75 The return of the archmage (1)

Kanis brought an emerald green robe. Although Arin was watching, Arcane changed his clothes without hesitation.

Walking to the table, Arcane finally breathed a sigh of relief after sitting in the chair.

"Phew, I feel a bit better now."

"Are you alright, Master?"

Kanis asked with concern. Although he didn't reveal his dark magical abilities, the pale look of his skin and the dark circles under his eyes were hints that he was a dark wizard.

"He has amazing eyes. That's why I took him as my disciple."

On the other hand, Arcane didn't feel much dislike for Arin. Despite her obvious talent in unleashing dark power with her black hair and eyes, she seemed fragile and lacked judgment.

In her beautiful face, no evil could be detected, and her large eyes revealed her emotions.

From the moment he saw the old man's naked body, Arcane felt disdain for her trembling gaze.

"What could I use someone like her for? I wouldn't have brought such a fragile girl if she weren't Kanis's best friend."

That was seven years ago.

Despite using a life support device, Arcane had to summon his last strength to reach the capital, Baushka.

Being the largest city in the Kingdom of Toramia, the streets were rich and splendid. However, beneath the shiny surface, a miserable life was hidden for those disadvantaged by the city.

The poor neighborhood of Radum.

Being a polarized city, the residents of Radum lived in much more unfavorable conditions than beggars in other cities.

The only way to get food in a place where people didn't blink was to scavenge in the garbage. Even then, the competition was fierce, and often, murders were committed for pieces of fish or bones.

Arcane found Kanis and Arin there.

For Kanis, who was only ten years old and survived in a place where war was a daily routine, life had become brutal.

Kanis's eyes burned with resentment towards the world.

Arcane appreciated that look. And he took them to the dungeon, where he taught them dark magic.

"My eyes didn't deceive me. This is definitely a commodity."

Arcane rejected Kanis's support and got up. He had waited so long to escape old age that he didn't want to show weakness today.

"Watch closely the greatness of dark magic."

Arcane took a black crystal and closed his eyes. Although his hand trembled from lack of strength, his face showed indomitable emotion.

Crack.

When he infused power into the crystal, it began to vibrate around Arcane like a flow of water. Then, like dark clouds, it dispersed and enveloped him completely.

"Kraaaaa!"

Arcane let out a monstrous cry. Any normal person would have lost their mind after absorbing the power accumulated over forty years.

The concept of dark magic was absorption and assimilation.

Arcane regained his former power by assimilating the dark energy absorbed by the crystal into his own darkness.

"Wooooah!"

The shadows under Arcane's feet shone like flames before separating from his body and dispersing like fragments.

How much time had passed?

Kanis and Arin slowly opened their eyes. In Arcane's figure, there was no trace of the ravages of aging.

There had been no physical rejuvenation or change in his posture, but his complexion had regained its radiance, and his eyes were full of vitality.

Touched to tears, Kanis trembled with emotion, feeling the incomparable aura of his master.

"Is this the true appearance of my master? I had heard rumors, but this is truly amazing."

Arcane smiled in satisfaction. He was the same powerful figure he had been before his defeat by Alpeas.

"Let's go. From today, Arcane's story will be written anew."

Arcane, who had been waiting for this day for 40 years, left the dungeon without even noticing the trace of his residual power.

***

The place Arcane arrived at was the western prison of Baushka, called 'Inferno.' It was known for housing criminals ranging from grade D to B, so it had solid security.

"Halt! Who are you? This is a restricted area!"

The guards showed no interest in the elderly man and the children approaching. They drew their weapons and shouted as if they were on high alert.

"Identify yourself! If you don't cooperate, we will arrest you."

"These youngsters..."

The shadows under Arcane's feet lengthened and merged with the shadows of the guards. Without understanding what was happening, the guards rolled their eyes and trembled. Then, they fell to their knees and collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

"Heh, they're just snacks. Kanis, open the door."

Kanis took a bunch of keys from the belt of one of the guards and opened the main door of Inferno. Although his master could have easily torn the iron door apart, it seemed he had no intention of doing so.

However, Kanis's expectations quickly crumbled. From the moment they passed through the door, Arcane began to show his true nature.

"Intruder. Attack! I permit murder!"

"Communicate this to the capital and request reinforcements! He's a wizard!"

The guards showed no respect for the age or presence of the children. They drew their weapons and approached vigorously.

"Inferno, what are you doing?"

The shadows beneath Arcane's feet spread and merged with the shadows of the guards, and soon the guards staggered, their eyes rolling and their eyelids trembling. Then, they fell to their knees and finally collapsed to the ground.

"What the hell is this?!"

"I can't move!"

The guards were paralyzed, and when Arcane waved his hand, the soldiers turned to their comrades and began attacking them uncontrollably.

"Ugh! Are you insane? This is dangerous!"

"I don't know! I'm not doing this on purpose!"

Arin's face paled. Born with eyes completely different from others, she was absorbing the terror of the guards without filter.

"Kanis, our master never mentioned that we would come to a place like this, did he?"

Kanis wondered the same thing. However, his confidence in Arcane did not waver in the slightest.

"He must have his reasons. For now, let's follow him."

