Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2658: Dual

The battle exploded into motion as the light Emery clashed against Talaro with fierce intensity.

Wreathed in the shimmering energy of his Elysian-covered twilight form, Emery was able to match the ferocity of a three-cosmos Grand Magus. His mythical bloodlines and the divine resonance of the Elysian Trees fortified him. The sacred aura gave him enough strength to go head-to-head with Talaro, who was empowered by Khaos energy.

Their strikes cracked the air, each clash reverberating across the battlefield. Until the air shifted.

A shadow surged across the battlefield as Daurgothoth, the Khaos guardian, manifested in spirit form. The temperature dropped instantly. Frost slithered across the grass in delicate, deadly patterns. Trees groaned under the weight of his aura. Even protected by his Elysian armor and high magical resistance, Emery felt it—the ancient cold that seeped through his bones, chilling his core.

”You’re making a mistake!” Emery shouted, his breath fogging. ”Killing me won’t help you escape this place!”

Talaro’s laugh rang out, dark and mocking. ”That’s where you’re wrong. You are the key for me to leave this place!”

With that, the dark elf lunged forward, his chilling bone saber carving arcs through the air. Emery responded with a blazing counter, activating his Embernight sword. His newfound comprehension of the Dao of Nature helped him wield the flaming blade with greater mastery.

Fire clashed against ice. The battlefield became a storm of steam, heat, and unrelenting strikes.

Yet Talaro’s relentless assault kept driving Emery back—step by step, inch by inch. The warmth of his inner flame barely held the cold at bay. His arms ached, and his breaths came in ragged gasps.

Suddenly—

CLANG!

The attacker emerged from his shadow like a ghost—Emery’s dark counterpart, cloaked in half-primal form, his body coursing with pure khaos energy.

”Don’t forget about me!”

”Hmph! Cheap tricks!”

Emery glanced toward Galalel, who still lay groaning on the ground. The ember sage was barely conscious, but there were signs of life—his lower body was slowly regenerating. A telepathic message echoed from the dark Emery.

Emery nodded. They had no choice but to work together.

The two Emerys—light and dark—moved in unison. Despite their contrasting powers and personalities, their bond was seamless in combat. One attacked, and the other dodged. One feinted, and the other countered. The battlefield became a storm of coordinated strikes.

Talaro’s blade met theirs again and again, yet not without cost. Sparks, fire, and frost exploded in each collision. ”You damned humans!!” he roared, his voice sharp with growing fury. His strength remained immense, his technique refined—but despite his superiority, he couldn’t land a single decisive blow.

In fact, the longer the battle dragged on, the more cracks appeared in his defenses.

Frustrated, Talaro unleashed the full might of his Khaos Guardian. A chilling gale erupted from him, blasting the two Emerys back. Then, with a flick of his finger, Talaro tore open a rift in the air. Then another. And another.

Three, four... six in total.

From each, bone creatures stepped forward with lumbering menace. Their skeletal forms bore draconic shapes—twisted versions of the godly lizard beasts Emery had fought before. Their hollow eyes glowed faint blue, and bone plates clattered with unnatural life.

Necrotic energy flowed through them.

Emery’s breath hitched as he assessed the new threat. These beasts were forged from the remains of godbeasts—creatures whose strength rivaled even grand magus, each bone was high-grade material. ℟αℕỖ𝐁ЁṨ

The skeletal beasts spread out, encircling the two Emerys. Claws, tails, and fangs—attacks rained from every side. They parried, dodged, and countered, desperately holding their ground.

They knew what was coming—Talaro could attack from anywhere. Yet even with heightened awareness, neither expected the next move.

Instead of pressing the assault on them, the dark elf bypassed them and charged toward the wounded Ember Sage.

”No!” the light Emery shouted.

Galael, half-conscious, managed to summon a wall of flame. But Talaro was no ordinary warrior. The air rippled—and in a blink, he vanished, reappearing behind.

SPLATT!!

The bone saber drove through Galalel’s back with a sickening sound. Blood sprayed across the field. The blow was brutal but not fatal—it had purposefully missed the heart and vital channels. The Ember Sage writhed, groaning in agony as Talaro lifted him half off the ground, impaled on his saber.

”You sick bastard!” Emery screamed, voice cracking with fury.

The skeletal creatures backed off at Talaro’s command. Now holding Galalel hostage, the dark elf leveled a threat.

”Now,” Talaro growled, his smirk dripping venom, ”surrender... or your friend dies screaming.”

Light Emery froze. His fists clenched. But next to him, the dark version let out a soft, amused chuckle.

”Friend?” He tilted his head with mockery in his voice. ”That’s funny... He is not our friend... His death doesn’t mean a thing...”

Talaro’s brow furrowed. ”You can’t fool me!! I see you protecting him.”

Dark Emery shrugged nonchalantly, flashing a grin.

”That was my idiot counterpart.” He jerked a thumb at his light half. ”He’s the sentimental one. Always playing protector. Me? I don’t give a damn. In fact, once you’re done with him, I wouldn’t mind sharing the spoils. That guy’s a renowned alchemist. His storage ring must be worth a fortune.”

His voice was cold, completely devoid of remorse. The words hung in the air like poison, delivered with such confidence that even Emery’s lighter self was momentarily unsure if it was just a bluff.

Talaro blinked. The uncertainty in his eyes deepened.

But the Ember Sage wasn’t dead. He heard every word.

Rage kindled in his chest—burning through pain and poison. Flames began to erupt from his cracked skin. His body glowed with an orange-red light, molten cracks spreading across his limbs.

Talaro’s eyes widened. ”What—?!”

He tried to end it, landing a killing blow. But before he could react, a towering column of fire exploded from Galalel’s body, shooting into the sky and shaking the battlefield.

BOOOOM!!

Talaro was blasted backward. Both Emerys watched in awe as Galalel hovered into the air, his body surrounded by swirling fire and molten energy. His legs—fully regenerated. His aura—divine.

The Ember Sage now radiated the wrath of a flame god.