Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 1985 Mana Seed Magus

Adam continued compressing.

Time gradually lost its meaning.

The Seed became smaller, and smaller, and smaller still.

Every reduction made the pressure within Adam's body more terrifying. The immense power contained within the Seed did not diminish as its size decreased. Instead, it became increasingly concentrated, as though an entire ocean was being forced into a single drop.

Adam remained unmoving, though he was drenched in sweat. His breathing was calm, and his consciousness was unwavering.

There was no impatience in him. No hesitation. Only an absolute determination to push his foundation as far as it could possibly go.

He had spent a long time waiting for this moment. He would not waste it.

And so, the Seed continued to shrink. At some point, even its previous size became difficult to comprehend. It had once been tiny. Now, it was barely more than a speck. Yet Adam continued. He compressed it again. And again.

The pressure became so immense that even his consciousness felt as though it were being pulled toward that infinitesimal point of existence.

It was almost like a singularity.

Everything was collapsing inward. Space. Mana. Even the Seed itself. All of it was being compressed toward the single point.

Adam did not know how long he had remained in that state. Months, definitely.

He had completely lost track of time. There was only the Seed, and the endless process of refinement. The process was as beautiful as it was horrifying.

Finally, after who knew how long, Adam felt the resistance weaken.

The Seed shrank once more.

And then it stopped.

Adam's consciousness became completely still.

Within the depths of his body, where an enormous ethereal Core had once existed, there now floated something so small that it could barely be perceived.

A mere speck.

Yet Adam could sense the terrifying density contained within it. His eyes remained closed. For a long time, he simply observed it and remained silent.

Truth be told, even he was having slight difficulty coming to terms with the fact that he had actually succeeded.

Sure, he was confident in his endeavor. He would never have taken such an enormous risk that affected his path of magic otherwise.

But still… seeing the result for himself was a surreal feeling.

Slowly, the corners of his lips curled upward and formed a brilliant smile.

He had gone one step beyond!

Not merely into the Mana Seed Rank, but beyond what even the geniuses of the Greater Universe would ordinarily dare attempt.

Then he finally opened his eyes.

His eyes were like twin dark pools, their depths seemingly far greater than before. There was something profound within them now, a quiet depth that had not existed prior to his advancement.

The small room around him had been almost completely destroyed. The tyrannical and oppressive mana he had released throughout the advancement had ravaged the surroundings, leaving cracks across the walls and deep marks upon the floor.

Thankfully, the concealment and defensive runes he had engraved beforehand had barely held.

Adam lowered his gaze and examined his body.

Though it was still covered in scars, it was no longer as sickly as before. The preparations he had made prior to the advancement had greatly improved his physical condition, leaving him looking far healthier than he had when he first entered the room.

His hair had once again grown long and lustrous, cascading down his shoulders. A thick beard covered his jaw, the result of months spent in mindfulness throughout the advancement process.

Adam slowly clenched his fist.

There was no aura radiating from his body. He had deliberately suppressed it, forcing every trace of his newfound power deep within himself. But he knew that with nothing more than a simple command, the suppressed aura could erupt outward like a raging tsunami.

He could unleash it in an instant. Of course, that would be a terrible idea. Doing so would likely alert the entire city to his presence.

Adam had no intention of announcing his advancement to everyone in Adventurers' City just yet.

He let out a breath of turbid air and spoke emotionally:

"I've finally become a Mana Seed Magus."

He swiped his hand and deactivated the rune magic protecting the room. He rose to his feet and opened the door. Unsurprisingly, he found the little fellow lounging outside.

Valerian's ears perked up, and he looked up. "Brother!"

Adam smiled warmly. "Hello, little Val."

"Brother, you're finally out!" Valerian jumped into his embrace and fondly started licking his face.

He blinked his round topaz eyes and said, "You… did you succeed?"

"Hmph! Of course, I succeeded," Adam said smugly. "Who do you think your big brother is?"

"Myu!" Valerian was so excited that if one didn't know better, they'd think he was the one who had just advanced.

The sound of footsteps came rushing down the hallway. Soon, a towering figure came into view, his expression full of anticipation.

"Constantine!" Luca grinned the moment his gaze landed on Adam.

But soon, he couldn't help but frown when he studied him. "What's this?" he murmured. "Did you not advance or what?"

Adam smiled faintly. A faint wave of pure mana radiated from his being. He had let it out for a very short moment, but that was enough.

The moment Luca sensed that pure and tyrannical mana, his eyes slowly widened. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead. He couldn't help but grin. "You madman!"

"How long was I inside?" Adam asked.

Luca snapped back to his senses and said, "A little more than six months."

"That's within my expectations." Adam nodded.

"What now?" Luca asked.

Seeing Adam advance, he also couldn't wait to advance. Everything had been prepared on his end. All he needed to do was make the attempt.

Adam thought for a while. "I'll eat something first. I'm famished. And then…"

He smiled lopsidedly, "I've to go visit someone."

***

The Sun Temple stood in silence beneath the crimson moon.

Its once-majestic marble dome had cracked and partially collapsed, while thick ivy crawled across the weathered walls and broken pillars.

Inside, the pews had long since been shattered and the floor destroyed during the battle nearly a year ago.

Along the walls, rows of stone angels stood atop tall pillars, their gentle expressions unchanged as they gazed down upon the ruined temple.

Crimson light spilled through the gaping crack in the dome, illuminating the enormous figure of the antlered werewolf kneeling before the statue of the sun god. Head bowed, the monstrous figure prayed in complete silence.

The High Priest must have felt something because it suddenly raised its head. Its glassy red eyes narrowed.

Crouched atop the statue of the sun god was a human in tattered robes. He had long, raven-black hair, with a patch near the temple bone-white.

"Father," Adam said with a smile.

"I have come to sin."