Dark Magus Returns
Chapter 1417: The Name That Lingers
Raze Cromwell.
A name once feared, once whispered with caution, now barely spoken at all.
Time had buried the truth beneath layers of rumour and rewritten history. The name Dark Magus still held weight, but few remembered who that person truly was, or where he had come from.
Only in hidden corners of the world, in long-winded documentaries and suppressed archives, did the name Raze Cromwell still appear.
At the Central Mage Academy, though, it was different. Among the professors, those who had been around long enough, everyone knew.
It was a stain on their record. A name they couldn’t quite erase, no matter how hard they tried.
By telling Tink the truth, Raze knew he would be answering a lot of questions. Questions the professor had clearly been asking himself already.
Why was this “student” so knowledgeable about magical formations?
How could someone his age dismantle an elite-level ward like the one protecting the principal’s door?
Why did none of it add up?
“I told you, you wouldn’t believe me,” Raze said, his tone steady. “But the truth explains everything. No student my age could possibly know the things I do. And that’s because…” He paused. “I’m not a student.”
His voice didn’t waver.
“Right now, I’m living life in a body that doesn’t belong to me. An artifact, one I found long ago, allowed my soul to survive. I am the same Raze Cromwell you knew for six months. And I am the same Raze Cromwell the world remembers as the Dark Magus.”
He didn’t give Tink time to react.
Lifting his hand, he let the Dark Magic swirl around it. The black energy twisted, wrapping his arm like smoke until, slowly, it dissolved into the air and vanished.
The professor’s breath caught in his throat.
Even if he wasn’t convinced this man was truly the Dark Magus, one thing was clear, he had access to Dark Magic.
And that was enough to set Tink on edge.
Anyone using Dark Magic was either deeply tied to the Dark Guild… or was the Dark Magus himself. Either option made this situation incredibly dangerous.
He took a cautious step back.
If this was an imposter, it didn’t matter, because the strength of someone who could use Dark Magic so casually was enough to end his life on the spot.
And if it was the Dark Magus, then any attempt to fight him would be suicide.
“Raze Cromwell from back then…” Tink murmured. “That’s who you say you are. But then why are you here? Why are you at Wilton? If what you say is true, then what’s your goal in all of this?” His voice shook with panic.
Raze didn’t move.
“If I wanted to, I could have eliminated you the moment you saw me,” he said, calmly but firmly. “I could have erased your body with my magic, and not even the professors would have found a trace of you.
“It would’ve taken days before anyone noticed you were gone, and with the event going on, they probably wouldn’t have cared until it was over.”
He took a breath.
“There’s a reason I didn’t do that, Professor Tink. It’s because I’m not the person people think I am.”
Tink’s eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts racing.
Everything Raze had said so far rang with conviction. It was hard to believe this was someone stalling for time. And if he was part of the Dark Guild, then why bother explaining any of this?
The only thing that continued to gnaw at his thoughts… was the knowledge.
The depth of knowledge.
This man knew things no student should.
“You asked why I’m here,” Raze continued. “Remember the question I asked you before? About the special magical artifact that might exist in this academy?”
Tink nodded slowly.
“I’m looking for that magic circle,” Raze said. “If I can find it, and use it on Ibarin, then the entire world will see the truth.
“They’ll see that Raze Cromwell was not to blame for what happened all those years ago.
“And I’ll expose everything the Grand Magus has done behind the scenes.”
Tink stared, struggling to reconcile the man in front of him with the legend he thought he knew.
Would someone obsessed with power really be chasing after an artifact that could clear their name?
Would a power-hungry tyrant risk everything for vindication?
No…
From the conversations he’d had with Raze, both in the past and just now, he could tell this was someone who valued knowledge. A researcher. A scholar.
In fact, he seemed… far more like himself.
Tink’s belief in the stories of the Dark Magus began to waver. If he put aside everything he’d been told, everything the academy claimed, and focused only on the man he had spoken with before, the man who once studied under him…
Then it became harder and harder to see him as a villain.
