Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 811: You And Him Are The Same

Originally, Raze had been following the Dark Faction’s footsteps because he had learned that Bofan was someone like him- an individual who had come from the world of Alterian.

Not only was Bofan someone important who had left a significant imprint on the world of Pagna, but Raze also believed that he might have found a way to return to Alterian. When Raze saw the markings in the cave, he knew that Bofan wasn’t just any mage but a special one.

He was the only person Raze thought might know a way back. The group Alter was another, which was why he had joined them. Rather than putting all his eggs in one basket, he had spread his chances of finding a way back.

Thanks to the Bonum Society, Raze had discovered that the item known as the Golden Globe would allow him to return to Alterian, and the last person to have the Golden Globe was Bofan.

Finding out more about Bofan would hopefully lead him to the location of the Golden Globe and reveal what Bofan was planning to do with it.

“Firstly, I want you to know that my family has been in the Noctis Clan for a few generations. My great-grandfather was hired as a caretaker to look after the original clan building that once stood in this place,” Jiyo explained. “Our family then went on to produce archives of the Clan itself and of Bofan.”

“We never realized how important it would be, and as time went on and Bofan disappeared, the information that was passed down from family member to family member started to feel more important.”

Jiyo began to pace slowly back and forth in the room as he continued to explain Bofan’s tale, or at least the words that had been passed down through his family.

“You see, according to my great-grandfather, Bofan always felt like an outsider. He was a person who had a fascination for nearly everything he saw and was especially intrigued by Pagna warriors and their arts.”

“He didn’t seem to know much about the clans but was just a person who happened to be born in the Dark Faction.”

Raze could already make corrections to the story being told, but he would listen on and fit the pieces together in his own mind.

“Bofan was a traveler, a wanderer, and he became a strong warrior who would go from clan to clan, challenging the strongest warriors. He would use techniques he had learned, or new techniques, and made quite a name for himself.”

“A person that strong and free eventually had many who wished to follow him and adopt his style, and naturally, a group formed around him. My great-grandfather was also one of these people.”

“Although he wasn’t a warrior, he was there to carry their items and such, but he didn’t care. According to his journal, Bofan was a man who had saved him, and he owed a great deal to him.”

“The people who started to form around him were those from the Dark Faction, and they naturally became the Noctis Clan. I’m sure you, as a Pagna warrior, can imagine what happened next.”

“A strong clan appearing out of nowhere meant that many wished to challenge them, and because it was formed in the Dark Continent, it caught the eyes of the Light Faction and the Demonic Faction.”

“The strong wished to challenge him, and sometimes to get to him, they would target those close to him. In the end, forming the Dark Faction became a necessity to protect the Clan and the others.”

“With the Noctis Clan at the top and its founders in charge, the other clans couldn’t touch those who had grown close to the Noctis Clan.”

“Bofan loved the world. He never had a bias against other clans. He was accepting of no- names and wanderers like himself, as well as those from other factions.”

“A fight didn’t always have to be to the death in his eyes, and he often said it was because he loved these people. But there was something that always bothered him, and it was the portal breaks occurring in the world of Pagna.”

“It was almost an obsession for him, and when talking to my relatives, it seemed to be the start of the Noctis Clan as well. Although some think it was for protection, my grandfather believed the creation of the Clan was for the sake of these portals. That was how obsessed Bofan was with them.”

Raze could understand why. If there was no such thing as Alter, or the information he had beforehand, his only lead to return to Alterian would be the portals. Eventually, Bofan would have figured out that using magic was a way to open these portals into the world of Pagna as well.

“In the end, whatever the reason, it led to the start of the Dark Faction, which can mostly be seen as a good thing. When I informed Murkel of all this and the type of person Bofan was, he was almost upset.”

“Upset?” Raze replied, even though he had to admit he was hoping there was more to everything he had learned. The creation of the Dark Faction seemed to be just a means for Bofan to try and find a way back.

“Well, it seems Murkel wanted Bofan to have a greater purpose, but his reasons for doing what he did were simple. He was fascinated by martial arts, so he fought against those strong and well-versed in it, eventually creating his own style.”

“Yet, he had no desire to become a Divine warrior. At the end of the day, it was almost as if Murkel wanted their goals to be the same and was quickly upset when he realized they

weren’t.”

“Which is why I wanted to explain to you about Bofan, and see how you feel now. Before I continue, do you feel the same way currently, or are you looking for something, just as Bofan was a long time ago?” Jiyo asked.

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 812: One Last Word

“What do I think? Why I’m looking into him is what you might be asking me as well?” Raze replied, looking at Jiyo. “In a way, it’s the same as Murkel. I’m following Bofan’s footsteps because I believe he’s a man like me.”

“Let me just say that the reasons for both of our actions are the same. Unfortunately, just like Murkel, I didn’t quite get what I was looking for from this conversation.”

Despite Raze’s answer, the smile and upbeat look on Jiyo’s face didn’t disappear.

“I believe the two of you are still on a similar path, and you’ve already strayed from Murkel. For one, Murkel never learned the Noctis Clan skills.”

“He didn’t seem to care that the other faction leaders were getting rid of everything related to the Noctis Clan, yet you’ve somehow managed to learn the lost skills. It makes me imagine you have more information than you’re letting on.

“Unfortunately, there’s no more I can tell you unless there’s anything else you’d like to ask?” Jiyo said.

Disappointment was the first thing that came to Raze’s mind. Coming here had just taught him more about Bofan’s character, but he didn’t care about another man’s goals. Bofan was just a means to get to his own.

Although Jiyo seemed to see some light in Raze, in Raze’s mind, he was closer to Murkel than he thought. Just doing what needed to be done for his own selfish ends.

“There’s nothing else?” Raze asked. “No great troubles that occurred in Bofan’s life? Nothing he ever discovered about the dimensions he was looking into? Or talk of a powerful artifact he needed to get his hands on?”

It still made no sense to Raze why Bofan stole the Golden Globe in the first place. If he knew the reason, it might help him figure out where it had been hidden.

“Those answers… there was a time in our history when it’s explained that Bofan became more cautious of those around him. However, everything else remained the same. There is one thing I heard when I was a child, but I don’t think it would amount to much.”

Raze nodded along, knowing that even something small could be important at this point.

