Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1697: The Bloody Assessment

Suddenly, Raze found himself standing at the epicenter of a massive, open field. Before him sat over a hundred mages, arranged in disciplined rows along the side benches, their eyes fixed on him with a mixture of reverence and anxiety. These were the recruits from the Northern guilds, men and women who had sold their souls for a chance to wear the Noble Guild crest. Raze’s new role was to act as the gatekeeper; he was tasked with assessing these individuals and assigning them a ranking within the organization that would determine their worth in the coming war.

At the very least, he was responsible for a ranking based on raw power. It appeared that someone further up the chain of command, likely a logistics officer or a strategist, would decide their actual battlefield positions based on the data he provided. To his left, a stone pedestal held a glowing magical tablet. It was etched with various runes and a long list of names. Next to each name was a set of icons that allowed a proctor to select a specific color.

Raze looked at the interface with a hidden scowl. He could guess the colors were meant to represent a grading scale, perhaps gold for elite and red for failure, but he had no idea what the established protocol was. He didn’t know if a "blue" marking meant a promising candidate or a mediocre one. Having been put on the spot with the commander’s eyes effectively on his back, he had to think of a way to bypass the system without appearing ignorant.

"Is it okay if we change things up a bit this time?" Raze asked, turning to the two secondary Noble Guild mages who were assisting him with the tablet. His voice was cold, carrying the natural edge of an officer who didn’t expect to be questioned. "I feel like we need to assess these people differently from how they were being evaluated before. The old methods are too soft for the times we are in."

The primary reason Raze said this was, of course, because he had absolutely no idea how the previous assessments were conducted.

"One of you two will handle the marking on the tablet today," Raze instructed, gesturing dismissively toward the device. "I want you to decide the color based on how well they withstand my direct pressure. Don’t look at the old records. Focus only on the results in front of you."

The assistants looked at each other, surprised by "Web’s" sudden shift in leadership style, but they didn’t dare protest. After giving the instruction, Raze walked out onto the center of the dusty field, his boots crunching on the gravel.

"The enemy!" Raze shouted. He channeled his wind magic, vibrating the air around his throat to project his voice so that every person on the far benches could hear him as if he were standing right next to them. "The enemy we are currently training against is the Dark Magus. Do not forget who he is. He has managed to defeat three of the Grand Magus so far. He has done what the world thought was impossible."

A ripple of uneasy conversation caused several of the Northern mages to turn their heads toward one another. This wasn’t the typical welcoming speech they had expected. Even the established members of the Noble Guild standing near the walls were confused, but they remained silent, curious to see what Web was planning.

"He has managed to do what was once unthinkable," Raze continued, his eyes scanning the crowd like a predator. "So, being in the Noble Guild is no guarantee that the same fate won’t befall you. If you think joining our ranks gives you a free ride to safety, you are dead already. There is a high probability that you will have to fight, and soon, with your very lives on the line."

He paused, letting the fear sink in.

"It’s not just the Dark Magus who is strong; his allies are equally capable. Which is why, during this assessment, I will not go easy on you. You need to earn your place in this kingdom! You need to prove you won’t break the moment the shadows start moving!" Raze claimed, his voice rising to a crescendo. "Call out the first name!"

The sudden, sharp anger in Raze’s voice caused the Noble Guild assistant to jolt. He scrambled to the tablet and read the first name on the list.

"Lillith!"

A young female mage quickly stood up, her face pale. she made her way out to the center of the field, trying to maintain a dignified posture. Almost immediately, before she could even raise her staff or begin a chant, Raze was already casting. He didn’t use the flashy, complex spells of the Noble Guild; he used the raw, refined wind magic he had perfected.

Out from his hand, he fired two razor-thin wind strikes that tore through the air with a high-pitched whistle. Before Lillith could even react, the compressed air hit her legs like invisible saw blades. The strikes cut deep into her thighs, causing her to collapse to the floor in a spray of red. As she screamed, a secondary gust cut upward, lashing across her arms and chest. Before she could recover or attempt a counter-spell, a violent vortex of wind slammed into her torso, lifting her off the ground and slamming her into the dirt several yards away. When the dust settled, Lillith lay motionless.

"Don’t worry, she’s not dead," Raze said, his voice dropping to a terrifyingly calm tone. "I made sure of that. But I wanted to show you that the Noble Guild is not just a force that is strong in numbers or one that relies solely on the power of the Grand Magus. We are individually strong, and our enemies are even stronger. You have to be ready for anything! They could attack us this very second, and you must be prepared to bleed for your new home!"

Raze turned back to the assistants. "Don’t get a healing mage to attend to her yet. She needs to learn from the extent of her wounds. If it leaves a permanent scar, even better. It will serve as a reminder of her slowness. Next!"

The grading continued, and the Noble Guild members were left in awe of what they were witnessing. They had never seen Web so assertive, so passionate, or so brutal. They attributed it to the stress of the impending war, never suspecting the wolf in their midst.

A medical team quickly dragged the injured Lillith to the side, and now it was time for the next candidate. A male mage stepped forward, trying to preempt Raze by casting a fire spell. A ball of flame roared toward Raze, but with a simple, bored swing of his hand, Raze struck the fire mid-air, his Qi-infused wind dispersing the heat instantly. In the same motion, he launched a concentrated ball of wind that didn’t hit the student directly but exploded at his feet. The resulting vacuum and pressure shredded the mage’s legs and arms, leaving him a mangled heap on the ground.

’These are the people who decided to side with Idore... the people who would happily hunt me and my allies down for a title,’ Raze thought as he watched the next terrified recruit stand up. ’This is a perfect opportunity. I can break their spirits and their bodies before they even receive their gear. Every mage I cripple now is one less enemy my team has to face.’

****

****

For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below.

Instagram: jksmanga

P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga

When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.