“I’m not asking for your help,” Raze said, his voice softer now. “I would never put you in that situation.”
He turned, his back now to the professor.
“But you should know… not a single student has been harmed during this entire event. No one has suffered. Because that’s not my intention.”
His footsteps were slow as he began to walk past.
“All I ask is that you ignore what you saw today. And when the truth comes out, when you see it for yourself, you can make your judgment then.”
Tink stood there, frozen in place, mouth slightly parted but no words forming.
He didn’t say anything. Not until Raze had walked past him completely.
“…You’re a good professor,” Raze said over his shoulder. “Just wait until the last day. I promise you, you won’t regret your decision.”
*****
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Dark Magus Returns
Chapter 1418: The Spotlight Draws Near
Raze wasn’t entirely sure whether the situation with Professor Tink had truly been resolved or not. Still, the fact that he hadn’t attacked Tink when he had the chance, that had to mean something. Maybe that was his way of proving he was being honest, or at the very least, not hostile.
There was no telling what Tink was really thinking beneath that unreadable expression. Perhaps he’d concluded that going up against the Dark Magus was a losing battle from the start. If that were the case, then maybe he believed there was no point in confronting Raze head-on. By the time they reached the arena, Tink might have already made up his mind to report the truth to the Grand Magus himself.
‘The only thing I can do now is hope… hope that he believes in me.’ Raze clenched his jaw, pushing the doubt to the back of his mind.
If there was one glimmer of hope that had come from the conversation with Tink, it was the realization that people’s opinions about the Grand Magus were already starting to shift, at least among those who had been around him closely. That was the only reason Raze had a shred of faith that Tink might actually choose not to turn him in.
“Ibarin… you had something good,” Raze muttered to himself. “You had something great, and you could’ve kept it going for your entire life. But in the end, you might be the cause of your own downfall.”
From everything he’d gathered so far, Raze was confident that there was now enough evidence against Ibarin to sway public opinion. Once he uncovered the magical formation, he’d be able to extract several key memories, memories that would reveal the truth behind Ibarin’s actions.
There was the false accusation, how Raze had been framed for distributing those special pills to the students during the event. Then, there were whatever underhanded tactics Ibarin had used to eliminate or sabotage other promising professors. Raze had a strong feeling there was even more buried beneath the surface, but even if this was all he had, it was already enough to build a solid case against the man.
With renewed purpose, Raze made his way toward the coliseum, and he arrived just in time.
It wasn’t hard to find the group of students. They stood out immediately, not because of how they looked, but because of the crowd that had gathered around them. The commotion had started before they’d even entered the arena.
“Hey! Hey! All of you, back off already!” Liam’s voice cut through the noise as he tried to wave people away. “You’re suffocating us, man! Give us some space, please! It wasn’t like this until we kicked Central Academy’s butt. Why don’t you go bother them instead?!”
The students stared at the arrogant Liam with a mix of confusion and disbelief. Was he really the one who had made a difference in all of this? It was hard for them to imagine someone like him amounting to much. Instead, their eyes drifted toward the others standing nearby.
Some of the academy staff and professionals who had come to observe had already begun doing their own research into Wilton Academy after the stunning upset. They had looked deeper into the records, digging through student rankings and event logs. The names that kept coming up were Piba, Chiba, Londo, Yolden, and Moze.
Apparently, some of them had even recognized Moze and the others from smaller events and exhibitions they had participated in before.
“I heard those five actually beat a pair of Central Academy students in one of the early exhibition duels,” someone whispered excitedly in the crowd.
“What? And no one told us this earlier?” another replied, clearly frustrated. “If I had known, I would’ve voted for Wilton to win the Dimension Outing!”
“Yeah, right. Even those who did know Wilton had won something still didn’t vote for them. Winning one small event doesn’t mean they’d succeed in a full team event,” another countered. “But now… things feel a little different.”
A wave of curiosity swept through the crowd. Students leaned forward, excited voices overlapping.
“Can we ask… which of you guys are going to be participating in the Special Display Event?” one student called out. “Are we going to see some rare traits? Unique affinities?!”