“Bofan lived a long life as he had reached the middle stage. My father speaks of a time when he was a kid, around 7 years old. He had snuck around the clan building and overheard him talking.”

“As he ventured inside, he saw a strange round object in front of Bofan. It was slightly shiny and unlike anything he had seen before.”

The object that Jiyo described sounded much like what Raze had found in the Demonic Continent’s treasury.

“He never got to meet him apart from this, as Bofan had gone missing shortly after. He states that Bofan looked at him, walked over, rubbed his head, and said these words: ‘I can’t let this world be destroyed.’ Then he looked up. ‘This is the only way to save both worlds.””

It was the end of the conversation between Jiyo and Raze. Surprisingly, Jiyo didn’t ask much more, and neither did Raze. He just mentioned that if there was any time the new leader wanted to speak to him, he would be happy to help and learn more about Bofan himself. He wished Raze luck but left him pondering with a large thought in his mind.

Raze had been pacing around the library, not really paying attention to what he was doing as he pulled out books once in a while. Eventually, he got a large sheet of paper, dipped a brush in ink, and began writing everything he knew down.

He didn’t even realize that he was writing everything down in Alterian, but eventually leaned his head back and had a better view of the whole picture.

“I think I understand what happened,” Raze said to himself. “If we take what we’ve learned about Bofan’s character into account, I can somewhat make sense of the events.”

“Bofan ended up in the world of Pagna unexpectedly. He was researching the portals as a way to return back. However, just like his great mind in researching magic, he became fascinated with Pagna martial arts as well.”

“Along the way, he made friends, a group of people he cared about. But there’s one thing we still have to consider. Just like me now, there would still be others constantly coming to Pagna, and those who were there before.”

“Even if Bofan enjoyed his life in Pagna and didn’t wish to return, he would’ve wanted to find out the root cause of the portals.”

“From what Amir told us about the Bonum Society, we know that Alter wanted the Golden Globe desperately. Maybe Bofan already knew about the Golden Globe but was no longer looking for a way to return to Alterian.”

“But he was still trying to figure out why people were coming over. If Alter’s goal is what the Bonum Society thinks it is, then it could be that Bofan took it upon himself to hide the Golden Globe.”

“To make sure Alter didn’t get their hands on it, or other clans didn’t use it to cause the Divine beings to enter Pagna. But then the last line, about wishing to save both worlds.”

“We can guess that it means Bofan wished to keep Pagna and Alterian safe. In his mind, the way to do that was to hide the Golden Globe. He must have found out something that I don’t know the answer to yet.”

Raze then stood up and smirked at the piece of paper.

“Don’t worry, Bofan. I’m not trying to find the Golden Globe to upset the balance in these worlds. I’m just going to find it so I can kill the Grand Magus, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“As for the person most likely to know about the Golden Globe, well, that would have to be where I found your recorded device and the Noctis Clan’s techniques: The Neverfall Clan in the Demonic Faction.”

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 813: Spreading The News

Inside the Demonic Faction, a city that contained the wealthiest of individuals stood strong. In the city itself there was a great tower with a golden pillar at the top, there was an individual who was ecstatic about everything that had happened so far.

“Sold out, sold out!” Bubble said, jumping for joy. His body was sweating from the exciting news he had been receiving non-stop, not just today but for weeks on end.

This was because Bubble was the sole reporter of the events that had occurred at the Martial Arts Tournament. There were others who reported on the events, but it became clear that one individual had more details than the others.

Bubble was already known for his infamous news gathering, especially after the conflict with the Behemoth Clan and the Dark Magus. But what stood out was the fact that Bubble was still publishing articles about the event.

He was drip-feeding the world of Pagna with the events that had occurred after the Martial Arts Tournament, and they couldn’t help but eat it up.

It was leaving the world in confusion. Dark Faction students turning on their own, the Dark Faction leaders going against not only these students but also one of the contestants for the Demonic Faction.

It was as if someone was trying to write up the wildest things they could imagine. Regardless, it was the details of the fights between the students and the mention of another group, the Crimson Crane, that caught their eye.

Since Bubble had omitted many details, the public and clans could only make up their reasoning for what had occurred, and that was the issue-everyone was pinpointing it to something else.

Perhaps a secret plot from the Light Faction to get rid of the Dark Faction. Maybe the Dark Faction was making themselves look weak, or was it the Demonic Faction finally taking action?

‘It’s a good thing I was able to get out of the Light Faction. Maybe because of my distraught look, they didn’t even know who I was and just guided me back to the Demonic Faction,’ Bubble thought, remembering the details.

His clothes were badly torn, and his body was weak just from being in the presence of so much fighting that had occurred again and again.

Now, Bubble was walking back and forth, thinking about what else to write about. He still had many more things to tell the world.

‘Do I write about the fact that Murkel was a Hybrid, and it was red in color? I did some research myself about that… the issue is it could stir the clans up. Someone might break in, demanding more information, and I don’t want that to happen again,’ Bubble thought.

Since the last break-in had occurred, he had upped the security. He had the funds to hire talented Middle Stage warriors. However, after seeing those who fought in the Martial Arts Tournament, he wasn’t sure they would be able to do much.

This was why he felt the need to be more careful compared to before. He still hadn’t figured out who had broken in last time, asking for information on the Dark Magus, or who had sent him the special artifacts. After seeing them used in the Light Faction, he was also careful not to get on their bad side.

It was because of these reasons he had been careful about reporting what he had seen on that day.

‘Maybe I could talk about the Hybrids I saw; there were a couple of them, or the fact that a Demonic Faction Student was also a Hybrid. It would increase sales in the Demonic Faction territory… it might also cause others to look into the Splitting Fang Clan. But there was also the Vice Principal and one of the direct descendants of the Neverfall Clan who were all Hybrids as well.

‘If I’m going to release information about the Hybrids, I need to mention all of them.’ At that moment, Bubble could see his entire tower crumbling in a single strike. He gulped down his saliva and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

‘Being in the Demonic Faction, it’s best not to anger them. I’ll leave it for when our sales completely tank. We’re still doing good, and besides, with the way things are going, there will always be news around the corner.’

Right on cue, Bubble’s trusted partner bashed through the double doors. He hit the side so hard with his shoulder that he ended up tumbling to the ground and nearly fell at Bubble’s feet.

