Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 228

Episode 228: The turning point (1)

Verden's thoughts suddenly stopped.

The aura of the old man sitting on the throne goes beyond the skin and presses down on the body. The voice that penetrates the ear stimulates the soul hidden inside.

It's the same feeling I had when I confronted the Dark Warton's magic tower a while ago.

'Transcendent.'

The white magician who introduced himself as the Demon King.

There is no denying that it has gone beyond the magician's wall. The unprecedented magical power flowing in secret has overwhelmed the space itself.

Then, could it be that you are the Demon King himself?

Strong doubts arose in his mind, but after a moment of hesitation, Verden shook his head inwardly.

'No, it can't be the Demon King.'

Because the situation up to now has proven him.

If he were a true Dark Lord, he would have completely repaired the damaged laboratory long ago. He certainly wouldn't have been locked in the management office because of a power source problem.

Alpha's mention of the Dark Lord's absence for over 400 years has some credibility.

Given the circumstances, the White Wizard appears to be the facility's administrator.

Its appearance is identical to that of the Demon King, and its presence is also impressive. However, to be called the pinnacle of magic in history, it lacks something.

It was an instinctive intuition that couldn't be expressed in words.

'Then the identity of the administrator is… … .'

I became confident.

Verden immediately bowed his head.

“The wizard Asher meets the Dark Lord’s clone.”

The voice spread like an echo.

The manager smiled as the silence returned.

“You’ve got a keen eye for detail, seeing through my true identity in an instant. But you’re still acting politely even though you know I’m a fake?”

“Of course.”

Verden was sincere.

The achievements of the Demon King are the pinnacle of legend. They laid the foundation for the current age of magic.

Unlike a very small number of wizards, he is not worshipped as a god.

As someone who is into magic, I have deep respect for him. Even if he is the clone of the Demon King, he is no exception.

It was Verden's personal opinion.

“Interesting. The two intruders who entered the administration office changed their attitudes as soon as they realized I was a clone. Is it clear that Alpha is different enough to recognize you as the Dark Lord? Yes, since you restored this place… it might be okay for a while.”

The muttering manager's right hand kept twitching.

He clenched his fists tightly as if trying to suppress his trembling. At that moment, when Verden was questioning this, a small throne rose up with magical power.

“Sit down, young wizard, if you wish to speak with me.”

* * *

Each throne welcomed its master.

The distance and height between them were enough to allow them to see each other clearly. When Verden raised his head, his eyes met the manager's.

“That wall… I feel a magical power that doesn’t match the realm. It seems like a talent, but it’s strange to say it was innate. If it were original, then the vessel should have been broken long ago. So is it an acquired change?”

It's a keen insight.

Even though I didn't know the true identity of the reversed stream, I could see through the process at a glance. If the clone was like this, I couldn't imagine what the main body would be like.

“It is difficult to say, Your Majesty the Demon King.”

“Call me Administrator. And I didn’t ask for an answer. After all, I’m just a fake created to protect this place. Listening to others’ stories would be meaningless, so your questions should be your own.”

Verden's lips parted slightly.

“That means…….”

“I don’t have much time to spare, but as a thank you for helping me restore this place, I’ll answer your questions. I’m sure you had many questions on your way to the administrator’s office.”

but.

“I would advise you not to ask about the main body. I have inherited only a portion of the main body’s memories, so I know very little. Ultimately, it is your choice, but I hope you make a wise decision.”

Is this the only thing you can answer about this facility?

'It's limited.'

But there was no time to regret.

Just hearing the answer directly from the Demon King's clone was an opportunity of inestimable magical value.

“Thank you for your kindness, admin.”

I turned my head quickly.

All sorts of questions were mixed together and then condensed into two.

After finishing his thoughts, Verden's focus became clear.

“Once you’ve decided on a question, ask it.”

“Yes, then…… The blue sapphire, the key to this facility. I wonder what its exact purpose is.”

At first, I thought it was simply a relic related to the Demon King.