“These guys are seriously annoying,” Yolden muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. “They’ll find out the answer to that in just a few hours anyway.”
The other academies couldn’t help but watch with a tinge of envy. Wilton Academy, once considered a quiet underdog, was now the center of attention. The buzz surrounding them was undeniable.
Still, not everyone was ready to just accept this shift in power.
“Don’t worry, everyone,” Lee Roy spoke up, addressing the murmuring students around him. “We’ve all seen something today, Central Academy isn’t unbeatable. That’s something we should all take to heart. If we win these events, we’ll be placed in the same spotlight as them. We’re not any weaker than Wilton Academy.”
It was strange for the other academies. For the longest time, they’d felt like there was an unscalable wall standing between them and Central Academy, an unreachable level of skill, reputation, and status. But now, for the first time, that wall had a crack in it.
Maybe that’s all it ever took, someone to break through first.
Now that Wilton Academy had defeated Central, the other academies were beginning to believe, truly believe, that they had a shot at glory too. If Wilton could do it, then maybe they could as well. After all, if one academy could topple a giant, why couldn’t another?
And now, they didn’t just want to be inspired by Wilton. They wanted to beat them too.
“Come on, let’s just head inside already,” Safa said with a sigh. “We’re getting way too much attention. I’m sure Raze will be able to find us when he needs to.”
Even though Raze had spotted the others among the crowd, he chose to hang back for a moment. Just in case. He wanted to be certain there were no sudden movements from the staff or any unexpected shifts in the atmosphere.
If Professor Tink had reported anything, even in passing, it wouldn’t take more than a heartbeat for the academy’s security to act. But Raze didn’t sense any changes, no hushed conversations, no watchful eyes on him. That likely meant everything was still fine. Tink hadn’t said anything.
“It’s okay!” Raze suddenly called out, stepping into full view, positioning himself right in front of the group, including the teachers.
His arrival was so sudden and quiet that no one had even noticed when he’d appeared. Those who were paying close attention, especially the sharp-eyed students from other academies, gasped as they realized that a white-haired student had seemingly appeared out of thin air.
“Let’s begin the next event,” Raze said with confidence.
****
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Dark Magus Returns
Chapter 1419: Secrets in the Scrolls
Just like before, all the academies were led to their designated waiting rooms. Inside, tables were laid out with snacks and refreshments to enjoy while they prepared for what was to come.
However, this time things were a little different.
There would be no grand opening ceremony. No formal introductions. No need for everyone to gather on the field. Only the selected participants of the event were required to step forward.
Although a large display screen had provided a breakdown of the event’s format, the teachers had already explained everything in detail to the students who would be participating.
Each academy was allowed to send as many students as they wished for this particular event. Every student who took part would appear out on the field. Then, one by one, they would be called to step forward into the center and demonstrate their skills.
As for what kind of display they put on? That was entirely up to them.
They could use props, illusions, weapons, anything they wanted, to help express or enhance their abilities. If they needed assistance or wanted to include other helpers for dramatic effect, that was also allowed.
Unlike the previous competitions, there would be no judges this time. No rankings. No scores or awards.
Instead, the goal was simple: capture the attention of the guests.
This was an opportunity to stand out. To showcase talent so unique or powerful that it could lead to future collaboration with powerful figures, or even an invitation to join Central Academy itself.
For many students from the smaller academies, that alone was the dream.
At Wilton Academy, only two students had been chosen to represent them for this special display event: Piba and Safa.
“Hey, you didn’t want to go up there?” Liam asked, raising an eyebrow at Dame, who was seated across from him.
“Me?” Dame looked surprised and then let out a small chuckle. “What do I have that’s so special?”
“You know, your lightning body… flying all over the place,” Liam said casually. “Sure, lightning as an ability is pretty normal, but the way you use it? That’s the kind of thing people would definitely find strange. You’re practically a giant freak.”
“Right,” Dame replied with a dry chuckle. “Thanks for the compliment.”
