Chapter 1334: A Fun Night (Part 2)
After Raze had made his grand reveal about how the group had no money, it only raised more questions in everyone’s minds.
Several of the students, including the now quite animated Moze, were standing up, shouting all sorts of words at the others.
They were claiming they had been tricked. Everyone knew that a mage’s power was often linked to their family background. If you came from a family of strong mages, chances were you’d be strong yourself. And strong mages usually had money.
Sure, none of the transfer students were Central Academy level or had talents to match those elites, but they should have had enough money to at least cover a food bill.
Which was exactly why the others felt like they’d just been scammed by a bunch of freeloaders.
“I think it’s fair,” Beatrix chimed in. “After all, you guys were the ones who invited us. Isn’t it the host’s responsibility to pay?”
“What?! Maybe that’s the case if this was a date or something,” Chiba shot back, her face flushed. “But we’re all students! Just because our parents have money doesn’t mean that money magically comes to us!”
Beatrix had tried her best to shift the mood, but it clearly wasn’t working.
“Maybe I should say that phrase,” Liam muttered under his breath. “It got us out of trouble last time… it might work again, right?”
“Don’t say it!” Raze interjected immediately. Now was not the time. They had lucked out last time using that phrase, but here, so close to the Academy and surrounded by mostly common students, the odds of anyone understanding its meaning were slim, and worse, it might actually irritate some of them.
Maybe the police officer had understood what situation they were really in back then… but this crowd definitely wouldn’t.
“Calm down,” Piba said with a warm smile. “I’ll pay for it. So let’s stop arguing and just go with the flow for tonight, alright?”
And with that, the night wound down. Thankfully, since everyone was more than a little intoxicated, the incident felt like just a small blip that would soon be forgotten.
The group first dropped off the others at their rooms. Before they entered, Safa used a Light Magic spell on them to cleanse the alcohol from their bodies.
“It won’t work immediately,” Safa explained with a gentle smile. “It’ll take about thirty minutes, but that’s on purpose, so you’ll all be sound asleep by then.”
Raze was impressed. Safa was already learning so much from her time with Daina, even mastering how to make her magic linger rather than act instantly.
After taking everyone back one by one, the group finally returned to their own quarters, each letting out a collective sigh of relief.
“Man… it’s hard keeping up this act,” Liam groaned. “I honestly don’t know how you did it for so long back in Pagna.”
“It was difficult,” Raze admitted. “But I guess with more of us now, it just makes everything feel… amplified.”
He glanced around at the group. “Still, despite the slip-ups, I want to say you all did great tonight. And I’m glad we’ll be moving on to the next part of the assessment together.”
They were getting so close now, dangerously close to the Central Academy. And when they reached that stage… the real game would begin. These sweet, blissful days were just the beginning. Very soon, things would become far more intense for them all.
“So what’s going to happen tomorrow?” Safa asked. “It’s the dimensional part of the assessment, right? If we get through that, we’ll officially become part of the Academy. Any tips on how we should pass?”
“Not really any tips,” Raze replied. “Honestly, all of you will have an advantage. Most of the students here will have never been inside a dimension before.”
“They’ll have no idea what to do. Many will have never faced a beast before either. They’ll freeze the moment one shows up, and the teachers will be watching to see who can handle it.”
“It’s part of the Cultural Exchange. Sometimes, these beasts are brought in to be shown to the public, which is why they make it a part of the assessment. But since all of you have faced beasts before, this shouldn’t be any trouble for you. Just show some skill, stay calm, and you’ll be selected, as long as you don’t freeze in fear.”
With Raze’s confident words ringing in their ears, everyone felt ready to show what they had tomorrow, in front of the teachers, and the rest of the Academy.
The good thing was that they’d be going in together, not against each other.
Still, it felt a little strange heading into another dimension, especially after just coming from Pagna, but it was what it was.
As everyone started to settle in and prepare for bed, Raze suddenly turned his head toward the door.
“I have to go out for a bit, everyone,” he said. “I’ll be back soon.”
