Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1476: Breaking the Illusion

At first glance, the audience was pleased, more than pleased, in fact. The fight unfolding before their eyes had the perfect balance they craved. One side was not completely overwhelming the other. For a final event, domination could be exciting, but what they truly wanted was a clash, a struggle where spells flew in every direction and mages were pushed to their very limits. That was what made for a spectacle worth remembering.

And, somehow, Wilton was giving them exactly that.

Still, the sharpest eyes in the crowd noticed things. The lack of involvement from the white-haired mage, Raze. The swordsman who hadn’t once drawn his blade, fighting without showing his true weapon. And perhaps most curious of all, the girl with the godly gaze, Safa, who had yet to use her healing magic on her injured companions. A few bruises, a few burns, a few cracked ribs... all left unattended. To the average spectator it was thrilling enough, but to the watchful few, these omissions stood out like warning bells.

Despite these mysteries, the battle raged on, and fighters like Liam held their ground. He was fending off two mages at once, their combined assault relentless. Spells burst like fireworks around him, some he had never even seen before.

One mage unleashed a strange substance, almost like a sticky cloud, that drifted through the air with unnatural weight. Liam’s instincts screamed at him, and he twisted aside just in time. The substance landed on the ground, clinging to the stone and spreading across it like tar. Liam narrowed his eyes. That wasn’t ordinary fire, water, or wind. It had to be a special affinity, something rare.

But thanks to his system, almost no attacks managed to land on him. His lightning shielded him, his reflexes sharpened, and he fought back with bursts of electricity that kept both opponents at bay. This time, unlike his usual reckless charges, he was doing exactly as Raze had asked, holding his ground, controlling the field, and keeping pressure on multiple enemies at once.

Because Liam was handling two opponents, space opened up for others. Chiba and Yolden pressed forward together, focusing their spells on a single mage. Chiba’s sharp mind and quick reactions allowed her to adapt to each counter, while Yolden’s magic compressed and sharpened her attacks. Together, their combined power created streams of water and wind that tore through the battlefield. Their opponent staggered under the assault, barely keeping up.

Every so often, though, danger crept in from another angle. Nannan, cloaked in invisibility, would attempt a sneak attack. Each time, Safa’s god eyes flared with light. She would call out warnings, her calm voice guiding her teammates out of danger. She never joined fully, never cast her strongest spells, but her presence was constant, her guidance saving lives again and again.

Still, it was Dame who was drawing the crowd’s attention. He faced George, one of the strongest mages Central Academy had to offer.

"How... how is this possible?" George gasped, sweat beading on his forehead. His voice cracked with disbelief. "How are you still standing against my gravity magic?"

To George, it was unthinkable. No one had withstood his crushing spells without collapsing, and yet here Dame was, seemingly unaffected. Even worse, Dame wasn’t struggling. His arms were folded casually across his chest. He looked as though he were watching a performance rather than fighting for his life.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Dame called out. His tone was mocking, sharp with irritation. "I already told you, point that useless magic somewhere else!"

The pressure of George’s spell was like a hand pressing down on Dame’s skull, trying to drive him into the dirt. Dame clenched his jaw, his patience snapping. Enough was enough.

With a roar, he kicked off the ground, blasting forward. His Qi surged through his body, propelling him with terrifying force. His fist swung in a wide arc, sparks of lightning trailing off the gauntlets that wrapped his hands. The punch landed squarely against George’s face with a sickening crack.

The impact lifted George off his feet and hurled him across the battlefield. He slammed into the stone wall with a thunderous crash, debris raining down around him, before slumping to the ground, limp and motionless.

The audience erupted. Dust clouded the air, and when it finally began to settle, they saw it, Dame’s gauntlets glowing faintly, arcs of lightning dancing along his arms. His body shimmered with energy, sparks flashing across his shoulders and chest.

’That was too close,’ Dame thought grimly. He had used Qi, raw Pagna strength, to fuel the strike. It hadn’t looked like magic at all. At the last moment, he had activated the gauntlets, channeling lightning through them to disguise the true source of his power. To the audience, it would appear as if he had simply unleashed an advanced lightning technique. At least, he hoped so.

Part of him wondered why they bothered hiding it anymore. The truth was balanced on the edge of a knife. If the illusion shattered, the whole world would know. But then he reminded himself: this wasn’t their world. In a place where only magic existed, if someone saw something strange, their first thought would never be "Qi." They would assume it was just another kind of spell, or a trick they didn’t yet understand. The laws of the world were defined by the knowledge of those who lived in it.

As the dust cleared fully, Dame strode toward George’s crumpled body. "Come on," he muttered under his breath. "Don’t be knocked out. Not yet. If you faint, this whole thing gets worse for me."

There was the faintest groan. George stirred, his body trembling, forcing himself to rise. Relief flickered in Dame’s chest.

"Ah, great, great!" Dame said, his mocking smile returning. "Still alive, huh? That’s good. We should keep going, don’t you think? Better to show the audience everything we’ve got. Or, if you’re not up for it, maybe try one of the others for practice?"

George swayed on his feet, his vision swimming. Pain radiated through his body, every nerve screaming. Something about these Wilton students was wrong, impossibly wrong. They weren’t fighting like mages. Their movements, their resilience, their power... they were something else entirely.

The words of the Grand Magus echoed in his mind. Failure was not an option. Not now. Not ever. His family, his academy, his future, all of it rested on victory.

With trembling fingers, George reached into his robes. He pulled out a small pill, its surface gleaming faintly with magical energy. His jaw tightened. There was no choice left.

Without hesitation, he raised it to his lips and swallowed.

****

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