The Master?!

Adam froze when he saw the dark-robed figure standing at the edge of the rooftop across from him, staring at him with his dark grey eyes.

Every cell in the raven-haired youth's body was screaming at him to flee. This was an opponent he could not defeat.

In the world of Magi, the difference between ranks wasn't linear. It was exponential.

Each ascent in rank represented not just an increase in raw power, but a fundamental evolution in one's control over mana, perception of the world, and mastery of the arcane arts.

The gap between Mana Foundation and Mana Liquefaction was notable. Between Mana Liquefaction and Mana Vortex, it became daunting.

However, the difference between Mana Vortex and Mana Core became simply overwhelming, like the divide between man and a natural disaster.

The Mana Core Rank was the peak of magical mastery in Tron. A Mana Core Magus could bend the elements, distort space, and devastate armies. They became forces of nature, singular in power and few in number.

The gap between Mana Vortex and Mana Core was not a step… it was a chasm!

Mana Vortex Magi may be elite, but before a Mana Core Magus, they were outmatched in every conceivable way: in strength, speed, spellcraft, and sheer arcane pressure.

No amount of numbers or clever tricks could bridge that divide. Mana Core Magi stood at the arcane summit of Tron.

They were peerless, untouchable, and feared.

And now… one such existence was obstructing Adam's way. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead, and his heart started to beat wildly.

What is the Master doing here? How come the others were unaware of his presence… wait, that mask…

Adam's eyes narrowed. With great difficulty, he suppressed his fear and willed the Sphere of Resonance to work at full capacity. He fully absorbed this person's appearance.

And it was then that he realized… this person and the Master were not the same person. This man before him seemed aged and was short in stature. The Master, on the other hand, was tall and full of vitality. It was easy to overlook that stark difference when one's mind was clouded by terror.

Still, that did not change the fact that the person before him was a mighty Mana Core Magus, and there was nothing he could do to win in a battle against him.

Adam believed himself to be a splendid spellcaster and a brilliant combat specialist, but even he wasn't so naive as to think he stood a chance against the peak of magic in Tron.

He could not even withstand a single attack from the white eagle, one of the four great guardians of the Soaring River Secret Plane and a Mana Core Rank existence. Moreover, the magical beast had gone easy on him at the time since it wished to test him.

But this cultist in front of him would not go easy on him…

Damn it!

Adam gritted his teeth, his gaze never leaving the figure standing in front of him.

What do I do? What do I do?

Fear crept into his heart with each moment that passed. If this Mana Core Magus were allowed to rampage through the city, then… everyone would die. There was no one capable of stopping him since the Headmaster and the Emperor Emeritus were busy with their own battles.

Wait a minute…

Adam's pupils constricted.

This man has been secretly lying in wait since the beginning of the battle. Why hasn't he joined the battle yet?

Could it be…

Adam straightened his back, trying to appear as calm as he possibly could. His lips parted, and he asked evenly:

"Magus, were you looking for me?"

The sound of distant explosions and the clashing of swords and spells echoed around them. For a moment, the masked man, Felix, did not answer, but then, he slowly raised his hands.

Adam's eyes widened in shock because he was able to notice something else. As the cultist raised his hands, they turned into a blur for the briefest of moments, and then… he vanished.

Dimensional Door…

That was all the time Adam had to think of the spell the cultist had just cast. Suddenly, he felt a vast and overbearing presence appear behind him.

The masked man's piercing grey eyes were cold as ever. He even gave off the feeling that whatever he was doing was utterly beneath him. With sheer indifference, he reached out to grab Adam from behind.

Too late to block with the staff… too late to cast a defensive spell…

Adam's mind worked in overdrive as he thought of various ways to get out of his predicament. He knew that if the enemy got hold of him, it was over. But no matter what solution he tried to come up with, none would work against an existence such as a Mana Core Magus.

In the end, he did the only thing he could do: rely on his instincts.

In that moment, Adam's dark eyes began to radiate an otherworldly, divine glow. Then, the faint outline of a flower took shape within his inky pupils. The lotus pattern in his eyes lit up with a holy, resplendent light.

And in the blink of an eye…

Adam vanished.

Felix's eyes widened slightly in astonishment. He was certain that he'd be able to catch the youth off guard and pin him down, but in the end, all he managed to grasp was empty air.

He slowly raised his head and looked at the edge of the rooftop, where he had previously been standing. There, he saw Adam standing and looking at him with a pale, solemn expression.

When Felix caught a glimpse of the raven-haired youth's eyes, he immediately looked away—an action that shocked him more than Adam teleporting away without the usage of any magical components!

Those eyes…

Felix thought to himself with a grim expression. He looked at Adam once again, this time making sure not to look away. He gazed intently at the youth and coldly asked:

"How did you do it?"

Adam remained silent, the white glow in his dark eyes slowly diminishing. Yet, the lotus pattern remained etched on his pupils.

Felix noticed the white gleam in the youth's eyes. Then, he said in a grim voice:

"I see… No wonder the Elder asked me specifically to capture you."

His hands blurred once again, and in the next instant, he vanished.

When he reappeared, his voice came from right beside Adam.

"Because I am the only one who can."

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