Earth's Greatest Magus

There were still four hundred days until the world beast would open the way out.

The rich flood of spirit energy that had filled its belly after the last anomaly had already dispersed, leaving only a faint trace compared to before. Without the extreme abundance, cultivation progress slowed, and Emery and the others were forced to shift their focus. Less time could be spent on simply absorbing energy; now, the true path forward lies in techniques, comprehension, and mastery.

For Light Emery, this meant turning once again to the path of time.

He sat cross-legged within the quiet cavern, the faint glow of runes flickering across the walls, memory crystals hovering in the air around him. These were not from Kronos’ vault—no. But the memory crystals of Eldran Solus, the first celestial explorer. They contained fragmented wisdom, half-formed spells, and dangerous experiments with time.

Up until now, Emery had only mastered the most basic [Temporal Binding], useful mainly as a countermeasure to free himself from the realm.

Now, he pushed further.

From Eldran’s notes, he turned his attention to two seemingly simple tier-four incantations

[Accelerate] and [Decelerate].

At first glance, their use was modest: the ability to make an object move faster or slower within a short span of time. Compared to other tier-four spells, they seemed almost trivial.

But when Emery practiced them, when he felt time itself respond to his will, he realized their true worth. A stone tossed across the cavern would blur and vanish as it shot forward with unnatural speed. A droplet of water falling from the ceiling would hang suspended in the air, drifting down at a snail’s pace until it finally touched the ground minutes later.

The possibilities thrilled him. He could already imagine countless scenarios where such control could shift the outcome of a battle, or bend the environment itself to his advantage. Yet he also knew the harsh truth: these were still only stepping stones.Such tricks were fragile, easily shattered by stronger force—just like his [Blink], which became obsolete against grand magus realm opponents.

To touch true temporal power, high-tier temporal spells, Emery would need far more. Rare materials to inscribe the runes, deeper insights to weave them into his soul, and above all, a higher comprehension of the very law of time itself.

For now, he set his sights not on immediate victory, but on patience. Each spell was a lesson, a glimpse into the vast tapestry of temporal law.

Morgana, on the other hand, took a different approach.

After her breakthrough into the third layer of her Cosmos, Killgragah offered to teach her new devastating flame techniques. Yet, to the surprise of all, she refused.

Instead, she turned to Chutulu.

“I want to learn a way to strengthen my body,” she told the abyssal guardian firmly. “If I can survive the toxic mist outside, then I can be more help.”

Her determination was clear. Morgana’s objective had never been personal glory. Every step she took was with Emery in mind—she wanted to be more than a bystander. She aimed to fight alongside him when the time came to carve their way out of the belly of the great beast in four hundred days. What she did not realize was that her choice ignited days of tension between the two Khaos guardians, sparking several heated disputes.

This resulted in a combined effort: a dual refinement process: steadily ingesting controlled doses of poison to temper her body’s resilience, while simultaneously channeling her cosmic flames to burn away the toxins and harden her internal defenses. Through this crucible, her flames evolved, gaining resistance to corruption and extremes. Once perfected, Morgana would be able to withstand even the hostile void of space far longer than any ordinary Grand Magus.

Days bled into months.

One hundred days.

Two hundred.

The Dark Emery’s battles against the dracolich, Daurgothoth, became his crucible. He failed again and again, but each failure sharpened his resolve, each wound tempered his will. The clash of void blades against icy flame echoed endlessly in the cavern halls.

Finally, after three hundred days, his effort bore fruit.

The cosmos within his core ignited, swirling violently before stabilizing. A notification rang within his mind:

[You have successfully formed a second layer of Cosmos]

[Emery – Dark]

[Grand Magus Realm – One Cosmos, Second Layer]

[Soul Force: 1188 (1256)]

[Law of Space: 45%]

[Law of Devour: 20%]

[Law of Gravity: 14%]

[Law of Sword: 8%]

With his newfound strength, his void blades became sharper. His mastery over spatial bending grew sharper and swifter, each flicker of movement carrying terrifying precision. The once-unsteady clash with the dragon shifted; no longer did Emery merely endure—he fought as an equal. Newest update provided by NoveI★Fire.net

Their battle raged for another hundred days, each collision shaking the cavern, until finally, with one decisive strike, Dark Emery’s void blade cleaved through the icy flames. The dracolich fell, skeletal wings collapsing against the ground.

“I WIN!” Dark Emery’s roar shook the chamber. His eyes blazed as he pointed his blade at the defeated dragon. “Now you will obey me!”

Dragons were proud creatures, bound by ancient instinct and honor. Even in defeat, they would never dishonor a promise. The dragon lowered its great head, a mix of disdain and reluctant respect burning in its blue, icy eyes.

“Hmph… this cramped chamber has shackled me, made me weaker than I should be…” the beast rumbled. “But yes. You have defeated me. From this moment, you are my master.”

Unlike Killgaragah or Chututlu, Daurgothoth possessed a far more rigid and serious personality. After admitting defeat, he insisted on addressing Emery as his master.

With the will of the Khaos Guardian acknowledged, a new Gate manifested within the Khaos hub. The Death Gate emerged, its dark frame solidifying between the Pestilence Gate and the Famine Gate.

“Now that I am your champion… You shall tell me everything about your last master,” Emery commanded.

“Yes, master,” the dracolich intoned.

Emery began by asking a few questions about Talaro’s background, but what intrigued him most was the knowledge of how to combine the power of the Khaos Guardians.

The dracolich stepped closer, exhaling a swirl of icy smoke from the hollow space between its two glowing blue eyes. The vapor coiled into the air before Emery, then sank into him like a phantom tide—it was a memory, one that held the technique he sought.

[Khaos Convergence]

To Emery’s shock, the methods were far more complex than he had anticipated. They required an intricate formation of runes woven together with the demand of dividing one’s consciousness—separating into distinct fragments, each capable of controlling one Guardian simultaneously.

The formations themselves would be difficult, but Emery’s confidence did not falter. The true obstacle was the act of splitting one’s mind. Yet for him, this challenge was far less daunting than for others—after all, he already carried a split soul.

Another hundred days slipped by in ceaseless training. And then, at last, the long-awaited rumble began.

This time, three figures stood ready. Emery—his true self and his clone—stood at the forefront, while Morgana, her body reforged, loomed at his side.

All three had advanced to higher realms. All three were fully prepared.

The air trembled as massive spatial ripples converged. The chamber groaned, and then, with a violent tear, the portal burst open. The three figures launched themselves forward, surging toward the exit.