Chapter 201: The End of Hope

Chapter 201: The End of Hope

The black cloak transformed into a blunt, heavy war blade, and countless golden fragments encased Luk's body in a protective layer.

Unlike the other Seven Sages, who would announce their names with dramatic flair, the strongest of the Seven Sages, Mahat, launched his attack without any preliminaries.

The golden fragments merged into a flowing torrent, moving with incredible speed and reflecting the sunlight, nearly killing Luk on the spot.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The golden torrent, like a long, flexible serpent, struck at Luk, each dodge causing it to accelerate in anger, gouging deep holes in the ground.

After hundreds of failed attacks, the golden torrent dispersed, and the fragments transformed into dangerous projectiles, flying through the air at blinding speeds.

Luk's staff glowed with magical light, and he wielded it like a club, not dodging or evading the golden fragments but instead whirling it around him.

Crack!

The magic-reinforced staff whistled through the air, and Luk exerted all his strength, causing the staff and golden fragments to collide, sparking with each impact.

The sound of metal clashing echoed continuously, with the fragments either coalescing into larger masses or trying to adhere to Luk's body under Mahat's control.

The relentless attacks left multiple cuts on Luk's body, while Mahat remained motionless.

Unlike the other Sages, who relied on unique magical mechanisms, Mahat's power was evident in his control of mana and physical strength.

The golden fragments, strictly speaking, were not gold but an unknown inert material—unyielding, unaging, and eternal—merely resembling gold in appearance.

Mahat wasn't even fighting seriously. His "Transmute Everything to Gold" magic could directly affect human bodies without any limitations.

This was why, centuries ago, Fyllian had been goldened on one arm just by making eye contact with him, taking a hundred years to recover.

Truly, the strongest of the Seven Sages!

Luk's eyes narrowed, and his magic power erupted, a powerful surge dispersing the golden fragments and catching Mahat's attention.

"You have more mana than many of the Great Demons. You must be a well-known mage in the human world."

Mahat spoke calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion, as if nothing in the world mattered to him.

"I have the title of 'Father of Modern Magic,' but it's more of a courtesy from the Magic Association."

Luk kept his gaze fixed on Mahat, not daring to relax.

"Why are you asking these questions?"

"I want to gather more information before turning you into a statue, to savor later."

Mahat glanced at the statue of the monk Abu. "Being trapped in the Demon King's city is boring. Not being able to kill to pass the time makes the days drag on."

That's why he had moved this statue to his domain to admire, though it was also tedious. Compared to the unchanged scenes of the past few centuries, this forty-year-old sculpture was relatively "new."

"If that's the case, why don't you leave?"

"The Demon King doesn't allow us to leave the city."

"Would you listen to him?"

Mahat shifted his gaze from the statue: "If I were outside, I might not. But with the Demon King right here, not listening means death."

Even demons had a survival instinct, though minimal. Mahat was indifferent, but it still existed.

"Why don't you rebel against him?"

"No one can kill the Demon King, unless someone can pull the Hero's Sword or he decides to die."

With that, Mahat shook his head and ended the conversation.

"The chat is over. Although I'd like to keep you around to pass the time, your strength is impressive, and you've killed three Sages and Solitaire."

"Turn to a statue."

Like a divine judgment, as soon as Mahat spoke, Luk's body began to turn golden, starting from his feet.

"I need your help with something. If you agree, I won't kill you."

Luk remained calm, speaking without a hint of panic.

Mahat's eyes flickered. "What could a dying man possibly want? You don't need to tell me, I have no interest in helping humans..."

Mahat's words suddenly stopped as he saw the gold spreading over Luk's body abruptly halt, the boundary between gold and a dark, earthy color becoming clear. Almost instantly, the earthy color replaced the gold entirely.

"This is surprising. My transmutation was halted? No, it was eroded."

The earthy color quickly faded, and Luk's body returned to normal. He moved his legs, which had been subjected to both gold and earth transmutations, and nodded, confirming they were fine.

"As I expected."

He hadn't used his future vision to predict the outcome of this battle, relying instead on his existing knowledge and abilities. Facing a dangerous opponent like Mahat was a risky move.

Mahat's usual calm finally broke, like a stone thrown into a still pond. His gaze turned serious.

"How did you do that?"

Luk's face broke into a nostalgic smile. "I have a bit of expertise in transmutation magic."

Transmuting different substances required not only imagination but a deep understanding of the properties of both materials. If the magic didn't fully grasp the characteristics of the target material, it would be obstructed and fail.

Mahat's "Transmute Everything to Gold" magic was extremely dominant, understanding the properties of the gold-like substance to the extreme and ignoring the characteristics of the target, turning everything to gold.

But as the master of his own body, Luk had an equally deep understanding, and in the battlefield of bodily transmutation, he used his transmutation magic to counter and erode Mahat's gold transmutation.

Trella had once given Luk a manuscript on transmutation from the Sage Evix, which had sparked their romance. Now, it would be the key to defeating Mahat and saving Trella's life.

Head and tail connected, as if destined by fate.

"Your smile... it’s strange. Is it because you’ve turned the tide in battle?"

Mahat furrowed his brow, studying the smile on Luk’s face. A peculiar sense of curiosity began to rise within him.

Luk didn’t answer his question. After confirming that he wouldn’t be turned to gold, his confidence soared. He could almost imagine himself defeating Mahat.

While imagination didn’t guarantee victory, as a mage, if one couldn’t even envision winning, defeat was certain.

The surroundings began to take on a muddy hue. Burning dragons of flame soared into the sky, and a rain of arrows hovered in the air. Luk flew above, his rosewood staff pointed at Mahat.

"It’s just that you can’t turn my body to gold."

Mahat, who had never encountered such a situation, scowled. The golden hue began to erode the mud, and the golden and grayish-yellow fields clashed, the radiance of magic illuminating the entire scene.

"I will not lose..."

Mahat deflected the attack of the flame dragons with a backhand, and an arrow grazed his cheek.

"I am the strongest of the Seven Ruin Sages..."

Yellow fragments blocked the barrage of attacks, and Mahat leaped to dodge Luk’s magical assault.

"I am Mahat of the Golden Land..."

A concentrated attack spell penetrated the barrier and pierced his left abdomen. At that moment, Mahat realized that his opponent had been holding back.

The killing magic of the Corrupt Sage...

But why?

Mahat clutched his wound, his eyes filled with confusion.

The Corrupt Sage was one of the few he admired among the demon race. Unlike the Seven Ruin Sages, who were born with miracle-level magic, the Corrupt Sage had painstakingly researched and spent centuries creating powerful killing magic.

Though not as intricate as the magic of the Seven Ruin Sages, its practicality was unmatched.

"This magic will be researched and developed over a hundred years from now, led by me."

The mud transformed into water ropes, binding Mahat’s limbs. Luk approached him and spoke slowly.

Mahat’s eyes showed a mix of realization and confusion.

"You’ve learned Schalart’s magic... but it shouldn’t be possible. Schalart’s magic and the Seven Ruin Sages are of the same miracle level, impossible to replicate..."

"Unless he reveals the principles of his magic, and the learner is not an ordinary individual."

Luk continued, but Mahat shook his head. "Impossible, this world won’t allow anyone to learn such a level of miracle."

"That’s not important."

Luk had no intention of telling anyone he came from another world, unless Trela asked him directly.

"I’ll help you with something, and in return, I’ll spare your life."

The killing magic pressed against Mahat’s heart, and the instinct for survival finally made Mahat’s voice waver.

"I won’t help you fight the Demon King."

Luk shook his head. "The Demon King has his own enemies to deal with. I have no interest in him. The favor I need is simple."

"Release your magic perception to its limit. You should be able to sense the nearest outpost, right?"

Mahat followed his instructions and nodded.

"On the second floor, to the right, there’s an old man lying in bed. I want you to turn him to gold."

Seeing the tension on Luk’s face, Mahat’s curiosity grew exponentially, overwhelming his mind. He understood Luk’s purpose.

"You want to use the gold transformation to extend her life? But I can’t reverse the gold transformation on anyone but myself."

The magic of turning everything to gold was convenient, but its simplicity meant even Mahat didn’t understand its principles. He had simply used the miracle of the Seven Ruin Sages to skip the steps and achieve the effect directly.

"That’s not your concern. Just do your part."

Luk pressed his staff forward.

Only Mahat’s gold transformation could ensure Trela’s eternal life.

As for the issue of reversing the gold transformation, future Fyllian, who had all of Mahat’s memories, had successfully solved it. Luk was confident he could do the same, and if not, he could always seek Fyllian’s help.

Once his future self developed time magic, he could reverse the gold transformation, solving all problems.

"You seem very concerned about this old man. What is she to you? Why do you care so much?"

"Shut up, and cast your magic."

Luk tightened his grip on his staff, the magical light growing more intense.

"Tell me, tell me."

Mahat touched his heart, feeling an unusual sensation. The emotionless demon race cared about nothing, but at this moment, he was overwhelmingly curious about human emotions.

He wanted to understand this feeling, to see other expressions on his enemy’s face. This curiosity even surpassed his desire for death.

Demons acted on impulse, and Mahat was no exception.

"How strange, human emotions..."

Seeing Mahat’s hand turn to gold, Luk’s eyes narrowed, preparing to defend. But Mahat aimed his hand directly at his own heart and pierced it.

Splat—

The great demon pulled out his heart, blood gushing out.

Time seemed to stand still.

A trickle of blood ran from the corner of Luk’s mouth as he forced his nearly shattered teeth to ask, "Why?"

Mahat, his body slowly dissipating, stared intently at Luk’s expression, not missing a detail.

"There was no other reason, just to see what expression would appear on your face."

It wasn’t about revenge or amusement; at that moment, Mahat was filled with nothing but curiosity.

He finally showed a look of realization, dissipating into the air, leaving behind one last echo.

"So that’s the expression you would show..."

From yesterday, many monthly votes have been coming in. I checked with the author group and found out it’s a double monthly vote event. Thank you to all the readers for your support.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end