Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2909: Hunter

[Dawnstar Magus Guild Task]

[Difficulty: S]

[Bog Tyrant Toad corpse urgently needed]

[Reward: 200 million spirit stones]

This was the task that had led Emery to this forsaken planet.

On the surface, it appeared to be nothing more than a high-risk commission—dangerous, but manageable for someone of his level. Yet the reward was never his true motivation. Spirit stones, even in such a large amount, had long ceased to be his priority.

What he truly sought—

Was a top-grade beast core.

For the past few years, Emery had been relentlessly searching for suitable materials to advance his Stellar Beast Body Refinement. While most of the time he delegated such tasks to Fjolnir and the Void Wolf crew, this particular hunt had forced him to act personally. The Bog Tyrant Toad’s toxic domain made it too dangerous for others, especially given the precision required to extract what he needed.

Now—

Standing before the fallen corpse of the massive beast—

He allowed himself a brief moment of anticipation.

The creature’s enormous body lay motionless, its toxic fluids slowly seeping into the surrounding swamp as its life force faded completely. Emery stepped forward, his expression calm as he raised a finger.

With a subtle motion, spatial energy sliced through the corpse.

Clean.

Precise.

The massive body parted effortlessly, revealing its internal structure as Emery carefully navigated through layers of flesh and organ. Moments later, something small but radiant emerged from within.

A beast core.

Roughly the size of a fist.

Emery caught it in his palm, his eyes narrowing slightly as he examined its surface, sensing its energy.

Then—

He sighed.

"It’s... a high-grade core... not top-grade..."

The disappointment was clear, though not overwhelming.

Statistically, a Level 6 godly beast only had a twenty to thirty percent chance of producing a top-grade core. It seemed that this particular creature, despite its dominance within the swamp, had not yet reached the threshold of full maturity required for such a treasure.

Still—

It was not a total loss.

Suppressing his disappointment, Emery continued his work, extracting additional materials from the corpse. His movements were efficient and deliberate as he located two valuable components—the poison bladder, still filled with highly concentrated venom, and the beast’s blackened heart, dense with residual energy.

Both were Tier 7 materials.

Extremely valuable.

Though taking them would reduce the official reward from the guild, Emery did not hesitate. These materials held far greater value to him personally.

Once he finished, he rose to his feet.

And that was when—

His divine sense picked up something unexpected.

A presence.

From above.

Emery’s gaze lifted toward the sky, where a vessel hovered silently, its silhouette cutting through the toxic clouds.

His expression remained calm, though his eyes sharpened slightly as the ship stabilized above him.

Moments later, five figures emerged.

They did not descend cautiously, nor did they attempt to conceal their presence. Instead, they flew down with deliberate confidence, landing in formation not far from Emery. Each of them carried the unmistakable aura of a Grand Magus, their armor and weapons fully equipped, their stances firm and ready for battle.

This was no coincidence.

This was an ambush.

Emery turned toward them, his expression composed, almost casual despite the overwhelming pressure they brought with them.

"I guess you are not here for some toad soup, aren’t you?"

The five did not respond immediately. Instead, they stared at him, their gazes sharp as they assessed him, measuring his presence, his aura, his composure.

Among them, a burly woman with a muscular build stepped forward slightly, her brows furrowing as she looked him up and down.

"Is he really the faction leader?... he doesn’t look strong!"

A bald man standing beside her shook his head, his eyes never leaving Emery.

"Do not underestimate him, sister... He killed that godly-level beast far too quickly."

Another figure, his skin faintly green and his expression laced with amusement, let out a soft chuckle.

"There is no need to be concerned, second brother... The Bog Tyrant is not that powerful as long as one can withstand its lethal poison..." His gaze narrowed slightly as he looked at Emery. "And I am quite certain... he is already affected."

Emery listened without interruption, his eyes calmly sweeping across the group as he assessed them in return.

Four Two Cosmos.

One Three Cosmos.

A dangerous lineup.

"It seems I was fooled by a bogus job..." Emery said with a quiet sigh. He glanced briefly at the corpse behind him before adding, "Does this mean I won’t get paid?"

The green-skinned man laughed loudly, clearly entertained.

"Hahaha... this guy is funny... Don’t worry, I will pay enough to buy your coffin!"

Despite being surrounded by five powerful Grand Magus, Emery showed no sign of tension. His gaze moved past the others, settling on the one figure he recognized without doubt.

A muscular man with a short white beard.

Maldrin.

The Midnight Demon.

These were not just any Grand Magus—

This was the core force of the Midnight Brotherhood.

Emery’s eyes shifted briefly toward the last member of the group, an elderly man whose dark skin was covered in intricate tattoos. The aura he exuded was even stronger to Maldrin; he was the three cosmos expert he needed to be wary of.

Interesting.

Emery returned his gaze to Maldrin, his expression unchanged as he spoke again.

"So... what is the job this time... kidnapping? Assassination?"

Maldrin stared at him in silence for a few moments, his gaze deep.

Then he spoke.

"Your faction has been meddling too deeply with our city..." His voice was cold, heavy with intent. "You will pay with your life..."

Emery raised a brow slightly, a faint smirk forming on his lips.

"tsk tsk... Maldrin the Midnight Demon... how could you do your job right if you can’t even recognize me yet..." He tilted his head slightly. "It’s been, what... six..seven years?"

His tone remained calm, but his words carried weight.

For a brief moment, silence fell.

Then—

Maldrin expression change.

Not with surprise.

But with an elated smile, as if confirming something that had long been suspected.

"So it’s really you... Huh... no wonder they told me to bring everyone to kill a two cosmos..."

His aura surged, the air around him growing heavier as killing intent spread outward.

Emery gave a confident reply

"You couldn’t defeat me back then... what gives you the confidence to defeat me now...?"

"Five against one, you bastard!! This time... we will avenge our fallen brother!"

The others reacted instantly, their energies rising as they prepared for battle.

The atmosphere tightened.

Explosive.

Imminent.

Emery stood still, his voice quiet but steady.

"Five against one... really..."

Then—

An explosion tore through the sky above.

BOOM!

All eyes snapped upward as another vessel appeared, emerging from its cloak in a violent burst of energy. Without hesitation, it unleashed a barrage of attacks toward the Midnight Brotherhood’s ship, forcing it into an immediate retreat.

The situation shifted in an instant.

The cloaked vessel revealed itself—

The Void Wolf.

The ship swiftly pursued the fleeing vessel as two figures descended rapidly from the sky.

A burly man and a beautiful woman with flowing crimson hair.

Both radiated the aura of Grand Magus.

Fjolnir and Morgana.

They landed beside Emery without a word, their presence immediately shifting the balance of power.

The battlefield—

Had changed.

And the clash of Grand Magus—

Was now inevitable.