Arcane continued down the hallway, passing the fallen guards. Their shadows were connected to the shadows of the guards, but by breaking that connection, the disturbances in the hallway ceased.

Mind control, a feature of dark magic, allowed a dark wizard to enter another person's mind and control both their body and mind.

Dark magic had undeniable advantages but also had a significant drawback that overshadowed all its advantages: it was vulnerable to light.

Darkness could only exist as a shadow as long as the sun was up in the sky. The more light there was, the more mental energy was required to cast dark magic.

While dark magic reached its peak during the night, even that was diminishing with the popularization of the photization theory developed by Kergos.

The lack of students specializing in dark magic in the continent's magic schools was an indication of how marginalized this branch of magic was.

However, Kanis knew that Arcane had completely overcome this disadvantage. Furthermore, Arcane's knowledge and supreme power were fully transmitted to him.

"That's right, I have to trust my master. He gave me everything."

Arcane broke the main door and entered the prison. Along the corridor, the guards who had been fighting were spasming and falling.

The prison was an ideal environment for Arcane to showcase his strength, as magical energy flowed freely in this depressing place.

"Shadow Magic."

The shadows projected in the hallway transformed into three-dimensional hands and extended. Hundreds of hands seized the cell bars and tore them off with prodigious strength.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Shadow magic could manipulate shadows like tentacles and possessed crushing force when hundreds of pairs of hands worked together.

When the bars finally broke open, the prisoners peeked their heads out. They had ankle shackles.

"What are you doing, mage? Damn, this is amazing!"

"Anyway, thanks. Should we introduce ourselves? I'm Crown, the Night Cat. If you mention me around here, people will know who I am."

Arcane looked down with disdain at the prisoners' lack of will. Forty years ago, Inferno was not like this at all. How had it come to this state of decadence?

"Time truly is relentless. Is this a sign that things are getting better?"

According to Arcane's belief, as civilization advanced, the quality of criminals decreased. As more scam artists and cunning individuals infiltrated society, the true villains hid deeper.

"Poor devils. Are criminals presenting themselves? Do they think they'll get out of here so easily? Or should I show them who I am?"

The prisoners laughed and mocked Arcane. Even though they had been freed, they still wore ankle shackles, something they hadn't even noticed due to excitement.

"What, is this old man losing his mind? He went through great effort to free us, and now it looks like he wants to take us back."

"Ugh, this old man is talking nonsense! Anyway, since we've come this far, let's get out!"

Empowered by their newfound freedom, the prisoners rushed forward. But soon, they realized they still wore ankle shackles.

"Oh, oh! What's happening?"

The prisoners began to panic. Arcane watched as they lost control and finally let out a sigh.

When one chooses evil, it takes skill or cunning. However, these prisoners were simply parasites living off prison food.

"Shadow Magic."

"Ah, ah! What's happening?"

The hands that had previously torn the bars now reached out toward the prisoners. Confused for a moment, the prisoners soon disappeared into the darkness as if they were being submerged in a giant jelly. Their eyes, noses, and mouths became invisible under the shadow.

Arin, who heard the eerie sound, spoke to Kanis with a shudder.

"Kanis, do you really have to do this for revenge?"

"Arin, denying the Master is denying ourselves."

"Although..."

"Have you forgotten what happened in Radum? There have been many worse things than this. Besides, the prisoners here are the same ones who plagued us in Radum."

"But you promised. To forget everything that happened in Radum. I'll be happy from now on."

Nothing has ended yet. If the Master's resentment is not resolved, happiness will not come to us either."

As the darkness that filled the hallways disappeared, the prisoners with broken bones lay on their backs in grotesque positions.

Arcane, who watched them with arrogant eyes, murmured.

"Things of decofrylls. Was it a pointless step? Or would you feel better if you went to another room?"

The number of criminals imprisoned in Inferno is 320. Perhaps it was only here that low-level people gathered.

Arcane chuckled as he watched the prisoners being absorbed by shadow magic. It was as if they were being devoured by a massive black mass.

"What the hell is this?"

The prisoners finally began to panic as they realized they were trapped in darkness. They screamed and writhed, but their efforts were futile. Shadow magic had sealed their senses and movements completely.

"If you don't have the courage to face me, stay quietly in the prison. If you disobey my orders, you will suffer unimaginable pain."

The prisoners retreated at Arcane's warning. As a final act of compassion, Arcane released the shadows that had imprisoned them, returning their sight, ability to breathe, and mobility.

"Go, but don't dare to cross my path."

The prisoners, grateful for their liberation, hurriedly left the prison, fearing what Arcane might do to them if they disobeyed.

Arcane and his two pupils continued their way through Inferno's prison, encountering no more resistance. As they walked down the corridors, Arcane stopped in front of a particular cell door.

"This is the one we're looking for. Cell 13."

Kanis and Arin exchanged surprised looks. What was in Cell 13 that their master was seeking?

Arcane opened the cell door, revealing a chained figure inside. He was a middle-aged man, with a worn and gloomy look.

"Lucas, isn't it?"

The prisoner nodded, his eyes filled with surprise at seeing Arcane.

"I've been looking for you for a long time."

'Alpeas. The time has come to settle the score.'

Arcane approached Lucas with determination in his eyes. The showdown between the master and his former enemy was about to begin.