Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

The city of Ravenfell was suddenly steeped in tension. Coincidentally enough, stormy clouds had begun to gather above the city’s skyline, hinting at the impending downpour.

As rumors started to spread about the death of a Councilor’s son, people couldn’t help but begin to wonder if it would affect the upcoming Grand Magus Tournament.

After all, with such a monumental event just around the corner, the murder of a Mana Vortex Magus, especially one from such an influential aristocratic family, sent silent ripples through the city.

To make matters worse, Councilor Ives Ballard had stirred even greater unrest. The moment the news broke, he summoned the elite Magi of his household and left Ravenfell in haste, allegedly, to hunt down his son’s killer.

The sheer force of the response, and the speed at which it came, made one thing very clear…

It was about bloody vengeance!

The cobblestone streets grew quieter as the storm clouds grew thick above. The usual excitement surrounding the Grand Magus Tournament now felt tainted.

A flash of lightning streaked through the ominous, dark clouds, briefly bathing the city in a pale blue light.

Then came the rain. Slow at first, but quickly turning heavy.

Another flash of lightning danced through the dark clouds, briefly illuminating a shadowy figure making his way through the Uptown Quarter, vaulting from one rooftop to another.

The figure wore dark, flowing robes that looked even darker, soaked with rain.

Adam had a vicious expression marring his face as he applied strength to his feet, vaulting into the air and leaving cracked tiles in his wake.

Currently, he was heading toward the Ballard Estate.

His intentions were unknown. Even he himself didn’t know what he was about to do.

Consumed by rage, his body moved on its own, desperately seeking an outlet for all the raw, negative emotions surging within him.

Ives Ballard, I swear on my mana, if you lay even a finger on her…

Realizing the blunder he was about to make, the last vestiges of his rationality echoed inside his mind, stopping him from thinking anything further.

However, the rage inside of him did not diminish at all. If anything, it only continued to rise, swelling into a whirlwind of madness.

The raindrop splattered against his contorted face as he made his way toward Ballard’s manor.

And soon… he had arrived.

Adam gracefully landed on top of a spire of a neighboring building overlooking the Ballard Estate.

Without hesitating for a moment, he activated his Sphere of Resonance, completely encompassing the estate.

He could instantly feel a blanket of palpable sorrow enveloping the main manor situated in the center of the estate. Despite the heavy rainfall, there were still numerous Magi coming in to offer their condolences.

Adam’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Near the entrance of the opulent manor, he could sense several familiar presences.

They belonged to the Councilors of Ravenfell. All of them had arrived to express their comfort and solace to the Ballard family members.

All the Councilors were in attendance except for Nylian Feno and Daniel Ranzenberg.

The bald old man with the white beard, Hammon McLeod, was there speaking with Ives Ballard’s children and grandchildren.

The elf, Taron Norwood, stood at a corner with a somber expression, talking to a few other aristocrats.

Sabrina Benton, the Lord Marshall of Ravenfell, was busy consoling Ives Ballard’s wife.

Adam watched everything with a cold expression on his face, his eyes flickering with hateful wrath.

It would appear that the bastard has actually died, he thought.

When he realized that the rumors floating around the city might have been a trap to lure him out, he began to question the veracity of Hayes Ballard’s death.

Now, he had more or less confirmed it.

That means Ives Ballard has truly left Ravenfell with a group of powerful Magi, Adam thought to himself, clenching his teeth in fury.

When his gaze scanned the grieving family members of the Ballard Family, a cruel thought emerged in his mind.

He wondered if he should take the family members hostage and use them as a bargaining chip for the worst-case scenario.

His dark eyes flickered with conflicting emotions, and he wondered, But these people… they… they’re innocent…

But then, another thought clawed its way to his mind.

What if... that mysterious, robed individual wants me to take such an action?

Have I truly… completely fallen into his trap?

Just a few hours ago, Adam was reveling in the fact that he had outsmarted the supposed leader of the Cult of Bones and succeeded in safely sending away Anna from Ravenfell.

But all the Master had to do was spread some rumors, instantly shattering all illusions of Adam’s victory.

The raven-haired youth couldn’t believe it… his carefully crafted scheme, devised through meticulous planning and reinforced by numerous divinations and even a forbidden spell, had been so easily unraveled and countered by the Master.

This was a truly devious and cunning man!

Now, no matter what Adam did, whether he went after Ives Ballard, recklessly confronted and held members of the Ballard family hostage, or even chose to do nothing, he had already lost, completely and thoroughly.

Even if he remained still in the end, his mind would be constantly consumed by one thought: Was Anna safe?

This kind of psychological warfare was far more devastating to him than any spell from the School of Enchantment.

The battle between the Twilight Brotherhood and the Cult of Bones had not even reached the main stage, yet he had already suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the mysterious Master.

Another flash of lightning tore through the night sky, illuminating Adam’s visage. A permanent scowl seemed to be etched on his face as he struggled to come to a decision.

He felt utterly helpless.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed when he noticed another presence.

It felt… oddly familiar.

He turned his head to the sprawling backyard of the estate, and what he saw made his eyes widen, flames of anger and frustration practically blazing from them.

In a secluded corner of the backyard, nestled beneath the shade of a palm tree, a figure in dark robes lounged comfortably in a chair.

On the table beside him lay a bottle of wine and a crystal glass.

His hood was drawn on, concealing his face. Strangely enough, he even seemed to be hidden from the senses of the powerful Magi gathered at the manor.

He had made it so that only Adam was able to see him!

The heavy rain didn’t touch him. Each drop bounced harmlessly off an invisible mana barrier above, as if nature itself refused to disturb his presence.

With practiced ease, this mysterious figure poured wine into the glass.

Adam couldn’t pierce through the darkness beneath the hood, but something told him that this person, the Master, was flashing a taunting grin at him.

What the man did next caused Adam’s heart to turn cold.

The Master leaned forward, lifted the glass of wine, and slowly turned towards Adam.

…Then, he raised the glass in a silent, mocking toast.