But when it was discovered that this was not a tomb, it raised a question as there were at least four identical ones.

'Why did they make so many keys and spread them throughout the world?'

It must have been anticipated long ago that the laboratory that was so well hidden would be in danger of being discovered. In fact, there have been numerous intruders up to this day.

It was difficult for Verden to guess his intentions.

“If you think it’s a key, then it’s a legitimate question. In that sense, you’re mistaken.”

“If it’s a mistake…….”

“That wasn’t a key in the first place. It was a kind of signal to find my true self.”

signal?

“This laboratory is, strictly speaking, a research facility run solely by golems. And when the overall progress of the research exceeded 50%, it was decided to send a message to the main body. Alpha and I followed the manual as it was written, and sent a signal to the designated location.”

Was that means of communication Sapphire?

“It happened 150 years ago. But as time passed, there was no sign of the main body coming. Since then, I took risks and tried the same thing several times, but as you can see, the results were the same. The only people who showed up at the facility were outsiders like you.”

“Have you never had any contact before?”

“The last confirmed case was about 468 years ago. Something may have gone wrong with the main body… or perhaps it was simply forgotten. As I mentioned, I have no way of knowing the main body’s circumstances───”

Shudder.

Suddenly the manager waved his arms wildly.

It seemed like he was trying to suppress something again, but it seemed harder than before.

“Are you okay?”

“……No problem, at least for now. I’d better finish the questions as quickly as possible.”

Does it have something to do with not having time?

Verden followed the manager's advice and continued the conversation. It was a question that contained the unknown experiences he had seen so far and many thoughts.

“What was the purpose of this facility?”

Artificial golem.

Magical techniques related to memory.

A small power source in the secondary power room and a magic circle engraved in the primary power room.

I want to know the thoughts of the Demon King.

What on earth were you trying to achieve with these?

The manager answered Verden's question.

“To save the world.”

* * *

'Salvation of the world?'

Verden was momentarily speechless.

It was because the answer was completely different from what I had expected. Salvation out of nowhere. Was this world suddenly going to end?

The manager nodded at the reaction that was filled with embarrassment.

“I guess you’re surprised by the unexpected answer. Well, that’s only natural. Even I, who imitated the original’s personality, couldn’t understand or guess.”

“……You don’t know why?”

“I don’t remember, so I can’t know. But───”

The manager put his hand on his heart.

“When the main body created me, my heart was filled with a truly sublime sense of mission. That holiness can still be felt through the magical power flowing through my body.”

The clone is a projection of the Demon King of that time.

“I don’t know why the main body disappeared, or if it still feels the same now… but I can say for sure that this facility was never intended to satisfy personal desires.”

It was too vague to resolve the question.

But it was by no means an answer to be taken lightly. A faint emotion appeared on the manager's face, which had always been dry.

It was not a mere avatar, but an aspect befitting a great transcendent being.

“This is the best I can tell you. I’m sorry I can’t give you a clear answer. It’s the limit of my clone, so please understand.”

“No. It was an honor for me to be able to speak with the Demon King’s clone.”

“How wonderful, young wizard. Now that I think about it, is this your first time sitting down and talking with an outsider? It certainly feels different. If possible, I would like to continue a little longer, but…….”

I relaxed my hands.

The manager's expression disappeared.

“Now, it is time.”

“……!”

Hwaaaaah!

Suddenly, a wave of magical energy swept through the space. It was a pressure that went beyond a simple threat and became hostile.

A mighty magical power flowed through the whole body of the administrator who stood up from the throne.

The atmosphere changed abruptly.

“I am the incarnation of the Dark Lord and the manager of this facility. The mission given to me by the main body is to exterminate unauthorized intruders. And since the facility was built, there have been a total of four intruders.”

The staff and cane behind the pillar rolled on the floor.

'Is this the weapon the wizards of the ark had?'

It was a miserable situation.

There was no need to ask what had become of their master.