It came as a surprise to the others, but if there was one person they didn’t have to worry about, it was Raze. So they let him go without protest.
Raze walked through the hallway quietly, making his way down. He stopped after a moment, turning his head to the side.
“Was I not who you were expecting?” Raze asked calmly.
“I’m a little surprised… but at the same time, not so surprised,” a voice replied.
A student stepped out from the shadows, shrouded in dark magic, almost impossible to see until they fully emerged. It was Londo.
“I was the one who told him to say those words,” Raze said simply. “I’m just like you, Londo, a member of the Dark Guild.”
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Chapter 1335: Another Dark Mage
“Fear the unseen,” Londo said calmly.
“For we are always near,” Raze replied without hesitation.
At first, when Harvey had introduced both the phrase and the entire structure of the Dark Guild to him, Raze had thought it was a little cringey.
Honestly, it had been hard for him to even say the phrase out loud at first. But now, running such a discreet group himself, he was starting to appreciate how useful those words could be, especially when identifying an ally during moments like this.
“I just had to check,” Londo said, his expression neutral. “With how skilled you are and what you’ve shown so far… what’s your position? So I know how to address you properly.”
Raze lifted a hand and tapped the side of his head, as though sorting through old memories.
He remembered when he’d first been introduced to the Dark Guild, the ranking system, the pecking order.
*If I remember correctly… Shadow Acolyte was at the bottom. They only knew Dark Magic at the one or two-star level.
Above them were the Void Binders, mages who mastered Dark Magic at the four-star level or higher.
Then there were the Nightcallers, the founders of the guild. Kelly and the cat, Sophie, held those titles.
Harvey himself was the Dread Magister, the one who led them.
And above even that… was the Dark Spirit, the Dark Magus. Me.*
Raze smiled inwardly. Of course, I can’t reveal that to him. He wouldn’t believe me if I did. Besides, I haven’t even met up with Harvey or Kelly yet.
In the end, Raze crafted a safe response.
“I am… a Void Binder,” Raze answered smoothly.
The title explained his level of skill with magic. And if he ever needed to openly use Dark Magic, this would justify it.
But there was another reason Raze had chosen that rank, if Londo turned out to be a Shadow Acolyte, it would make it easier to ask for his help.
“Oh, I see.” Londo smiled. “I suppose we’re both the same rank, then. No need for me to address you formally.”
The quiet, mysterious boy seemed composed. If only the others knew just how highly some praised him, Raze thought.
“I have a few questions to ask, if you don’t mind,” Raze said. “Shall we take a walk?”
As the two of them strolled through the academy’s grounds, Raze prepared to ask what he needed. But Londo was the first to speak.
“The phrase you taught that Liam transfer student,” Londo began. “The fact that you came out instead of him… it makes me assume that the other transfers aren’t part of the Dark Guild.”
“They are not,” Raze answered truthfully.
At least, they weren’t recognized yet. There will be a time and place for that, he thought. But with the strict rules Harvey set… would he even allow those who don’t know Dark Magic to join?
There was a reason only those with Dark Magic were allowed into the guild. A crux had been placed on them, they were hunted by the world, unified by their outcast status.
Allowing those without Dark Magic carried its own risks. But Raze was the Dark Magus, surely he could convince Harvey to change that rule, since the guild had been formed around him in the first place.
“I will have to report this matter to those above,” Londo said. “Even if you are a Void Binder, you should know the phrase is not something that should be shared with outsiders. Now they may use it unknowingly. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
“Not at all,” Raze replied with a fake smile. “Report it to the Dread Magister, if you really wish.”
For some reason, the young man’s attitude was beginning to grate on him. But Raze forced himself to let it go. Londo was a skilled student, after all.
“So,” Londo asked, “is there a reason you’re here? Have you been given a task?”
“I have. Directly from the Dread Magister himself,” Raze said, wearing a smug smile.
“I see. But I’m sure the Dread Magister still wouldn’t approve of your methods,” Londo said flatly. “So I’ll still report you.”
