Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1415: Unwelcome Witness

Raze thought back to what the Altered leader had once said, how he had increased his affinity with Time Magic. At the time, it had been difficult to believe, especially coming from someone who stood as an enemy. Trusting the word of a foe, especially one with an unknown agenda, wasn’t something Raze did lightly.

But now, with the information freshly laid before him, it was beginning to make sense. The pieces were fitting together too perfectly to be ignored.

According to the text, the way to increase one’s affinity with Time Magic was... simple, yet extreme. One had to completely abstain from using any other forms of magic. Time Magic demanded exclusivity.

A rare and special affinity, one that, if pursued seriously, required the mage to give up all other elemental or magical paths.

Maybe it doesn’t have to be permanent, Raze thought. Perhaps the affinity increases when avoiding other magic, and just halts when you begin casting again. Still... it’s likely there’s a scale involved.

He pictured it in his mind: the longer one stayed dedicated to Time Magic alone, the more rapidly the affinity would rise. In the beginning, the process would be slow, almost negligible. But with time and strict focus, the growth would accelerate exponentially.

That theory alone explained much. It clarified why Heino had only ever used Time Magic during their confrontation. Why, despite his legacy and strength, there were so few records of his spells being witnessed in Alterian, aside from a few minor displays.

His true power had flourished not in the public eye, but in places like Pagna, places where he could refine his Time Magic without judgment, without interference.

Still, Raze reflected, I consumed Heino when he was near his peak with Time Magic. Although the extraction process doesn’t yield a one-to-one result, especially considering Heino’s power, I should still hold a strong affinity myself.

The problem, he realized, was that every time he used other types of magic, he halted that growth.

So, while the search might not have handed him direct techniques to control time, it certainly wasn’t wasted effort.

He now had confirmation. He had knowledge, a vital piece of the puzzle. With this, he could begin to understand Time Magic more deeply.

And if he could learn to reverse his injuries, or even the residual effects left behind by spells, then perhaps... just perhaps he could one day reverse the toll placed on his God-tier Blazer.

If he could do that, it would allow him to utilize the artifact more freely in combat.

Of course, there would still be complications.

The nature of time reversal meant he wouldn’t know what memories or data might be lost in the process. There would be risks, and an unavoidable trial-and-error phase.

He wouldn’t be able to do what Heino had, rewind massive sections of time. Not yet. But there was something else.

Mana recovery.

That was the key.

Time Magic, at its peak, allowed multiple attempts. It was like rewinding a failed experiment and trying again... until it succeeded.

Learning Time Magic is no longer optional, Raze decided. It’s a necessity.

Even without it, he felt confident. If Ibarin’s strength could be judged by the magical barrier he had placed around the office, then Raze was certain he could defeat him, even now.

But there was something else to consider.

When it came to confronting the Grand Magus, it wasn’t just about raw power. It was about the rate

Some mages never stopped evolving, not even after reaching the Nine-Star level.

For some, like Enaxx, their abilities hinged on unique traits. As for Ibarin... that was still unclear. But Raze couldn’t say the same about the others in the Grand Magus circle.

He recalled the connection with the Rylon Religion, the mysterious channeling of magical energy to the Gizin.

I chose the right one to go after first, he reassured himself.

Eventually, the replication process was complete. Every scroll and book had been fully copied. The original texts floated gently back into their respective spots on the shelves and tables, just as they had been before.

Now came the final part, cleanup.

Using his Dark Magic, Raze quickly stored all of his replication tools and blank tomes into his personal space. Every trace of his activity was being erased one step at a time.

Before I leave, he thought, I should check to see if there’s any information related to the magical formation I discussed with Professor Tink. Maybe... just maybe, the answer is hidden here too.

But without knowing what the specific formation looked like, or even what exactly to search for, Raze couldn’t create a precise spell to extract that data automatically.

Instead, he began scanning the room himself.

Fortunately, the principal’s office was somewhat organized. Items were often placed in a thematic order, scrolls and books categorized by topic, at least to a trained eye like his.

He moved from shelf to shelf, checking specific sections he guessed might house related materials. But despite his efforts, he found nothing.

To Ibarin, this information must have been worthless, Raze realized. Time Magic didn’t matter to him, but the other spell, the mind extraction tool... he probably considered that far more important.

I’ll have to ask Kelly to dig deeper into this for me. If there’s a lead, she’ll find it.

It wasn’t a surprise. Raze hadn’t expected the answer to be sitting there waiting for him. But he had hoped, just slightly, that fortune would favor him today.

Now, there was only one last thing to do.

He knelt down beside the door and began redrawing the magic circle that had been guarding the office. It was delicate work, precision was everything. If the spell wasn’t exactly like the original, someone might sense it had been tampered with.

As he finished connecting the final lines of the formation, he glanced at the clock.

Only fifteen minutes remained before the next scheduled meeting. Once the circle was reactivated, he’d have to make his way to the coliseum quickly if he wanted to avoid suspicion.

And nearly... don,

"What are you doing?"

A voice cut through the silence like a dagger.

The moment the circle lit up, vanishing into the floor to conceal its presence, Raze turned.

Standing behind him... was one of the last people he wanted to see.

Professor Tink.

"What were you doing just now, Raze?" the professor asked, his voice sharp and unwavering.

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