Earth's Greatest Magus

Multiple explosions lit up the sky above the Karat Golden mansion like fireworks in the daylight. The battle between the pirate fleets had raged for an hour, with both sides suffering significant casualties.

One-third of the pirates’ ships had been destroyed, while two out of three Karat warships were dead in space. The last remaining warship was forced to take a defensive position among the space stations, with multiple smaller ships, Karat fighters, and drones flying around to reinforce its defense.

More than 50 pirate ships bombarded the space station, their relentless firepower pounding against the weakening defensive barrier.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the Karat fighters and drones flew in tight formations, weaving through the barrage of enemy fire. Their maneuvers were desperate yet calculated, each move designed to protect the space station. As the barrier started to fail, the situation grew dire. Ten grand magus, led by the brave Commander Schnable of the second division, charged forward.

Commander Schnable’s presence was formidable, his cosmic energy flaring as he led his division to intercept the pirate ships. The grand magus moved with precision, their spells creating shimmering shields and launching powerful counter-attacks. Explosions and flashes of light filled the sky, a chaotic dance of destruction and defense.

Their charge was met with a fierce counterattack. Hundreds of bombardments from the pirate ships lit up the sky, followed by a larger contingent of grand magus-level pirates. Two of the five Pirate King iron guards, along with infamous pirate figures from multiple clans, joined the fray. Leading them was the notorious one-eyed Khazrak, who rode a snake-like space beast. Khazrak was a three cosmos pirate warlord, second only to the pirate king himself.

A cosmic battle erupted above the space stations. Weapons clashed, and spells were cast, creating a deadly spectacle that cost dearly to both sides. The sky was filled with explosions and streaks of energy as the combatants fought with ferocity.

Grand Magus Xavier, in charge of the battle, stood tall inside the space station. His eyes were sharp, anticipating the movements of the last 30 pirate ships and the flagship that still hovered at the back of the battlefield. Reports flooded in, detailing the extensive destruction and mounting casualties.

Seeing the vast number of losses, the veteran general’s irritation grew. “It’s a crimson sky tactic!! They are rushing to break us apart!” he barked, his voice resonating with frustration.

Xavier turned to the communication officer, his face a mask of frustration and urgency. “What news from Golden City!? Where are the reinforcements?! Where are they!!?” he demanded.

10:52

Xavier turned to the communication officer, his face a mask of frustration and urgency. “What news from Golden City!? Where are the reinforcements?! Where are they!!?” he demanded.

Pirates were the enemy of all factions within the magus universe, and such a situation should have brought attention from all available forces around Karat planet to come and help. Golden City, being one of the closest planets with a large military force, should have been the first responder. However, it had been an hour, and no news had been received from them.

“Dammit!! Which faction dares to be involved in this?!” Xavier’s voice was filled with exasperation and suspicion.

The space station was struggling to hold off the pirate forces entirely. Two destroyers, bearing the markings of the Iron Hawks and the Blood Reavers, broke through the defenses and flew straight into the orbits along with a dozen other ships. Their presence threatened the safety of the Karat City and the golden palace below.

However, in the lower orbits, hundreds of magus formed the last line of defense. At the forefront were two powerful figures: Grand Magus Kashid and Grand Magus Boyd, the eastern and western guardians of the Karat faction. Hovering side by side, they exuded an aura of command and determination.

“Do not let any of them through!” Boyd’s voice boomed across the battlefield.

The magus defenders sprang into action. Some cast defensive spells, erecting shimmering barriers of energy to intercept incoming projectiles, while others shot powerful cannons, sending beams of destructive energy toward the advancing ships and pirate magus. The sky was ablaze with the clash of spells and weaponry, creating a chaotic battlefield where the stakes were incredibly high. Every minute, several magus fell, their bodies plummeting toward the planet below or disintegrating in bursts of magical energy.

Amidst the chaos, Grand Magus Kashid received a sudden message from the palace below. His face turned pale as he read the urgent missive. Without hesitation, he decisively left his post, his form blurring as he sped down toward the golden mansion.

He arrived a few minutes later to see the destruction within the vault area, and as he dashed inside, the scene before him was grim. Dozens of magus corpses were scattered across the floor, their lifeless forms a testament to the ferocity of the battle. The air was thick with the acrid smell of blood and burnt flesh, mingling with the lingering energy of powerful spells.

Despite the devastation, Kashid breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lord Hassa sitting in a lotus position, appearing unharmed. The cosmic energy around him pulsed gently as he focused on recovering himself.

“My Lord, where is the traitor?!” Kashid’s voice echoed through the vault as he quickly scanned the room. His eyes landed on an unfamiliar woman with crimson hair standing next to Grand Magus Nafey. The spirit master was treating the unconscious young half-blood magus who appeared to be heavily wounded, his body covered in deep gashes and burns.

Lord Hassa opened his eyes and met Kashid’s gaze. “Sensing your arrival, the coward fled already,” he said, his voice calm but edged with frustration.

Kashid clenched his fists, ready to chase the traitor. “I will find him and bring him to justice!”

Lord Hassa raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t bother… He must have had an escape route prepared. Besides, what of the battle above? You should not leave your post!.”

#####

At that same moment, Gara D Reis, the Pirate King, was poised to deliver the final blow that would utterly destroy the Karat forces. His eyes gleamed with the anticipation of victory as he prepared to give the command to his remaining armada. However, just as he was about to issue the order, one of his crew members gave a crucial report.

“My King, we detected an armada of over two dozen ships approaching!”

The Pirate King turned sharply, his surprise evident. “What?! How can this be?!” his confusion turned to anger as he said “Arrghh!! Those Golden City nobles dare to trick me!” His voice thundered through the ship, causing a palpable wave of fear to ripple through his crew. The crew member, trembling under his gaze, managed to stammer out, “My King, they…they are not from Golden City… they are the half-bloods from Zodiac City!”

Gara’s irritation flared into fury. He had not anticipated the Zodiac City warships to arrive so swiftly. On second thought he felt as if they had been lying in wait for this moment.

His mind raced with calculations, knowing that entering the battlefield now would trap him between the Karat forces and the incoming Zodiac armada. The prospect of being caught in a pincer move was too risky, even for him.

Adding to his frustration was the sudden, disheartening failure message from his agent down below. The mission to secure the vault had evidently fallen apart.

“Curse those half-bloods! Curse those Karats!!” Gara roared, his voice echoing through the ship like the howl of a feral beast. His crew cowered, knowing the danger of their King’s wrath.

Weighing his options quickly, Gara realized the precariousness of their position. Engaging now could mean a significant loss if not complete annihilation. He slammed his fist on the command table, the holographic display flickering under the force.

“Sound the retreat!” he commanded in anger. “All ships, pull back immediately!”

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