“It’s fine, as I said,” Raze replied. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something. During the item selection portion of the assessment, those Dark Gloves… were you responsible for planting them?”
Londo shook his head, and then even let out a loud chuckle, showing how foolish the idea was.
“Do you think I’d do something so foolish?” Londo asked. “And is there any reason for me to? We only act in ways that benefit the goals of the Dark Guild. I noticed those gloves as well.”
“I wasn’t sure whether to take them or not,” he continued. “When you picked them up, I honestly thought you were being reckless. But I suppose I should have known, you must have had your reasons.”
He took a breath. “From what I know, items like that are gifted to the academy. I’ve come to two conclusions: either they expected the academy to find out, these gifts have likely been given to several academies. That way, they can paint the Dark Guild in a bad light.
“Or… someone genuinely wishes to harm the students here. But as far as I know, we’re the only two Dark Mages. And I doubt someone like you would know how to enchant.”
Raze inwardly shook his head. The thing is… aside from discovering cursed items, only a Dark Mage can create dark artifacts.
If someone is trying to damage the guild’s reputation… does that mean the Grand Magus has someone else who knows Dark Magic?
Raze’s eyes narrowed slightly.
I would expect no less from them, he thought.
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Chapter 1336: A Reason For Joining?
Raze knew someone had accessed his secret room in the academy, one that required Dark Magic to even activate the entrance.
Thankfully, he had a second, deeper compartment they hadn’t found.
Still, the fact that anyone else could use a Dark Magus enchantment meant something troubling. It might not be one of the Grand Magus themselves, but there was a high chance it was someone under them.
After all, Dark Magic wasn’t something you could just casually pick up. This also meant the Grand Magus side already had a Dark Mage working for them, even before this whole mess with the Dark Guild began.
Londo was probably right. It was likely some elaborate publicity stunt designed to make the Dark Guild look bad. But this tactic felt a little… off. It seemed too new to simply be part of an ongoing plan.
“So is that why you were looking for me?” Londo asked.
“Right,” Raze replied. “I wanted to know if you were trying to harm students in some way. You should know, the Dark Guild is not what the public makes it out to be.”
Though Raze, as the Dark Magus, never intended to harm innocent people… he couldn’t be entirely sure whether Harvey’s vision of the Dark Guild perfectly aligned with his own.
For now, Harvey claimed to do everything for the sake of the Dark Magus. But that was based on Harvey’s own interpretation of who the Dark Magus was supposed to be.
“Of course not,” Londo replied. “There’s a reason I managed to reach the rank of Void Binder. I’m not as foolish as some of those who join the Dark Guild thinking there are hidden motives at play.”
As the two continued walking a circuit around the academy, late at night when hardly any students were around, there was still some time before they would reach the dormitory.
Just to be safe, Raze had been maintaining a silent wind spell around them the entire time, ensuring that no one could eavesdrop on their conversation.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Raze said, “you seem to have strong feelings for the Dark Guild. Is there a reason for that?”
He noticed a small smile creep onto Londo’s face. The question was personal, so Raze hadn’t expected him to answer. If Londo chose to stay silent, Raze wouldn’t press.
“I’m actually quite new to the Dark Guild,” Londo said. “And yet I managed to reach the rank of Void Binder quickly.”
“That’s because of my intellect and natural talent, of course. I don’t know how long you’ve been in the Dark Guild. At the meetings, most of us wear those robes that hide our faces anyway.”
He paused. “But I joined after the recent grand event.”
“Recent event?” Raze asked, curious. Had something happened while he was away?
“I’m talking about the day the Grand Magus returned,” Londo said. “You should know about it. They attacked a particular guild, and exposed all of their crimes.
“Not only that, but they did it without allowing a single hostage to be harmed. Only those tied to the guild were targeted.”
He clenched his fists slightly. “And the Dark Guild was right to do it. That guild was scum.”
