Noah’s brows furrowed deeply behind the unmoving surface of his white demon mask.
Even though he had successfully forced Lunge to the brink of submission, he couldn’t shake the sudden chill that settled in his chest.
’That could have been dangerous...’ he thought, his mind replaying the split second where their two auras had first collided.
The sheer density of Lunge’s earth-attuned mana was like a crashing landslide. the crushing weight of a master who had spent centuries refining his connection to the world.
’Fortunately, I’ve also broken through to the Arch Magus rank,’ Noah mumbled inwardly, a sense of grim relief washing over him.
Without that fundantal evolution of his mana core, no amount of skill or technique would have saved him from being pulverized into the stone floor alongside Yuan.
[Supre Magus System$&@?!]
[Host: Noah Whiteheart]
[Level: 23]
[EXP: 0/100$&@?]
[Rank: Arch Magus (low)]
[Elents: Ice, Lightning]
[Mana: 7000/7000]
[Health: 1500/1500]
[Strength: 33]
[Agility: 34]
[Stamina: 33]
[Endurance: 32]
[Sense: 37]
[Supre Points: 20]
Noah briefly glanced at his status window, his eyes scanning the significantly higher values that now defined his existence.
His mana pool had expanded into a vast, swirling sea of seven thousand units, and his physical attributes had surged into the thirties, placing him in a realm of power that he previously could only imagine.
He chuckled inwardly, a dark, satisfied sound that never reached his lips.
Seeing his na, "Noah Whiteheart," next to the rank of Arch Magus felt surreal, yet the raw power thrumming through his veins was undeniably real.
Satisfied with the confirmation of his growth, he closed the window with a ntal flick and turned his attention back to the man in the ornate robes.
Lunge was still smoothing out his clothes, his face a mixture of embarrassnt and suppressed fear. Noah watched him with a cold gaze.
He knew that if not for his actual breakthrough to the Arch Magus rank, he would have been easily overwheld by Lunge’s mana pressure.
In a clash of auras, the lower-ranked magus is almost always suppressed by the sheer volu and quality of the opponent’s mana.
If Noah had still been at the Master rank, he would have been forced to his knees and his whole Mr White persona would have shattered in that instant.
While Aura master was incredibly useful for intimidation and deception, Noah knew its critical flaw.
Aura Master, despite being a powerful bluff, couldn’t survive a direct mana pressure clash with a stronger opponent.
It was a tool designed to fool the senses and project a false sense of scale, but it lacked the structural integrity of actual, cultivated mana.
In a contest of pure might, a bluff was nothing more than a paper shield against a steel sword.
It was, after all, at the end of the day an illusion. The system-granted ability could weave a convincing tapestry of power around him, making his presence feel like whatever magus rank he set it to.
People could feel the weight of it, and indeed believe that the illusion was his real power level. Adventurers, commoners, and even many Master-level magi would be deceived by the sheer "volu" of the aura he projected, retreating in fear from a monster that didn’t technically exist yet.
But when it ca to testing against a true magus at that level—soone like Lunge who had truly reached the arch magus rank—the illusion was sure to fail.
If Noah hadn’t actually ascended to the rank of Arch Magus, Lunge’s mana would have pierced right through the "Aura Master" facade like a hot needle through silk.
’Eye of truth.’ Noah thought, glancing at Lunge as he used the skill.
[Na: Lunge Blaise]
[Rank: Arch Magus (high)]
[Elents: Fire]
[Mana: 6000/6000]
[Health: 1600/1700]
[Strength: 29]
[Agility: 27]
[Stamina: 30]
[Endurance: 26]
[Sense: 34]
[Emotions: Shock, Curiosity...]
Noah’s pupils contracted as the information settled in.
’High Arch Magus...’ he thought, the weight of the realization pressing against his mind. He scanned the stats again, comparing them to his own.
While Lunge’s physical attributes—his strength, agility, and endurance—actually trailed behind Noah’s own system-enhanced body, the sheer volu of his mana and his sense were formidable.
