Ery stepped out of the portal and stood before the towering peak of the Magus Academy. The vast mountain glead under the morning sun.
Even after all these years, the sight filled him with quiet awe.
Glita and Gwen followed behind him, both struck silent by the majesty of the place. Streams of magical energy flowed across the sky like ribbons, feeding the formations that surrounded the academy.
A figure in an official academy robe approached with a bright grin.
"Ery! By the stars—it really is you!"
The man was Urix, once Ery’s senior and instructor. His new body had matured well, the features almost identical to those Ery rembered. The energy he emitted showed the strength of a Full Moon Magus.
But as Urix drew close and felt Ery’s aura, his expression shifted from delight to disbelief. "I’ve spent decades breaking into Full Moon," he muttered, half laughing, half exasperated. "And you’re already a Grand Magus... The junior has beco the senior."
Ery actually had no plans to openly reveal his realm, but the Magus Academy was filled with intricate formations, and his concealnt technique could only hide part of his power, unable to fully mask the surge of cosmic energy within him. Most would see him as a one-cosmos Grand Magus; as for his true strength of two cosmos, perhaps only a few within the academy could perceive it.
"You were my teacher, so... you will always be my senior," Ery replied with a respectful gesture.
"Hahaha... I suppose I am," Urix said proudly. With a sweeping gesture, he led Ery toward the Academy grounds.
As they passed through the towering gate, Ery imdiately sensed how much the atmosphere had changed. The once-open academy was now surrounded by layers of reinforced barriers and rune formations humming faintly with power. Patrols of magus guards stood at every archway. Even young acolytes in the familiar gray uniforms were being scanned by detection spells before entry.
Ery took a deep sigh, realizing that the tension of war had reached even here.
After he stepped through the secured barrier, two familiar figures were waiting for him. Both were female magus, their appearances strikingly contrasting.
One stood tall and broad-shouldered, her posture radiating confidence; the other was pale, her delicate features frad by white hair and a pair of antennae on her forehead that marked her bloodline.
"Master, it’s great to see you!"
Ery’s expression brightened. They were his forr students—Kat, the one often called big sister among the acolytes, and Bellana, the gentle insectoid half-blood.
Seeing the reunion, Urix folded his arms and gave a mock frown. "Alright then, since your students are here, I’ll let them take you around instead. Find when you’re free."
"Yes, I will," Ery replied.
He introduced Gwen and Glita to the two won, and soon Kat brought out a sleek flying vessel. Its polished hull shimred faintly with light runes as it lifted from the platform, carrying them all into the open sky. The wind swept past as they ascended through drifting clouds toward the mountain peaks.
Noticing Ery’s silent gaze at the grand view, Bellana spoke softly. "I’m sorry, master... we tried our best, but we couldn’t maintain a top ten halls"
Ery smiled at her reassurance rather than disappointnt. He knew how fiercely those rankings were guarded by the top factions. The fact that his old students had managed to remain among the higher halls was already an impressive feat.
Kat, on the other hand, grinned brightly. "Now that Master Ery is back, we can return to our forr glory!"
Ery did not respond to Kat’s remark. In truth, he had no intention of resuming his role as an Academy instructor. Yet he could not deny the advantages of maintaining access to the Magus Academy’s facilities. For now, he decided to keep an open mind about the thought.
Their vessel glided over a series of peaks before gradually descending toward a cluster of grand stone buildings. As the clouds parted, Ery blinked in surprise—their destination was not a single hall, but two.
Two imposing structures stood side by side, identical in design yet distinct in aura. Inscribed in gold upon their entrances were the nas: Hall 33 and Hall 34.
"Welco to our Twin Halls!" Kat declared proudly, her voice carrying a note of excitent.
When they disembarked, Ery’s gaze was imdiately drawn to the vast combined training yard sprawled between the twin facilities. Nearly a hundred acolytes were practicing in tight formations—double the usual number a single hall could hold.
At the center of the field stood a broad-shouldered male magus, his arms and neck bristling with fur, his stance grounded and fierce. For a mont, Ery failed to recognize him—until the man turned, revealing a familiar boar-like face.
"That’s... Ulong?" Ery murmured in disbelief.
Bellana nodded eagerly. "Yes, master. He’s changed so much now!"
The transformation was astounding. The once lazy and overweight half-boar acolyte Ery rembered had beco a hardened instructor, his booming voice commanding the acolytes’ attention. The class was practicing coordinated combat maneuvers—movents Ery recognized imdiately as his own Dao Steps, woven into a martial sequence derived from the teachings of the Ashaka.
Ery watched with quiet pride as the students moved in unison, their energy synchronized, their breathing disciplined. He also noticed two other magus instructors assisting in the drills—faces he didn’t recognize, yet their bearing spoke of competence and devotion.
The mont Ulong noticed Ery, he froze mid-command. His eyes widened, and with a loud voice, he called out to the acolytes.
"Everyone—greet Master Ery!"
In perfect rhythm, a hundred young voices echoed through the yard. "Greetings, Master Ery!"
Ery swept his divine sense over the gathered students. Their energies were strong, filled with potential. What caught his attention most was the diversity among them—nearly half bore the traits of half-bloods, with a notable number from the insectoid races.
With more questions in mind, Kat led him inside to et the head instructor in charge.Ery had expected to see Fjolrin, but to his surprise, the one standing before him was a familiar Grand Magus figure — a female serpent bloodline who had once taught him the way of the sword.
"Master Atika!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers