My Muscle System in the Mage World

Aur felt his heart tremble as he watched the kingdom decline from thriving to desolate. Previously, whenever he glimpsed the future, there was always some sign of himself—connecting to his future one way or another.

But this was the first time he saw something entirely unrelated to him, from a completely different perspective…

"Like a god watching over a kingdom."

He observed as the kingdom gradually fell, bit by bit, until flames rose, engulfing it. Countless screams echoed through the air.

The cries of children, the screams of women, and the shouts of men—within an instant, the kingdom was plunged into chaos.

After some time, the flames of war gradually subsided, revealing an empty kingdom burned to a crisp, with nothing left to see.

Then the scene shifted before him again, zooming in until his eyes focused on an old man kneeling on the ground. The man's body was covered in countless injuries, his long red hair flowing, and his aged beard stained crimson with blood.

The old man's eyes were weary, his breath labored, and his gaze strained to remain open.

At that moment, a youth with long, flowing black hair, clad in a martial robe, appeared before him out of thin air.

"I told you to give up, old man, but you refused to submit. Now, you've faced the consequences."

The old man looked at the youth but remained silent.

"Are you going to ignore me again, old man?"

The old man flinched slightly, his parched lips trembling as he spoke:

"You are a grand wizard, powerful and immortal, but why do you interfere with how people live? What have we done wrong?"

"Hehe," the youth chuckled coldly. "Your existence is the reason you're dying."

"Is following one's ancestors wrong?" the old man said, "You wizards have such cold hearts. Just because we practice the Path of Totem, you do this to us…"

"Those who adapt to the tides are the ones who survive, fool," the youth retorted. "The wizard path is the only true path to godhood, and you dare to abandon it?"

"Hmph," the old man snorted, his voice laced with disdain. "Don't give me that righteous excuse. Do you really care, or is it because there's something in it for you? Wizards are the most heartless beings I've ever known…"

"Haha, that's correct. What I wanted was that secret from our family, Grandpa." The youth cruelly smiled at the sky, his expression crazed with triumph.

"Die…" The old man floated into the air as a faintly glowing, strange symbol appeared behind his back.

"Weakling."

The youth waved his hand with a cold, detached expression, and the old man was instantly reduced to dust.

"I will live forever, and no one can stop me from achieving my dream of immortality."

With those words, the youth vanished as silently as he had appeared.

"Greater Lord Sky!?"

Aur, who had witnessed the entire scene, was utterly shocked. His heart pounded as the events played out before him.

He rubbed his eyes with incredulous expression.

Then the scene shifted again, this time revealing a snowy mountain where a woman with blue hair stood. She ruthlessly slaughtered her own people, all in pursuit of forbidden secrets.

Scene after scene unfolded before Aur's eyes, each more horrific than the last. He witnessed some of the most atrocious and brutal massacres imaginable—millions, billions, trillions of lives extinguished—all for one goal...

To live eternally.

"What is this?"

Aur narrowed his eyes, his chest tightening. Even he, who had seen much, flinched at these brutal sights. The horrifying screams of the people were like the air around him—invisible, yet always present.

The scenes continued to flash before him, but Aur no longer paid attention. Instead, he turned his gaze upward, staring at the sky.

"Is this your doing?"

He muttered quietly:

"Just who are you?"

Silence.

There was no response, and Aur frowned slightly. Without hesitation, he closed his eyes and stood quietly in place.

He focused, trying to isolate himself from the sounds of the outside world. Gradually, he drifted into a slumber, his mind surrendering to the stillness.

At this moment, Aur was spectating on a battlefield.

Billions of soldiers clashed in chaos, their roars deafening, and at the center of it all stood an old, bald, yet muscular man. He fought fiercely, a titan amidst the carnage.

The sky above was overcast, and the stench of death hung heavily in the air—so thick it felt like one could choke on it.

Suddenly, the cloudy sky split apart, revealing a brilliant yellow sun.

In an instant, the old, bald man froze mid-motion, his powerful stance suspended like a statue.

The soldiers who had been flying toward him to engage in battle also paused, suspended in mid-air. Their ferocious expressions lingered still etched with hidden fear.

The river of blood flowing across the ground stilled.

Time itself stopped.

"Hello?"

A childish voice echoed across the sky.

Aur didn't respond, his eyes remaining closed.

"I know you can hear me, so stop pretending."

Bang!

A sudden bolt of lightning struck him, burning his body to a crisp in an instant. But in the very next moment, his form recovered completely, his eyes snapping open.

"Hehe, now what do you think, human? Not so arrogant now, are you?"

Aur's expression remained calm, but his mind was racing with countless thoughts. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am. I've called you here for a simple request. As long as you fulfill it, you will be granted eternal life and every mortal pleasure you could ever imagine."

"Can I refuse?" Aur asked.

"You can," the voice answered without hesitation.

"...What is the task?"

"Have you seen those wizards? The ones who cruelly slaughter innocent people—those who chose a different path from theirs? They do so in the name of completing their so-called wizard path. Those hideous demons—heartless, cold, and merciless…"

"And?" Aur prompted, narrowing his eyes.

"What if I told you... they are all the same person?"

"..." Aur paused. If they were the same people and there were other paths besides the Wizard Path, then what he was seeing was the past of the golden era. But was Greater Lord Sky, a person from the Golden Era?

He still survives to this day, but he's just a Peak Tier Six Wizard? If he was a little, it could make sense but even with lifespan spells, you will need to have strength if you want to take it.

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became…

"Is there something I'm missing from the equation?"

Thoughts flashed through his mind, becoming more and more concentrated.

"They are one man's clones—all of them I've shown you, pawns on a chessboard."