The Great Mage Returns After 4000 Years

Translator: Alpha0210

Residue continued to live a gloomy life.

It had been like this ever since that day.

His mind felt murky, as if filled with dark clouds, and the sound of torrential rain never left his ears. Sometimes, those sounds would roar like thunder, violently shaking his skull. During such moments, the excruciating headaches would leave his nerves frayed and on edge.

"Looks like it's going to pour soon."

So, when Luca suddenly muttered those words, they were neither welcome news nor something Residue could ignore.

“Pour? What do you mean by that?”

Residue's rare response caused Luca’s expression to brighten instantly.

The little brat relaxed her expression and raised both hands toward the sky in an exaggerated motion, like she was introducing a guest.

“Of course, I mean rain. What else could it be?”

“How do you know that?”

The worlds, each governed by their own unique laws, were now intricately intertwined, barely maintaining their forms. The current state of the world was like a cluster of tangled worlds precariously supporting one another, as if it wouldn’t be surprising if everything shattered in an instant.

Conventional logic had become twisted, and the variables were so numerous and diverse that they couldn’t even be calculated.

As a result, even the most precise mechanical devices found it nearly impossible to predict weather conditions.

“Well... I don’t know. A hunch? And besides, it’s about time for it to happen.”

Luca answered with an awkward shrug, then opened a shabby drawer in the corner of the room. From within, she pulled out a rather large cloth.

The cloth was adorned with images of women in swimsuits, striking various poses.

“……”

“I know what you’re thinking, but this is just a backdrop.”

I found it at the dumpsite. Luca added with a snicker.

Sure enough, there was an empty space in the middle, just big enough for a person to fit.

“What are you planning to do with that?”

“It’s thick and has some weight to it, so it’s perfect for blocking wind and rain. If we leave it as it is, this place will end up looking like a flooded mess, and we’ve got to prevent that.”

Residue realized that this trash-filled room wasn’t just a temporary hideout, it was Luca’s actual home.

“Ugh…”

Standing on tiptoes clumsily, Luca tried to stretch the ends of the backdrop and attach them to the balcony.

“I don’t think that’s going to be enough to block the rain.”

“Right? But still, it’s better than nothing.”

“It won’t do much for soundproofing either. The sound of the rain will still leak in.”

“Ah, come on, hyung. Are you seriously trying to kill my motivation right now? If you’re not going to help, at least keep quiet…”

When Luca grumbled, Residue replied curtly.

“Step aside, kid.”

“What?”

Grrrk.......

At that moment, the walls began to tremble faintly. Or perhaps it wasn’t just the walls, it felt like the entire building was shaking.

An earthquake? Luca, startled, let go of the cloth she was holding. The very next moment, the cement floor shot upward like a rapidly growing tree and crashed straight into the ceiling.

“Uh…”

As a result, the space that could be called a balcony disappeared. To be precise, the wall now completely blocked the area between the room and the balcony.

“But then, how are we supposed to look outside…?”

Even while flustered by the sudden turn of events, Luca brought up a practical issue.

With a single gesture from Residue, a thin line appeared on the cement wall.

Screeeech-

A sound like something being cut echoed repeatedly, and the single line quickly multiplied into four.

It formed the shape of a rectangle, almost like a door.

When Luca hesitantly pushed on the rectangle to test it, it moved without much resistance.

“Wow.”

Seeming quite pleased, Luca spent some time opening and closing the newly made door.

In the meantime, Residue created a similar opening in the front door and then plopped down on the bed, tearing open the envelope Luca had brought.

“By the way, can’t you make a window too?”

“……”

The greed of humans truly knows no bounds.

Ignoring Luca’s request, Residue pulled out a can of soup, opened it, and scooped out the watery contents with a spoon.

It tasted horrendously bad.

*

Approximately two weeks had passed.

Since Residue had regained consciousness, he hadn’t left this room even once.

Once, he had been a being so colossal that only the Great Universe could contain him, a mighty Ruler who could extend his authority to the darkest corners of the cosmos. Yet now, his range of activity had been reduced to a cramped, dusty 10 pyeong room.

And yet, information still reached his ears.

Of course, this wasn’t because he was exerting his powers or had subordinates delivering news to him.

