Earth's Greatest Magus

Emery quietly began probing the gathered crowd himself, allowing his divine sense to sweep carefully across the massive hall.

Almost immediately, his attention was drawn toward the front where several terrifying figures had gathered around Supreme Lord Dunadan.

The pressure surrounding that area alone was enough to make ordinary Grand Magus instinctively avoid approaching too closely.

One of the figures was an old man Emery recognized immediately.

Long white hair flowed neatly behind his back while elegant scholar robes draped over his thin frame. At first glance, the old man looked more like a refined teacher or philosopher than a cultivator capable of battle. Yet the aura surrounding him was deep and immeasurable, calm like still water while carrying spiritual fluctuations so profound that even Emery could not fully perceive their limits.

Duke Damien Alabaster.

The renowned Spirit Master.

Emery still remembered the Alabaster Spirit Master Competition many years ago, where he had once received part of the duke’s spirit techniques after emerging victorious.

Another figure soon caught Emery’s attention.

A middle-aged man dressed in dark blue robes stood nearby with both hands calmly behind his back. Tiny star-like lights flickered faintly around him, appearing and disappearing like fragments of a miniature galaxy orbiting his body.

The Star Tower Lord.

One of the honorary figure of the Magus Academy.

The man had served as Hall 1’s instructor since the beginning of the Academy’s. Despite Emery’s years at the Academy, he knew very little about the mysterious instructor.

Clearly, the Academy had sent one of its strongest guardians for this mission.

There were several others as well whose strength Emery could not properly measure.

A towering muscular military officer whose restrained killing aura felt heavy enough to crush weaker cultivators.

A figure in white robes resembling a high-ranking cardinal from the Papal Church, and a middle-aged woman dressed entirely in dark clothing while holding a sword tightly against her arms.

All of them were terrifying existences.

While Emery continued observing the hall, several familiar figures suddenly approached him.

“Emery, glad you decided to join.”

The one speaking was Julian.

The charismatic leader of Nova Roma walked toward him. Following behind him were Poseidon and Guskov, the Volkov faction grand magus that Julian had recently absorbed into Nova Roma.

It was obvious Julian considered this mission extremely important.

For a developing faction like Nova Roma, gaining Alliance merits, influence, and military recognition during a sector-level emergency was an opportunity too valuable to ignore.

“I thought you’d bring more people,” Julian said while glancing around curiously.

Before Julian could continue, the atmosphere within the massive hall shifted slightly.

The station lights dimmed, and conversations throughout the chamber gradually quieted as several Magus Alliance officers stepped onto the main platform. Hundreds of cultivators immediately turned their attention forward.

The one leading the briefing was the muscular military officer Emery had noticed earlier.

The man wore a dark Alliance uniform reinforced with battle-grade armor, his broad frame radiating restrained pressure. Numerous scars covered his exposed arms and neck.

Most importantly, Emery still could not properly probe his cultivation.

Which meant the man was almost certainly a third layer, peak Three Cosmos Grand Magus.

The man stepped forward calmly before introducing himself.

“I am, Brigadier general Anderson.”

The moment he spoke, a massive projection screen activated behind him.

A blue-and-yellow planet slowly rotated above the stage.

Baeldum.

The general began explaining the planet’s overall situation with efficient precision. Baeldum possessed a population exceeding six hundred million people spread across three primary cities and eight smaller urban regions scattered across the continents. Each of the three major cities possessed functioning teleportation gates and significant defensive infrastructure, while the smallest secondary city still housed more than twenty thousand inhabitants.

As he continued speaking, the planetary projection shifted.

Colored markers suddenly appeared across different regions of the planet.

“This,” Anderson stated firmly, “is the current outbreak status.”

Three colors dominated the display.

Yellow.

Orange.

Red.

Yellow represented low-threat zones where the scourge outbreak remained mostly under control by local forces. Orange represented medium-threat regions already requiring urgent outside support. Red represented cities where all communication had already been lost entirely.

Entire regions predicted to have been completely overrun by the scourge.

The atmosphere throughout the hall immediately became heavier.

Out of the three major cities, each had fallen into a different category. One remained yellow, another had escalated into orange, while the last had already become completely red.

The eight smaller cities showed similar conditions.

Two yellow.

Four orange.

Two red.

The speed of the spread alone was enough to unsettle many of the gathered cultivators.

“We will begin operations in one hour,” Anderson continued decisively. “These are your deployment assignments.”

The projection shifted once more.

Nine operational groups appeared above the platform.

“Three groups consisting primarily of Magus-realm combatants supported by several Grand Magus will reinforce the yellow-level cities,” he explained. “Five elite groups composed mainly of Grand Magus experts will support the orange-level regions.”

Then the projection zoomed toward a massive mountain range located deep within Baeldum’s northern continent.

“As for the final group…”

A different symbol appeared across the mountain.

“This unit will consist of specially selected individuals personally led by Supreme Lord Dunadan himself.”

Emery narrowed his eyes slightly.

Originally, he assumed the final group would be sent toward one of the red cities.

Apparently, he was wrong.

“This,” Anderson said heavily while pointing toward the mountain region, “is the origin point of the scourge outbreak.”

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly shifted again.

Emery immediately remembered the classified information Duncan had revealed earlier. This must be where contact had been lost with one of the Supreme-level advance teams.

Which meant the final group was undoubtedly the most dangerous assignment.

Only the strongest Three Cosmos experts would likely be selected for it.

“There will be Magus Alliance officials attached to every group,” Anderson added. “Detailed operational information will be distributed individually after assignments are finalized.”

Soon afterward, another Alliance official stepped onto the stage and began explaining additional matters related to the scourge itself. Detection methods, infection stages, purification procedures, parasite behavior, and emergency quarantine protocols were all explained carefully to the gathered cultivators.

While the explanations continued, Emery suddenly noticed the bracelets worn by the participants beginning to activate one after another throughout the hall.

Assignments were being distributed.

Julian glanced down at his bracelet first.

“Group 2,” he said.

A moment later, Poseidon and Guskov received identical assignments. Apparently, the Alliance had intentionally kept the Nova Roma faction together.

“I think it’s because I brought a large number of Nova Roma magus with me,” Julian said with visible satisfaction. “At least the Alliance knows what it’s doing.”

Nearby, Fjolnir’s bracelet activated next.

“Group 1,” the giant warrior muttered.

Moments later, Morgana’s bracelet lit up as well.

Group 5.

One of the elite Grand Magus assault groups assigned to an orange-level city.

Emery originally assumed he would likely be assigned alongside her.

However, his bracelet remained completely silent.

Minutes passed while more and more cultivators throughout the hall received their assignments. The growing silence from Emery’s own bracelet gradually began attracting his attention.

Then finally—

His bracelet flickered brightly.

Emery lowered his gaze.

Group 9.

The special operations unit for the most dangerous mission.

“…Damn.”

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