Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1494: The Last Request

All three teachers had to blink a few times when they heard Raze speak. The words hung in the air, heavy and sharp, and for a moment none of them knew how to respond. It wasn’t a complete surprise, each of them had suspected that Raze might try something reckless sooner or later, but for him to declare it now, at this exact moment, when everything was balanced so precariously, caught them off guard.

"Well..." Redrick finally said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s a lot on our shoulders if you really do take part." His tone was dry, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable.

"Hey!" Panla snapped back immediately. "This is a teachers’ event, not a students’ show! Regardless of who Raze is, he’s still a student. They won’t even let him step onto the floor. Unless..." She narrowed her eyes, suspicion flashing across her face. "Unless you plan to use that mask again, to go as Redrick?"

Raze shook his head. He no longer had the mask anyway, he had given it to Alen to wear. But it didn’t matter. Not this time.

"It won’t matter," Raze said simply, his voice steady, calm, resolute. "All I ask is that you let me step forward when they call for a teacher. This is my last chance to complete what I came here to do. When I step out there, everything I’ve been working toward will begin. All I ask of you is to protect the students and the crowd if things get rough."

His words carried a strange weight. Even though they were softly spoken, none of the teachers could ignore the seriousness behind them.

A long silence filled the room. In their minds, each of them was thinking the same thing: the sheer weight of what tomorrow would bring was immense. Yet, though none of them wanted to admit it aloud, there was also a flicker of excitement stirring in their chests.

"When Raze steps out there," Redrick finally said, breaking the silence, "it won’t feel so strange anyway. Everyone’s already seen what he can do. He’s more skilled than most teachers here, more skilled than us in some ways. You’ve helped me personally. You’ve helped this academy more than anyone knows. So..." He exhaled deeply, almost like he was releasing something heavy from his chest. "Do what you need to do."

He hesitated, then added, softer, "At first I wasn’t fully on your side. Knowing you were linked to the Dark Guild... I doubted you. I doubted your intentions. But after everything I’ve seen... it feels like we’ve been wrong this whole time. We only ever saw one side of the story."

The other teachers said nothing, but their silence spoke volumes. None of them could bring themselves to say no. It felt less like Raze was asking for permission and more like he was extending them the courtesy of being included.

With that, Raze left them. He walked back to his room, leaving the three teachers to sit with their thoughts, their nerves, and the anticipation of the coming day.

When the next day arrived, the air itself felt heavier. Though the festival carried on, students and guests enjoying their last chance at games, food, and performances, there was an unspoken tension lingering beneath the laughter. It was the calm before the storm.

Inside his room, Raze received an update through the communicator.

"All of the students are safe," Alen reported. "None of them have tried to run off, and they’ll be entering the arena as expected."

It was good news, a small relief amidst the storm building in Raze’s mind.

Now, with only an hour until the final event, he sat in silence, his thoughts churning.

’I’ve absorbed the powers of those students,’ he thought. ’But it barely affected me. Enaxx, at least, I’ve already defeated. Though Enaxx and Ibarin are considered the weaker of the Grand Magus, neither of them should be underestimated. Enaxx was always sent on errands, but his unique trait made him dangerous. His constant activity, his ability to persist, it made him one of the most troublesome to deal with. Ibarin may be similar... or he may have grown complacent. Either way, I can’t take him lightly.’

Raze’s hand tightened into a fist as his mind sharpened.

’I have my Pagna techniques, combined with magic. I have one last card hidden up my sleeve. It should be enough. No, it has to be enough. I’m strong enough now. I can take on a Grand Magus. I can do this.’

When he lifted his head, his eyes met those of his companions, the allies who had come with him from Pagna. They were watching him quietly, their gazes steady.

"We can tell today is the day," Liam said, scratching at the side of his head. "You don’t have to say a word. We get it. This whole thing... it’s personal. You told us your story. We know this is what started it all for you. It’s what you came here to finish. So we won’t interfere."

He leaned back, his expression grim but resolved. "But we’ll make sure no one else interferes either. You focus on the Grand Magus. Leave the rest to us."

Raze nodded. "Safa," he said, his tone shifting. "Your light magic has improved a lot. When I face the Grand Magus, there’s going to be power leaking everywhere. It’ll shake the arena, maybe even tear it apart. If you spread your light magic wide enough, use enough mana, you can create a barrier. That barrier will keep the students safe. It’ll keep the crowd safe. If the academy’s teachers decide to intervene, they may ignore the barrier... but the innocent people won’t. Protect them. That will let me fight at full strength."

Safa pressed her lips together, then nodded firmly. "I’ll do it."

Before Raze could say anything else, there came a knock at the door.

"Are you ready?" Panla’s voice called from the hall. "It’s time to go."

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