Genius Mage in a Cultivation World

"Who are you?" Tytus asked in a trembling voice, staring at the strange, unfamiliar expression on his master's face. 

Someone of lesser intellect could assume that his master used some kind of strange technique...

But Tytus could tell. Because through all the ages that he spent following the orders of his master, not a single time has Mukken called him a little one. 

"I'm Bart," the old man smiled kindly, not bothered by Tytus's readiness to go all-in at any given moment. "I'm also Mukken," he said before winking at his follower. "The real Mukken. Not the soulless vehicle that you got to know for all those years past," the old man said, raising his hands and stretching his back. 

"I will ask this only one last time," Tytus said, his voice trembling in fear. Yet, despite all the instincts of his body screaming out in panic, he stood his ground, ready to clash with the being. 

'I can't forgive him for taking over master's body! I have to do something!"' he thought, kicking off the chain reaction of the mana circulating within his body. 

"That won't be necessary," the man calling himself Bart shook his head and then waved his hand. 

All at once, Tytus realized that he could no longer control his mana. 

It was still there, circulating through his bloodstream like usual... It just didn't respond to his wishes any longer. 

A look of realization appeared on his face. 

The reason why one normally wouldn't be able to control the mana of others was simple. Once contained within one's system, marked by their consciousness, it would be forever theirs... Unless one would release it with a certain intent on their own accord. 

That was the true form of all the cultivation techniques, all the spells, and all other magic in the world. The energy of mana infused with intent. 

That's why if one were to cast a ball of fire at his opponent, even the most skilled enemy wouldn't be able to overwrite the spell. 

As such, there was only one possible explanation for Tytus mana suddenly refusing to follow his wishes. 

The being in front of him, the consciousness currently in possession of Mukken's body...

Was the origin of the mana within Tytus's body. The one that released it upon this world in the first place, with the intent etched so deep into it that it would normally be dormant. 

"I can see that you are finally starting to understand," Bart smiled, only for his lips to twist into an ugly expression a moment later. "I can sense how much pains it causes you to refer to me as Bart. All the observers bear different names, so feel free to keep calling me Mukken," he said, a smile once again returning to his lips. "I'm quite used to it," he added.

"Who... No. What is your purpose here?" Tytus asked, forcing down the trembling that threatened to take over his body. 

It was a sight that no one would believe, even if seen personally. The second strongest being in the world, a person whom the likes of Star Emperor and Consal referred per senior... was on the verge of trembling from fear. 

It wasn't a psychical fear. Tytus was just as aware of that being's power as he was of its complete lack of killing intent. 

It was an internal fear embedded into every living being, one that commanded them to fear the ultimate. 

"I came here because the vehicle raised several flags. In a sense, I'm a superior called to oversee the matters that the subordinate no longer feels capable of overseeing," Mukken's body said.

"Huh?" Tytus shrugged in surprise. "You mean that war?" he asked, casting a quick glance towards the Warcamp in the distance. "How is that important?"

'I knew Mukked claimed that whoever would win would take his place... But is that really true?' Tytus thought, still too confused to fully comprehend the tidbits of information that Mukken would randomly pass on to him. 

"This world strayed from the path that it was ordained to follow," Bart, aka true Mukken, said, looking in the same direction as Tytus.

'Why does it feel like he looks at something far beyond what I can see?' Tytus thought, gulping down his saliva. 

Just standing near this being made him all jumpy.

"But that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing," Mukken smiled, once again assuming the calm yet friendly expression that Tytus was so familiar with. 

*******

"KILL!" A random Generian warrior screamed out, cutting down an unlucky soldier that stood in his path. 

"KILL!" The shout resonated throughout the city, allowing Ation to assess how deeply his people penetrated into the settlement. 

'It seems that everything is going as planned,' Ation thought, taking stock of the situation. 

Following the movements of the cultivator army, he had no other choice but to order an all-out attack. 

Their numbers were simply too great for the forces beyond the barrier. Although there were some news about an extremely powerful ally that the Gener clan obtained there, Ation struggled to believe a single human could ever dare to stand against the might gathered by the locals. 

That's why they attacked, even if it seemed like a suicide mission. 

Only by taking down the only supply route of this massive army could they hope to relieve the situation of their general and commander. 

"Boss, the civilian quarter is in our hands!" A report came, easing the fool mood of Al's direct subordinate. 

"Boss, the military warehouses fell!"

"Boss, we broke through the gate of the keep!" 

Bit by bit, Ation's warriors continued to push the skeletal troops that the enemy left in the city. 

'This fight is almost too easy,' Ation thought, marching forward and slashing the back of a random soldier locked in a struggle with one of Generians. 

"Boss!" the soldier instantly recognized his superior. 

Yet, Ation didn't give him any time for a salute.

"Go," he said, shaking his chin forward. "There are still many enemies hidden in the city."

Although he said that... This battle was already as good as over. All that was left was rooting out the few cells of resistance that the defeated would surely mount up.

'Huh?' Ation shrugged in surprise when he noticed two old men walking through the middle of the main Warcamp's alley. 

They appeared not to be bothered by the fighting that still raged on all around them. On the other hand, both celestial soldiers and Generians seemed to avoid them, parting ways to allow the two a path forward. 

'Who are they?' Ation thought, only to shake his head a moment later. 'No, it doesn't matter,' he thought, his face darkening as he shook his sword to rid it of the blood. 

'Just the fact that they can waltz through the frontline like that...' he thought, a slight tremble taking over his entire body. 

'What?!' Ation's shaking only continued to grow. Within a single step of the duo, the oppressive aura suddenly grew so powerful that he had no choice but to fall to his knees. 

Staring at the duo with his eyes wide open, Ation could see just how different they were. 

While the one was openly smiling, the other one had a greatly troubled look on his face, as if he was just as confused about what was going on as Ation was. 

"The city is yours, gentlemen," the happier of the two suddenly announced, finally stopping in his tracks. 

'If he were to come any closer,' Ation thought, his body perfectly still. The innate fear froze every last muscle of his while his heart raced in his breast. 

If the duo were to take a single step closer, his heart would likely give up. 

"The city is yours, but I can't allow anyone to cross into the interlands," the man said, turning his face towards the barrier. It appeared as if he didn't care about the ongoing slaughter of his people in the slightest. 

"The fight out there can only happen between those who already entered it," he said before raising his hand up. 

The barrier was scheduled to close in about a week's time. It was the reason why the expeditionary force was so hurried to deal with the problem. 

The air at where the gate would later appear flickered...

And the gate actually raised up. 

"With that said," the man turned his face towards Ation only to grace him with a gentle smile. "Whoever you cheer for, you better cheer hard!"