Earth's Greatest Magus

?Emery and the group swiftly returned to Terra City. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Gerri, Klea, and the newly acquired companions, Yami and Yama, utilized the teleportation gate in Terra City. Aiko awaited their arrival and informed them that the visitors from the Kronos faction were waiting in the hall.

Anxiety laced Aiko's voice as she conveyed the information that ten magus, accompanied by a grand magus, were among the Kronos representatives. Gerri, realizing the potential danger, assured them saying, "Don't do anything hasty. I've called for backup, and they will be here soon."

Despite the assurance, Emery maintained his calm demeanor and responded, "Don't worry; I've been expecting them."

In light of the circumstances, Klea suggested a precautionary measure. Turning to Gerri, she said, "Stay and reinforce the teleportation gate. We need to ensure there won't be any more unpleasant surprises. Besides, having an enforcer come to the meeting might not be the wisest move."

"Let's go,"

Emery calmly opened a spatial gate to the front of Terra Palace, and with confident strides, he passed the palace gate. As the gate closed behind him, he sensed the imposing pressure emanating from the grand magus among the Kronos representatives. However, Emery's formidable mental strength rendered the pressure ineffective, though he was mildly surprised that Kronos himself was not present.

Entering the hall, Emery immediately recognized three figures among the Kronos group: Zeus, Heracles, and Triton. The grand magus accompanying them was an elderly male with a massive build and an intimidating presence.

On the opposing side of the room stood Magus Silica, Ashaka, and Magus Sienna, along with four magus from the Zodiac City.

Emery's arrival, accompanied by Klea and the two new magus, Yama and Yami, balanced the numbers, but with a grand magus figure among them, the Kronos representatives showed smirking confidence. Despite the tension in the air, Emery calmly walked forward, took a seat on the throne, and greeted the Kronos representatives with a confident smile.

"What can I help you with?" His question hung in the air, signaling both his readiness to engage in dialogue and his composed demeanor in the face of potential conflict.

Zeus stepped forward and spoke with an authoritative tone, "We demand that you release our magus that you captured."

Emery, still wearing a slight smile, responded in a surprised tone, "Captured a prisoner? Did we really? There must be a mistake." His feigned confusion seemed to irk Zeus, prompting him to call upon Triton and Heracles, both of whom had witnessed the situation. They pointed towards Klea and the abbot who were there to admit their actions.

Emery, once again acting puzzled, turned to Klea for clarification. "Did this actually happen?"

Klea was smart enough to quickly follow Emery's lead and respond assertively, "No, this is the first time I am hearing this."

Emery was a little worried about the abbot's response, but the monk's answer was a long sigh, followed by closed eyes as he said, "I am old... I tend to forget things."

Finding the monk's nonchalant attitude amusing, Emery couldn't suppress a chuckle. However, Zeus took no pleasure in the humor and erupted in anger.

"DO NOT play games with us!"

The atmosphere grew more intense as the grand magus seized control of the situation. His sharp eyes radiated an imposing pressure, casting an uneasiness over all the magus present. Magus Shenna, with her Dragon bloodline, was prepared to intervene; her muscles tensed, and her spear was ready. Yet Emery subtly signaled for her to stand down, displaying a confidence that intrigued and unnerved those in the room.

Emery turned his attention toward the grand magus and calmly inquired about his identity.

Zeus proudly introduced the elderly. "This is the elder of the Kronos family, the respected Lord Perses, former commander of the Magus Alliance military."

With a quick mental query, the artificial lifeform swiftly provided Emery with detailed information about Lord Perses, the grand magus from the Kronos family who had a renowned reputation as a battle magus with the formidable title of "the destroyer." He aged more than 2000 years old, hasn't been active in any magus alliance activity for over 500 years, and was now seen as a formidable Grand Magus at Cosmos Level 1.

This elder figure was clearly a hidden asset of the Kronos family, and his sudden appearance was most likely intended to intimidate Emery and his friends. Having two grand magus in their faction would undeniably make the coming duel more challenging. On the other hand, Emery realized that the fact they revealed this information and mobilized such a potent force emphasized the importance they placed on retrieving Hecate. The Kronos family wouldn't go to such lengths unless they considered Hecate crucial to their plans.

This realization fortified Emery's resolve to keep Hecate confined, viewing her captivity not just as a strategic advantage but as a crucial insurance policy to safeguard Earth until the upcoming duel.

Emery determination emanated through his calm exterior as he casually retorted, "Unfortunately, I really didn't capture any respectable magus... only a shameless bandit."

It was a calculated statement, designed to keep Hecate's captivity veiled in uncertainty while simultaneously provoking the grand magus.

The taunt achieved its intended effect. The grand magus's power surged forth, hurtling towards Emery with an incredible force that seemed to distort the air around him. In response, Magus Sheena swiftly unleashed her spear, attempting to intercept the charging elder. However, her efforts were only partially successful, as she managed to delay him for a brief moment before he skillfully slipped past her defenses.

In the blink of an eye, the grand magus tackled Emery with a force that resonated like a thunderous clap. The impact was so powerful that both were propelled through the palace walls, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The stones and debris flew around them as they crashed through, creating huge holes that marked the extent of their explosive collision.

Fortunately, the interruption allowed Emery to finish casting his defensive spell [Aegis of Void]. The magical shield absorbed and deflected half of the impact's strength, mitigating the damage.

Nevertheless, the force was still substantial, and Emery couldn't escape unscathed. A spray of blood escaped his lips, evidence of the intense strain placed upon him.

Now standing in the Terra castle's backyard, Emery faced the elderly grand magus, who seethed with anger. "You little punk! I will teach you some manners!"

As the other Magus followed, soaring outside to the backyard and ready to join the fight, Emery signaled them to halt. With determination in his eyes, he calmly declared, "I will fight this one."