"I didn't kill him. Don't worry."
Seeing that scene, Lothar still sat sprawled across the imperial throne with one leg draped over the armrest, his cheek resting against one hand.
There wasn't the slightest trace of fear on his face.
Instead, he looked genuinely intrigued.
"Oh?"
"What a nostalgic face, Lord Kanzaki Rei."
At this moment, Rei had not activated his God-Tier Talent, Unsolvable Mystery. The reason was simple—communication would be much easier this way.
And the instant he saw Rei, Lothar—who had been separated from him for ten years—recognized him immediately.
"It truly has been a long time."
"Do you realize how many people in this world have been searching for you? And yet, here you are, appearing within my kingdom."
Rei replied calmly, "The Land of Moonwatch should be the center of the Moonsea."
"So, Lothar… how exactly did you end up becoming emperor here?"
Lothar burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! That is a very long story."
"Your Majesty, shouldn't we currently be discussing how to withstand the next wave of monster assaults?"
"Most of our strongest fighters have already departed on the expedition. The forces remaining in Moonwatch are running dangerously thin. The monster attacks are growing more violent by the day. Not long ago, Lord Ruga was severely injured in battle. If another eighth-tier monster attacks, I fear we won't be able to hold the line."
Ruga.
The same Level 7 warrior-governor who had once overseen Misirush.
Ten years had passed, and he had apparently advanced to Level 8.
Rei vaguely remembered that Ruga had already been stronger than ordinary warriors back then.
"Haha, indeed. I was worrying about that." Lothar grinned wildly. "But now it seems those problems have solved themselves."
Rei looked directly at him.
"You want me to help you fight the monsters."
Lothar didn't bother hiding it or dancing around the topic.
"Of course. But it won't be unpaid labor."
"You may make a wish. Anything you desire."
"As long as it is something within my power to provide, I will satisfy it."
Straightforward.
And after Lothar made that declaration, the ministers surrounding them gradually began reacting.
"Wait… Kanzaki Rei?"
"Could he really be that Kanzaki Rei from the rumors?"
"The founder of one of the Two Great Systems?"
"The man who laid the foundation for New Magic?"
One of the mages spoke with unconcealed shock.
Meanwhile, a heavily built warrior standing nearby—clearly someone who preferred muscle over thought—looked utterly confused.
"Kanzaki Rei? Who's that?"
"What's New Magic? What are the Two Great Systems? Is he strong or something?"
The mage shot him an irritated glance, as though staring at an illiterate barbarian.
"Even if I explained it, you wouldn't understand."
The warrior immediately exploded.
"How would you know I wouldn't understand if you don't explain it?! You mages are always so damn secretive."
The mage sneered coldly.
"The Two Great Systems refer to Transcendent Magic and Foundation Magic."
"This man proposed the concept and possibility of Transcendent Magic… and then successfully realized it."
"Before he disappeared, he also provided the White Tower with an entirely new magical theory system. Within that theory, he redefined several foundational spells of immense power."
"Those spells are now used by the overwhelming majority of modern mages."
"Moreover, through his theories, nearly every mage in existence has advanced one step closer toward understanding the Root."
"Even ordinary mages can now approach the Root more closely than before."
The warrior scratched his head.
"He's really that amazing?"
"He is. But the truly terrifying part is that he proposed all of those theories when he was only eight years old."
"But shortly afterward, he vanished completely. Disappeared without a trace."
"I've heard countless people across the world have been searching for him. Some even believe he's the hope capable of saving the world from the disasters happening now."
"But after that day… no one ever saw him again."
"If the person before us truly is the legendary Kanzaki Rei…"
"Then maybe… there really is hope."
By now, Rei already understood the general situation.
During the years he had been gone, the magic systems and combat arts he had left behind had spread throughout the world, continuously evolving through generation after generation of refinement and inheritance.
The only difference was—
His magic had already become widespread.
But combat arts still remained known only to a small minority.
Combat arts were simply too individualized.
Unlike mages, who often studied vast numbers of spells, most warriors specialized deeply in only one or two combat art disciplines.
The dissemination of combat arts had always been far more difficult than the spread of magic.
"And what if I refuse to help?" Rei asked.
Lothar smiled.
"Then I won't force you."
"If you do not wish to act, then so be it."
"I believe that when the cart reaches the mountain, there will naturally be a road forward."
"After all, things have always worked out that way."
Ever since meeting him, Rei had felt that this man possessed absurdly overwhelming luck.
The kind of fortune where, no matter how hopeless the situation became, events would somehow twist themselves into his favor at the final moment.
And through Future Simulation—
Rei had already witnessed Lothar's development path.
The reason he had risen to his current position had less to do with strength or hard work…
…and far more to do with repeatedly encountering heaven-defying luck at critical turning points.
Not long after Rei disappeared, an army had attempted to invade Loren.
Yet before the main force even reached Loren's borders, their own capital was destroyed by another powerhouse, and the kingdom's internal government collapsed from within.
Using only a tiny amount of political maneuvering and one perfectly timed leverage point, Loren ended up inheriting that nation's entire power structure through sheer coincidence.
After that, the kingdom continued expanding step by step.
Enemies were inexplicably crushed by bizarre circumstances.
Powerful experts always seemed to arrive within Loren's territory for one reason or another.
Perhaps those experts never intended to join Loren.
But during the brief periods they stayed there to rest, they would inevitably help Loren solve major crises along the way.
Gradually…
Lothar slowly seized control over more and more nations throughout the Moonsea.
Eventually—
He even reached the Land of Moonwatch itself.
"…Fine."
"I'll remain here for a while. Maybe one or two days. Maybe several months."
"If necessary, I'll take action."
Lothar's grin never faded.
"In that case, Lord Kanzaki Rei, during your stay here, if there is anything you desire, simply speak. I shall certainly provide it."
Rei nodded.
"Mm. I'll let you know."
After saying those words, he turned and vanished.
Within the city, he rented a luxurious manor estate and designated it as his temporary residence.
Fortunately, even after ten years, gold coins still retained their value and remained in circulation.
At the center of the manor, Rei carefully arranged a ritual formation.
His magic had already spread throughout the world.
And after such a long time…
It was finally time to raise the Mage class level once more.
Advancement Ritual: Mage.
Lines of light connected throughout the ritual array.
The formation ignited.
And once again, a projection of the Root appeared in the sky.
The advancement had begun.