“Cookie?” Bubble asked, looking down, at the scruffy haired man. He had next to no meat on his bones, but had been with Bubble for the longest time. He was also quick on his feet.

Back in the day, the two of them would be on the field getting the reports of information themselves first hand.

“What happened? Are we under attack again? If so, we can use my special escape room. Quick.” Bubble said, turning to his book shelf.

“No, it’s not that, sir,” Cookie said, getting up from the ground, holding his sore shoulder, and handing several papers to Bubble.

Bubble took the papers, going through them, and as he continued to read, his eyes started to widen. He went through the papers again to make sure he hadn’t misread them.

“Are you sure about everything in here, that this is factual?” Bubble asked.

“Yes, sir!” Cookie answered. “We checked it with our sources and external sources. Everything in the report is true.”

Bubble then held up the reports, placing his hand over his mouth, but the smile could still be seen underneath-it couldn’t be contained.

“I can’t believe it! The White Dragon is the same person. They’re all the same person: the Demon, the exceptional student at the Martial Arts Tournament, and the Dark Magus-all of them are the same person.”

“And now, this person is leader of the Dark Faction!!! This takes instant priority, and as people find out this information, I can’t wait to see their reactions!”

In just a few hours, the news spread across the entire Pagna continent.

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 814: Demonic News

On several streets of Pagna, the citizens and clan members were just going about their day. They were walking through the streets, looking at various market stalls, ready to select the food they would be eating that day.

While others were dragging their feet across the floor, ready to start work, repeating the routine all over again.

That was when, streaking through the center of the town, came a luxurious red and gold carriage. It came sliding across, landing in the center of the street just by a fountain that hadn’t even been turned on yet for the day.

Out of the back of the open carriage, a man could be seen coming out, holding a large stack of papers tied up by his side, and the rest of the carriage was presumably filled with even more.

“Golden News has an urgent paper out!” the man shouted at the top of his voice. “Urgent paper with important information regarding the Dark Faction is out!”

Although the man was shouting excitedly, there wasn’t exactly a rush of people to head over to the carriage to learn about what was happening. Golden News, owned by Bubble, had been delivering interesting articles day after day.

The people enjoyed them, but they were also starting to realize what was happening-they were being filtered information, and there would always be those who bought the articles first.

Eventually, throughout the day, from their friends or just word on the street, they would learn what had happened. Still, there were a few who walked up to the carriage to buy the latest news.

Those with more coin than others decided to pick up the paper. They were loyal customers, after all.

“Let’s have a look at this thing. Just how much can this news agency milk one event?” a disgruntled old man said, opening the paper. “The paper already came out this morning, so to have it as emergency news, if they’re just trying to milk me, this will be the last paper I’ll buy!”

The man skimmed through the report, and his reaction and demeanor changed. This continued with all the others reading the report as well.

“I can’t believe it, there’s a new Dark Faction leader!”

“Wait, it was him from the Martial Arts Tournament; is it a student, or just someone disguised as a student?”

“The White Dragon is the same person!”

All of the shocked bystanders reading the report caused a flood of people needing to read the report firsthand, and this was repeated all over the towns, cities, and areas of Pagna.

The news had undoubtedly spread to the great leaders of the powerful clans, including that of the Neverfall Clan. Deep in the Abyss of the Clan’s base, another meeting was occurring. “What is it with you?” Belil asked the room filled with the old elders of the clan. “Every time something comes up, no matter what it is, you decide to call a meeting. How am I meant to focus on myself if I keep getting distracted like this?”

Belil’s fist was on the table, pulsating with energy. The elders looked at it, worried that it would explode and lash out at them at any moment, but they kept their composure.

“Belil, this isn’t anything small, though. This is something that will affect the Pagna continent, and especially our position!” the elder stated. “There is a new leader of the Dark Faction, and not only that, it’s the Dark Magus.”

“The person that you recently wedded to your daughter, and one of the contestants at the Martial Arts Tournament!”

For a lot of people, the Neverfall Clan was at the center of it all, and the leading theory was that they were the ones behind everything.

“I wish I could claim credit for everything they are saying out there,” Belil said with a smile. “But what had occurred was even crazier than I thought. I can’t believe that student sent everyone away and was also the Dark Magus, who is married to my daughter.”

“Now I wish I could have come to the tournament myself.” Belil laughed, as he imagined the greater chaos that would occur if he were there.

“Right, but who knows what the Dark Magus was planning,” one of the elders said. “The fact that they didn’t warn us, and now they’re the leader of the Dark Faction, it could mean very dangerous things for us.”

“Either the Demonic Faction will see us as allies of the Dark Faction, or the Neverfall Clan now has an ally in the Dark Faction.”

Belil then waved his hand.

“You’re saying the same thing, making it sound like it’s different. What does it matter?”

“Because it does matter. What I’m asking you right now is, how do you view the Dark Magus and the Dark Faction? Are they enemies of ours that we will have to deal with, or will you help him and go against the entirety of the Demonic Faction?”

All of the elders there had selected Belil as the head of the clan. There were no questions asked. They would listen to his orders and stay. At times, there were those who felt like Belil had made wrong decisions, but somehow everything Belil did turned into a positive outcome for the entire clan.

It was as if his instincts were always telling him the right thing to do.

“The Dark Magus is my son!” Belil answered. “And that will not change. He has done nothing wrong to us, so there is no reason to deal with him. The fact that he has taken over the entire Dark Faction is the greatest achievement a father like me could ever ask for!”

Belil was almost pounding his chest, he was so proud. He was even prouder of his daughter for finding such a man and wrapping him around her finger.

“I thought that would be the case,” the elder and a few others sighed. “I’m sure you must know it already; the news has reached the Behemoth Clan, and it looks like they’re going to

act.”

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 815: An Unruly Guest

The Light Faction was unable to settle down for a moment due to the events that had occurred in the Martial Arts Tournament. For one, they had to ensure the safety of everyone in the crowd and those involved.

They were trying to mend relationships with the empire stationed within the Light Faction territory, as well as others spread across the continent.

After all, some merchants were based in areas such as the Demonic Faction and had a monopoly on certain materials used to make weapons. Since the Light Faction was the one hosting the Martial Arts Tournament this time, with everything that had occurred, they had no choice but to apologize.

All plans of what they wished to do after the Martial Arts Tournament were placed on pause, which was why they hadn’t made any moves apart from those regarding the tournament.

