghost gestured as if telling him to continue.

Lukas continued in the same indifferent tone.

You dont have legs or a b.u.t.t, do you? Instead of sitting on the chair, its more like youre resting on it.

So youre saying since I dont need a chair, why not give it to you? Kukuku! Hahaha!

Corpse Ghost couldnt hold it in any longer and let out a laugh.

His spine rattled. His body was moving so much that it wouldnt be strange if he tilted and fell over. In fact, skeletons standing behind him flinched constantly, as if they were anxious.

After a while, Corpse Ghost stopped laughing and said.

thats an interesting perspective. No, really. But you seem to be mistaken about something. The chairs here arent for reducing fatigue. They serve as a kind of qualification.

Qualification? What qualification?

The qualification to talk to me.

Lukas looked at him indifferently.

Thats not something I want to have.

Hoh. We share the same thought. I dont want to talk to you, either.

[Its as he said.]

Agreeing with Corpse Ghost, Diablo rose up from his seat.

There seemed to be a peculiar aura swirling within his bony eye socket.

[I cant believe it. I suppose you are the Lukas Trowman I know and made contact with]

[How surprising. I didnt think youd be in this world More than that, I didnt expect to meet you in a place like this.]

Is that so?

Lukas replied in an uninterested tone.

Almost at the same time, pitch black energy gushed out of Diablos body.

[Although you seem aloof now, you probably hate me a lot, dont you?]

Diablos gaze turned to the screen. Just in time, the figure of the Black Knight was reflected on it. Scattering black energy, the Black Knight toyed with the test partic.i.p.ants.

No, it was Lucid, the Sword King, who had become an undead.

[I brought your friend back to life.]

[Defiled his soul, corrupted him, and resurrected his rotten corpse. Then, after weakening his mind with various methods of torture and brainwas.h.i.+ng, I made him obey my commands. Did you know that?]

I know.

[Do you really not care? Or are you simply suppressing your emotions and forcing yourself to remain calm?]

Why are you curious about that?

Instead, Lukas asked back.

Diablo closed his mouth as his expression changed subtly.

Diablo, I have no interest in anything like that.

[is that really the case?]

Diablo couldnt help but feel a strong sense of incongruity.

Did Lukas really just say that?

Most beings in their fundamental universe had forgotten about Lukas. So in a sense, Diabo was the person who knew Lukas the best.

He knew just how much the Great Mage Lukas Trowman cared about his past friends. Thats why he was so dumbfounded. If it was the Lukas Diablo knew, he never would have disregarded this matter.

[Are you really Lukas Trowman?]

Lukas didnt answer.

It was then that Diablo realised something.

When he first appeared, Lukas had looked around like he was observing the room. Afterwards, he talked to Pale and turned his gaze to her for a while.

And since then, hed been staring at the Corpse Ghost.

His eyes hadnt turned to Diablo. It was as if to say hed already figured out everything about him when he first looked at him.

[]

He felt insulted.

Even if his body was already dead, his pride still remained.

Diablos aura changed.

Pitch black energy swirled around his entire body. The table covering fluttered and Pales hair whipped around wildly. With a soft cry, she clutched her hair.

Wriggle-

The pitch black energy gathered to the tip of Diablos pure white finger. It was so black that it seemed as if the darkness itself had wrapped around his finger.

Shuk.

With the sound of the air splitting, the pitch blackness* shot forward like a beam. (*: . Yes, exactly that.)

As soon as Lukas gaze turned to the pitch blackness, the pitch blackness changed from its linear form.

Fwoos.h.!.+

Like a viscous substance in an explosion, it spread widely like the jaws of an animal trying to devour Lukas.

Taking two steps back, Lukas raised his hand.

There was no energy around it. Not to mention absolute, there werent even any signs of a defence spell.

Just his bare hand.

[Foolish]

Diablo scoffed.

At the same time, the pitch black substance wrapped around Lukass arm. Then, a strange phenomenon took place.

His skin became dry and wrinkled like a dried fruit, before quickly becoming rough like bark.

Before long, it turned black and fell off like cracked ceramic. It hadnt taken long for this to happen.

In the blink of an eye, Lukas arm had rotted and began to release a bad smell.

Lukas response was swift.