It was all thanks to the battered old radio.

Though most of the static was gone now, Residue still found the faint electronic noise unpleasant.

[…Additionally, the Secretary-General of the PFA suggested that the Unexplored Zone may exist on a scale anywhere from hundreds to tens of thousands of times greater than what has currently been discovered.]

[While most intelligent life forms have established temporary alliances, groups that still hold negative views toward unity have yet to change their stance…]

…Still, if he had truly found it unbearable, he could have smashed the radio long ago.

Perhaps this meant that Residue hadn’t completely lost interest in the world yet.

[…Approximately one month after the Great Fusion, it is estimated that over 10% of the identified population has died, and if the missing are included, this figure approaches 30%.]

[Under current circumstances, the most effective response is to establish management and defense systems at the city level, rather than relying on national systems. This conclusion is based on data showing that the spatial disasters following the Great Fusion have not exceeded a range of several dozen kilometers…]

[As a result, cities are electing Mayors to represent their interests and are maintaining only the minimal amount of material exchanges with other cities.]

[However, some experts criticize this as merely replicating the closed territorial systems that once existed in the Void World…]

It was remarkable.

Even in a world so thoroughly shattered, humans had adapted in no time.

They possessed a unique talent, the ability to turn even the extraordinary into the ordinary.

But at the same time, this was also a curse.

These unfortunate creatures had a knack for adapting to even the most harsh absurdities and injustices.

The radio broadcasted a wide variety of news, and through it, Residue naturally came to understand both the widespread truths and the hidden truths.

First and foremost, the “First Destruction” was not over yet.

Fragments of meteorites continued to fall from the sky, crashing into the ground and annihilating life forms in their vicinity. These events were occurring simultaneously and on a global scale.

The once-secret spectacle that only Residue and Beniang had witnessed was now known to the entire world.

A world where casting suspicious glances at strangers upon first meeting was no longer rude, it was considered polite.

The lifeforms imitating destruction were apparently being called Hyde by the people.

Hyde. Hide. The word had a dual meaning.

While they weren’t exactly like creatures with split personalities, there was a shared trait: behind their smiling, talkative faces lay a completely different essence.

Opinions on how to deal with the Hydes were deeply divided. However, the group that had achieved the most significant results and exerted the strongest influence was the Void World, or more precisely, the Half King.

Naturally, this was only possible because they had the power to enforce their will.

Of course.

According to Residue’s estimates, the Half King’s combat power exceeded even that of the Ruler. Moreover, with her two knights and the half-portion of the Twelve Void Lords under her command… there wasn’t a single group in existence that could surpass their physical power, unless all the Absolute Beings, including the Ruler, joined forces.

The next thing that caught Residue’s attention was a certain organization.

“Joining the PFA is my dream.”

This was exactly the 28th time hearing those words.

It had been exactly two weeks since he got to know this girl. This meant that she had brought up the same topic twice a day on average.

PFA.

The acronym for PeaceFinder Armlet.

It was a name Residue had heard before, and if that was the case, it was obvious who was leading it.

“President PeaceFinder is a true hero!”

President PeaceFinder.

The Black Witch, Iris PeaceFinder.

One of Lukas Trowman’s connections.

“She found representatives from every universe who could voice their opinions, gathered them all together, mediated, and coordinated their stances, all in just one week!”

It wasn’t unreasonable for people to express admiration for her.

Even amidst the chaos of the times, Iris had an unparalleled ability to identify the core of the situation. Not only that, but she also devised highly efficient countermeasures.

Establishing rules and creating her own flow in a world as tumultuous as this… There was no denying that she was a woman with the qualities of a hero.

She must have predicted this situation long before the omens of the Great Fusion began to appear. And she must have thought about it more deeply and for a longer time than anyone else.

…Of course, even with all that in mind, her current measures felt too perfect. Did she have other helpers?

Residue found himself curious, but he had no desire to meet her.

To be more precise, he didn’t want to meet anyone connected to Lukas.

“Ah.”

Luca suddenly spoke up.

“It’s raining again.”

Residue turned to look outside. Beyond the small window that Luca had insisted on creating, dark clouds were rolling in.

Throb-

His headache worsened.

