Earth's Greatest Magus

Two weeks ago.

Shinta was forcefully taken from Utopia City. When she woke up, she found herself inside a Serpent faction warship. As a princess of the Ouroboros faction, she was given one of the best quarters on the ship, complete with a proper bed, food, and the companionship of Magus Annara, who was allowed to stay with her.

“To think they even sent a brigade to take me… maybe I should feel honored,” Shinta said with a slight chuckle.

Annara, however, was far from amused. Despite their relative comfort and the freedom to move within certain confines, the last few days had been frustrating for her. She had tried every means at her disposal to contact the queen—through diplomacy, trickery, and even considering force—but she knew better than to confront the grand magus figure leading the brigade.

“There’s no need to try anymore, Auntie. I’m sure everyone already knows what happened,” Shinta said, her voice tinged with resignation.

She then gazed out of the window and realized that the space outside was filled with a distinct blue-green aura. “This is the Cerulean Zone, isn’t it?” she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of awe and resignation. Annara nodded, “Yes, we have arrived at the Serpent homeworld”

The Cerulean Zone was a secluded and mystical area, situated at the far end of the Alpha Quadrant Sector and bordering the Neutral Zone. It was renowned for its ethereal blue-green hues that bathed the entire region, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere. The zone spanned a sector-sized area filled with hundreds of galaxies and thousands of planets. This was where half of the Serpent bloodline factions had resided for the past 20,000 years, a sanctuary founded by the Grand Matriarch, Snake Dowager.

Shinta heaved a deep sigh. Ever since she was little, she had been mostly confined to Ouroboros city, barely venturing outside. She had always dreamed of visiting this place, imagining the wonders it held. However, the circumstances of her visit now dampened any excitement she might have felt.

As the ship navigated through the vast expanse of the Cerulean Zone, Shinta could see the incredible diversity of celestial bodies that made up this mystical region. Stars twinkled with a blue-green tint, casting a serene glow over the vast nebulae.

Soon enough, the spaceship arrived at a massive green-blue planet and descended toward the Serpent’s oldest city. This ancient city was named after the hero who had freed the Serpent clans from the tyranny of the Snake Dowager 10,000 years ago: Raylin Faulen. Since that time, the Faulen clan had become the leading faction, overseeing dozens of other Serpent clans throughout the universe.

As the warship approached, Shinta gazed out at the sprawling city below. Dominating the skyline was a huge statue of the great hero Raylin Faulen, locked in eternal combat with the half-female, half-snake mythical figure. Surrounding the statue, the city stretched out in all directions, a testament to centuries of Serpent clan history and culture.

The ship descended further, and Shinta’s view shifted to the central area of the city, where multiple majestic green stone buildings surrounded a massive oval palace. The palace itself was an architectural marvel, with intricate carvings and towering spires that reached towards the sky.

As the warship landed in a grand courtyard, she was welcomed by the palace guards.

“Princess Shinta, please follow me,” one of the guards said, bowing respectfully.

Shinta forced a smile, though her mind was racing. She knew that every move she made would be watched closely. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice steady.

Shinta and Annara were escorted out and led toward one of the highly secured buildings. The structure was heavily fortified, with guards stationed at every entrance and patrols constantly moving about. Inside, they were guided down multiple layers of the basement, the air growing cooler and more oppressive with each level they descended. Eventually, they reached their destination: a special chamber. Despite the comforts, the heavy, reinforced door and the lack of windows reminded Shinta that she was indeed a captive.

Annara, on the other hand, was led somewhere else, her protests falling on deaf ears.

“Don’t you dare harm her!” Shinta shouted, her voice echoing through the corridor as the heavy door slammed shut in front of her. Shinta’s heart sank as she watched her guardian disappear down a different corridor, but she knew that any overt resistance would only make things worse for both of them.

After a day of restless waiting, Shinta received an unexpected visitor. The door creaked open, and in walked a familiar young girl.

“Shura! It’s you!” Shinta exclaimed, rushing forward. She had been worried sick about her ever since they had swapped identities. Seeing her now, standing there with a smile, brought a surge of relief and happiness.

“Shura, tell me what happened,” Shinta urged, her eyes searching the girl’s face for any signs of distress.

Shura began to speak casually, recounting her experiences. “They punished me at first,” Shura admitted, “But once they saw my talent, they let me join the Seprent training center. Now, I’ve reached the peak of rank 9.” With a sincere expression, Shura said, “I think our Queen judges too harshly of our patriarch. I believe he has the best interests of all of us at heart.”

Shinta listened, her brow furrowing with concern. Shura continued, her tone becoming more serious. “Please don’t be angry, but I heard what happened to your mother, and I was told that you were suffering from the same illness that took her… Shinta… the patriarch, he just wants to help you.”

Shinta felt a pang of pain at the mention of her mother, but she kept her composure as Shura went on to explain what they expected of her. “They just want to ask some questions, test and observe you, Shinta. They hope you’ll be cooperative. Resisting could be dangerous.”

Shura’s eyes were filled with worry as she asked, “Will you do that?”

Shinta sighed deeply, weighing her options, and said “Shura, I will cooperate… But can you ask them if I can contact my grandmother first?”

As soon as Shinta gave her answer, Shura’s expression abruptly shifted to one of blank emotionlessness. She took a few steps back, her movements mechanical and devoid of any will. Before Shinta could react further, another figure entered the room. A grand magus, dressed in the regal uniform of the Faulen faction, exuded an air of authority and menace. His insignia marked him as a high-ranking official within the faction.

He approached Shinta with a smile “You are a smart one, aren’t you? Such a pity the smart ones always suffer more.”

Shinta’s eyes narrowed, her expression turning icy. “What did you do to her?!!” she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury. Shura’s strange behavior made sense now; she was being controlled, and the realization made Shinta’s blood boil.

“Bastard!! The Ouroboros Queen will hear about this!”

The grand magus’s smile widened. “Unfortunately, you will not say anything.” He lifted his hand, and a wave of oppressive energy filled the room, making it hard for Shinta to breathe. She felt an invisible force pressing down on her, pinning her in place.

Shinta quickly discerned that the man was a spirit master attempting to forcibly take control of her will. Summoning every ounce of her inner strength, she fought back against his invasive power.

“Hahaha, not even a magus could resist this!” But Shinta continued to resist, unconsciously her body began to transform, glowing runes appearing on her skin. This was her shaman form, a manifestation of her innate power and heritage.

“It’s no use, princess. Just give up,” the grand magus sneered.

Shinta screamed in agony, her body convulsing under the strain, but she did not relent. Minutes passed, her defiance unwavering. The grand magus’s smug confidence began to waver as he realized he was making no progress.

“How could this be possible?” he muttered, frustration creeping into his tone.

Despite her transformation ceasing, Shinta’s will remained indomitable. An hour passed, and the grand magus’s attempts grew increasingly desperate. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but Shinta’s mind remained her own.

Finally, fearing the potential repercussions of causing permanent damage to the Ouroboros princess, the grand magus was forced to halt his assault.