As further news started to come out, it was decided that an expedited meeting was to take place.

Inside the Light Faction territory, not near any of the cities, towns, or villages, there was a large building with an oval shape. It was made of a special mesh on the top, crossing over and making it seem like it was naturally built by nature, like a bird’s nest.

The building also seemed to be floating, making it look like a giant boat with the oval object in the center. In there, a meeting was occurring between the highest-ranking members of the Light Faction.

The largest clans were present, as well as all of the Elders from the Dawnblade Clan and many more. The inside of the building was almost like a miniature arena.

There were stands with large chairs that all pointed inward toward the center flooring. Although the space of the flooring itself was relatively small, around 15 meters in length and width.

As all of the important figures of the Light Faction were present, sitting around the outside, in the center, three individuals stood, spaced slightly apart from each other. They were quite recognizable figures in all of Pagna.

“Is this really necessary?” Ricar asked as he lifted his hands, and chains could be seen interlocking around his wrists, with beams of energy between them. Trying to break such a thing would just cause the person to lose both of their hands.

Although someone of Ricar’s caliber, being the head elder of the Dawnblade Clan, might be able to break free without injuring himself.

“We already told you everything that happened, and I’m sure you have been able to somewhat confirm the details yourself thanks to the reports that have been coming from the Golden News,” Ricar continued, thankful there was another witness.

Otherwise, it might sound like he was shaking things up regarding what had happened that day. On top of that, he had informed them of even more than what was reported, making everything slightly more believable.

“It’s just a formality,” Kawak said. “It was requested by all of the Light Faction, and don’t worry, I believe everything you have said. After all, you even decided to return, but that seems to be part of the major problem.”

“Exactly!” Another Clan Head, Haris, who had a large frame for his shoulders, which was not the usual look for Light Faction warriors, whose techniques focused on elegance and swift

movements.

“The issue is, on the day, all of us were transported out, and the only three that managed to stay at the arena were you three-Ricar, Beatrix, and Hannah. All three of you are part of the Dawnblade Clan, and you think it was a coincidence that only you three weren’t transported?” There was quite the disturbance within the Light Faction for various reasons. So any planned attack on the Dark Faction or Demonic Faction after what had occurred was thrown out the window due to the issue that occurred.

“Shut your mouth!” one of the ten Elders of the Dawnblade Clan shouted. “Your Mirror Clan has been crushing outer clans for every move we make. You’re just trying to pin the blame on us to be part of the Upper Order!”

“We already figured out the reason those three weren’t transported with the rest of us was because of the positioning of everyone! Ricar did everything he could, and so did the others!”

“Did he, though?” Haris asked, arms folded and eyebrows raised. “The three of them should have died there, after knowing that the Red Hybrid had returned, and now we don’t even know the status of the Red Hybrid.”

The shouting match continued between multiple clans, and in the end, Kawak had to raise his hand to make the others stop.

“We can’t dwell on these matters if we wish to move forward, as the current situation is dire for us all,” Kawak stated. “This event has been somewhat of a loss for us, as it wasn’t what was planned.”

“We have lost one of our powerful artifacts in all of this…”

When this was mentioned, for a brief moment, Beatrix looked at Ricar. There was something that Ricar had never told them, and it was about the artifact used to change the terrain of the

arena.

She knew that Ricar had taken it with him, yet he hadn’t told the others that he had it in his possession. As a member of the Dawnblade Clan herself, she had decided to keep her mouth shut, and so did Hannah.

“On top of that, there is now a possible figure that has arisen in all of this, the new leader of the Dark Faction, the Dark Magus, who might be even stronger than the Red Hybrid of the past.”

“We know an artifact was used for him to gain this power, and if he is truly that strong, then it is something we need to worry about.”

The Light Faction members nodded in agreement.

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” a voice said as a person was heard walking through the tunnel leading to the floor where Ricar and the others were. “If the artifact was a multi-use tool, then they would have never waited till the end to use it.”

“That power he obtained is temporary,” a man said as he walked onto the floor.

“What are you doing here?” Kawak asked.

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 816: A New Relationship

The strange man who had entered was not wearing traditional Pagna clothing. He had come in with a walking stick, standing there, holding the top of the stick with both hands.

He wore a bright blazer made up of blue, gold, and white colors, and also had a pocket watch hanging from the pocket of his blazer down to his trousers.

His bright hair was slightly between blonde and white. It was hard to pinpoint a colour but it had a strange strength to it, not appearing weak. Along with the rest of his clothing, this all made him stand out quite a bit different from Pagna warriors. On top of that, the man had not entered alone. By his side, there were two figures in robes.

They were black-colored, with a red hood at the top. The bottom of the robe was heavily tattered, but neither of their facial expressions could be seen due to the square iron-like mask covering their faces.

Immediately when Kawak saw these three, particularly the man in the center, there was a large frown on his face, but even though he recognized this figure, there were many in the Light Faction who did not.

They turned, looking at each other.

“Wasn’t the Mirror Clan stationed outside this time as security? How did they manage to get in?”

“Were they invited? I don’t think so, and I don’t recognize their clan’s uniform at all. I’m not sure they’re part of the Light Faction.”

“Hey!” Haris shouted, and immediately jumped down from his position and landed on the ground. “What did you do to my men outside? Three like you would never be able to get through them.

“Not unless you played some type of dirty trick! Tell me, now!” Haris had drawn his single- handed sword, which was relatively large in size and would almost be a greatsword in others’ hands.

Instead of acknowledging the man in front of him, the blonde-haired man stared up and looked directly at Kawak with a smile. He then pulled out a handkerchief.

“I just realized that I missed a spot,” the man said as he wiped a speck of red from his hands, while the handkerchief was soaked red.

“Impossible, impossible!” Haris shouted as he charged forward. His sword was shining bright along with his feet, and he kicked off from his position.

He ran right past Ricar and the others, swinging his sword from above, ready to strike down. In the middle of his strike, one of the robed men at the side reached out his hand.

In front of everyone’s eyes, the first swift strike coming from above appeared to slow down. It was moving through the air, along with the rest of the energy around him, all moving at an incredibly slow speed as if in slow motion, while everyone could see things clearly.

“Deleters, delete him for me,” the blonde-haired man ordered.

