Earth's Greatest Magus

Standing before him were six grand magus-level experts.

In the Magus Universe, such powerhouses were rare. A group like this could easily establish a significant faction, and having them line up like mere foot soldiers was unsettling. Stoltz broke the silence with an annoyed huff. “They are Moonshard assassins,” he muttered. “Mercenaries for hire… and quite the expensive kind.” His irritation was evident, likely from having his peaceful journey disrupted.

The recognition in Stoltz’s eyes deepened as he focused on one of the figures, a man in a pristine silver robe with golden embroidery. “Master Baldoni, what is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking us?”

Baldoni, with an air of arrogance, took a step forward. “Senior, I have no quarrel with you,” he said dismissively, his lips curling into a smug smile. “Unfortunately, I can’t afford any witnesses.” Turning to one of the assassins—a man with an intricate emblem on his chest marking him as their leader—Baldoni gave a curt command.

“Kill them all.”

The leader didn’t hesitate. With a simple gesture, he signaled his men. Five cosmic realm assassins sprang into action, their movements fluid and synchronized, short blades gleaming in the dim light as they closed in on their targets.

Stoltz, ever composed, extended his hand, and as he unleased his battlefield domain, the ground beneath them erupted. Stones and earth surged upward in waves, crashing into the assassins and breaking their formation.

“Stage four cosmic realm!” the assassin leader muttered, his tone laced with frustration as he observed Stoltz’s overwhelming strength. Turning to Baldoni, he said, “Your information was wrong. He’s stronger than you claimed.”

Baldoni’s composure wavered, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. “No, it’s not wrong!” he snapped defensively. “He was only stage three a week ago!”

The assassin’s leader scowled. “We can still take him,” he said coldly, “but you’ll need to pay extra.”

Emery carefully assessed the battlefield, his sharp eyes tracking the assassins’ every move. The five experts attacking Stoltz were undeniably formidable, each exuding the distinct aura of Cosmic Stages 1 and 2. Yet, despite their strength, they struggled to match Stoltz’s ferocious power and control over his domain battlefield.

The elderly grand magus moved with startling speed for his age. A powerful kick sent one assassin flying, while a single punch shattered another’s blade and broke their ribs in one fluid motion. Despite being outnumbered, it was clear they couldn’t overwhelm him—if anything, Stoltz was turning the tide against them. He maintained dominance like a rocky mountain, his every move precise and devastating.

As Emery observed, Baldoni finished finalizing his arrangement with the assassin leader. The assassin leader stepped forward and unleashed his own Battlefield Domain, a sudden gust of wind roaring across the area, swirling with destructive force. The stone walls Stoltz had conjured to defend himself shattered instantly, debris scattering like deadly shrapnel. The assassin leader’s display of power confirmed his strength—Cosmic Stage 4.

With a sharp flick of his hand, the leader barked orders to his team. Two of the strongest assassins shifted to support him in subduing Stoltz, while the remaining three turned their focus toward Emery—their true target.

Their movements were sharp and coordinated, each approaching from a different angle to cut off any escape. Emery knew he couldn’t afford to underestimate them. Channeling the power of Khaos, his battle strength surged, enhancing his spatial manipulation. He slipped between the cracks of reality, avoiding their strikes with unnerving precision.

The assassins faltered, momentarily startled by his technique. “Is this… spatial magic?” one of them exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice. “No, he’s an alchemist! This must be one of his illusion tricks!”

Using their momentary confusion to his advantage, Emery summoned his Elysian roots. Thick tendrils of radiant green energy sprouted from the ground, forming a protective barrier. However, these cosmic experts were no ordinary foes. Their blades glowed with an unnatural, cutting light, slicing through the roots with unnerving ease.

It was a simple blade technique, but each strike was infused with the power of the cosmos. If one of them landed, Emery would undoubtedly suffer.

“Can you hold them down for a few minutes?!” shouted Stoltz, locked in fierce combat with the assassin leader and his two strongest subordinates.

Emery preferred to conceal his true strength, so he responded, “No, I can’t! Finish them quickly and come help me!”

However, From the chaos, a new threat emerged. Baldoni, the alchemist, stepped forward, a cruel grin spreading across his face. “You’ve ruined my reputation!! My life!! You shall die!!” he snarled, hurling vials of alchemical liquid toward Emery.

As the vials shattered, a torrent of flames erupted, engulfing the area around Emery. The heat was intense, and the flames danced wildly, forming a vortex of fire that threatened to consume everything in its path.

“This is my undying flame!” Baldoni declared triumphantly. “There’s no escape for you now!”

The inferno raged, but just as Baldoni was ready to celebrate his apparent victory, an ominous buzzing sound filled the air. From within the flames emerged a swarm of shadowy bees—hundreds of them. They moved in groups, devouring the fire as they spread outward.

Emery stepped forward, a smirk on his face. “Thanks for feeding my bees,” he said mockingly, watching as Baldoni’s flames were reduced to nothing by his familiars.

However, the moment of triumph was short-lived.

Emery’s sharp senses picked up movement behind him—a faint whisper of air signaling an incoming attack. One of the assassins had slipped into his blind spot, their blade aimed at his back.

Instinctively, Emery began to transform. His arms, now covered in dense silver fur, caught the assassin’s blade mid-strike. With a powerful swipe, his claws retaliated, sending the assassin hurtling backward.

BAM!

The other two assassins hesitated for a fraction of a second, but it was enough time for Emery to complete his transformation. His body was now enveloped in thick silver fur, and glowing runes adorned his chest and face like sacred tattoos.

With a bone-chilling howl, Emery declared his readiness for battle.

The assassins, who moments earlier had moved with unshakable confidence, now froze in their tracks. Their expressions shifted from focus to shock, and they exchanged uncertain glances.

“He… he’s a Fey Wolf,” one of them whispered, the words laced with awe and fear.