Earth's Greatest Magus

It had been five months since Queen Soonhee of Alvanic Kingdom had last received any communication from Emery. The only updates she had were delivered by the unsocial female magus, Morgana, who had visited three times for their monthly trades.

These past few months, the subterranean seven kingdoms have been thriving. Alvanic's position as the leader of the alliance had been further solidified, a testament to Emery's significant contributions.

Yet, the Queen couldn't help but miss the man who had single-handedly orchestrated this prosperous era. Her thoughts frequently drifted to him, wondering about his fate and the endeavors that kept him away.

When the Alvanic sacred mountain suddenly shook, her first thought was of Emery. The initial excitement at the possibility of his return was swiftly replaced by anxiety. She watched in horror as the massive mountain and its surrounding terrain were blasted apart, creating a catastrophe of unprecedented scale. The sheer magnitude of the explosion sent tremors throughout all seven kingdoms, leaving their people terrified and confused.

Without wasting any time, Queen Soonhee gathered her trusted old Magus Kasim and two newly ascended magus—elites who had recently achieved their breakthroughs with the help of the [Awakening scroll] acquired through their trades. The urgency was palpable as the four of them took to the skies, racing towards the mountains. Within fifteen minutes, they arrived at the scene, only to be confronted by sheer devastation. The sacred mountain, a symbol of Alvanic's 2000-year legacy, lay in ruins.

"There is something there!" shouted Magus Kasim, his keen eyes spotting an anomaly amidst the destruction.

Queen Soonhee quickly led the group towards the anomaly but abruptly halted when they saw a terrifying sight—a dark sphere hovering in the air, pulsating with powerful energy beyond their comprehension. Within the sphere, a man appeared to be floating, encased in its formidable energy.

As soon as she recognized the figure, Queen Soonhee's heart leapt. "That's him… That's Lord Emery,"

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Just half an hour ago, Emery had miraculously managed to enter Mo Yan's aperture. However, what greeted him was nothing short of a catastrophe.

With a swift assessment, Emery took in the sheer scale of Mo Yan's domain. It was at least three times larger than his own, spanning over 200 square miles—an impressive expanse even among the other two cosmos grand magus. The landscape was dominated by a massive mountain range covered in dark rocks and gray sands, a typical environment for a magus proficient in the law of darkness.

Various caves pockmarked the mountains, a black water lake lay to the north, and several ominous structures were scattered across the western side. Despite its grandeur, the domain was in utter disarray. The entire area was shaking violently from relentless earthquakes and dark lightning bolts that streaked across the sky, causing further destruction. Most terrifying of all were the dark clouds that roiled ominously overhead, each rumble and shift causing the very ground to tremble and stretch as if the domain itself were being torn apart.

It was clear to Emery that the whole domain was on the brink of total collapse. The cataclysmic forces at play were intensifying, leaving little time for him to accomplish his objectives.

Emery activated his spirit reading, swiftly scanning the domain for anything of value amidst the chaos. Unfortunately, most of the area was devastated. The once lush vegetation was reduced to charred remnants, and the once-vibrant pastures that held Mo Yan's tamed beast collections were now graveyards. Tens of thousands of mythical and desolate beasts, representing a wide variety of species, lay lifeless on the ground. The scene was a stark reminder of the sheer magnitude of the destruction.

Emery briefly considered sending his Chizpur brothers to collect these valuable remains. The carcasses alone could fetch tens of millions of spirit stones in the right markets. However, given the high risk and the unstable environment, he quickly dismissed the idea. Instead, he summoned Twik and Livi, his two most capable companions. Twik, with a body as sturdy as the strongest armor, and Livi, with her unique ability to transform into smoke, were well-equipped to handle the perilous conditions.

He handed each of them a storage ring for keeping the resources they would gather. With a nod of understanding, they sprang into action, moving through the rubble and chaos with precision and agility.

VIA constantly fed them warnings while simultaneously analyzing the available resources and directing them toward the most promising areas.

Twik focused on gathering selected rare minerals and metals, The high-grade rocks and the moss surrounding them still held value. His powerful limbs effortlessly broke through debris to extract the precious materials.

Meanwhile, Livi, in her smoke form, slipped through cracks and narrow passages, finding a hidden nest of living beasts powerful enough to withstand the catastrophe.

Emery's priority, however, lay in Mo Yan's hidden chamber. Just like himself, every magus of Mo Yan's caliber would have a personal chamber to store their most valuable treasures. This thought had occupied his mind since his arrival in the collapsing domain.

Scanning the entire mountain range thoroughly would take precious minutes that he didn't have. The building structures on the west side might have contained Mo Yan's treasures, but collecting them amidst the chaos seemed impossible. His senses finally directed him to a simple but sturdy cabin beside the blackwater lake.

Without hesitation, Emery activated his [Blink] skill and teleported to the cabin. He materialized at the entrance, his heart pounding with anticipation. The cabin, constructed from dark, reinforced wood, exuded an aura of enchantments designed to protect whatever lay inside.

Being a criminal, Mo Yan would value comfort, and his apparent confidence in his mental defenses led him to openly display his treasures within the cabin by the lake. After breaking the enchantment, Emery stepped inside, he found the space meticulously organized, with artifacts neatly arranged on shelves and pedestals.

Emery wasted no time. He moved swiftly, taking anything of value. There were numerous artifacts, two dozen of them tier 6 and a few tier 7.Among with Mo Yan stash of spirit stones, he quickly asses wealth worth at least 100 million spirit stones. Among the treasures, one object stood out—a crystal ball emitting a faint, enigmatic glow. Emery attempted to analyze it, but even VIA couldn't decipher its purpose or origin.

With the cabin shaking from the ongoing destruction, Emery knew he couldn't afford to linger. Not wanting to test his luck further, he called out to both Twik and Livi to return and prepared to leave. Within moments, they appeared at his side, their storage rings filled with the resources they had managed to salvage.

While waiting for his two companions, Emery startled as he sensed something unusual under the lake. A hidden vault sealed with Mo Yan layer of protection, part of the grand magus will guarding the place. The ongoing catastrophe had created cracks in the seals, revealing this hidden layer.

However, Emery realized that the collapsing space made it nearly impossible to use his space magic effectively. With the domain on the verge of complete destruction, he knew he only had seconds to make a decision. Reluctantly, he chose to retreat.

Emery decisively flew into the air, but halfway up, he was shocked to be restrained by a powerful energy that pulled him down. Simultaneously, the seal under the lake broke apart, and thousands of souls in spectral form surged out of the water, charging at him with unrestrained wrath.

A collective voice echoed in his mind, "You are not leaving!"

Emery found himself surrounded and restrained by the vengeful souls. Their ethereal forms twisted around him, their ghostly hands clawing at him, trying to drag him down.

In this dire situation, the domain finally broke apart, unleashing a cataclysmic wave of destruction that obliterated the entire mountain.