The other robed figure on the other side of the man then crouched down, preparing his hand. Lightning started to form around his fist, taking the shape of a vicious tiger.

Right after, large sparks appeared from his feet, and the robed figure exploded forward. With his fist, he punched directly into Haris’ chest. When it hit, the lightning branched out and condensed, allowing the Deleter’s hand to easily go through his body.

There was nothing Haris could do, as he seemed to be stuck in slow motion. No matter how hard he tried to swing or move his sword to block the strike, nothing worked.

Even in his final moments, as life escaped from him, it seemed like time moved slowly.

“Two on one… that’s not very fair,” were Haris’ last words.

The Light Faction members, seeing one of their clan heads taken out in front of them, were beyond furious. Many of them were ready to enter the arena floor immediately to strike, despite what they had just seen.

“STOP!” Kawak ordered as he slammed his fist on his chair. A resounding echo spread along with his Qi, hitting everyone, making them aware he was serious about his order.

“I don’t want to lose important members of our faction. We can’t fall apart just because they are here… for those of you who are unaware, the person in front of you is Heino, the leader of the group you all know as Alter,” Kawak explained.

Currently present in the Light Faction, nearly everyone knew of the group Alter, but knowing the other things they did or who the leader was, was a privilege only a few knew, and that included Ricar and Kawak.

‘So those were the infamous Deleters I heard about,’ Ricar thought. ‘It seems they are just as strong as stated. If there is ever a large issue that Alter wishes to get involved in, they send one of their Deleters to deal with the situation.’

‘How many times have we had to cover up for them,’ Ricar thought.

“Thank you for the introduction,” Heino smiled. “It’s so nice to meet you all. Those in the Light Faction have used my services multiple times.”

“And Kawak, you didn’t think I would just leave things be and not come back for payment for everything I gave you, after all, they were just being borrowed, right?”

Kawak didn’t say anything; it was almost as if he couldn’t to this man in front of him. Even though there were only two next to him, and the entire clan heads of the Light Faction, Kawak didn’t try to anger the person in front of him.

“We can deal with that,” Kawak eventually said. “Why don’t you tell us why you have decided to appear right now in front of us all?”

Heino then lifted up his cane a few inches off the ground and slammed it down. The floor lit up beneath his feet.

“There is a problem that has occurred, a common enemy that we both have,” Heino explained. “I think it’s time to make our temporary relationship a permanent one.”

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 817: Warn The Dark Magus!

The Dark Faction had been under the rule of its new leader, the Dark Magus, for around a month or so now, and things weren’t quite what others expected. Historically, when new leaders rose, they would often make significant changes to show their ambition and prove they were right for the role.

Either the leader would go on a voyage into the other factions and plan an attack to show their strength, or maybe there would be disruption in the Dark Faction over who was the leader, but none of that had occurred.

If anything, things felt the same, but it was an issue for most of the clans, not just in the Dark Faction but in all the other factions as well. It felt like the calm before the storm-that just one thing needed to occur, and that would be the catalyst to start it all.

The Crimson Crane and the rest of the allies with Raze had settled into the academy. It was their resting place. There were plenty of empty rooms now compared to before for them to stay in the academy, but they didn’t just lounge around.

The Crimson Crane members were skilled in martial arts before, so from time to time, they would give special lessons to the students. The clan members were fine with this, knowing the strength of the Crimson Crane, a group of wanderers small in number but able to defend against the Behemoth Clan.

As for the others, they were somewhat off doing their own thing. Liam was hanging around with Zon and Anna more and stayed in the outer areas of the academy, where there were restaurants, shops, and a few housing areas just before one would enter the main academy but after the bridge.

Then there was also Amir, who essentially was running the academy as the principal, handling small matters concerning the Faction itself. Any questions that came up, at the moment, the Dark Magus was much more a figurehead, used as a deterrent.

While others were committed to their own training within the academy, they had several sections in the vast academy that allowed them to train on their own. Personal homes with large courtyards where they could freely use their skills.

After all, after facing the Dark Faction clans, they had obtained artifacts that were powerful but needed to learn how to use them in a valuable fight. It would take some time for them to increase their strength.

Currently, some of the Crimson Crane members, after finishing their teaching, had gathered in the library area. It was their usual spot as they came to converse. They were laughing and joking about what had occurred with their students these days.

“I can’t believe you guys have such good classes,” Forma said. “There’s hardly anyone that even uses bow techniques, and everyone wants to learn their clan ways or prove that their clan is the best. How do you even deal with it?”

The small warrior slumped her body across the table as she continued to sulk.

“Cronker, you’re so lucky you found such loyal students to help you out. You have your own group of assassins.”

“I wouldn’t call it luck,” Cronker said with his arms folded. “Alba has asked me to try and increase those under me…which means we might be put to use. You should know the most dangerous profession in any clan or group is an assassin. They have to be prepared to die for the cause.

“I have only survived this long because I have been in a group like the Crimson Crane for so long.”

There was a silent moment among them all as well, thinking about their situation. The Crimson Crane members knew that Alba always had strong ambition. She wanted to be above the great clans of the Factions.

Someday, she wanted them to act and grow, and now they were doing it in a strange way.

“I just want to know when we’re going to get our weapons!” Lily complained. “I haven’t even seen Raze this entire time. Have you guys?”

“I spoke to him from time to time,” Reno answered. “I can assure you, he has been trying to create weapons for all of you, but he wishes to create the very best. For you to have something at the same level as what Tilion obtained.

“He is trying every day, but it seems like there is slight luck involved when creating these weapons, and he has been greatly unsuccessful in creating weapons for you all, but they will come.”

Lily, Forma, Cronker, and Alba. All of them couldn’t wait to see what weapons they would have, giving them a chance to be just as helpful as the others who had already received everything they needed.

“It appears that he has also been extremely busy during the day as well.”

“Right,” Keizer said. “He did invite me once, and that room was a complete mess. He seems to train more than any other Pagna warrior I know, but it was clear he was testing something.

“I know one thing for sure: that man is chasing demons. He’s fighting demons in his sleep and every moment he’s awake.”

Liver was holding onto his shoulder, remembering the ringing pain from when he had been called in by Raze for a moment. He had just been used as a practice doll for new techniques. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he came in one day and asked for all of us to fight him at once.” It was getting harder and harder for them, day by day, to comprehend the strength that Raze had obtained now, but it also left them quite excited.

