Earth's Greatest Magus

Two days later,

The Gilgamesh warship returned to Terra City, the air was filled with celebration. The triumphant return brought cheers from the populace, their spirits lifted by the sight of the warship that had been on a relentless six-month campaign. The warriors aboard had eradicated two dozen pirate groups, destroyed several outposts, and halted numerous criminal activities, earning a formidable reputation throughout the sector.

Later that day, the assembly yard was packed with hundreds of Terra warriors and thousands of citizens. Emery stood before them and began by commending the warriors for their success.

“Your bravery and dedication have brought honor to our city. For this, you have my deepest gratitude.”

He then proceeded to hand out rewards to those who had distinguished themselves during the campaign. Spirit stones, high-grade pills, and artifacts were distributed to many deserving warriors. Thrax, known as the Immortal Gladiator, received special recognition for his leadership throughout the campaign. As Emery praised Thrax, the crowd erupted in applause, the sound echoing through the assembly yard.

A moment of solemnity followed as Emery commemorated the fallen warriors. Three magus and twenty saint-level warriors had given their lives during the campaign. With solemn reverence, Emery recognized their contributions to the faction before reminding everyone of the cost of their victory and the ongoing need for vigilance.

The procession had been a much-needed event for the growing faction of Terra City. It concluded with a grand feast, large enough to celebrate their victories yet moderately restrained to ensure that they remained vigilant against any surprises from their enemies. The festive atmosphere allowed everyone to momentarily relax and enjoy the fruits of their hard-earned success.

After a well-deserved rest, Emery gathered the warriors of Terra at the training yard the next morning. The yard buzzed with anticipation as they prepared to watch sparring matches between some of their greatest magus. Emery sat at the podium, his eyes keenly observing each warrior as they showcased their capabilities.

The sparring began with a display of prowess from the Twilight Blood Hall members. Yoro, Andrei, and Tatyana, members of Emery’s wolf pack, took to the stage, demonstrating their rapid growth. Each was still in the crescent moon stage but managed to match the skills of many veteran warriors, and even challenge some of the half-moon magus.

Magus Grisa, the fourth widow and commander of the Terra forces, stepped onto the stage with a commanding presence. Her fierce demeanor and massive new tier 6 axes, treasures claimed from pirate loot, immediately drew everyone’s attention. She wasted no time, launching into a whirlwind of attacks that quickly overwhelmed each of the Twilight Hall magus. Her berserker fury and the sheer power of her new weapons left little room for her opponents to counter.

“My turn!” a voice bellowed from the sidelines. Chief Beowulf, the leader of Twilight Hall, entered the fray, transforming into his formidable ice wolf form. His body shimmered with frost as he summoned powerful frozen spells. The audience watched in awe as he matched Grisa’s ferocity blow for blow. Despite her high-tier weapon, Grisa found herself struggling against the relentless ice attacks that coated her axes in layers of frost, slowing her down. Beowulf’s strategic use of ice barriers and blizzards turned the tide in his favor, eventually allowing him to disarm Grisa and win the fight.

Emery observed with satisfaction as his respected old chief demonstrated his full moon realm strength. Beowulf had fully recovered from his previous wounds, and his performance brought a wave of cheers from the crowd, especially the Twilight Hall wolf warriors.

Next, Magus Silica, the second widow and the strongest commander of Lord Izta’s old forces, took the stage. The crowd erupted into cheers as she faced off against Beowulf. Silica’s reputation as a formidable warrior was well-known, and her presence alone was enough to ignite the crowd’s excitement.

Despite the intensity of the battle, neither fighter could gain a clear advantage. Each time one seemed to gain the upper hand, the other would counter with an equally impressive display of skill. The audience watched in rapt attention as the duel raged on, their cheers growing louder with each clash. After a hundred exchanges, both warriors stood, breathing heavily but still resolute, with no clear winner in sight.

The fights had clearly ignited Thrax’s fighting spirit. “Me… I want to fight!!! Let me fight!!” he roared, unable to contain his excitement any longer.

Emery sighed deeply. From the beginning, he had persuaded Thrax not to join the sparring session. The entire event was designed to boost the confidence of the warriors, particularly those who hadn’t participated in the campaign and were still feeling the pressure from the Nephilim encounter three days prior.