Shuk.

Forming a knife shape with his left hand, he sliced off his right forearm. Blood dripped from the cross section.

Lukas didnt even groan, but with a slightly paler face, he muttered.

This isnt absolute.

Despite losing an arm, he still spoke in a flat tone, but Diablo felt like he was just bluffing.

But the words that Lukas spoke next made him think differently.

Did you graft it with death energy? A power that burns lifeforce with just a touch its similar to Nozdogs power, however, it has a more fundamental feeling.

[]

The nature of his ability had been discovered in such a short time.

Although he was shocked in his heart, he didnt show it.

[As expected, you have amazing eyes. But there are things in this world that you cant respond to even if you know about it.]

Are you talking about this power?

[Are you going to deny it? Despite losing an arm to it already?]

Diablo spoke in a sarcastic tone.

[You cant stop it just by cutting off your hand. Although slower, my death energy will continue to corrode your body. Do you understand what that means? Its just a matter of time before you die.]

There was a subtle s.h.i.+ft in his speech.

This meant that he was no longer showing respect to Lukas. Nevertheless, that didnt matter to Lukas.

[You intended to feel the nature of my power by touching it directly. It seems like youve made some progress However, you should have been more careful. Even if you didnt know, isnt one arm and one life as tuition too expensive?]

I dont know what youre talking about.

Lukas spoke.

Losing an arm? A life? Talk seriously.

[Kuku. Pathetic. Even if you deny reality, it will not change]

Diablo stopped talking.

Then he looked at Lukas.

Just a moment ago, his right arm had definitely been rotten.

But now, the right arm, which hed cut off himself, was still intact.

[What?]

Lukas sighed softly.

Diablo, is this low level power really all? Is this what you achieved after putting your entire life into it?

[You, what the h.e.l.l are you]

It was not even worth considering and a.n.a.lysing. To explain it in a way youd understand, I only made direct contact with it as a kind of entertainment.

[Dont be ridiculous]

Diablo gnashed his teeth.

[This is the power I developed while wandering this world..!]

And yet, you werent able to deviate from the framework of magicology. Your power is still one dimensional, simple, and thats why

Lukas stretched out his palm and pitch black energy formed on it.

Its simple to imitate.

[impossible.]

There was a strong sense of disbelief in his voice.

[I dont believe it.]

He muttered again like hed lost his mind.

Diablo was unable to believe what he was witnessing with his own eyes.

[you, what the h.e.l.l kind of trick did you do?]

Even if you deny reality, it cannot change anything. Dont you understand yet? Why I didnt pay any attention to you?

Even the faint hint of cynicism disappeared from Lukas mouth.

At this point, killing you isnt a big deal.

[!]

But there is one thing I want to experiment with. What will happen if this power touches you, who has already become a skeleton? Will your bones become powder and scatter?

[Kuk. Dont be ridiculous.]

Death energy rose up from Diablos entire body. The black smoke rushed towards Lukas like steam.

But Lukas didnt block or dodge it, he simply accepted it.

There was no effect. Lukas skin didnt rot or wither away like before.

Just as the light in Diablos eyes began to fluctuate roughly.

Enough.

As soon as he heard the Corpse Ghosts soft murmur, Diablos death energy disappeared as if it had immediately evaporated. This wasnt Diablos doing. He turned to look at the Corpse Ghost in bewilderment.

Lukas attention turned to the Corpse Ghost again. In truth, his attention had only been on the Corpse Ghost since hed entered this place.

I feel like I have a rough understanding of your power.

Lukas lips twitched slightly at those words.

You feel like you know it.

Why? Do you think Im lying?

Thats not it. I think youre probably mistaken.

The Corpse Ghost laughed again.

Mistaken? Why do you think so?

Lukas looked at him quietly for a moment before saying something else.

You seem to like to talk a lot.

Its a part of my nature. Dont you?

Well. Im not sure what I was like before

Lukas muttered softly.

But I dont think I do now. Talking doesnt seem to come as easily to me as it does to you.

Hmm. I see.

The Corpse Ghost nodded and didnt seem displeased as he opened his mouth again.

Then Ill stop talking. Goodbye.

Squelch-

In the next moment, Lukas body melted into a pool of blood.

(TL: The End.)