On the outside of the academy walls, a large tall man had entered wearing a long trench coat dragging along the floor. He stood there as he looked up at the academy wall.

“I need to warn him,” Harvey said as he looked up, his hand pressed inside his trench coat. He patted himself a few times as if searching for it. “Right, no smokes.” He then slowly lifted his hand out, covered in a red liquid, soaked in blood. “Before time runs out.”

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 818: Just Getting Stronger

Inside the main building of the Dark Faction Academy, there were several rooms and places that were off-limits to the regular students.

One of these places included a Zen Garden. It was an area curated for the teachers to spend time and cultivate in.

There were a number of well-architected plants, floorways with white stones, and the sound of running water in the garden itself.

In one area of the Zen Garden, there was a large tree that blossomed with pink flowers. It was an unusual sight since spring had already ended, and they were moving into a wintery season.

Yet the plants were blooming brightly, showing all sorts of colors.

“This is really strange,” Alba said, looking at all the plants and running her fingers across one as she could smell a strong, sweet fragrance coming out.

“Even in spring, if I tried to have plants show this much color, it would be something that’s impossible for me.”

As she followed the plants more and more, she saw the large tree blooming pink, and sitting directly underneath it was Safa, cross-legged.

“Are you the reason for all of this?” Alba asked.

Safa, opening her eyes and seeing the Crimson Crane leader, stood up and gave a polite bow.

“They seem to react to my special power,” Safa replied, referring to her light magic. “Plants are quite sensitive things. When Raze walks in here, they seem to cower away; some of them even seem to die.

“I’ve been getting better at keeping them alive, but I guess it’s just proof that his strength is far stronger than mine.”

Alba somewhat understood what Safa was saying. She had seen what Safa could do, her restoring powers, and had seen the destruction Raze was capable of.

She was quite surprised to see it had an effect on the environment. Regardless, she reached behind her, pulling out a cloth-wrapped item and then threw it out.

Safa caught the long object, and her eyes lit up.

“Is this…”

“It is.”

Unwrapping the item, a long white spear was revealed with golden engravings running along the pole all the way to the tip’s edge.

The edge of the blade was glowing white with energy.

“It took a lot of effort, but I’m sure it was worth it. The Lux sword has now been turned into a Lux spear, so it should suit you quite a bit.”

Safa never thought that Raze would allow her to have such a powerful weapon. There were many who had seen its effects, and she was sure that he would want to keep it for himself.

For a brief period, she had borrowed it when going up against the Dark Faction clans. In her hands, she found out that the Lux sword was even more spectacular.

It boosted her light magic powers, and in turn, the powers of the sword increased as well. It was because of the sword she was able to match up to those she never thought she would be able to.

However, there was one thing-Safa had focused on spear techniques above everything else. It was her weapon of choice and what she was most comfortable with.

Now everything was coming together. She had a powerful weapon that suited her magical abilities and went with her Pagna techniques as well.

“It was harder to get it due to our usual guy being in the Demonic Faction, and we don’t exactly know how well they would treat us.

“It cost me an arm and a leg as well, but I think it’s worth it for our little sweetheart.” Although Alba said this, Raze had actually given her more than enough from the gifts he had received since taking over the Dark Faction; she was just doing a little playful teasing.

‘I should be careful with all these items and how much that guy dotes on his sister-there’s a chance she could become even stronger than me,’ Alba thought, looking at the spear again and wondering if that was already the case. Just holding its power and seeing the garden like this, this person was beyond special, including the skills she had displayed in the martial arts tournament.

‘Well, I’m sure all this work I’m doing for Raze will pay off as well. At some point, I’ll be getting something from him, and I hope it’s as good as Talion’s item.’

Alba had only taken a few steps forward, and in doing so, Cronker appeared right in front of the two of them.

“There is an emergency message from the teachers. It appears that someone from Alter has appeared.”

“From Alter?” Alba said. “Then what has Amir said? Why are you reporting to me?”

“Amir is already aware. In fact, he was the one who told me to get you,” Cronker replied. “Me? What good would I do?” Alba asked.

“It’s not you, ma’am. The one he asked for is Safa,” Cronker stated. “It appears that Amir knows who this Alter is and believes that Raze and his friends might know as well.

“However, it seems like the man is in critical condition and is unable to speak. The Hybrid’s special power is being used, but it’s still not enough.”

“Help someone from Alter? But aren’t they one of the groups that might be after us? What are they even doing here in the first place?”

Alba realized that was the issue- they didn’t know. Why would an injured man, near death, come to this place of all places?

Raze was a member of Alter, and they should very well know by now that he was the leader of the Dark Faction, yet not a single member had come asking about him.

He thought he might be able to play the game with Alter for a little longer-they didn’t know he was working with Bonum Society, after all-yet there had been silence.

“Take me to them,” Safa said.

Going through the academy, it didn’t take long until she saw a large man in a trench coat

being laid out on a table.

“Harvey…” Safa said, recognizing the person who had introduced them to Alter.

With a weak smile Harvey turned to look at Safa on the Table and manged to mutter out a few

words.

“We’re all f*cked.”

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 819: The Leader Of Red Fortis

The Dark Faction Academy wasn’t just a single area or place. The actual size of the land where the Dark Faction Academy was situated was fairly large. It was on its own separate piece of land that looked broken off, almost as if someone had made it that way on purpose.

The journey to the academy was up a large mountain, and then, when finally reaching what looked like the only flat piece of land, if one continued to follow the path, they would find a bridge made out of land.

Connecting from one side all the way to the land where the academy was, surrounded by a type of large mist-like area. It was quite the drop if one were to fall. However, even after crossing into the main area, one wasn’t in the academy immediately.

The land surrounded by the mist was large enough to be the size of any other city in the Dark Faction territory, and it was treated as such.

There were several living areas outside of the academy, stalls, and the area had its own ecosystem of regular citizens who would also live near the academy. According to Amir, Raze had found out that this had built up even more so after Murkle had become principal, as a number of merchants among others would constantly visit.

There were even a few talented forgers in the academy area itself who made armor and weapons, as well as clothes for the students, among other stalls with everything one needed to live and enjoy everyday life.

Currently, walking through the built-up city-like area was Zon, who was looking at

everything with a keen eye. He had walked past a few blacksmiths and forgeries, looking at their weapons.