“One of the intruders was trapped in the primary power room and self-destructed, and I personally killed two others. And the remaining one is right before my eyes. However, I have suspended judgment considering that he helped restore the facility with Alpha and showed no hostility.”

Kuung!

The door to the manager's office was opened.

“As an administrator, it is difficult for me to refuse my mission any longer. So, leave this facility immediately. This is the opportunity I can give you.”

If you don't get out, I'll kill you.

The administrator's voice and magic were filled with a thick murderous intent, and the white staff he held in his hand slowly shook.

It seemed as if they were considering excluding Verden at any moment.

“…….”

Verden stood up from his seat without saying a word.

Then he walked straight towards the secondary power room. The manager who was watching his back smiled faintly.

“……Alpha recognizes you as the Demon King, so he will show you a way out. And before you leave the facility, if there’s anything you notice, take it with you. Even if you’re the manager, there’s no way to chase someone who leaves the facility.”

The last favor you bestow.

Even the manager couldn't figure out why that was.

The clone was an unchanging being made up of the Demon King's magical power…

'Has something changed over the hundreds of years?'

The magic of the main body may not be perfect either. The administrator snickered. It was just a meaningless thought.

At that moment, Verden stopped.

It was one step away from leaving the manager's office.

“Admin, may I ask you one last question?”

“……Speak quickly.”

“What happens if the administrator fails to rule out the intruder?”

what?

The manager paused.

I was so flustered that I forgot my mission for a moment.

Only after several seconds of silence did he open his mouth.

“Then we must follow the truth of the world. The winner takes all. The winner will take all. This facility, and the ‘it’ that the main body left behind, everything.”

A firm voice.

“No one who has challenged me has ever returned alive. Even those who are higher in skill than you were no exception. Young wizard, I admit that you are special, but the results will be even more dire than those who came before you. At least you had a chance to escape.”

The manager was right.

The opponent is transcendent.

In comparison, Verden had not even reached the 6th rank and had not even developed the magic. It was obvious which of the two would die.

If only it had been a normal situation.

'The manager is an imperfect transcendent being.'

The magic of the Demon King goes beyond common sense.

However, even so, it cannot overcome the fundamental weakness of the clone.

'First, a weakened realm compared to the main body.'

According to Verden, the administrator remains at the 7th level, on the border of transcendence.

It is clear that no one can match the presence of the magic power of the Demon King. However, it is also clear that its actual power is not as strong as that of Dark Warton's Magic Tower.

'And secondly, magic power cannot be restored.'

Administrators have been around for hundreds of years.

And he even had to deal with the two wizards who had come from the ark before. They must have been fully prepared, so it wouldn't have ended in one blow.

A considerable amount of horsepower must have been consumed so far.

'Finally and thirdly, the equipment gap.'

The administrator is wearing the Demon King's armor, but it is only for show.

The clone cannot wear any magical items. The fact that he could not feel anything from the noble staff he was holding was proof of this.

At least in terms of equipment, Verden was overwhelming.

'In addition, the power of the Demon King is known through knowledge.'

The memories of the Demon King's magic, magic, etc. are still vivid.

It was the first book that Robelin gave me when I was working as a worker at the Tower. I read it over and over again until the bookshelf was worn out.

‘… … Of course, even so, my chances of winning are slim.’

Yeah, I know.

I know that what I'm trying to do now is all-consuming.

With the manager's favor, it would be wise to go back and slowly level up…

However, the magical circuits of the entire body, the magical power flowing through the body, the beating heart, the magic circle of the reversed sky, all of these combined together are speaking to the being called Verden.

The path to magic is to not betray yourself.

The answer has already been decided.

Kwaaang!

A blast of magical power engulfed the small power plant in the secondary power room.

The door to the administrator's office closed again as the magical power that spread throughout the facility dissipated.

I turned my back without hesitation.

Verden's wall eyes, glaring at the administrator, flashed brightly. The magical power that exploded from his entire body fought against the Transcendent One.

And I declare.

“I dare, I will challenge.”

Right now, at this very moment.

Verden reaches a turning point in his life.