Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1538 Bittersweet

Twilight Brotherhood Headquarters.

The main hall was a scene of utter gore and chaos. Lifeless bodies lay strewn across the tiled floor, some with their head severed, others pierced through their vital points.

In fact, a few were so badly mangled that barely anything recognizable remained.

Blood pooled and flowed through the grooves in the tiles, forming dark, sluggish streams. The stench of rot and death had already begun to fill the air, heavy and suffocating.

Under the artifactʼs influence, the operatives in the main hall had acted without hesitation. Its power compelled them to accept the wielderʼs words as truth, pressing those commands deep into their minds. Doubt was dulled, and skepticism felt wrong.

Even without concrete evidence, they turned on the ones marked by a red light.

The mere idea that traitors had been hiding among them was unbearable. To them, allowing such people to live felt like a greater crime than killing them.

The artifact didnʼt force their hands directly. Instead, it nudged the darkest corners of their thoughts, making the act feel natural, even necessary.

Killing traitors became normal. Justified.

So they attacked. Friends, comrades, people they had fought beside for years. They were cut down in moments of fear, rage, and warped certainty.

Now, with the artifactʼs influence fading, reality came crashing back in.

The bodies on the floor were no longer abstract threats or red marks of treachery. They were corpses. They were familiar faces. They were lives ended by their own hands.

Grief settled in first. Then heavy, crushing, and inescapable guilt.

The operatives of the Brotherhood stood amid blood and ruin, forced to confront what they had done, knowing that even if some of the dead truly were traitors, the certainty they had felt in that moment had not been entirely their

own.

They all looked toward the Wardens standing on the platform, waiting for their confirmation that the ones who had died were indeed traitors. Either way, the answer would bear a heavy weight on them.

If these marked individuals hadnʼt been traitors, then the operatives had just killed their own brothers, thier comrades.

But if the deceased truly had been traitors... then how did so many of them manage to infiltrate their organization? How long had they been walking among them, pretending to be their allies?

Either way, the day would be remembered as one of the darkest in Twilight Brotherhoodʼs history.

On the platform, Krummor handed over the copies of the documents containing concrete evidence. He didnʼt speak a word, just silently allowed them to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

The documents exposed the five Councilors, proved the Cultʼs deep infiltration, revealed illegal dealings and money laundering, exposed intelligence leaks, and listed all compromised Acolytes, Agents, and Wardens.

”Just... how long have you been aware of this?” A Warden asked, his eyes gleaming with conflicting emotions.

”We got our hands on everything except the list of Wardens almost a year ago,” Krummor answered truthfully. ”It is because of the noble sacrifice of a young Acolyte that we were able to acquire them.”

”An Acolyte?” Another Warden excalimed.

”Yes. His name was Kenny,” Krummor nodded. ”As for the list of Wardens... Lebu and his team had been working on decrypting it for the past month. They succeeded only a few hours ago. And here we are.”

”I see...”

”I... canʼt believe all this has been happening right under our noses.”

”Just when did things turn out like this?”

The Wardens discussed among themselves with dark looks on their faces. More than feeling remorse about killing their fellow comrades, they were actually ashamed that they had allowed treachery to bloom so deep within the organization.

”Now is not the time for self-pity”

A dignified voice echoed above them.

All the operatives of the Brotherhood turned toward the source of the voice. There they saw three Magi - two men and a gnome-levitate in the air. Their robes were stained with blood, and they radiated a tough and suffocating aura. The Wardens and the rest quickly understood that the battle between the Councilors had already concluded, and that the three before them had emerged victorious.

A bittersweet feeling arose in their hearts. They were happy to learn that the traitorous Councilors had all been dealt with. At the same time, they were sorrowful of how much strength the Twilight Brotherhood had just lost as a result of this vicious and bloody civil war.

Bergerʼs voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade.

”This isnʼt over,” he said. ”Not even close.”

He swept his gaze across the hall, over the blood, the bodies, and the shaken faces.

”The Sovereign Conclave is still underway. Above ground, the city is packed with dignitaries, guards, and civilians. Anything can happen.”

He paused briefly, then said in a louder voice, ”You will compose yourselves. You will return to your posts. You will provide full support to the city watch. Do not assume the danger has passed. Do not lower your guard.”

His gaze sharpened. ”There are still a few traitors out there. Some are hiding within the city. Others are still away on missions, thinking theyʼre safe”

Bergerʼs voice turned cold and absolute. ”Our job isnʼt finished. So get it

together and stay sharp!”

He paused for a moment, then bluntly added:

”In short, buckle the fuck up.”

The Acolytes, Agents, and even the Wardens straightened their postures, thier

expressions turning solemn. They gazed at the levitating gnome, who was smoking from the long, wooden pipe, and said in unison:

”Yes, Lord Councilor!”

High above the ruined hall, the statue of Aldo Wagner watched everything in

silence.

Stone eyes gazed down upon the aftermath, the blood-soaked tiles, the scattered corpses, the remnants of betrayal and violence.

Shadows clung to the statueʼs features, but from the angle of the light, its

expression almost seemed... relieved.

As if, after thousands of years, the secret order he had founded had finally been

purged of its traitorous rot.

At the far end of the hall stood a massive stone wall, its surface carved with countless names of the fallen operatives of the Twilight Brotherhood, recorded

across generations.

Lebu made his way toward it and stopped before a particular section. His steps slowed as his gaze settled on the familiar carvings etched into the stone.

He gently brushed his fingers across the name, his lips curling into a sad smile.

”Revenge has arrived, my boy,” he murmured.

”Like twilight...”