Earth's Greatest Magus

While a godly-level battle raged outside, Emery remained resolutely focused on extracting information from the gene center mainframe, desperate to uncover clues about Shinta’s whereabouts. Each tremor from the clashes outside resonated through the high-grade materials of the facility, causing cracks to spiderweb along the walls. Dust filled the air, and the energy fluctuations from the ongoing conflict intermittently disrupted the mainframe’s operation. Emery’s urgency grew with every passing second; he knew the facility might not hold much longer.

Finally, a minute later, a notification flashed in his mind.

[Hidden files successfully decrypted]

A glimmer of hope surged through him as he saw more information about the hidden project and activity logs spanning the last few decades. His fingers moved swiftly over the interface, skimming through the decrypted data. However, the entire facility’s power suddenly shut down before he could fully comprehend the contents. The lights flickered out, plunging the room into near darkness as an emergency siren blared, echoing ominously through the halls and announcing an immediate evacuation for all staff.

Emery stepped out of the room, the urgent clamor of dozens of people running through the hallways reaching his ears. Panic was evident as they fled, seeking escape from the devastation wrought by the rampage outside. Instead of moving upward with the evacuating crowd, Emery decided to head deeper into the facility, aiming for the lowest level. He moved swiftly and silently, utilizing his spirit-reading ability to navigate past a few guarding magus. Most of the guards were either too distracted by the chaos or not powerful enough to detect his presence.

Finally, he reached a hidden door, one frequently mentioned in the decrypted files. The door was made of thick tier 5 metal, imposing and formidable.

Annara, who had been following closely, assessed the door. “it’s going to take a while to break it open,” she noted, her tone a mix of frustration and urgency.

Emery glanced at Livi, who stood nearby. With a mischievous smile, Livi transformed into a wisp of smoke and slipped through the tiny gaps in the door. Within seconds, the door clicked and swung open from the inside, revealing Livi standing there with a smirk directed at Annara.

Annara ignored the girl and driven by urgency, quickly moved into the room, hoping to find an answer. Instead, they discovered a long corridor, a secret passage evidently used by the grand master and selected staff. It was shocking that even the enslaved master apothecary, one of the five most skilled individuals in the gene facility, knew nothing about this hidden passage.

The tunnel was not mentioned in any schematics VIA could find, and the material surrounding it, though not as strong as the door, effectively restrained spirit reading. This made it nearly impossible for even a powerful spirit master to detect from above ground.

To stay vigilant, Emery told Annara to activate her ultrasonic sound ability, sending high-pitched sound waves that echoed through the corridor. This technique complemented Emery’s spirit reading, helping him map out the tunnel’s layout.

As they advanced, Emery continuously compared the tunnel’s structure with the schematics of Faulen City. His calculations soon revealed that the passage led directly toward the sacred mountain, the place where the patriarch resided.

Anxious with what he found, Emery quickly sent a message to the Ouroboros Queen detailing his findings. He then flew through the tunnels for several miles until he reached a hidden facility. The condition of this facility was even worse. Abandoned and battered by continuous tremors, parts of the structure had collapsed, yet it still operated on minimal power.

Emery rushed through the dimly lit corridors, his steps echoing against the metal floor. The flickering lights cast eerie shadows, adding to the facility’s desolate atmosphere. He could sense faint life signs emanating from one particular room and headed there, hoping to find Shinta or at least anyone who could give him some answer.

Upon entering what appeared to be the main chamber, Emery was confronted with a scene of disarray. The room was large, with walls lined with complex machinery and containment units. Screens displayed fluctuating data, and the air was filled with the hum of malfunctioning equipment. Despite the chaos, three figures stood at the center of the room: Grandmaster Asclepius and his two assistants, all full moon magus.

The grandmaster’s expression turned from shock to anger as he saw Emery. “Who are you? Why are you here?” he demanded.

The two assistants, despite their unassuming laboratory coats, revealed their true nature as skilled fighters. Their serpent scales emerged, a clear sign of their bloodline transformations, as they charged at Emery.