Londo’s voice hardened. “My mother and father were mages in a small guild. To eliminate competition, a joint guild operation was launched. During the mission, they purposely abandoned my father’s guild, left them to die.
“My father and his entire guild perished.
“My mother tried to work as a freelance mage, but they blocked her at every step.
“She couldn’t join any other guilds because of the slander they spread about my father and his guild.”
Londo’s voice grew bitter. “They made up lies, and because of their reputation, everyone believed them. In this world, reputation and status are everything.
“The higher the guild, the stronger the mage, and whatever they say becomes the truth.
“After years of struggle, my mother took her own life. That’s when I swore I’d never forgive the guild that caused all of this.”
He exhaled slowly. “But how was a single mage like me supposed to fight an entire guild? As talented as I was, it would take years to get my revenge.
“Then… I witnessed the Dark Guild in action. They did what I dreamed of doing. And not just them, the Dark Magus himself led the charge. His appearance, when he declared his return… that was his message to the world.
“So I joined the guild. I worked hard. And with my talent, I rose quickly through the ranks.”
He smiled faintly. “I’m not sure if I believe the rumors, that the new Dark Magus is a reincarnation of the old one… or if he used some kind of spell to become younger and stronger.
“Maybe it’s a different person entirely. But either way, I hope I can help the Dark Magus in any way I can.
“And when I rise high enough… I hope to meet him face to face. To say one thing, thank you.“
Raze turned his head to the side, hiding a small smile.
He had never planned to become some kind of symbol. Never intended to be thanked. He was simply doing what he needed to do for himself.
But hearing Londo’s words… he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pride. Perhaps it isn’t so bad, he thought. Perhaps I’m happy with how I’m viewed within the Dark Guild after all.
“And you,” Londo asked, “how did you join the Dark Guild?”
Up ahead, Raze spotted the dormitory building.
“I’ll tell you the full story another time,” Raze said, his tone calm. “But for the same reason as you… there are those I wish to punish.
“Unfortunately, the Dark Magus hasn’t reached them yet.”
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When news of MVS, MWS, or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first, and you can reach out to me. If I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.
Chapter 1337: The Second Stage (Part 1)
After his conversation with Londo, Raze felt more confident that he wouldn’t pose a problem on their journey, at least not for now. Things were stable, and as far as this current stretch of the journey went, Londo seemed trustworthy enough.
Still, that could all change once they arrived at the Central Academy.
When we get there, Raze thought, it might be easier to just come clean. To explain everything before it spirals out of control.
He glanced over at Londo again.
He’s a strong mage. Strong enough, maybe, to match some of the other students. And if no one there recognizes him as being on our side, that could actually work to our advantage. Especially during the Academy Exchange.
Whatever Londo’s intentions truly were, for now, he wasn’t interfering. He wasn’t poking around in their business or causing any real disruptions.
Well… there’s one thing, Raze mentally added. He keeps trying to report me to Harvey.
That was the part that truly confused him.
How are members of the Dark Guild even staying in contact with each other?
If Londo really did reach Harvey, and told him another Void Binder was present, that Raze had done what he’d done
, would Harvey react? Would he show up?
If he does come here, Raze reasoned, I’ll deal with it face to face. I’ll explain it all directly. One way or another, it’ll be sorted.
Soon enough, the others in the room began to stir. After everything that had happened the day before, they’d managed to get a solid night’s rest. Now, they were waking up and preparing for what would be a big day.
Most of the students slipped back into familiar routines, morning cultivation, gentle energy control, aligning their Qi. Despite not being in Pagna anymore, those habits were ingrained in them, almost like brushing their teeth. Routine. Necessary.
Safa, of course, made it look effortless. For her, connecting to Qi was as easy as breathing.
While the others meditated and focused, Beatrix slowly walked over to Raze.
He was sitting on the edge of his bed, fiddling absentmindedly with his fingers, lost in thought. When Beatrix approached, she hesitated for a moment, her hands nervously twisting together.