He didn’t seem offended in the slightest.
“There’s no need for all of us to show off in this one. Safa’s more than enough. And if she wasn’t going up there, I wouldn’t pick myself next anyway. I’d pick Beatrix.”
The others nodded in agreement.
Beatrix’s blood-based abilities looked more like a rare or special affinity than a standard skill. There was no doubt her display would draw a lot of attention.
“The problem is,” Raze chimed in as he walked ahead of them, “Beatrix’s ability requires her to show her true power. I’m worried the professors might get suspicious if she puts on a full display.”
He wasn’t participating in this event, which for once meant Raze could actually relax, at least a little, until the event began.
“Did you manage to get what you were looking for?” Yolden asked, stepping closer. “When you went off with that professor earlier, I was a little worried. I thought maybe we made things harder for you by speaking up.”
Raze turned to look at her, and at Chiba too. Now that he was paying attention, he could tell that both of them had been nervous, fidgeting even. And now, he finally understood why.
“Don’t worry,” Raze replied calmly. “The professor was kind. We had a long talk, and thanks to him, I actually managed to find the information I was searching for.”
To prove it, and to put their minds at ease, Raze didn’t waste any time. While they were out of sight, he called upon his dark magic. A scroll materialized in his hand, forming from shadow and energy right in front of their eyes.
He planned to go through each of the scrolls first, they contained the most precise and valuable information. After that, he would move on to the books, diving deeper into what he could learn from them.
The others watched quietly. None of them wanted to disturb him.
However, as Raze silently scanned through the scrolls in his hand, his intense focus began to draw the attention of all three nearby teachers.
“Are you seriously looking into time magic?” Panla asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would you bother with something like that? Even those born with an affinity for time barely manage to do anything useful with it.”
“I remember seeing someone use it once,” Redrick added, tilting his head thoughtfully. “They stopped a spoon in mid-air… I think that was it.”
Raze didn’t look up. “I have my reasons,” he replied calmly.
Without pausing, he pulled out the next scroll from his collection and continued reading. The teachers exchanged glances as they peered at the magical symbols and notes scrawled across the pages. Some of the information Raze had was unlike anything they had ever seen, concepts they didn’t recognize, techniques they’d never even heard of.
It made them all wonder: Where exactly had he gotten this information?
“There’s only one reason I can think of for him to be researching time magic so seriously,” Luka said, folding his arms. “It’s possible… he might have a time affinity himself.”
They had already seen Raze do some amazing things but there was little explanation to the actions he had, but to also have strong affinty of Time Magic, seemed a stretch to far.
Before the teachers could press him further or share more theories, a loud chime echoed from the event screen.
The signal had been given, the Special Display Event was about to begin.
****
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Dark Magus Returns
Chapter 1420: Moonlight and Secrets
Safa and Piba walked side by side, making their way up the long, stone walkway toward the top level of the arena, the very same arena floor they had stood on during their last trial.
Neither of them looked nervous.
In fact, Piba had a wide, cheeky grin stretched across his face as he glanced sideways at Safa.
“I hope you manage to show these people something so impressive,” he said, “that they’re left with their mouths hanging open.”
Safa chuckled lightly at his enthusiasm. “You think my healing abilities and god eyes will really be enough?” she asked, brushing back a strand of hair. “This is Central Academy we’re talking about. I’m sure there are plenty of students here with rare affinities and unique traits.”
Piba shook his head with confidence.
“You should’ve figured it out based on how the school doctor reacted to you,” he said. “Even though Light magic is considered one of the main elements, the way you use it, honestly, it should be considered a special affinity. Light mages are rare, but Light mages with your precision and power? That’s another level entirely.”
He gestured with his hand as he spoke, as if shaping the air with his words.
“Even people like me, with a special affinity, don’t have an abundance of it. That’s part of what separates the special affinities from the standard ones. My Moon affinity works well in combination with others, which is its strength, but not all affinities are like that.”
He paused a moment before continuing.
