Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1584 Single Gesture

The portal to the Soaring River Secret Plane opened once again.

The central square of Glassford was packed. Magi from every major faction on the continent stood in tense formation.

There were imperial representatives led by two Mana Core Magi, envoys from the Baja High Forest headed by a Mana Core Magus, and delegates from the Four Pillars, each accompanied by their own Mana Core Magi. There were also numerous academy professors and enforcers from Magus families.

Mana Core Magi stood at the front, their auras restrained but ready. Behind them were rows of Mana Vortex Magi, prepared for immediate action.

No one spoke loudly. All had gathered in silent anticipation. They were not here to celebrate. They were waiting to see whether the children would return at all. For the past couple of months, a single fear had gripped the continent.

That the unknown Magus who had forcefully entered the secret plane had slaughtered every promising young talent within.

If that had truly happened...

If their future had been wiped out in one stroke...

The consequences would be beyond forgiveness.

Several Mana Core Magi silently swore that if the intruder emerged alive while the children did not, they would hunt him down again and again until nothing remained of him.

The portal flared to life, then stabilized.

A figure stumbled out.

Then another.

And another.

One by one, the young Magi began emerging.

Standing at the forefront of the crowd, Daniel Ranzenberg couldnʼt help but frown. A ripple of emotions swept through the large gathering. Everyone held their breath as more and more children started to appear out of the portal. ”Boy, come here,” Daniel called out.

One of the students from Saratoga Castle, who had just emerged from the portal, turned toward Daniel and immediately stiffened. ”Lord Marshall?!” He blurted out and rushed toward him. He first offered a respectful bow and said, ”My Lord, why are you here?”

Daniel intently studied the youth. There were some bruises and cuts on the boyʼs body, and there were blood-stained bandages wrapped around the more serious injuries. ”What happened inside?” He asked in a low voice. ”Uhm...” The boy fidgeted at suddenly being questioned by the Lord Marshall of Ravenfell. ”I... I donʼt know. After we entered the secret plane, there was a huge explosion. Not just us, even the beasts inside were scared. My friends and I hid for the first few days until the chaos settled down. And after that... uh, things were pretty normal? There were no casualties from our academy, if thatʼs what youʼre asking.”

No casualties? The frown on Danielʼs face deepened.

He turned toward the other factions and noticed that they were also receiving their children with equal astonishment.

The Mana Foundation Magi who had just returned from the secret plane were bloodied and bruised. Their clothes were torn, and they looked like a mess. Some limped slightly as they stepped onto the stone floor.

But their faces... their faces were glowing with excitement. With pride and triumph.

As more and more of them emerged, the tension in the air slowly shifted. Relief slowly crept into the hardened expression of the crowd.

The Mana Core Magi exchanged subtle glances, wondering what was really going on.

If the unknown Magus had truly entered with ill intent, then why had he not made a move?

At first, the scene unfolding within the square appeared no different from any previous opening of the Soaring River Secret Plane.

Injured youths emerged. Some were carried out by their companions, while others walked out on their own, battered but proud. Elders rushed forward to assess injuries. Herbalists quickly moved into position.

It looked... normal.

But as the final count was tallied, something became clear. Something quite surprising.

The casualties were far lower than expected.

Historically, nearly thirty percent of participants perished each time the secret plane was opened. It was a brutal trial by design.

This time, however... the losses did not even reach ten percent!

The realization slowly spread through the gathered factions. If the unknown Mana Core Magus had truly entered the secret plane, then not only had he not slaughtered all the children, but the survival rate had also somehow improved. Duke Lovelace arrived beside Daniel Ranzenberg and spoke with a deeply puzzling look on his elderly face: ”Magus Ranzenberg, do you know whatʼs going on?”

Daniel slowly shook his head, his face still carrying a frown. ”Iʼm not sure.”

Finally, the last of the children exited the portal.

But strangely enough, the portal still hadnʼt closed. ”That unknown Magus should be appearing anytime now!” The Mana Core

Magus from the Tower of Daybreak growled.

Encircling the potal stood the seven Mana Core Magi, their expressions cold and unreadable. Although their auras were restrained, the pressure they exuded weighed heavily on the square.

Behind them, rows of Mana Vortex Magi stood in formation, hands gripping weapons and magical spell components. Some had already begun forming hand seals, ready to react at a momentʼs notice.

None of them knew why the unknown Magus had entered the secret plane. None knew what he had done inside, or what influence he might have had on the surviving children.

But they were certain of one thing...

The moment he stepped out of the portal, they would have their answers.

Seconds bled into minutes as the tension in the square slowly built up. Some of the people gathered were nervously sweating, wondering what would happen the next moment.

And then...

A silhouette appeared within the portal.

Then a second figure stepped out behind it.

The Mana Core Magi reacted instantly. Without a word, they released their mana pressure in unison, a crushing wave surging forward in an attempt to overwhelm the newcomers.

Magus Lovelace, as the representative of the crown, took a step forward and roared in condescension: ”Wicked Magus, surrender yourself this instant-”

Standing in front of Anna, the raven-haired youth wore a simple tunic, trousers, and leather boots.

With narrowed eyes that displayed nothing but utter contempt, he spat out a single word. ”Silence.”

With a single wave of his hand, the mana pressure released by the seven Mana

Core Magi dissipated.

A single gesture...

And every Magus present was stunned.