*

Shhhhhh-

Dim lights flickered sporadically in the rain-drenched city. It seemed the city, which had lost the concept of daytime, had designated “rainy days” as the new night.

Right. When dark clouds gather, it’s always darker than usual.

Even so, the silhouettes of people hadn’t disappeared from the wet city streets.

Residue knew this because he was standing on the balcony, gazing down at the scene. In other words, it was his own choice to observe them.

Why?

Because their figures were like a reflection of himself.

—Look at the streets.

Trash with no purpose wandered aimlessly, searching for a reason to end their lives as they staggered through the streets. If Residue were to walk alongside them, no one would find it strange.

At least, that’s what he thought. But there was one difference.

“Just a little more, please. I haven’t had a taste in a week.”

“The basics of trade are exchange. What do you have to offer, sir?”

“…How about this gold watch?”

In a slightly darker alley,

Within the ruins of a collapsed building, secret deals were taking place.

Food, weapons, drugs, or even people.

It all fit perfectly into the scenery of the city.

What was strange, however, wasn’t the buyers, but the sellers.

Even in a world that had fallen apart, they were still striving to climb higher. Despite having secured some level of financial stability and safety, they couldn’t let go of their greed.

Was this a wise decision?

Perhaps the addicts, who emptied their pockets for a moment of happiness, were making the more rational choice.

After all, who knew when they might die?

“Phew. It’s really pouring out there.”

Soaking wet like a drowned rat, Luca returned.

When Residue glanced at her, Luca flinched, hastily brushing off her hat before pressing it back onto her head.

"Oh. You weren't sleeping."

Technically, Residue had been woken up by the rain.

Scratching her cheek, Luca dusted off her hands and said,

“Today was a bust. It’s way harder to find food when it’s raining.”

“……”

“Ugh. Sorry about that.”

Luca even apologized under Residue’s indifferent gaze.

Finding the sight unpleasant, Residue turned his eyes away.

“Don’t you dislike the sound of rain?”

“……”

“What are you doing?”

“Listening.”

“Listening to what?”

The radio was off, so Luca’s eyes briefly darted toward the desk.

“You said it was hard to find food?”

“Yes.”

“It seems like they’re trading food over at that building.”

“Huh?”

Luca narrowed her eyes as she stood on the balcony, facing Residue.

Beyond the rain-soaked streets, about a few kilometers away. A place so distant that people appeared as tiny as ants, let alone being able to hear any voices from there.

“Don’t joke arou- Gasp!”

But by the time Luca had visually confirmed the shape of the building, her face had turned pale.

“Oh my god, UMC! P-put your hand down!”

“What’s that?”

“University of Meltown Crossguard!”

Luca lowered her voice and spoke while glancing around nervously.

“That used to be the main building of a prestigious university, but now it’s been taken over by the mayor of Meltown and his subordinates.”

It was the first time Residue had learned that the name of this city was Meltown.

“Tucker, the mayor over there, is the king of this place. There’s a rumor that he singlehandedly killed all five thousand soldiers who were originally stationed in Meltown. Of course, it’s probably exaggerated.”

“……”

“…Anyway, if you want to buy or sell goods at UMC, you need to meet their qualifications. A kid like me would get shot on sight just for approaching the place.”

Luca made a gesture with her hand, mimicking the act of spraying bullets from a submachine gun.

It was an utterly unhelpful story.

If there was no food, then they simply wouldn’t eat.

Residue thought as much and looked at Luca again, but then noticed something off.

One side of Luca’s cheek was slightly flushed red. Upon closer inspection, the inside of her mouth and her lips were swollen as well.

“……”

The marks of a beating.

When their gazes met, Luca pulled her hat down low and avoided eye contact.

“Ah. I just wish the rain would stop already.”

Residue stared at Luca’s side profile as she tried to change the subject, then spoke curtly.

"Just once."

"What?"

Residue looked at Luca and said,

“I’ll help you just once. At the time you need it most, I’ll grant the thing you want the most.”

“W-what do you mean by that…?”

“You helped and supported me. You've earned that much."

Maybe it was just a whim.

Residue laid himself back down on the springless, uncomfortable bed to waste more time.

Seeing how this musty smell now felt familiar and comfortable, he thought perhaps he was already beyond saving.