Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1405: The Grand Magus Arrives

The energy among the students surged to a fever pitch.

Whispers turned into chatter. Chatter became full-on excitement. And it was all because of one name.

The Grand Magus.

"Ibarin..."

There was no doubt left. The man seated on the central platform was the Grand Magus, the one many of them had only ever read about in books or seen in recordings. And now, he was right there in front of them, larger than life.

The students couldn’t contain themselves.

"No way... maybe one day we’ll be able to sit at his side."

"You think he’ll perform? Like, maybe show off at the opening or closing ceremony?"

"I doubt it. He’s just here as the principal of Central Academy, not as the Grand Magus himself."

"I don’t care! Do you think he’ll at least talk to us? Sign something?"

"Maybe. But I heard, if you actually beat one of the Central students in an event or something... he might notice you."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I heard that in past tournaments, a few students who managed to beat Central Academy’s top-ranked got invited. Some were even recommended to top-tier guilds."

"You’re kidding, seriously?!"

Voices overlapped. Everyone was trying to talk over each other, the excitement turning into a roar of hopeful dreams and ambition. Some students even tried to get the attention of others across the viewing platforms, waving and calling out like kids at a festival.

But Raze... he couldn’t take it anymore.

He didn’t say a word.

Silently, he stood from his seat and turned, walking out of the stands and back into the hallway without glancing at anyone.

A few people noticed, mainly the ranked students from Wilford.

"Did something happen?" Chiba asked, frowning as she watched him disappear.

"I’m not sure," Yolden replied, her voice thoughtful. "But the look on his face... that wasn’t excitement. That was something else."

She didn’t speak her full thoughts out loud, but she remembered every time she’d seen Raze angry. And she realized something important: his reaction always seemed to coincide with mentions of one person.

The Grand Magus.

She began to piece things together.

Could it be...? Is Raze’s goal tied to the Grand Magus somehow? And if it is... what kind of goal could that possibly be? Would it even be possible to challenge someone like him?

Before the speculation could continue, the Central Academy escort stepped forward and raised his voice above the noise.

"Students, please return to the hallway. The crowd has become too rowdy. We’ll now begin preparations for your respective academies."

Slowly, the students quieted down and followed instructions, filing back into the wide marble-floored corridor. The escort then began guiding each academy group to their assigned preparation rooms.

Wilford’s space was one of the largest.

The room they were led into was lined with cushioned seats arranged in semicircles, each one built with embedded power stones designed to aid with recovery. Even the atmosphere had a gentle hum, the faint magical buzz of restorative energy.

"The schedule of events will appear on the screen in front of you," the escort explained. "While you wait, the display will inform you of everything you need to know. Please pay attention, and you’ll have no problems."

With that, the Central Academy escort left, closing the door behind them. The Wilford students were finally alone.

The room was quiet for a moment, before soft conversations resumed. There was a table set with light refreshments, snacks and drinks for them to enjoy while they waited. Several glowing screens floated in the corners, showing the outside of the stadium.

The stands were filling fast.

Safa approached as Raze settled into one of the recovery chairs, checking the seat carefully before lowering himself into it.

"Is everything okay?" she asked gently.

Raze didn’t look up.

"Yeah," he said. "It’s just my own problem. I need to get used to seeing the Grand Magus again. I can’t afford to lose control, not now. Not after how far we’ve come. I won’t be the one to compromise this mission."

Safa placed a reassuring hand on the armrest.

"Raze... don’t forget. We’re here with you. If you ever need help staying grounded, just ask. You don’t have to carry all of this on your own."

He nodded, and with that, there wasn’t much more to say.

The students did the only thing they could, they waited.

They passed the time talking among themselves, speculating about what the events would be, and discussing how they hadn’t seen the Central Academy students yet. Most agreed that was probably a good thing. Better not to see them until the events actually began.

Suddenly, a loud, thunderous sound echoed from above.

The opening ceremony had begun.

All eyes turned to the floating screens.

A series of magical circles appeared in the air, glowing with intricate runes. Fire erupted from one end of the stadium in the shape of a colossal dragon, while a swirling mass of water formed another. The two beasts danced through the sky before colliding in a massive explosion of steam and smoke.

From within the haze, lightning crackled, forming jagged lines of energy. And then, right at the center, an enormous magical image appeared, a projection that resembled a hologram, but created entirely from magic.

It was the Grand Magus.

Ibarin.

The stadium erupted in applause.

Then came the speech.

The Grand Magus welcomed everyone, students, guests, and observers alike, and spoke about the long, prestigious history of the Inter-Academy Exchange Event. His voice echoed throughout the entire stadium, carried by sound-enhancing spells, as he introduced the principals from each school.

Each principal gave a brief speech, no longer than five minutes. They praised Central Academy’s achievements and spoke highly of their own rising stars. They all tried to sound hopeful, proud, dignified.

But to Raze, their words rang hollow.

Finally, the attention returned to Ibarin once again.

"And now," he declared, "what you’ve all been waiting for. The first cultural event shall now begin!"

The students sat upright, listening closely.

"Please join me in welcoming the five academies that have earned their place as the finest institutions in all of Alterian! Let us give them the welcome they deserve, with a resounding round of applause!"

The floating screen flickered. Instructions appeared in bold letters, guiding the students through what they needed to do next.

The door to their room slid open, revealing a wide path forward.

This was their stage now.

They would step outside onto the platform, be greeted by the world, and hear the rules for the first event.

Raze stood, eyes sharp.

"Let’s get this done," he said.

And together, the students of Wilford Academy walked toward the light.

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