“When is my turn!!” Thrax bellowed impatiently.

Emery purposely let the ongoing fight reach a hundred clashes before calling it a draw, providing an opportunity to unleash the Immortal Gladiator onto the stage.

Thrax leaped into the center of the stage, exuding a dominating presence. His voice thundered across the training yard as he shouted his challenge. “I accept any challenge!!”

The atmosphere shifted immediately. Despite being in the half-moon realm, Thrax’s reputation preceded him. His sheer power and legendary tenacity were well known, even to those in the full-moon realm. Many veteran warriors hesitated, even among the seasoned fighters, none dared to step forward immediately.

Unfortunately, the subterranean magus were unaware of Thrax’s true prowess and were eager to demonstrate their abilities in the sparring session.

“This is our chance. Those who fought before are all monsters… but this one, he’s only a half-moon magus…” one of them whispered.

“Yes… this brute will be easier to deal with,” another agreed.

“Alright, send our most cunning warrior.”

One by one, the subterranean magus stepped up to challenge Thrax and one by one, they were mercilessly defeated within seconds. The ease with which Thrax dispatched them left the crowd in stunned silence.

“…”

“Who said he was just a brute?” “…Are all their magus this strong?” another questioned, their confidence wavering.

“This is embarrassing… maybe we should go back to our world and train again…” a third suggested, their earlier bravado completely dissipated.

Emery once again heaved a sigh. His premonition had come true. Thrax, oblivious to the relationship between these newcomers and the rest of the warriors, roared thunderously, “Is this your best?! You all need to train harder!!” further made the subterranean magus depressed.

“Who else!!?” Thrax’s booming voice echoed across the training yard, his challenge clear and unyielding.

With no immediate response to his challenge, Thrax aimed his spear toward one of the grand magus. The female half-blood, Fantasme, smiled with interest, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. It seemed she was about to accept the challenge when suddenly, another figure swooped down from the sky.

Morgana, with her pair of flaming wings, landed gracefully in the center of the training yard. Her cold gaze met Thrax’s, and she stepped forward with an air of authority.

“No, no… why does it have to be you…” Thrax muttered under his breath, his excitement replaced by a tinge of frustration.

The truth was that Thrax had sparred with Morgana many times before during the campaign, and each encounter had ended in his defeat. Like any great fighter, Thrax’s losses only fueled his motivation to train harder and improve. Unfortunately, his growth could not keep pace with Morgana, who had the formidable support of Killgaragah, further widening the gap between their strengths.

With a determined look, Thrax hefted his spear and faced Morgana. “Huh! Alright, you will lose this time!”

Thrax’s muscles tensed as he unleashed his most powerful skill that excels through the law of slaughter, [Blood Rage], and called upon his trump card. ‘Gae Bolg!!’ Crimson blood energy surged around him, coalescing into the menacing armor. His spear, gleamed ominously as he readied himself for the clash.

Across from him, Morgana’s transformation was equally spectacular. Her form wreathed in dark flames that coalesced into the shapes of an ethereal dragon. The audience held their breath, mesmerized by the spectacle unfolding before them. It was more than a mere sparring match; it was a clash of titans, a contest that transcended the boundaries of the magus realm. Whispers spread among the spectators, speculating on the true extent of their power and the depths of their abilities.

Despite Thrax’s formidable display of strength and skill, it became evident as the battle wore on that Morgana held the upper hand. Her mastery over Khaos gave her a decisive edge. Thrax fought valiantly, but after enduring thirty intense exchanges, he finally conceded defeat with a frustrated roar that echoed through the training yard.

“Huh!! I will defeat you once I reach the full moon realm!!”

Emery watched Morgana’s display of power with satisfaction. Her advancements were evident, empowered by Khaos, her current strength could rival those of a grand magus realm. Pleased with the impact of the sparring session on all the warriors, Emery decided it was time to conclude. However, before he could end it, Grand Magus Fantasme stepped forward with a challenge directed at Anpu, the Grand Magus hybrid.

Instead of allowing the duel to proceed, Emery intervened, summoning both combatants to the stage, he announced.

“Both of you will face me instead,”