“In most cases, even if someone does have a special affinity, it’s more like a gimmick, flashy but not practical. But you? You’re probably the strongest Light mage I’ve ever come across. That alone would turn heads. And then you add the god eyes on top of it? There’s probably no one else here who can match that.”
Though Piba didn’t bring it up directly, the same idea applied to unique traits.
Those who possessed truly exceptional traits, like Enaxx, one of the Grand Magus, often kept them hidden. Why reveal a trump card before it was needed?
As they reached the arena floor, the two of them scanned the area, taking in the scene. Other schools were already sending their chosen students forward.
From BIMM, they saw a familiar face, Lee Roy, whom they had already encountered before.
Reinheart Academy had chosen a single female student to represent them, while Lunaton brought out a lone male student. All were waiting with quiet intensity.
The only academy to bring two students forward, aside from their own, was Central Academy.
One of them was someone they recognized, Nannan, the bold and spirited student they had met during earlier events.
The second student, however, was completely unfamiliar.
He was massive.
At least twice the size of every other student present, even while standing with his arms folded. The sleeves of his uniform struggled to contain the bulging muscle beneath. His very presence was like a boulder among pebbles, intimidating, silent, and utterly unmissable.
Out of all the academies, these students, each handpicked, had been chosen to step forward and display their special, often rare forms of magic.
Safa couldn’t help but wonder: Were these really the best each school had to offer? Or were there more… students with even rarer abilities who were being held back?
Was it possible that the academies were embarrassed? That they had only brought out one student to perform in front of Central Academy out of caution or pride? Or maybe… there was something else going on beneath the surface.
Before she could dwell on it further, a loud voice echoed through the arena.
“First, we have Lulu representing Reinheart Academy!”
Safa turned her head, trying to find where the voice had come from, but it seemed to be amplified by magic. She couldn’t pinpoint a single source.
From the Reinheart section, a female student stepped confidently onto the platform. Her name, Lulu, was called once more as she raised her hand, and from her palm, she revealed a single piece of fruit.
An orange.
It was fairly large, and without hesitation, she took a bite, gulping down a chunk in one go. Then, with fluid motion, she cast her magic.
Wind swept across the arena, brushing against the skin of the spectators. It was gentle, not threatening, clearly controlled with care.
A moment later…
“Hey… do you smell that?” someone whispered in the stands.
“It smells like… oranges?”
“Whoa, you’re right!”
Murmurs of curiosity and surprise rippled through the crowd.
Lulu, unfazed, took out another fruit, this time a lemon. Her face scrunched up as she bit into it, the sourness causing some students to wince in sympathy.
Even so, she followed with a second spell.
A new gust of wind swept across the stands, and just like before, the air changed, now filled with the fresh, tart scent of lemon.
The crowd responded with scattered applause. Some were genuinely impressed, while others snickered behind their hands.
“Is that her unique trait?” one student asked. “She can make her magic smell like whatever she eats?”
“Hey, imagine if she ate something really disgusting. Her opponent might just faint mid-fight!”
There was laughter, but not everyone was joking.
In the business section, representatives from various companies were exchanging thoughtful glances. Some imagined how delightful it would be to welcome high-profile guests into top-tier hotels with Lulu’s magic, surrounding them with the most pleasant aromas as they entered.
Others pondered more ambitious ideas, what if her magic could be infused into products? Lotions, perfumes, even consumables?
Unfortunately, many people were too focused on one rigid idea: Magic was for battle.
Especially with the recent push for magical strength and military application, innovations like Lulu’s were often undervalued.
“You know…” Safa whispered, leaning in closer to Piba, “now that I think about it, I’m kind of surprised Kayzel isn’t here. He definitely has something unique, doesn’t he?”
“I thought the same,” Piba replied. “Back when he injured me, I was sure he used a unique trait. I guess they’re keeping him hidden… maybe as a secret weapon.”
Before they could speculate further, the voice rang out again, snapping everyone’s attention back to the stage.
“Next up, can we have one of the students from Wilton Academy!”
All eyes turned toward the Wilton section.
****
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