Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1601: The Turning Point

Although Safa had successfully managed to defeat one of the Masked Men and temporarily neutralized one of the major, elite threats, she found herself in a challenging dilemma. The Cerebus Mage she had defeated possessed an immense amount of Light Magic. With the unique abilities of her Lux Spear and her God Eyes, she was able to absorb this massive surplus of Light Magic into her own system.

This process was subtly different from Raze’s celebrated extraction technique, as Raze’s method allowed him to draw and assimilate all forms of Magic, as well as raw Qi. Safa, in contrast, was absorbing the same magical attribute, Light Magic, because her God Eyes allowed her to perfectly perceive its flow, and because the strange makeup of the Cerebus Masked Men’s bodies was more akin to that of a raw beast crystal, making the energy easy to harvest.

To properly utilize that vast, incoming energy, she now needed to fully integrate and absorb it into her magic core. Successfully doing so would allow her to immediately reach the next Star level. She simply required time to completely digest and stabilize the foreign magical current. To maximize her efficiency, she sat down and focused, entering a deep meditative state that allowed her to expedite the process.

There were many citizens from the Underside who had been tracking her fight from a distance and who had clearly witnessed how she had swiftly eliminated one of the most terrifying, large-scale threats. Seeing her current state, they instantly recognized the vulnerability she was in. She was undergoing a spiritual transformation.

A large group quickly rushed to the bridge. They gathered on either side of the structure and even formed a tight circle around Safa herself, creating a human barrier.

“While she is in this state, she is most vulnerable,” one of the older women said, her voice shaking but firm. “We have to do absolutely everything we can to protect her!”

The rest of the assembled citizens nodded in grim agreement. It wasn’t long before the gathered crowd began to attract attention from others: the hired goons and minor guilds who were working for the Cerebus Guild. Their mission was simple: eliminate the Underside and the Dark Guild. Seeing so many people massed in one visible place, they were quick to act, launching a barrage of their various spells.

There was now no powerful fighter present to help the citizens protect the area. Yet, they stood their ground, a desperate, defiant wall of flesh, doing what little they could to protect the young mage.

“Even if it costs us our life, we have to protect her!” one of the men shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. “Protecting her means the survival of the others as well!” Before his final word left his mouth, an ice shard ripped right through his chest.

Blood foamed at his mouth, but he quickly cast a desperate lightning bolt at one of the mages hovering in the air, shocking them down. His last breath was not going to be wasted; that was a certainty.

For Safa, she could hear the desperate turmoil and fighting happening just outside her shield of bodies. A simple break in her concentration right now would allow her to help and save a lot of lives, but it risked completely running her chance to reach the next star level, and there was no telling when that crucial opportunity would present itself again.

She knew she needed that next star level of power to truly help Raze and the others in the current, devastating mess they were in. So, instead of breaking her concentration, she did the opposite.

She retreated deeper into her meditative state. With her eyes closed, it was almost as if the inner workings of her God Eyes were being used to analyze the flood of energy. With this internal vision, she felt she could break down and process what needed to be done at a much quicker pace.

Don’t die, you brave idiots, protecting me, she prayed, pushing the thought outward. If you just survive longer, I promise, I’ll heal you all, and then we can turn this entire battle around!

Safa was acutely aware of the full scale of her powers and how strong they could be once fully manifested. She knew very well that in the grand scheme of the war, she could be the one key player who ultimately turned the tide of the entire conflict.

Meanwhile, Raze was continuously fighting against a huge wave of enemy combatants. Every once in a while, he would even clash directly with hired Guild Leaders who possessed a considerable amount of magic, but it mattered little to him.

A powerful lightning spell was cast, but Raze instantly zapped his way, moving laterally to the side and avoiding the charge. Then, he swung his sword in a wide, blurring arc. A magical barrier was cast from the enemy’s enchanted clothing, but Raze’s sword broke right through that defense and slashed the person down instantly.

I’ve taken about a hundred of them down already, and still, there are more coming, Raze analyzed, his eyes constantly scanning the perimeter. My only guess is that Gizin has decided to use his immense wealth to hire whatever low-level guild would accept the job, which means there’s going to be a constant, endless stream of them.

Raze was correct. More people and more mages were still pouring down from the surface city above. He positioned himself strategically right below one of the large, existing gaps in the ceiling and raised his sword high above his head.

“This should certainly get your attention, Gizin, and show you that you will have to come down yourself!” Raze roared, summoning all his available power. He swung his sword, and a giant Eclipse Strike was summoned, a black wave of annihilation.

The strike tore through the air, instantly consuming all the mages attacking in that vertical column until it finally reached the surface and completely disintegrated a section of the upper street.

Now, there was a massive, fresh gap in the ceiling, shining bright, pure light directly onto the Underside battlefield. The physical barriers that separated the two places were being systematically removed by Raze. But more importantly, a single, solitary individual, a man with a walking stick and a distinct top hat, walked calmly to the very edge of the newly created hole.

“Gizin… you’re finally here.”

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