Magus Supremacy

"Welcome back Grey, it's nice to see that you are alive." The individual replied with a small, soft smile on his face.

"You…you…" Grey was stuttering as he stared at the man in front of him when Thalos leaned towards him slightly while whispering.

"Do you know him? Friend or foe?"

"He's…" Grey began then he stopped to smile. "Instructor Gunther Slade."

'Gunther Slade? Huh? Haven't heard that name before.' Thalos thought as he kept eyeing the individual in front of them.

"Thought you were dead, Grey. But I'm glad you are alive." Gunther smirked as his hands rested on the hilt of his swords which were crossed behind him and around his waist.

"Wait! You remember me?" Grey asked as he pointed at himself in confusion.

"Of course. Why won't I remember someone that knows how to use the Cromwells breathing technique thingy." Gunther chuckled as he strode over.

'I guess I was right, huh? He does know who I am. I wonder what this means for our disguise. Since he knows the Cromwells, who knows if he is friend or foe.' Grey thought as he clenched his hands tightly while staring at Gunther.

"Be at ease warrior. I'm no foe and I have no issue with the Cromwells. Infact, I'm grateful to them for they had saved my life at one point." Gunther smiled as he stayed rooted in one spot while staring at Grey before turning to stare at Thalos.

"Huh? The report said it was only you that went missing, who is this?"

'Right! I haven't cooked up an excuse or a lie for Thalos yet. Shit! What do I do?' Grey thought as he stared at Gunther blankly while the instructor kept scanning Thalos up and down.

'Huh? Who is this? Why can't I sense any Ki from him? Is he even a warrior at all? Doesn't have any speck of Ki in him. Unless, he is of a much higher stage than I am which is totally impossible.' Gunther thought as he kept staring at Thalos who didn't even flinch under the instructor's gaze.

"This is Pink. I found him at the bottom of the cliff where I fell to." Grey quickly replied after racking his head over and over again.

'Wait, what?! Pink? Seriously? Couldn't this fool get any other sensible name than this shitty one? What the hell?!' Thalos screamed inwardly as he glared at Grey who could be seen smiling devilishly.

'Now that's a little payback for the torture you put me through earlier. I almost died in your hands several times and even during our so-called training session.' Grey chuckled inwardly as he enjoyed the sight of the stunned and annoyed gargoyle.

"Humph. I can feel a headache coming up so I think we should leave here and head for my office so we can discuss better." Gunther said as he rubbed his temples in thought.

"Yeah, sure." Grey smiled as he stepped forward along with Thalos while walking towards Gunther.

"I promise, if I ever get the chance, I will skewer you to bits." Thalos whispered towards Grey as they finally stood side by side with the instructor who quickly pulled out a green gem stone from his pockets.

'Huh? He also got a return stone too? I guess the teleportation stone isn't really anything important or rare,' Grey thought as the instructor quickly crushed the stone.

'Wait a moment! Doesn't the stone only allow for a single additional person to tag along? How can thr—' Grey froze mid-thought as a blinding light enveloped the trio. In the next instant, the forest vanished, replaced by somewhere far different.

As the brightness faded, Grey blinked against the dim surroundings. They now stood in a chamber that felt less like an office and more like the war sanctum of a battle-hardened strategist.

The light inside was faint, filtering in through tall, narrow windows set into thick stone walls. Dust motes drifted lazily in the air, catching slivers of gold from the dying sunlight outside. The room seemed to hum faintly, as though the walls themselves had absorbed centuries of whispered strategy and hard decisions.

To the right, towering bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, their contents packed tight with ancient tomes, brittle scrolls on Ki theory, and weathered maps of the continent.

Many of the maps were marked in bold red ink, some so frayed at the edges they looked ready to crumble at a touch.

At the center stood an imposing obsidian desk carved with intricate runes. The markings glowed faintly with Ki energy, a slow, steady pulse like the heartbeat of a veteran who had endured countless battles.

Resting neatly upon the desk were stacks of organized papers, a crystal orb used for long-distance communication, and a slim, sheathed dagger—not ornamental, but functional, its presence a silent warning to anyone foolish enough to test the room's owner.

Behind the desk, a wall display held an assortment of weapons: twin swords, curved daggers, a halberd with a scarred haft, and even the cracked horn of a great beast.

Each relic spoke of past victories, bloody struggles, and scars that never fully healed. The scent here was an unusual mix—worn leather, polished steel, and a faint trace of incense that seemed to linger from long-forgotten rituals.

A tall, straight-backed chair stood in front of the desk, its design unforgiving to anyone hoping for comfort. Behind the desk sat a broad, reinforced armchair clad in aged leather, the steel plates along its sides speaking of both protection and authority.

Its worn edges hinted that its occupant had spent countless nights here, thinking, planning, and perhaps regretting.

Dominating the far wall hung a heavy tapestry bearing the academy's crest—its deep crimson threads a reminder of loyalty, sacrifice, and the heavy burdens that came with surviving long enough to teach others.

Without a word, Gunther strode to his chair and dropped into it heavily. He unfastened the twin swords at his waist and set them onto the desk with a dull thud.

"Come. Sit," Gunther ordered, pointing toward the single visitor's chair.

"But there's just one chair," Thalos said, his tone mildly challenging.

"Well, isn't it obvious? Grey sits. You stand," Gunther replied, his mouth twisting into a faint scowl.

'I still can't sense even the slightest trace of Ki from this pink-haired guy. That's… unsettling. I need to stay cautious.'

Grey, wearing a small triumphant smile, stepped forward and took the seat. Thalos muttered something under his breath but obeyed, moving to stand beside Grey while shooting him a quick, irritated scowl.

"So," Gunther began, leaning forward, resting his forearms on the desk, his eyes sharp as they fixed on the two of them, "tell me exactly what happened. Where you've been all these days. How you found this one… and what in the world is going on."

Grey swallowed hard under the weight of that gaze.