Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 888: Late Bloomer

Adam felt a strange feeling bubbling up inside his heart.

When he looked at the faces of all these people who had gathered, the way they cheered for him, the way they looked at him with worship in their eyes, made him feel… strangely happy.

He directed Valerian to take a few steps forward, allowing Raidon and the few dozen men behind him to enter through the western gates.

The cheers and applause were deafening. If it werenʼt for the members of the Black Legion as well as other Magi from the cityʼs armed forces lining the boulevard, the crowd would have flooded in and surrounded Adam.

Adam took in everything with a faint smile adorning his lips. Feeling grateful for how far he had come in life, he raised his chin and looked into the sky, his gaze seemingly piercing the heavens.

Look... Father, Mother, he said to himself.

I hope Iʼve made you proud.

This was his moment to shine!

Valerian continued to take one step after another, slowly moving forward. He didnʼt forget to display a pompous expression, his topaz eyes flickering with glee.

The sounds of horns, trumpets, and drums grew louder, echoing across every street and alley in the city.

Add to that, the marching song that the men of the Black Legion still continued to sing, elevated the atmosphere even further.

People gathered on the ground waved their hands enthusiastically, trying their best to catch the Dark Kingʼs attention.

Until now, they had only heard of him in tales. But seeing him in person was even more rewarding.

Thanks to the physique enhancement as well as all the numerous medicinal baths Adam had taken to boost his physical body, he looked eye-catching to say the least.

Like a prince in shining armour straight out of a fairy tale, he captured the hearts of many young maidens as soon as he made his appearance.

Numerous young ladies standing in the crowd threw flowers at him, screaming at the top of their lungs just for a single glance.

The gentle wind tugged at his gray cape, causing it to flutter behind him and adding to his heroic presence.

The reactions from these women… Adam hadnʼt expected them at all!

For a moment, he didnʼt know how to react. Feeling slightly embarrassed, his body got stiff for a second. The voices of women asking him to marry them drifted into his ears, further embarrassing him.

Right at that moment, a familiar voice echoed inside his mind.

ʼAvoid looking people in the eyes. Look at the space above their heads. Smile and wave.ʼ

Adamʼs eyes lit up. He traced the mana fluctuations, instantly finding the source of the spell. He raised his head and gazed in the direction of a third-floor balcony of one of the countless buildings lining the boulevard.

There, he saw a crimson-haired young woman in luxurious dark clothes, resting her elbows on the railings, and looking at him with a warm smile.

The moment Adam saw that it was his sister, he revealed a radiant smile and waved in her direction.

Anna waved at him from the balcony, her eyes flashing with pride.

Meanwhile, the silver-haired woman standing beside her glanced at the figure of the Dark King in a stunned daze.

Her eyes were glued to the handsome raven-haired youth as she asked softly, ”That… that is your brother?”

”Yes.” Anna smiled.

Suddenly, she felt something was wrong in Adaʼs tone. She turned towards her and was startled to see that her friendʼs cheeks had turned red, her blue eyes flashing with infatuation.

Anna wanted to say something, but in the end, she simply shook her head in exasperation.

”Youʼre hopeless.”

***

On the balcony of another building, where the elves of Baja stood in quiet grace, Atielʼs gaze cut through the cascading confetti and landed on Adamʼs figure.

Her green eyes shone with wonder and surprise, and she couldnʼt help but exclaim, ”Thatʼs Adam?! Heʼs… changed so much!”

Back in Moon City, Adamʼs features were ordinary, unremarkable at best. But the raven-haired youth, who now rode through the gates, was a far cry from his former self.

Hearing that remark, Daneli, who was standing beside her, frowned a little. ”Youʼre right. He used to be ugly… but heʼs not anymore.”

”Hmm.” Elrod displayed a faint smile as he gazed at Adam and Valerian. ”Heʼs grown taller… broader, too. Thereʼs strength in his frame now. And that cat of his... ”

A Mana Vortex Magus standing beside him, turned to look at him with an arched brow, ”You did mention that the boy—I mean, the Dark King is a Herbalist, but thereʼs only so much magical potions and medicinal baths can do to alter oneʼs physique.”

”Indeed.” Elrod nodded with a thoughtful expression. ”The last time I met him was a little over a decade ago. Since then, his transformation has been quite… drastic.”

”Maybe heʼs just a late bloomer.” Atiel covered her mouth and giggled.

***

On another balcony in a nearby building, a group of people donning luxurious and regal robes had gathered.

This balcony was noticeably more spacious than the others, almost too spacious. As if its exclusivity was intentional… as if others had been deliberately barred from setting foot in this building.

A middle-aged man, his dark brown hair streaked with silver at the temples, stood leaning against the railing.

Clad in ostentatious white and gold robes that shimmered gloriously under the sunlight, he watched Adam with a faint, knowing smile gracing his handsome features.

An old man stood quietly behind him, his back hunched, not from age alone, but as if perpetually bowed in deference.

His gaze shifted from Adam, who was waving to the crowd below, to the middle-aged man beside him, studying his expression with silent attentiveness.

”What do you think of the boy, Your Highness?” The old man asked respectfully.

The middle-aged manʼs blue eyes flashed with quiet brilliance. ”I finally understand why the people revere him so deeply,” he said.

He paused for a moment, letting his gaze sweep across the throngs below, watching their cheers rise like a tide for the one they called the Dark King. A faint smile touched his lips.

”Itʼs not because heʼs the youngest ever to reach the Mana Vortex Rank. Itʼs not even because of his monstrous fighting prowess… No,” he murmured.

”Itʼs because he was a commoner. A nobody. A farmerʼs son who defied every expectation and earned the title of King.”

He straightened slightly as he continued, his voice tinged with something close to admiration. ”For generations, they said only the wealthy, the noble-blood, had a real chance at stepping on the path of the arcane.

”But the Dark King shattered that illusion. He climbed the tower from the base… with no name, no wealth. Just will.

”And so the people love him. Because, to them… he is hope incarnate.”

As he spoke those noble words, the smile on his lips widened, and a thought echoed in the back of his mind:

No wonder Father and Grandfather have taken an interest in him…