Earth's Greatest Magus

Saturn 5

Kronos Faction Home Planet

A magus flew toward the palace, his excitement palpable as he hurried through the grand corridors. Bursting into the main hall, he interrupted a meeting in progress. “Father!! Have you heard?! The faction has made a move on that lowly Earthlink!”

The grand magus, surrounded by advisors and high-ranking officials, remained undisturbed by the interruption. His presence exuded authority and calm. With a slight gesture, he dismissed his subjects, who quickly and quietly exited the room, leaving father and son alone.

“Yes, I have heard… it seems our effort to stir up those in the Magus Academy has borne fruit. Lady Ishtar has made her move.”

The magus’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Lady Ishtar of the Astiel family was a formidable force, one of the powerful branch families with strength surpassing most grade 3 factions. Her involvement would surely spell disaster for the Earth faction.

“Father, please let me go there. I want to see their demise with my own eyes,” he implored.

Unfortunately, the grand magus’s response was firm. “No… there isn’t much we can assist with that she doesn’t already have. Besides, Lady Ishtar has always been unpredictable. If we get on her bad side, it might be us who suffer a loss. No, we will closely watch from the sidelines.”

“But father…!” the magus protested, his irritation evident.

The grand magus’s patience wore thin. His voice rose in anger, “Huh!! You should focus on your training! It’s been so long, and you still haven’t reached the full moon realm?! Look at your two brothers; both of them are almost ready for their cosmic tribulations. What about you?!”

The young magus quickly knelt on the floor, his desperation palpable. “Father… if that bastard hadn’t made me lose my real body, I would have reached the full moon long ago…. Please, father…. I need to see him dead!”

“Hades!! This is why you have not improved! You have enough hatred to push you forward, but you lack the guts! What is there to be proud of in watching someone else take your revenge for you?! Have you admitted defeat against that mere 30-year-old half-blood?!”

The words struck Hades hard, like a hammer to his soul. His father’s harsh reprimand echoed in his mind, tearing through his pride and exposing the bitter truth. The last few years had seen little improvement in his abilities, and each passing day brought news of Emery’s achievements—defeating grand magus realm pirates and, more recently, vanquishing a two cosmos grand magus. Each victory of Emery’s was a knife twisting in his heart, an obstacle that affected his growth.

The truth was even Kronos himself was concerned about Emery’s rapid growth. Seeing his son’s despair, he sought to provide reassurance. “I will send a message to Lady Ishtar, giving her all we know about him. Information about the mysterious primordial energy will definitely interest her, and it might even bring Sky Lord’s attention. As for you, just focus on training for the duel.”

Hades bowed his head, feeling a mixture of relief and renewed determination. “Yes, father, I understand… I will try harder.”

Kronos then elaborated on the significance of the upcoming duel. It wasn’t just about defeating the Earth faction and reclaiming Earth; it was about proving their worth to the main family.

“In the end, strength is the most important. We have been building our strength over the past millennia. After your brother Zeus and Poseidon reach the grand magus realm, we will easily win the duels and be one step closer to achieving our grade 2 advancement.”

####

Golden City,

Croft Family Estate

Dusk settled over the grand estate, casting long shadows across the fortress-like structure. A magus approached the front gates, his demeanor weary but determined. As he neared, the captain of the guards stepped forward, his expression stern. “Magus Klein, where were you? The young master has been looking for you.”

Klein nodded, acknowledging the concern. “Yes, I will go report to young master now.”

He moved past the gate, navigating through the labyrinthine estate. The buildings were heavily secured, each checkpoint more formidable than the last. As he reached the inner sanctum, he was halted by a grand magus elder. The elder’s eyes bore into him, a silent demand for an explanation.

For the next hour, Klein recounted his ordeal. He described how he had been caught in a skirmish, losing his chance to exit the portal until much later. While stuck there, he had decided to gather intelligence on Terra’s real strength, information he now openly shared with the elder.

The elder listened intently, occasionally nodding as Klein detailed the defenses and capabilities of Terra’s forces. When Klein finished, the elder’s stern expression softened slightly. “Good, this information is useful,” he said, a hint of approval in his voice. “You may return to your post.”

Respectfully, he said, “Elder, I heard the young master is looking for me.”

“No, he is with important guests. You can seek him tomorrow,” the elder replied, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.

“Yes, elder,” Klein responded, bowing slightly before turning away.

Instead of returning to his post, Klein wandered around the estate, engaging in casual conversations with some of the guards. He then made his way towards the expansive garden in the west wing of the estate, a secluded and serene area rarely frequented by others at this hour. Soon enough, a figure emerged from the darkness, moving with a silent grace. Recognizing the presence, Klein immediately knelt in respect.

“Master, I have done as you asked,” he said, keeping his head bowed.

The shadowy figure was Emery in disguise. He had invested hours meticulously ensnaring the Croft magus with his [Partial Soul Enslavement], bending the man’s will to his own. Under this compulsion, the magus conducts a thorough survey of the heavily fortified estate for him.

Emery used his mastery of spirit reading to probe the Magus memory, glean critical details about the estate’s layout, security protocols, and other important notes happening in the estate.

The Croft estate, a testament to their military prowess, housed a formidable contingent of over fifty magus and four grand magus; one of them was in two cosmos realms.

After confirming there was no spirit master grand magus among them, Emery instructed the magus to return to his post, emphasizing the need for him to remain hidden as a future informant.

Emery then delved into the gathered information, particularly interested in the upcoming important meeting attended by the young master.

“Now let’s see what you Croft are up to,”