He was a veteran who had reached the upper limits of one of the most prestigious rank in the magical world.
Now that he thought about it, a wave of profound realization washed over him. He had just successfully overpowered the mana pressure of a High Arch Magus while being a Low Arch Magus himself!
The logic of the magical world dictated that such a feat should have been impossible.
In a head-to-head clash of pressure, the sheer quantity and density of mana usually determined the victor.
A High Arch Magus was, after all, two sub-stages higher than a Low Arch Magus. In the hierarchy of magi, two sub-stages represented a chasm of experience and raw power that usually took decades, if not a lifeti, to bridge.
If anyone heard this, they would find it hard to believe. They would likely laugh it off as a tall tale or a hallucination born of mana exhaustion.
Yet, Noah stood there, perfectly composed, while Lunge—a man who should have been his superior—was still recovering from the embarrassnt of almost being forced to his knees.
Noah knew the reason for this was the System. It wasn’t just about the numbers or the levels; it was about the fundantal quality of the energy the System provided.
He also knew how his mana had been different since he got the system and was far richer than that of normal magi.
Every drop of mana in his seven-thousand-unit pool felt denser, more refined, and infinitely more responsive than the ambient mana he used to struggle with.
It was as if his mana was "high-definition" compared to the grainy, static-filled energy of those around him.
This richness allowed his intent to cut through Lunge’s pressure like a diamond-tipped blade through soft wood.
Lunge, sensing that the atmosphere was slowly stabilizing despite the tension, managed to pull himself together.
He looked up at Noah, his piercing black eyes now carrying a glimr of wary respect that bordered on caution.
"Surely we can put that behind us... Mr. White," Lunge said, his voice smooth but lacking its previous bite. He was clearly attempting to salvage the situation and move past the mont he had been humbled.
Noah clicked his tongue, a sharp, dismissive sound that echoed within the hollow interior of his mask.
"Whatever," he muttered, his voice dripping with boredom. He didn’t have the patience for the political posturing or the fragile egos of the Magus Order.
He wasn’t interested in an apology; he was interested in the truth that had been monts away from being revealed before Lunge had literally crashed through the door.
He turned back to Tara, his brows furrowing into a deep, frustrated frown behind the mask.
She looked like a broken doll, her short brown hair matted against her forehead.
Noah’s mind was racing with a new, much more difficult problem.
’Now that the Magus Order is trying to take over this case... I don’t know how I’m supposed to get the information I need from her.’
If the Order took her into their custody, she would be moved to a high-security facility in the capital, deep within the heart of their territory.
Once she was behind those white stone walls, Noah would lose all access.
He wouldn’t be able to ask her about the blurry images, the darkness of her childhood, or the na of the master who had turned her into a shadow. The information would be classified as a state secret, and used as leverage by people like Lunge.
Lunge, ever the opportunist, seed to sense Noah’s internal conflict.
He stepped a bit closer, his hands now folded neatly behind his back as he attempted to bridge the gap between them with a new proposal.
His black eyes were sharp, evaluating Noah as a potential asset rather than just an obstacle.
"Why not join the Grand Magus Order, Sir White?" Lunge suddenly said, his tone shifting to one of persuasive invitation.
"An Archmagus of your caliber will surely be accepted easily. We are always looking for... exceptional magi like you. With your power, you wouldn’t be an outsider; you would be an elite among elites."
"So... what do you say?"
The offer was a transparent attempt to bring Noah under the Order’s thumb. By recruiting him, the Order wouldn’t just be gaining a powerful magus; they would be neutralizing a rogue elent they couldn’t control.
If Noah were a mber of the Order, he would have access to the prisoner, but he would also be bound by their rules, their oaths, and their hierarchy. He would be traded from a free agent to a high-ranking pawn.
Noah didn’t answer imdiately. He looked at Lunge, then at the shivering Tara, and then at the Yuan, who looked like his whole world had just co crashing down.
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