WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 132 - Turbidity (8)

"I’ve lived for quite a long time, and came to know just what a beautiful place this world is.”

"..."

Great Void’s voice sounded completely flat.

He looked around with something like affection as he kept talking like a machine.

"But there are things that should not exist in this world.”

"You mean the Empire?”

"No. You already know, right? Us.”

Great Void tapped his own chest as if it were obvious.

"We are things that should not exist. Simply by existing, we distort and corrupt the world.”

"...What?"

I mean, it was true.

So true that, despite knowing how dangerous it was, words started slipping out of my mouth reflexively.

"Then why are you still alive?”

"It seems you’ve misunderstood something. Even if we die, nothing changes. When I say we shouldn’t exist, I’m referring to the power that twists this beautiful world.”

Great Void tossed a small stone into the air. It spun slowly, hovering for a moment before finally falling to the ground.

Watching it with some discomfort, he continued.

"Undercurrent, do you know what those so-called wizards truly are?"

"I do. People who use magic.”

"Then can you explain what magic itself is?”

"If you’re just going to play semantics with me again, I won’t indulge you.”

"This is for the sake of simplicity. You may not understand, but magic was not something that originally existed in this world. A world without magic is at its most perfect.”

"..."

"...Oh?”

Great Void raised an eyebrow in surprise, seeing my dumbfounded expression.

"How curious. You understood what I meant.”

"...I didn’t."

"No, you did. The fact that you even hesitated proves it. Not a single person has ever understood this when I said it before…”

I clenched my fist.

In the end, I was born on Earth. I knew what a world without magic was like.

To me, a world without magic felt more natural and familiar.

Great Void looked at me with satisfaction and continued.

"Magic makes rain flow from the ground to the sky. It lets one step become two. It is grotesque and heretical, and its mere manifestation twists reality. It was something that should never have existed in the first place—yet it was created by the Prophet.”

"The Prophet?”

"The one who created magic, the First Mage.””

"The one you worship as a god?”

"It seems you’re mistaken. We do not worship that thing.”

Great Void frowned and shook his head.

"They spread magic and created us. In exchange, they condemned us to live in this hell. Why would we ever worship them?”

"Let’s make this clear. You’re the ones dragging other people into hell right now. And now, you’re talking about salvation or whatever?”

"No, what we’re doing is salvation.”

"Sure."

"Let me ask you something.”

Great Void smiled again as he looked at me.

"Can you explain why those who have fallen cannot use the magic of the real world?”

"That’s because magic belongs to a different system than the Abyss Realm.”

"Exactly. And that’s what’s strange. If magic were truly something natural, why would the Fallen be unable to use it? Have you ever been unable to breathe or drink water simply because you fell? If it were truly natural, you should still be able to use magic.”

Well, I could.

However, I wasn’t stupid enough to correct my enemy’s misunderstanding, so I stayed silent as Great Void continued passionately.

"The answer is simple. Magic, too, is a power of the Abyss Realm.”

"...What?”

"I know what the shrine maiden asked of you. You were told to investigate the phenomenon of shadows coming to life, weren’t you?”

He was right.

"Yes. That was our doing. We’ve finally managed to replicate what the Prophet accomplished to do thousands of years ago. But as I said, the same thing happened thousands of years ago.”

"That was—magic?”

"More precisely, they spread an environment where magic could be used. Gathering mana, and twisting reality with it.”

Great Void let out a deep sigh.

"There is no difference between an inner world and the Abyss Realm. All mages live within the Prophet’s world, merely mistaking it for their own.”

I wasn’t foolish enough to take the Scarlet Abyss leader at his word.

I treated it as a mere claim and continued listening as he spoke with self-mockery.

"The reason the Fallen cannot use magic is simple. They escaped that world and built a world entirely their own. They became true wizards.”

"So that’s why you force people to fall? Because of some weird sense of justice compelling you to free them?”

"I have no intention of pretending to be righteous.”

Great Void shook his head.

"All wizards must either die or escape. Only then can the Prophet be killed.”

"...You said they were someone that lived thousands of years ago, though.”

"Hehehe…"

He suddenly burst out into laughter.

"They melted into it.”

I momentarily felt confused, then a terrible realization struck me, to which I asked,

"...Fusion?”

"That’s right. Even at this very moment, the Prophet is dissolving into the world. Unless they are completely destroyed, they will continue to mass-produce wizards.”

"Hmm…”

So.

The one he called the Prophet had spread through the Empire long before the shadow disaster.

In the form of mana. Wizards were born from it, living under the illusion that the Prophet’s power was their own…

"Wait, I still don’t see what the problem is.”

I frowned as I replied, but Great Void continued with a smile.

"What do you mean by that?”

"What’s the problem with the number of mages increasing? Why does mass-producing them bother you so much?”

"Of course it causes a serious problem.”

"I can’t agree unless you tell me what that problem actually is.”

Instead of answering, Great Void smiled.

It was clear he had no intention of explaining, so I returned to the main point.

"Fine, I wasn’t expecting much anyway. It’s enough to know that you’re forcing the Empire’s wizards to fall for some twisted reason and that you have no intention of stopping.”

"And we want you with us.”

Great Void extended his hand.

"We need you, Undercurrent. Of course, we have no intention of spreading your world.”

"You expect me to believe that?”

"It’s the truth. The fact that we can even have this conversation is a miracle. I respect you for surviving burdens that should have killed you the moment you were born. More than that, if you were to unleash your burdens on the world, even Scarlet Abyss wouldn’t be able to endure it.”

Great Void shrugged.

"Not even the Prophet could withstand the Three Calamities. You would be a tremendous asset to us.”

"And you?”

"Don’t you want to kill us?”

He answered, still wearing a smile on his lips.

"If you choose to remain within Scarlet Abyss, I’ll help you indirectly kill members of the Upper Tier.”

"...Are you insane?”

"I’m serious. Losing them would hurt, but if it means gaining a Calamity, it’s a fair trade.”

Even I couldn't hide my shock at that proposal. I hadn’t expected him to sell out his comrades so readily.

"Each time you kill one of us, the Empire will become a little more peaceful. Of course, we’ll need your help in return…”

"Do you have no sense of camaraderie?”

"They aren’t human. You know that, right?”

"..."

Nightfall had said Great Void was the one who made her human.

The one responsible for that could not possibly be ignorant of the truth that they were worlds imitating humans.

"So, how about it?”

Great Void hadn’t retracted his hand, simply resting it on the table.

"I promise you this. You won’t have to kill anyone, or even hurt them. Just grant us a small, simple request and freely kill those who plague the Empire.”

"..."

Looking at his refreshingly calm face, hmm.

I somehow got a certain feeling.

This was a trap and not even a well-hidden one. It was the equivalent of sticking my head under a guillotine’s bloodied blade dangling overhead.

But there was one thing Great Void didn’t know.

"If the help you’ll offer me is trivial, I’m leaving immediately.”

"I’ll assist you with everything I have.”

I smiled back at his grinning face.

After I shook hands with Great Void, I wiped my hand and asked,

"So, what is this request?”

"It’s nothing complicated. I just want you to kill me.”

"...You want me to kill you?”

"Yes. I’d appreciate it if you crushed me with your Abyssal Sea.”

"..."

I tilted my head, faced with that absurd request, then, seeing how serious Great Void was, I slowly nodded.

"...Alright. I understand.”

"Don’t worry. I have no intention of resisting.”

This was the perfect opportunity for me.

If I could kill the leader of Scarlet Abyss, there would be nothing better than that.

"Stay back.”

I pushed the uneasy Sunken Mire behind me and took a breath as I faced Great Void.

"Let me ask you one thing first. What happens if you die here? Do you revive like the Lump did?”

"No. Scarlet Abyss simply loses its head. That’s all.”

Great Void replied nonchalantly.

Seeing the smile still on his face made me want to wipe it away.

"I see."

I blinked—

And the worlds overlapped.

Sunlight lost its strength, and murky seawater filled the surroundings.

No, filled wasn’t quite right.

It was more like I had finally begun to truly perceive what had always been there.

"...O-oooh..."

It didn’t take long for the smile on Great Void’s face to vanish.

Instead, his eyes filled with a mixture of delight, joy, and ecstasy as he looked around and let out a gasp of awe.

"So this is one of the Three Calamities…The only three worlds capable of covering the real world……!”

"...”

Yes, he didn’t seem to be in much pain.

Frowning, I reached out and grabbed his throat.

-Crrrack…

"Kgh—"

In the end, he still had a human body. His face flushed red as he clutched his neck in pain.

...It genuinely looked like he hadn’t prepared anything.

This made absolutely no sense to me. He had said that he wanted this.

Could it be…that killing him like this would actually end it all?

Tilting my head, I tightened my grip.

There was nothing better than that.

"I see..."

As his complexion slowly drained, he nodded in satisfaction.

"So that’s why the prophecy chose the Grand Sea over you.”

"...What?"

"This is far too dangerous.”

Then.

I blinked, and the Abyssal Sea disappeared.

"...?"

In the next instant, I found myself seated at the table again.

Great Void, his face serene, lifted his teacup and spoke.

"Thank you. That was a rare experience.”

"...What did you just do?”

My world had disappeared in an instant.

I had never experienced anything like it before. Frowning, I demanded an answer. He responded quite lightly.

"It’s nothing special. I simply summoned my own world as well.”

"I didn’t feel anything. This just feels like the real world we live in.”

"That’s only natural.”

Great Void shrugged as he replied.

"Because the real world is my world.”

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