Chapter 1: The Return of the Great Mage
“Impressive, human!”
The Dragon God Sephiroth admired, looking down at his chest from the middle of the Dragon God’s Temple.
A mere mortal, a species considered inferior, had the audacity to pierce the heart of the Dragon God!
But what is most astonishing is that it was done using ‘magic.’
Dragons, known as the masters of magic.
Sephiroth being the master of those dragons. For him, who governs all magic, to be struck by magic is truly inconceivable.
“Let me personally bestow upon you the title ‘Great Mage.’ You may boast about it wherever you like!”
The human recognized by Dragon God Sephiroth is unique.
Indeed, there has never been anyone across all races who has been called ‘Great Mage’ by him.
Those who merely imitated dragon magic were all pitiful.
They were mere ignoramuses who could not even become a decent mage, unable to use what was given to them properly.
But the human before him was different.
“Human. What is your name?”
“…Your mother.”
Park Chan-woo exhaled heavily, extending his middle finger.
The decisive strike. The final blow in which he poured all his magic.
But he only managed to pierce one of Sephiroth’s twelve hearts.
Although he was called the Great Mage, the opponent was the god of magic.
One of the top three most powerful dragon races among the twelve that invaded Earth.
From the beginning, it was an unwinnable fight.
His previously pierced chest had been completely restored by ultra-regeneration.
Sephiroth tilted his head, ignoring Park Chan-woo’s words.
“Why do you only use basic magic? With your wisdom, you should have been able to understand and master advanced magic.”
“……”
Park Chan-woo remained silent.
It was true.
The magic that pierced Sephiroth’s heart was Fireball.
The most basic of basic magic that almost every mage learns with a 90% probability.
Park Chan-woo’s silence made Sephiroth smirk.
“Aha. You started the path of magic too late. That’s why you could only cling to basic magic. It’s a miracle to have raised a first-tier magic to the level of tenth-tier magic, but there were indeed limits.”
…Indeed.
It was too late.
Originally, Park Chan-woo was not a mage.
His first class was ‘Barbarian.’ After three class upgrades, he became a ‘Knight,’ but realizing his talent, he started learning magic much later.
The only magic he could use was basic magic.
Thanks to that, he earned the title of ‘First Sword Mage,’ but that name was a terrible nightmare for him.
“However, do not be disappointed. At least the basic magic you used has surpassed our master’s framework. It is almost to the point of being considered a new system of magic. In eons, no being has intrigued me like you have. So.”
Sephiroth was excited.
It was the first time he had spoken so much.
Magic is performed by verbal incantation.
Words themselves have power, and thus, should not be spoken carelessly.
Yet the human before him had aroused his interest.
Clap!
Sephiroth clapped his hands.
At the same time, twelve suns rose above his head.
Magic beyond the tenth tier, which the Great Mage could not reach.
Even most high dragons need to inscribe thousands of formulas in advance to use magic beyond the tenth tier.
Sephiroth wielded it without formulas or incantations.
The difference in talent was overwhelming.
A being with a dot that humans could never reach.
Thus, he demonstrated.
That there is a transcendent world beyond reach.
No matter how much one struggles, it is futile.
That dot, Sephiroth said with a smile.
“I will have to dissect your head once.”
“…When did I say.”
At that moment.
Park Chan-woo raised his head.
Was he trying to despair after seeing the miraculous difference?
However, there was not a shred of despair in Park Chan-woo’s eyes.
Rather.
“When did I say I could only use basic magic?”
“…?”
“O great god of sacrifice! I offer all that I have and the Dragon God Sephiroth as a sacrifice!”
“Mm? You want to offer me as a sacrifice?”
Sephiroth blinked, puzzled.
A sacrifice means offering something to someone.
But it should only be something one possesses.
It was strange enough to hear about the existence of a god of sacrifice, but offering oneself as a sacrifice was even more bizarre.
“…Wait.”
Sephiroth looked down at his chest.
The wounds healed by ultra-regeneration were reopening.
Moreover, what was astonishing was that one of the twelve hearts thought to be damaged was still beating.
“An illusion? No, I would not be fooled by such magic.”