“Because we were dragged away last night… and since it got so late… we didn’t really get to talk about what happened with me,” she began, her voice quiet but steady. “What I did during the assessment, I just wanted to say I’m sorry. For letting things get so out of hand.”
To be honest, Raze had almost forgotten about the incident. The situation had resolved itself so smoothly, it hadn’t seemed urgent. But hearing Beatrix bring it up reminded him: this was something they needed to discuss.
“It’s not so much the fact that you used the Bloody Woman’s power,” Raze said, glancing up at her. “The teachers believe it’s just a special affinity you possess. As far as they’re concerned, it’s part of your own unique skillset. So if you need to use that ability again, during the Central Academy Exchange or even the assessment itself, go ahead.”
He leaned back slightly, eyes focused.
“Even if it’s technically a blood art based on Qi, they won’t be able to tell. Right now, you’re actually in a better position than most of us.”
Beatrix nodded, listening carefully. But she could sense it, there was a “but” coming.
“But,” Raze said, “what worries me is this, if that hit had actually landed on the mage, there’s a good chance she could’ve been seriously hurt.”
He looked her straight in the eye.
“With Safa’s healing, we have a little more leeway than most. We can afford to push limits… sometimes. But that attack? It was way too powerful to be used on a fellow student, especially just to prove a point during an assessment.”
Beatrix opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to defend herself.
She hadn’t meant for things to go that far.
She had been struck hard, bloodied, and in that moment, something had shifted inside her. Her rage had boiled up, raw and uncontrollable. It was like she’d become someone else entirely. A darker version of herself.
But how could she explain that to Raze?
He had chosen her. Brought her along. Trusted her.
Telling him she lost control didn’t feel fair.
Then, Raze spoke again, softly, but with surprising warmth.
“What I want you to do… is use more of the Bloody Woman’s power.”
Beatrix blinked. “What?!”
“From what I can tell, Beatrix,” Raze said, “you’re one of the kindest souls in Pagna, and maybe even in Alterian.”
His tone wasn’t patronizing. It was sincere.
“We all saw your memories… back during the Golden Globe. We all know who it chose. That wasn’t a coincidence. I know when you attacked that student, that wasn’t you. You probably don’t even understand what happened.”
Beatrix lowered her gaze. He was right. She didn’t.
“But your body did synchronize with the Bloody Woman,” Raze continued. “Your personality, your heart, won out. That much is clear. But it’s impossible to believe it didn’t leave some kind of mark on you.”
He took a breath before laying out his theory.
“I think what happened during the assessment wasn’t just about anger or pain. It was tied to the changes in your hair, your energy, your aura. So… instead of trying to avoid it, why not face it head-on?”
He gave her a small smile.
“Learn to use the Bloody Woman’s powers. The powers that don’t truly belong to you. Take control of them before she ever gets the chance to. If you do that, you’ll be able to stay as you, for longer. Maybe even for good.”
Then he added, more quietly:
“And I like seeing you as you, Beatrix.”
Before she realized it, her cheeks were burning. She turned away quickly, trying to hide her face.
“If… if you like seeing me as me,” she stammered, “then I’ll try my best.”
And with that, Beatrix left the room, her heart beating just a little faster than before.
Now that everyone was up and ready, it was time.
The group gathered and began heading out to the field, the next phase of the assessment awaited them. Twenty students in total would be venturing out together.
As they arrived at the training grounds, they saw the five top-ranked students from the day before already waiting for them. They waved cheerfully and smiled at Safa.
If it hadn’t been for her healing spell, they’d all still be groaning in bed with brutal headaches, probably lined up outside Diana’s infirmary.
Then, as the rest of the students lined up, they were surprised to see some familiar figures waiting for them at the edge of the field.
Redrick. Panla. Luka. And even Diana herself.
“For the next part of the assessment,” Diana announced, “we’ll be traveling outside the academy. We’ll be using one of our local guild’s portals for the day.”
She smiled as her gaze passed over each student.
“The four of us will be accompanying you. We’ll assess and guide you every step of the way.”
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