“The system states that these weapons are 10 percent more efficient than the ones around the corner. This person is quite skilled. I should make a note of this person and pass the information on to Raze… when I meet him,” Zon said to himself and even let out a bit of a sigh.

‘It’s a shame that I still haven’t found the time to speak to Raze about my issues, but it also appears that he will have bigger things to settle. Right now, I don’t even know if my matter is urgent or not, nor do I know the full status of the Red Fortis Army.’

Zon continued to walk. He was covered in the normal Pagna cloth that was thin and light over his body. Otherwise, he would have had a large number of stares and heads turning his way due to the strange black suit that was tight-fitting to his body.

No one in the Crimson Crane or those in the academy had seen Zon ever take the suit off; it was almost as if it was part of his body.

While continuing his walk, a message appeared in his view from his system, the same system that was being used by Anna and Liam.

“It appears that this body needs some refueling.” Zon turned his head and looked at a large red-roofed restaurant. It was two floors with a balcony on the outside. On the second floor, a large number of people were enjoying the food, and it was the same for the inside as well.

The restaurant was the biggest of its kind-a noodle shop located fairly close to the entrance after the bridge. It was successful because of its positioning. For Zon, it was just the closest place for him at the moment to enter.

As he entered, he was greeted and sat down, ready to eat. He proceeded to look at the menu and placed his order, and it didn’t take long for him to receive a serving of noodles in a chicken broth.

Using the chopsticks by his side, he quickly ate the noodles, leaving most of the broth behind. Seeing that he was done, an employee came over.

“Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?”

“No, that will be enough,” Zon answered, as he reached into his pocket and handed over 4 bronze coins.

The worker looked at the coins in his hand and counted them again before giving off a fake smile.

“Umm, sir, the rest of the payment?” the worker asked.

“The rest of the payment?” Zon replied. “All the noodle shops for this portion size cost three coins. Due to your prime location, I expect you to charge more, so I have handed you 4 bronze coins instead of 3.”

“Sir, that’s not how our establishment works. Our food costs six bronze coins; it’s not based on how much you feel it’s worth, and besides, we make the best noodles in the Academy area.”

It was then that Zon scoffed and let out a laugh.

“Your noodles are by far not the best-they were slightly undercooked for one, needing around ten more seconds to be boiled. On top of that, the seasoning was inadequate as well.” “It seems like the only reason this place is so popular is due to its location, but a price is a price,” Zon said.

Just as Zon reached in to pay for his noodles, he could feel a heavy presence staring at him. A man was walking over who was just as wide as he was tall, dressed in white cloth that had a number of stains covering it. His hair was tied up in a knot going along his back, covered in a type of netting.

“What did you say about my restaurant’s food?”

“Sir Rane!” the worker said, turning around and bowing down.

“For someone who was talking bad about our noodles, you seem to have eaten all of that slop,” Rane, the head chef and owner of the restaurant, stated.

“I was only stating the truth. I could perform the perfect time to cook noodles and the adequate seasoning that would suit most people’s taste. It is… what I do,” Zon replied.

Zon could tell that his words were filling Rane with more rage than before, but that was just how he was he was the type of person who told the truth.

“You really think you can do better? Then prove it in the kitchen-don’t just say things if you can’t back them up,” Rane claimed.

Evaluating the situation, Zon figured it would be more trouble for him if he didn’t get this over and done with. If he left right now or just paid an amount, the man’s character was the type to chase him around.

So he decided to head to the kitchen. This caught the attention of many of the workers, who could see part of the kitchen from where they were.

Rane stood by the side with his arms folded while one of the chefs stood aside, allowing Zon to go ahead and work. They all carefully watched as he prepared everything from scratch. The flour, along with other ingredients, was quickly and perfectly measured, then it was kneaded in the air, spinning it and slinging it into thin pieces. Right after, Zon got to cutting the added ingredients that would be placed with the noodles, quickly and precisely. Each piece of vegetables and herbs cut was nearly exactly the same size. He continued to do this, splicing the noodles inside, and then everything came together as the bowl of noodles had been crafted, steaming hot, for Rane and the other chefs to see.

Just watching everything, all of the chefs wanted to taste the noodles that were created-ones that seemed to be made with a perfect eye for every single detail.

It was then that Rane didn’t say anything else as he went to the noodles and brought a small spoon and chopsticks. He brought it to his mouth, taking it in, and taking some of the broth, and he could feel the flavors hitting his mouth, satisfying every single craving he had.

“How is something like this even possible…” Rane said as he turned to look at Zon.

It was a look none of the others had seen on Rane before. They knew he had high standards, and there were multiple times where he criticized the other cooks for the smallest of details.

Not once had he made such a face when tasting their food.

“It can’t be that great, can it,” another cook said as he walked over and tasted from the same bowl as Rane did. Just after the first sip, his mouth remained sealed shut, wishing to experience every single flavor there was, savoring it in his mouth, thinking that he would

never taste such a thing again.

“I knew it!” Rane said. “I knew it, you thought you could trick me, right? This was a test that you gave yourself to impress me, well, I must say it worked.” Rane patted his belly a few times. “That’s it, you’re hired as our head chef!”

“I’m what?” Zon asked, wondering just what he had gotten himself into-one of the strongest warriors ever to exist, and leader of the infamous Red Fortis Army.

Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 820: I Work Here!

Over the month of the new Dark Faction going through its reconstruction, one special thing was occurring at the academy. A noodle shop had undergone rebranding, now calling itself “Perfect Noodles.”

It had become one of the most popular places to eat in the entire outer academy area, and it seemed that word was spreading outside of the academy as well.

At times, there would be visitors to the academy, claiming that they wished to discuss or meet with certain individuals, but the truth was, they were there to taste what they had heard were some of the best noodles that the world of Pagna had to offer.

This was all because there was a new head chef at the place, and it was all thanks to the one known as Zon.

Currently, inside the establishment, in the back kitchen, Zon was taking a step back, overlooking the line of cooks. He was carefully observing with his hands folded and pointed to one of the bowls. “Add a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of MSG,” Zon ordered, then pointed to another person who was taking a metal basket filled with noodles out of water. “Not yet-two seconds more… now!”

On his every command, the cooks followed Zon’s instructions, all for the sake of making the perfect noodles.

