Earth's Greatest Magus

?Concern etched Emery's features as he was reminded of the last moments before he and Chumo separated in the Golden City. A tinge of anxiety prompted him to turn to Via, requesting her assistance in locating his enigmatic friend. Via promptly confirmed that Chumo hadn't left the Golden City, and she initiated a comprehensive search for any available information.

Emery and Klea headed towards the Magus Alliance headquarters, hoping to find Chumo. To their surprise, the staff at the headquarters hadn't seen Chumo either. It was Gerri who suggested to checked the Medical Center.

The Golden City's medical center served as a residence for Chumo in the past. Following Gerri's suggestion, Emery and Klea hurried to the medical center, where they discovered Chumo in the special ward where he had been previously treated.

Entering the room, Emery found Chumo seated in silence, gazing out of the window. Sensing Emery's presence, Chumo spoke without turning. "I am staying here, go home without me."

The atmosphere in the medical ward was heavy with Chumo's internal struggle.

Finding him in the Medical Center hinted at the persistent concern regarding the Nightwalker disease. Emery, with the assistance of Cthulhu, had made significant progress in alleviating the toxin, granting Chumo a degree of control over the ailment. However, the process wasn't complete, and Emery grappled with the uncertainty of a full recovery—unsure if it was the best path, considering the unique abilities associated with the condition.

"If you really wish to be fully cured from it, give me a little more time," Emery suggested, sensing Chumo's lingering apprehension.

Chumo glanced at Emery for a moment, his words hanging heavy in the air. "I don't think it will ever fully heal."

Emery, prepared to argue, was met with Chumo's firm assertion: "Just go, leave me alone."

Feeling the tension, Klea stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Emery's shoulder. "You go; first, let me talk with him."

Emery hesitated, glancing back at Chumo. With a nod, he acknowledged Klea's suggestion. "Alright, I'll go get the ship"

Chumo remained silent, his gaze fixed on the window. "Just leave me here... I am not going."

Klea, seated next to Chumo, spoke gently, "You're afraid to come home, aren't you?"

Chumo sighed, admitting, "With my condition... I don't want to hurt anyone."

A knowing smile crossed Klea's face as she countered, "You liar. Two weeks we are together, and I've never seen you unable to control the disease."

Chumo stayed silent, prompting Klea to add, "You've been away for too long, and you're afraid of what you might find at home."

Taking a deep breath, Chumo confessed, "Yes."

Klea voice filled with reassurance as she shared with him the time she spent on Earth, mentioning that she had visited Dongboyou and had the chance to meet his family, even his wife. She emphasized that, despite the changes over the past 10 years, they still deserved to see him again, no matter what he had become.

The words moved him, but then Chumo turned to Klea, asking a surprising question:

"What about you? After all these years... he has changed so much. Can you accept what he has become now?"

"Yes." She said without hesitation.

#####

Later that day, the brand new saucer-shaped ship, the Nova, glided gracefully across the sky of Terra City, executing a series of maneuvers before gently descending onto the Terra Palace backyard. Emery emerged after a successful test flight with Master Borin. As he stepped into the palace, he was pleased to find Chumo had returned.

"We leave first thing tomorrow," Emery announced, setting the tone for their imminent departure. His primary goal upon returning to Earth was to work with Master Borin on establishing the Moon base, a project that would span several days or weeks.

With the Khaos gate at his disposal, Emery could easily shuttle back and forth between Golden City and Earth without relying solely on the spaceship. However, Klea insisted on experiencing the new vehicle together.

Before departing, Emery had another crucial task to address. He summoned Aiko, along with the Yama and Yami, to the Terra basement, where the newly created formation for the Khaos Gate stood. Revealing the existence of the gate, Emery guided them inside. Shock was seen in their expressions as he introduced them to the intimidating Khaos guardian, Chututlu, the master of the Pestilence Gate.

"Chututlu, i brought more candidate for you."

Emery initiated a transformative process, turning Aiko, Yama, and Yami into Khaos seeds. While bolstering their abilities was a significant aspect of the process, the primary objective was to create their own personal waypoints and establish a reliable means for them to contact Emery in case of any emergencies.

Aiko, in particular, was designated to stay in Terra City to serve as a crucial link, promptly relaying information to Emery whenever issues arose. With these preparations in place, Emery felt more secure about leaving Terra temporarily.

The next morning, the group assembled in front of the new ship, prepared to embark on their journey back to Earth. Klea, Chumo, Ashaka, Yami, Yama, and Master Borin awaited Emery's signal to depart. However, Emery held back, announcing, "Not just yet."

Minutes after another spaceship arrived, it as the Gemini, a vessel hailing from Zodiac City. The ship landed with a graceful descent, its propulsion systems humming softly as it touched down.

Magus Sheena, with her authoritative presence, stepped forward to greet Emery. She made introductions to the elite squad that would accompany them to Earth. A formidable Elite Dragon force comprised five individuals, all marked by Via as Star level 4, showcasing their combat prowess. Their captain, designated as Star level 6, was Terador—a half-moon Earth dragon known for his leadership and experience. Emery could tell that they were the best squad that Zodiac City could offer.

With the team assembled, Emery declared, "Alright, everyone is ready. We are leaving now." The group entered the newly acquired ship, to venture back to Earth.

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