Magus Supremacy

Stepping through the portal was always bizarre. The sensation was like temporarily losing grip on existence, ethereal yet strangely vacant.

Once on the other side, sensations like the brush of the wind would slowly seep back into awareness.

No matter how many times it was experienced, that fleeting emptiness was impossible to grow accustomed to.

The moment Grey and Thalos stepped through the portal and their boots met the ground, the swirling gateway snapped shut behind them with a near-electrical buzz.

Instantly, their eyes began scanning the area, taking note of every detail of their surroundings.

Above them, the night sky was painted with the hues of a red moon, bathing everything beneath in a crimson glow.

Cobblestones lay underfoot, scattered among decaying crates, tarnished silver, and items so eroded they were almost impossible to identify.

But what dominated their view was an imposing building, reminiscent of ancient architecture. It had the grandeur of a coliseum, though time had clearly taken its toll.

A noticeable absence of life or vegetation made the entire area seem eerily abandoned.

Looking behind them, the duo could see the imprint of the magic circle they had just exited.

"According to my master, this imprint marks the spot where the return circle will be drawn to take us back to the cave. Don't forget this place, otherwise, if the circle is drawn somewhere else, we might land in a completely different location," Thalos explained. Grey spun around, scanning the area, and muttered.

"Between the collapsed wagon and those sinister trees which form a heart shape. Got it."

Drawn to the grandeur of the coliseum, the duo began ascending its worn steps. The distant cityscape beckoned, but the immediate allure of the massive structure was irresistible.

Before they could take another step, a guttural sound reverberated around them, causing both to halt.

Turning, their eyes landed on a capsized carriage behind them, and three glowing eyes glared out from the shadows.

"A beast?" Grey exclaimed, stepping back in shock as he examined the creature approaching.

With a terrifying roar, it lunged from the shadows. About the size of a husky but far more menacing, it had a triad of glowing eyes, a spine lined with spikes, and hairless, ruby-red skin that glimmered under the moonlight.

"You're in luck. This warrior mage has just learned a new magic skill, and you'll be the perfect test subject," Grey grinned. The beast was almost upon him, leaping several meters into the air with terrifying speed.

"Wind magic," Grey calmly called out. A small, sharp howl of wind responded, swirling around him. Without hesitation, he pointed his finger forward and completed his incantation.

"Wind Pulse."

PEW!

BANG!

A gaping hole tore through the beast's head, and it collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. