Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2429: Trap

Emery had been maintaining a careful line of communication with Lyanna for some time now. Their cooperation had been meticulously coordinated, with each move calculated to counter the growing threat against him. Lyanna, as Azula, had kept him well-informed about the assassinsʼ plots to capture him. Because of this, Emery had made a deliberate decision to keep his acolytes away from the battlefield. Bringing his acolytes into such a situation would not only endanger them but also provide the enemy with potential leverage against him.

However, even with this level of preparation, Emery was still in the dark about certain critical elements. He had yet to learn about Major Zollerʼs involvement, nor was he aware that the Major chose not to help him. These unknown factors had prolonged the battle unnecessarily, leading to a grim toll on civilian lives. The prolonged duel with Syltrith had drained Emeryʼs energy and left the situation precariously balanced. It was only thanks to Lyannaʼs covert assistance, feeding him critical details about the female assassins, that he had managed to escape from Syltrithʼs deadly Cloud Wave Prison earlier.

Now, with Azula receiving direct permission from the Red Demon to join the battle, the two allies had an opportunity to shift the tide decisively.

Emeryʼs first move was misdirection. He created three clones, each with an identical energy signature. Lyanna, maintaining her facade as Azula, used this as a pretext to scatter her magus teams, ostensibly to pursue the false targets. Meanwhile, Emery concealed himself, remaining near Syltrithʼs position.

The real chaos began when the elf grand magus Hulu engaged Major Zoller. With the Scarface grand magus preoccupied, Emery and Lyanna enacted the next phase of their plan. The artifact chains wrapped around Syltrithʼs arms and legs, binding her movements. As Syltrith struggled against the chains, Emery struck from her blind spot. His blade claws extended. With one swift motion, he pierced Syltrithʼs back, bypassing her weakened defenses. The dark elf let out a sharp cry of pain, her struggles growing frantic as she realized the depth of her predicament.

”You traitorous bitch! Why, Azula? Why betray us?!” Syltrithʼs voice was a mix of fury and disbelief as she glared at her former ally.

Azulaʼs expression hardened, but she remained silent.

Emery wasted no time capitalizing on Syltrithʼs disarray. Activating his [Prism of Light], he summoned his third pagoda and unleashed a powerful spirit attack, targeting her mind. The dark elfʼs eyes widened in shock as the mental assault took hold, pulling her into a disadvantageous soul battle.

”YOU BASTARD!!!” Syltrith shrieked, ”RELEASE ME! RELEASE ME NOW!!!”

But her protests were futile. The female assassin had already exhausted most of her strength during the earlier battle with Emery. The combined power of Azulaʼs chains and Emeryʼs relentless spirit attack left her utterly defenseless. Within minutes, Emery shattered her mental defenses and forcibly trapped her consciousness within his domain prison, ensuring she was completely subdued.

”Itʼs done!!” Emery said in relief.

Capturing Syltrith was a significant victory. Not only was she a high-ranking member of the elf assassins, but her aperture—where her domain lay hidden—was also a treasure trove of potential spoils. Emery couldnʼt help but anticipate the rewards that awaited him, though he knew those would have to wait until the battle was over.

Azula, maintaining her guise, turned to Emery with an expectant expression.

”Are you satisfied now?! Youʼve got what you wanted. Itʼs your turn to help me!” she demanded firmly

Emery nodded, already anticipating her request. Lyanna needed a victory of her own to maintain her cover. Returning empty-handed—without Syltrith or Emery—would not only tarnish her credibility but could also implicate her in the loss of a grand magus figure.

”I understand,” Emery replied. ”Would a Grand Magus Major suffice as a replacement?”

Lyannaʼs eyes narrowed, her sharp mind quickly piecing together the full extent of his intent.

Azula, with her position as head of intelligence, had access to the message that had tipped off the assassin groups about Emeryʼs location. However, it wasnʼt until Emery closely observed Major Zollerʼs actions on the battlefield that the entire picture became clear. It was evident that Zoller was the mastermind behind the attempts to eliminate him.

Adding to this revelation was Zollerʼs known connection to the Nephilim. The affiliation made his motives crystal clear—this was no coincidence. It was a calculated, deliberate plan to ensure Emeryʼs downfall. Ṝ𝖆ꞐꝊᛒƐš

The Majorʼs audacity in orchestrating such a scheme, especially one that endangered civilians during a critical battle, only fueled Emeryʼs resolve. He didnʼt need to think twice about turning Zoller into a stepping stone for Azulaʼs rise to merit.

With Twik and Livi protecting the civilians, Emery had a clear grasp of the situation. Major Zoller was locked in a fierce, evenly matched battle with the Scarface Grand Magus, Hulu.

All they needed to do was wait for one of them to falter, providing the opportunity to act.

Unfortunately, it was far from simple. The challenge lay in assisting Azula effectively without endangering the civilians or exposing Emeryʼs machinations to others. Complicating matters further was the necessity of keeping Azulaʼs cooperation hidden, especially from his trusted ally, Hulu.

Azulaʼs tone carried an edge of impatience ”How are we going to do this?!”

Emeryʼs mind raced as he processed the situation. After a moment, he asked, ”How loyal is Hulu? How far is he willing to follow your command?”

Azula responded without hesitation ”Heʼs very loyal… he would willingly lie and betray the Khan for my safety. But thatʼs Azulaʼs safety—not mine.”

Her words were clear. If Hulu discovered her cooperation with Emery, there was a certain risk that her true identity would be exposed.

Azula, ever pragmatic, added with chilling detachment, ”Itʼs better that heʼs dead. Itʼs not a big deal... there are several more servants like him back in my clan.”

The suggestion hung in the air like a shadow, cold and heartless. Emeryʼs expression hardened. Both Azula and Lyanna were equally ruthless, never hesitating to sacrifice a loyal follower if it served their goals.

”If thatʼs the case, it should be much easier,”