Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2175: Bloody Carnage

Half an hour earlier.

As the head of the City Watch presented the gift box to Emily Damon, the Watchmen surrounding the clearing subtly began to move.

Almost imperceptibly, they stepped forward, gradually closing the distance between themselves and the guests.

The vast majority of the attendees failed to notice anything unusual. They were too busy enjoying the festivities, chatting with acquaintances, and drinking their wine. The poison had dulled their senses.

Only a select few seemed to have realized something was wrong. Those who had remained sober. Those who hadn’t touched the poisoned wine.

And among them was Adam Constantine.

His heart thundered inside his chest as he expanded the Sphere of Resonance all around him, not even caring about the fact that he would be found out. It didn’t matter anymore.

They’re moving!

He glanced at the Watchmen surrounding the clearing. Some of them felt his senses wash over them and turned toward him with mocking eyes.

Adam felt a chill crawl down his spine. He turned toward Genevieve and Professor Oakley.

"Listen to me carefully," he hissed. "Something is about to happen. When it does, stay close to me. Don’t leave my side, no matter what you hear or see. Understood?"

Genevieve’s face immediately turned grim. Though drowsiness still crept from the corners of her eyes, she tried her best to stay alert. "Adam, what’s going on?"

Adam turned to her, fear in his eyes. "Have you still not realized? You have been poisoned. It’s messing with your mind."

Genevieve froze. She turned to Channing and saw that he was struggling to even stay awake. Then she turned to the children—a boy and a girl, barely five years old.

"No..." Her voice trembled.

The next moment, she steeled herself. With a flick of her wrist, her bracelet glowed, and a thick syringe appeared in her hand. Without hesitation, she drove the needle into her jugular.

Adam’s eyes widened. "What’re you doing?!"

The syringe contained a highly potent stimulant. It would accelerate her blood flow, flood her body with adrenaline, and sharpen her focus, allowing her to remain alert despite the poison coursing through her veins.

But there was a catch—the increased blood flow would also intensify the effects of the poison.

Genevieve gritted her teeth and quickly retrieved several vials of antitoxins from her bracelet. She swallowed them one after another, hoping they would be enough to counteract the poison. She could only pray that she would remain conscious long enough to survive the ordeal.

She had no time to explain to Adam. She turned to the children sitting beside her, watching her with wide, curious eyes.

"Vesper, take them into my shadow."

There was some protest from the Shadow, but the next moment, the two children slipped inside Genevieve’s shadow.

Adam grimaced. He had desperately hoped that Genevieve would be selfish enough to take refuge in her shadow. There was only so much space inside her shadow, after all. With the kids inside, there was no way she could now hide.

Channing, his daughter, and his son-in-law would be fools not to realize something had gone terribly awry.

Adam turned to them and said gravely, "Stay behind me. Whatever happens, don’t try to be a hero."

Adam didn’t even wait to see their response. While Genevieve watched the perimeter of the clearing like a hawk, his gaze returned to the elevated platform.

Emily Damon was still holding the gift box.

The head of the City Watch stood before her with a humble smile, his attendant waiting quietly behind him.

Then the Known Lord finally opened the box.

That was when everyone started to die.

The moment Emily saw the severed head of her student, the final thread of composure snapped. The delegates beside her watched with wide eyes as horror crept in.

That was the signal.

Adam’s face was utterly pale. He didn’t need to see the first blade drawn to understand what was happening. The sheer killing intent flooding the clearing was enough.

"DOWN!" he roared.

Then he flipped the dining table with his foot, sending plated glasses, food, and wine crashing onto the ground. Before anyone could react, his hands moved rapidly, forming one seal after another.

[Mana Shield]

A translucent barrier erupted around him, Genevieve, Channing, and his family.

Adam wove several more hand seals, reinforcing the barrier. He made it multi-layered and hexagonally interlocked, such that even a Transcendent would have trouble breaking through it.

Beyond the barrier, screams tore through the clearing.

The Watchmen drew their weapons and attacked the guests they had sworn to protect. Blades flashed. Blood splattered across the grass. Those who had been weakened by the poison struggled to rise from their seats, only to be cut down before they could mount any meaningful resistance.

The festivities had become a slaughterhouse. Guests tried to escape. Some attempted to cast spells, while others desperately reached for their weapons. But the poison dulled their senses and weakened their bodies, leaving them helpless against the sudden assault.

One after another, they fell. The music stopped. The laughter vanished. And beneath the beautiful night sky, the Centennial Gala descended into bloody carnage.

Adam tried to come up with an escape plan. But no matter how hard he tried, it seemed impossible. He bit his lip hard, cursing at his own helplessness.

Beside him, Genevieve prepared her bow and arrows. The battle cocktail heightened her senses, making her mind sharp for the impending battle despite the poison in her veins.

He saw her visage, and he gradually found his resolve. He then turned to Channing and the rest. He knew that the three were also Magi, so he began laying out the plan for them.

"No matter what, we have to stick—"

A boundless pressure descended upon his senses, upon him, upon the barrier. His figure trembled in horror, and he momentarily froze. On instinct, his hand shot forward; he grabbed Genevieve by her shoulder and yanked her toward him.

BOOM!

A powerful mana projectile pierced through the barrier as easily as a hot knife through butter.

In the blink of an eye, it shot past Adam and Genevieve, the immense force of its passage stirring their clothes and hair, nearly burning them.

Before either of them could react, the projectile plowed ahead, swallowing everything in its path.

The [Mana Shield] had completely disintegrated.

Adam looked at the blazing trail left behind by the projectile. It passed through right before him and Genevieve.

His eyes trembled in shock.

Channing and his family were gone.

They simply ceased to exist.

There was no trace of their bodies left intact. Only scattered bones and splattered blood remained where they had stood moments ago.