At the end of the line, with a small spoon, there was Rane, personally tasting every single dish. Although his face didn’t look satisfied, he allowed them to go out. ‘No matter how much direction he gives them, I still haven’t been able to experience the same taste as that day,’ Rane thought, and then looked out through the small gap at the customers raving about the food.

As they took a sip of the broth and then slurped down the noodles, there was a satisfied delight on their faces. ‘I think of it as a curse. While they are all happy tasting these imitations of the perfect noodles, for me, only one can satisfy that taste.’

There was no doubt that the restaurant had gotten substantially busier since the rebranding and the hiring of the new head chef, but Rane was wondering what the difference was between Zon and the others-why couldn’t they recreate the perfect noodles again?

As for Zon, who had been swept up in all of this, he was thinking along the same lines as he looked at the cooks. ‘Although they can’t produce the perfect ratios of ingredients that I used, with my direction they are able to get pretty close. But there is something else that is missing with them, and it’s the perfect mixture,’ Zon thought, as he lifted his hand to his face and looked through the gaps in his fingers.

Then he openly said, “What am I even doing here? I’ve gotten too caught up in all of this!”

The same words came out of Zon’s mouth nearly every day, but with nothing else for him to do, he found himself almost drawn to the shop. His leadership skills, ingrained from his time in the Red Fortis Army, were being put to use.

He, too, wanted to create a restaurant with the most skilled workers and make it so every one of them could create the perfect noodles. His obsession, which made him who he was today and the leader of the Red Fortis Army, had now been hammered into this shop of all things. “A one-hour wait? Come on!” a man shouted so loudly that nearly everyone in the shop could hear him.

They could see a group of five standing by the door, all of them menacing-looking men carrying large clubs by their side. They were ready to enter the restaurant when they received a small raffle-like ticket.

A system designed to fairly allow everyone who was there to be served on a first-come, first- served basis, and just now, this group of people had been told an estimated wait time. “Are you saying all of these guys are here waiting?” the man in front said, giving them a stare and allowing some of the Qi from his body to be released. “Look, we’re Pagna warriors, we’re busy people that need to get to training.” “We are part of the Dark Faction and part of the people that even protect this place. So how can you put us warriors in the same queue as the other regular citizens?”

Some of those who were waiting started to notice the bald-headed man in front. His name was Skyler. A talented warrior who had graduated from the academy two years ago.

He was a rising star in the Wu Club Clan, a clan that wasn’t one of the top five but was fairly active in the Dark Faction. Unlike many of the others who were at the restaurant, they had actually come to greet the new leader, the Dark Magus.

Rather than having an elder who represented the clan, Skyler wanted to see things for himself, and if possible, even get a chance to fight the new Dark Magus. ‘I heard the new leader was a student… if his strength is really that to match up with Murkel, then I want to test it firsthand, and if he sees my strength, then we can get our clan up to new heights!’ Skyler thought.

But before a fight, one needed to fill their belly with energy, and seeing such a busy place had caught their eyes and led them to this situation.

A worker quickly came rushing over, bowing his head to the warriors. “I’m sorry, sir, but it is our restaurant policy to treat everyone on a first-come, first-served basis,” the worker stated. “This restaurant is popular with many Pagna warriors, and if we implemented what you stated, then the regular citizens wouldn’t be able to enjoy our food.” “There are many establishments in the city that cater to serving just Pagna warriors.” One of the men behind Skyler walked right past the worker and headed inside. “And this isn’t one of the places that don’t appreciate what us warriors do. When there is a war, we are the first in line to protect the Dark Faction; we are the ones that risk our lives fighting!” the warrior said, and the rest of them nodded.

Skyler walked past into the restaurant as well, looking at the workers and the faces of the people. “But aren’t we safe from Pagna business?” one of the customers whispered to the others. “I mean, warriors are meant to deal with themselves, so even if there was a war, we wouldn’t be affected, right?” “You know nothing!” one of the men said, pulling out his club and bashing it on top of the table, knocking the noodles onto the floor and splitting it in half. “What do you think you’re doing!” the customer said, standing up. “You’re a warrior and aren’t meant to get involved in this stuff.” “And you should know that no kingdom would get involved if a nobody like you were killed on the spot,” the warrior replied. “Hey,” Skyler said as he walked over to his fellow colleague, a little nervous. “Don’t you think you’re going a little too far?”

It was then that the other warriors started to gather their clubs and bashed the tables next to them, emitting a large amount of Qi, each of them letting out their frustration on the customers. Some of the cooks, seeing what was happening to their restaurant, as well as servers, wanted to go stop the madness.

They were ready to go ahead when another more level-headed person next to them reached out their hand to stop them, knowing full well that they could do nothing against warriors- they were just regular people.

That was until one person stood up. “What the f*ck do you guys think you’re doing!” A loud bellowing voice came from the corner of the restaurant, and Rane was seen walking over with his heavy footsteps. Rane was an ordinary person and was not a Pagna warrior, but he still had a heavy presence that they were all aware of in the shop. “Can you use your ears, or are those things on the side of your head just for decoration!” Rane shouted. “My shop, my policy, and if you don’t like it, you can go somewhere else.” “And now, like a spoiled child, because you guys didn’t get your way, you start destroying my stuff! You think just because you’re part of the Wu Club Clan, you can just do what you want!”

Rane recognized them, as did others sitting in the room, yet despite all of that, Zon was impressed—even knowing the warriors in front of him were fairly strong, he was still standing up to them.

The man who had broken the table earlier grabbed his club hard. “I’m tired of it, tired of it-all the way since we got here, there has been a huge disrespect!” the man shouted.

On their journey, there were a number of warrior bandits as well as other issues they had dealt with, including their items being stolen from them in the middle of the night. Due to a lack of food, they were hungrier than they were letting on, and all of that hunger was coming out as anger. “I see, the reason you disrespect us is because you have no idea what we can do with a simple swing!” the man shouted as he swung his club. “No, wait!” Skyler shouted, but it was too late to stop his friend.

Rane never thought a warrior would take a swing at him, and seeing how fast it was, it was something he couldn’t avoid. Being an ordinary person, the club hitting him would have splattered his head open like a watermelon.

That was until the club had been stopped at the last second. “Who are you?” the warrior asked. “I’m just someone who works here,” Zon replied. “And he’s my boss.”