However, Emery had no intention of engaging in a prolonged battle. He swiftly employed his [Specter Gaze], a powerful spirit attack that forced the two magus to kneel on the floor, their movements completely restricted.

Annara and Livi wasted no time in restraining the immobilized assistants, binding them securely. Emery then turned his attention to the grandmaster. “I am here looking for daughter!” he demanded, his voice cold and authoritative.

The grandmaster’s eyes widened realizing who he was “You… you are him…” he stammered, his voice trembling. Fear was evident in his expression. Not planning to waste any more time Emery swiftly probed the grandmaster’s mind. However, something unexpected happened. The grandmaster suddenly screamed in agony, and before Emery could react, his head burst apart, scattering blood and brain matter across the room.

The renowned grandmaster apothecary, elder of the Faulen clan was dead.

Simultaneously, the two restrained Magus guards met the same gruesome fate. Their heads exploded in unison, leaving behind mangled corpses. Annara and Livi stepped back, all confused with what happened.

“Suicide?” Annara speculated, her voice shaky.

Emery shook his head, his mind racing. “No, it’s not suicide. Someone else is behind this, controlling them, ensuring they can’t reveal any information.”

The room was eerily silent, the only sounds being the distant rumble of the collapsing facility and the faint hum of malfunctioning equipment. The grandmaster’s death confirmed that there were higher forces at play, manipulating events from the shadows.

Decisively, Emery turned towards the imposing door ahead of him, channeling his strength to force it open. The heavy door groaned and creaked, finally yielding to his efforts, revealing a vast chamber beyond. His heart sank at the sight before him—dozens of tubes lined the walls, each one containing dissected bodies of people and creatures. Some of the figures inside still showed faint signs of life, but no soul remains.

Annara moved through the room, her face a mask of distress. She frantically searched each tube, her fear palpable as she hoped not to find Shinta among the victims. Meanwhile, Emery forced himself to remain calm, pushing aside his emotions to focus on the task at hand. He approached the mainframe, his fingers moving swiftly over the controls.

“VIA, extract everything,” Minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness. Annara returned to Emery, her face now a mixture of relief and desperation. “She is not here… Where is she?!”

Emery glanced up from the mainframe, his expression grim. As he continued to sift through the data, a new notification appeared on the screen. The words made him more anxious.

[Open Recycle Storage]

A moment later, a large section of the floor shifted with a mechanical groan, opening up like a window’s blinds being drawn. The sight that greeted Emery and Annara was a nightmare—a vast pit filled with mountainous piles of corpses. The stench of death was overwhelming, and the horrifying sight was made even more grotesque by the presence of dozens of worm-like creatures writhing among the bodies, systematically dissecting the flesh.

Annara’s face went pale, and she turned hysterical. “No, that cannot be!” she cried out, her voice breaking with despair.

The thought of Shinta’s body lying among the piles of mutilated flesh sent a shiver down Emery’s spine. His mind raced with fear and anger, but he forced himself to remain calm, trying to push the gruesome images out of his mind.

At that moment, Emery felt a presence—a figure suddenly appeared, on the door they came from, someone who had managed to elude his spirit-reading ability. “So… a group of rats managed to sneak into this place…”

The voice echoed through the chamber, dripping with malice. Emery and Annara turned to see a figure emerge from the shadows. The man’s presence was imposing, his aura masked but unmistakably powerful—likely a grand magus of two cosmos maybe even three cosmos realms. His face was devoid of any human features, a grotesque visage.

Annara, her eyes blazing with fury, instinctively prepared to confront the man. However, Emery raised a hand to stop her, sensing that this was no ordinary foe.

“You are the mastermind behind all of this? Tell me, where is my daughter?!!”

The man’s expression shifted slightly, though his deformed face made it difficult to decipher his emotions. However, his eyes, cold and unfeeling, revealed a glimmer of recognition and anger.

“You… you are the one who ruined everything, I will rejoin you with her… in death!.”