An illusion magic could not deceive the Dragon God’s insight.
It was a more complex magic.
Not just a simple trick…
“…Control magic. Has a human learned the twelfth-tier magic?”
He had poured all his magic into taking control of one of Sephiroth’s hearts.
Sephiroth had mistakenly thought it was damaged.
He could not doubt it.
Because he believed the human before him could only use ‘basic magic.’
Indeed, Park Chan-woo had used only basic magic to reach the Dragon God’s Temple.
But the gap between basic magic and twelfth-tier magic was too great.
Control magic, which requires extremely advanced formulas.
Few in this world can use such magic.
“After all, it’s just one heart.”
“That’s enough.”
Park Chan-woo grinned, showing his teeth.
Thanks to buying time, he had completely taken control of one of Sephiroth’s hearts.
A controlled heart is recognized as Park Chan-woo’s possession.
However, offering this heart as a sacrifice would not be enough to kill Sephiroth.
“One is sufficient to make you go berserk.”
Shudder!
In an instant, Sephiroth’s entire body swelled.
Soon, Sephiroth’s form vanished, replaced by masses of flesh.
Because the magic maintaining the human form was also going berserk.
Boom!
As Sephiroth lost control of his magic, the advanced magic he used, the twelve suns, struck directly at him.
A gigantic explosion, like the primordial explosion, engulfed the Dragon God’s Temple.
However, Sephiroth would not die from this.
It was only a brief reprieve.
In 30 seconds, he would return to his original state.
‘It is impossible unless it’s this time when all magic is going berserk.’
He had lived his life for this one moment.
Park Chan-woo immediately took out a Holy Grail from his chest.
‘Grail of the Demon God.’
The vessel in which the god of sacrifice was sealed.
As he opened the entrance of the Holy Grail, Sephiroth’s flesh began to be absorbed into it.
Thus, for a brief moment, Sephiroth’s existence became ‘Park Chan-woo’s.’
The conditions to offer a sacrifice were completed.
—Park Chan-woo, my contractor. What do you wish to obtain by sacrificing everything?
“Return time. To the point I first awakened.”
Park Chan-woo answered immediately.
From the beginning, he had only wished for the return of time.
He believed that with all his treasures, the Dragon God Sephiroth, and the Grail of the Demon God, it would be sufficient as a sacrifice to return time.
—That is insufficient.
“… What? You said it would be sufficient?”
—What is sealed in the Holy Grail now is only half of the Dragon God Sephiroth.
“Half? What does that mean?”
—The Dragon God Sephiroth has two main bodies.
“Are you saying this is not the complete main body?”
—I only learned that a little while ago. … Soon, his other main body will arrive.
“Damn it…!”
It was a situation where one could not help but curse.
The supreme being Sephiroth, the monster that took away humanity’s hope, was only a half!
He had already invested everything.
He used everything he had to get here.
He had pushed his comrades into the abyss of death and used a hundred thousand elite troops as shields.
It was all for this one thing.
To return time and grasp hope once again.
But…
But.
“Anything! If what I have is insufficient, I will sell my future! If that’s still not enough, I will offer my soul as a sacrifice!”
Boom!
Boom!
Kuuuum!
A being far larger than the entire Dragon God’s Temple approached from afar.
It was a transcendent dragon that had surpassed even the size of a dragon.
Only then did he realize.
The flesh inside the Holy Grail, which he thought was the Dragon God’s main body, was nothing compared to that enormous body.
【I will present you with the greatest despair.】
【Humans, disappear.】
Ah…
Below the Dragon God’s Temple.
All of humanity on Earth was being erased.
They turned into dust and vanished.
Park Chan-woo reached out desperately, but could not touch it.
He could not reach it.
His hand was also gradually disappearing.
Just one word.
Was humanity’s struggle not even able to endure that one word?
It was frustrating and bitter.
To end in such a way, without even starting properly or preparing.
If only he could start again… at least not this end.
—The deal is complete.
“……!”
At that moment.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Suddenly, the gears of time began to turn backward.
—Contractor Park Chan-woo. I will begin your final time reversal.
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