Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Capítulo 1218: Beyond Fear

“Dragonshit!”

Adam cursed under his breath, his heart full of grievance. Perched on a towering tree beyond the outskirts of Feypore, he couldn’t help but think of turning back and hiding somewhere.

The last time he faced a Mana Core-level beast, he had only managed to make it out alive because he got lucky.

He was fortunate to find that giant toad, who just so happened to be in his way. He also got lucky that the toad drove the one-eyed serpent to the brink of death before croaking—pun intended—away.

In that manner, Adam had been able to deal with not just one but two mighty beasts at the Mana Core Rank.

But now, after learning that the lost city of Feypore was home to three powerful Mana Core-level beasts and an army of other beasts, he didn’t know what to do.

And that wasn’t all…

High above the shattered skyline, a vast shadow swept across the ruins. The air rippled with the vibrations of the beast’s enormous wings, each stroke striking up clouds of dust from the broken streets below.

It was a mighty griffin, its feathers gleaming like polished bronze and its leonine body rippling with muscles, circled slowly overhead. Its golden eyes scanned the ruins with predatory focus, shifting between four points: the domains of the three strongest beasts and the large crater in the middle.

The aura the griffin gave off was suffocating. It was so dense with mana that Adam knew in an instant… the beast was unmistakably at the Mana Core Rank!

Every beat of its wings seemed to press down on the city itself, serving as a silent reminder that it ruled the skies above the forgotten ruins of Feypore. And every time it hovered closer to the city, three vast presences flared to life.

Three mighty wolves, each radiating the oppressive aura of the Mana Core Rank, stood atop fractured ruins and fixed their burning eyes on the circling griffin with intense hostility.

One was grey, one black, and the other white. The three had come to a tacit understanding. Together with their packs, they would rule Feypore’s ruins and allow no outsiders to invade their mana-rich paradise.

That was how they had managed to keep the ancient ruins from falling into the claws of other beasts in the past. Their unity was their greatest strength. Unlike solitary magical predators, these wolves strived on instinctive coordination and pack discipline.

The three alpha wolves embodied the pack mentality on a greater scale. Despite their differences in magical nature and temperament, they shared a mutual understanding born of necessity and survival.

By uniting their strength and their packs, they forged a balance of power that kept the rival beasts at bay. In the ancient ruins of Feypore, their cooperation was what ensured their dominance.

Witnessing the silent confrontation between the three wolves and the griffin, Adam suddeenly felt the urge to laugh. But before he could do so, he thrust his hand inside his mouth, causing himself to nearly gag.

Taking deep breaths, he finally calmed down a few moments later. He couldn’t help but grumble under his breath:

“Four Mana Core-level beasts… how am I supposed to deal with them? How do I get to the portal? Can I even do it? This is just… impossible!”

If it were one beast, he could have easily managed to deal with it through his schemes.

If it were two beasts, things would have been highly risky, but Adam was still confident in coming out on top after intense planning.

But four beasts at the Mana Core Rank?

That was simply suicide!

If the world knew that a young man at the Mana Vortex Rank was entertaining thoughts about confronting four Mana Core-level beasts, they would surely think that he’d gone utterly mad.

“But I’m already mad! Haha—” Adam burst into a fit of crazed laughter. But he was quick to cover his mouth viciously and then bite his tongue to force himself to calm down.

As blood trickled down from his lips, he fell into deep thought.

“How do I do it? How do I do it?” He kept repeating the same phrase over and over again, his attention shifting from the griffin to the three mighty wolves.

The ravings of the Faceless Mask assaulted his mind, fueling his madness. Amidst the crazed whispers of the Laughing God, the strangely familiar voice echoed inside his mind:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

“If you know yourself and not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat.

“If you know neither your enemy nor yourself, you will fail in every battle…”

Adam’s lips slowly curled into a wide, crazed grin.

“Of course,” he murmured. “Victory lies just beyond fear.”

He slowly rose to his feet as he imbued mana into his stealth artifacts. “I’m the man who will one day reach the pinnacle of magic! How can mere Mana Core-level beasts stop me?”

With that said, he slowly disappeared from sight, making his way into the nearest collapsed tower. Its base was half buried under rubble and thick, overgrown roots. The bottom level was overrun with wolves, their low howls echoing through the hollowed-out stone.

Adam kept his distance, climbing to the higher levels where cracked staircases and leaning walls still held together despite the thousands of years of decay.

He chose to make this place his temporary home. Dust coated the floor, and broken glass from windows and lanterns glowed faintly in the dim light. It seemed like just another broken tower until… his hand brushed against a wall.

“Would you look at that?” he whispered, his lips curling into an excited grin.

He expanded his Sphere of Resonance, ensuring the wolves below were oblivious to what was happening above them. After confirming, he pressed the wall ever so slightly.

The stone groaned and shifted, revealing a narrow gap.

Suddenly, the wolves below perked up, their tears twitching. Adam’s heart nearly skipped a beat. But after a few seconds, the beasts returned to their usual activities, ignoring the faint sound they had heard earlier.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Adam stepped inside the secret passageway.