Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1445: A Student Who Wouldn’t Bow

The Light mages could only watch in awe.

Before them was a display of healing so refined that it put to shame years, decades, of practice they themselves had poured into their craft. This wasn’t just skill. This was talent, the kind born only once in a generation, amplified by the unmatched clarity of the God Eyes.

Safa had always been gifted, excelling in nearly every discipline she attempted. Even in Qi training, a path entirely different from Light magic, she outpaced her peers with alarming ease. And that was the thing: even if another person possessed the God Eyes, it was doubtful they could produce results like this, certainly not with such speed and precision. Safa’s talent was as much a part of her as her heartbeat.

When Redrick finally rose to his feet, his injuries gone, he met Safa’s gaze directly. There was no hesitation in his voice when he spoke.

"I believe I owe you a huge favor," Redrick said, his tone equal parts gratitude and disbelief. "When I saw you heal the others, I thought you might be able to help me... but I can’t lie. I was worried it would be too late."

Ibarin stepped forward then, reclaiming the conversation with calm authority. "Since Redrick is recovering, it would be best to send him to his dorms to rest. If he feels better, he can join the main event as a spectator." He glanced at the two Light mages still standing nearby. "You two will accompany him."

That was when Raze turned to face Ibarin, his expression unreadable.

"I’d like to suggest something else," Raze said.

The Light mages almost gasped. A student, a mere participant, was about to counter the word of the Grand Magus. In Alterian, that was practically unthinkable.

"Allow the teachers from Wilton to enter," Raze continued, his voice even, "and we will escort Redrick back to the dorm ourselves. I think we’d feel safer with him in our care."

"Really?" Ibarin replied almost instantly, his eyes narrowing just a fraction. "We have the strongest mages, the finest teachers in all of Alterian... and you think a group of students and second-rate instructors would be better suited to escort him?"

The veneer of the Grand Magus was cracking, the true Ibarin bleeding through. To the casual observer, it might have looked like nothing more than pride, an Academy leader defending his own. If anyone was watching closely, they could dismiss Raze as being out of line.

But Raze wasn’t going to let it go.

"With all due respect," he began, his voice carrying just enough steel to cut through the air, "you should already know this isn’t the first time students from Wilton Academy have been hurt, during your event, on your grounds, and your mages have done nothing to prevent it. Every victory we’ve had so far has been earned with our own hands, not yours. And Redrick?" His eyes sharpened. "He was injured while in your care. So yes, I do trust us more than the Central Academy. And you should be able to see exactly why."

Raze had to bite back the sharper words on his tongue. A part of him wanted to really tear into Ibarin with a few choice insults, but he knew that if he went too far, Ibarin could dismiss everything he said as reckless provocation. The trick was to step on the cracks in Ibarin’s pride, press just enough to make it hurt, but not enough for him to shut it all down.

And, if he was being honest with himself, Raze was enjoying this, undermining the careful image Ibarin had built, striking at him in front of others.

"Very well," Ibarin said at last, rising to his full height before stepping through the barrier.

The Light mages expected him to return almost immediately. Instead, several long minutes passed before a large section of the barrier was broken. Through the opening came several figures, Wilton’s students, both ranked and unranked, the two teachers, and the four staff members who had been stationed just outside.

"It appears," Ibarin said coolly, "that when you claimed you had asked to come in, you had, in fact, forced your way in. That means we have a bit of an incident on our hands. So, I decided it would be best to bring everyone inside to... resolve this matter."

The Wilton teachers and students didn’t react with the awe they had imagined they would feel meeting the Grand Magus. Instead, there was tension, nervous glances between them, worry about what Raze’s actions might mean. Disqualification from the event was a very real fear.

"Is there really a situation here?" Raze asked, his voice steady. "We asked for Safa to be allowed in so she could heal her teacher. If we hadn’t been here, Redrick might have suffered severe, lasting injuries. So yes, it was a good thing we came."

He didn’t stop there.

"Unlike Redrick, your staff members barely sustained any injuries. If you truly believe this matter needs to be resolved, then perhaps the fact that Redrick was injured due to the Central Academy’s negligence should be reported as well."

A muscle in Ibarin’s jaw twitched. The student’s words grated on him, not only because they challenged his authority, but because they made sense.

Usually, Ibarin’s name and presence alone were enough to sway a crowd. His confidence, his position, his reputation, they all gave weight to his words. But this time, it wasn’t working.

"We can be punished for this," Raze continued, "but if that happens, we’ll make it publicly known how the Central Academy failed to prevent the incident, and failed to heal one of our mages."

Ibarin’s fist tightened at his side, his eyes narrowing.

Who is this cocky student?

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