Chapter 144.2

“Hmm. Well, let’s put it to the test.”

The origin magic is invoked.

A bolt of black lightning wrapped around my hands and it swelled up throughout the castle as if it were growing.

“Come. Let me show thy old-fashioned way of thinking what an abyss of magic is.”

Gilisiris, the Scarlet Monument King, raised his hand, and lightning in shades of scarlet congregated on his arm.

This is amplified by the power of the ancient magical characters, covering the castle’s interior instantaneously.

“You can eat this. Ancient Writing Magic .”

From his arm a flash of scarlet lightning shot out, jolting the monumental stone castle.

As if to intercept it, I unleashed the .

Scarlet and jet-black, the two colors of lightning clashed against one another, resulting in an explosion that rattled.

Following a brief moment of antagonism, the scarlet lightning cancelled out the .

The momentum of the never ceases, its force escalating as it assaults me.

“Hmm. Fairly decent.”

With another monumental stone, I borrowed the magical power from the 2,000-year-old demon king Anos via origin magic.

In this way, the anti-magic was deployed and the scarlet lightning was blocked.

“Hmph…” Gilisiris laughed creepily. “How’s that? About the power of ancient magic? Even this has only demonstrated the results of 800 years of research. This alone is a magic technique that involves tens of millions of characters.”

I directed my magical eyes toward the interior of the castle.

On the floor and walls covered with scarlet monumental stones, ancient writing magic technique is executed in response to the Scarlet Monument King’s magic power.

“I see. So, for 2,000 years, you have been engraving magical techniques on the monuments within this castle.”

“No magic power is being used. As the rules are stated.”

Gilisiris, the Scarlet Monument King, is neither swift in constructing magical techniques nor strong in the magical power held by his source. Therefore, he has modified his own body for efficient application of magic power and uses monumental stones that can store magic power and engrave magic techniques.

“I understand that you are a dedicated researcher. However, you will never reach the bottom of the abyss with this.”

When I said this, the Scarlet Monument King’s face distorted, as if he was perturbed.

“Oh well. It’s hilarious that thou, whose specialty is origin magic has been vanquished and who now hath naught but one monument, art such a sore loser, isn’t it?”

The Scarlet Monument King simultaneously procures magic power from the two monuments and draws a magic circle.

“Thy days are over. The Demon King is after all only a good for nothing who has been blessed with a source. Let me have that magic power, which is too much for thee, and use it to reach the bottom of the abyss.”

Light emanates from the Scarlet Monument King’s magic circle, and ancient magical letters float on the castle’s monumental stones.

Their number must be no less than one hundred million.

“Behold. This is the culmination of my 2,000 years, the ancient magic, . Have you understood it? Beyond the mastery of the ancient magic, the infinite magic power, that is precisely the bottom of the abyss. And right now, I am the one closest to the bottom of the abyss!”

The scarlet lightning on his arms swells up and transforms as if it were the fangs of a colossal beast.

Inch by inch, in the aftermath of the vast magical power, the whole castle trembles with the tumbling of small pieces of monumental stones.

“I don’t think so.”

I expend the last monumental stone and cast the origin magic .

A black bolt of lightning blanketed my right arm.

“Let’s see how advanced your magic is.”

As I thrust out my right hand, a myriad of jet-black lightning rushed out at the Scarlet Monument King.

“Is that all you got?”

The Scarlet Monument King waves his both arms clad in .

Having been bitten by the scarlet thunder fangs, the easily bursts apart as if diffusing into the surrounding area.

“I pronounce the outcome of your ordeal, O Demon King of Tyranny.”

Gilisiris twisted his gelatinous face in an amused manner and launched his at me.

“I suppose it’s a no-go.”

With a thunderous roar, the bares its fangs.

Like a jaw snapping open, the scarlet lightning split apart and swallowed me whole.

With an intense rumbling, the thunderous fangs penetrate forth.

Powerless to withstand that horrendous force, the floor cracked, the pillars collapsed, and the ceiling crashed down.

Innumerable pieces of debris rained down, and a cloud of dust fluttered around.

As they gradually faded away, the Scarlet Monument King’s vision caught sight of a black shadow.

“… What…?”

What he spotted was me, unscathed, with the black fangs of lightning clad on my arm.

“Why…? Not even anti-magic could have worked… from where comes the magic power…!?”

“You were pressing too aggressively simply for being able to exert more powerful magic than I could, Scarlet Monument King. I suggest you have a thorough look at what happened to the that you shot out.”

Upon being told so, Gilisiris directed his magical eyes to his surroundings for the first time.

On the other side of the dust, on the crumbling walls, ceiling, and even in the corners of the pillars, there were characters drawn in black lightning.

It interfered with each other, forming a magic circle.

The realization of the magic technique involved astounded Gilisiris.

“… It couldn’t be… ancient magic characters…!?”

Taking a step forward, I remarked, “Ancient magic, as you put it, can continue to amplify even the tiniest bit of magical power if the technique is done correctly. Like this.”

I display to him the black lightning fangs on my right arm.

The magic power of infiltrated the magic circle drawn with ancient magic characters, triggering the ancient writing magic .

“Yet, unfortunately, ancient magic is not capable of continuously amplifying magical power indefinitely. If one deciphers the ancient writing of magic, they will eventually discover that there is a limitation to the amount of magical power that can be drawn from the technique. That is what this is.”

Gilisiris is frantically attempting to analyze the ancient magic technique I have constructed with his magical eye.

“Although it is highly efficient in increasing the amount of small magical power, it reaches its limits quickly. In other words, this is the magic of weak people like you, lacking in source magic power. Presumably, the predecessors of the demon race realized this and, for the purpose of reaching the bottom of the abyss, they abandoned the ancient writing of magic and developed a new magic writing.”

I saunter slowly over to Gilisiris, who stands there in a daze.

“That… can’t be… such a… thing… ancient magic is designed to generate unlimited magical power…”

With my right hand, I grab the gelatinous face of the Scarlet Monument King.

At that moment, the that my arm was wrapped in, bared its fangs and tore his body to shreds.

“Gu, arrrrgggghhhhhhh!”

The fangs of black lightning were sinking deep into Gilisiris’ body.

“… This..”

His magic power, the source of it, was engulfed as if devoured by the .

Instantly, the drifting-like air that had been hanging over the place vanished.

The Scarlet Monument King must have died and the ordeal has ended.

Now, I would be able to reach the Spirit King’s castle.

I headed directly for the door.

“… W-wait… Demon King… this isn’t over yet…”

The Scarlet Monument King’s voice resounded.

His body, which should have melted into sludge and disappeared, was regenerating.

Since all three monumental stones had been expended, the should not have been usable, but he must have cast aside his pride and utilized the magical power of the castle’s monumental stones.

“Hmm. But sorry to say, ancient magic is only as efficient as the magic you use. Those fangs are still biting your source.”

The regenerated body of Gilisiris is once more wrapped by , which begins to devour his source.

“Na… ba… guahhhh!!”

“You may revive as many times as you like. For 2,000 years, you have been accumulating magical power, and now, I hope the magical power of the monument will be enough until the extinguishes.”

Leaving those words behind, I proceed to the door.

“Wait…. I have… not lost… to… thou… yet…”

Halting my footsteps and without turning around, I remarked, “Now is the time for you to accept defeat. The bottom of the abyss that you have set your sights on is nothing more than a small obstacle that I passed through 2,000 years ago.”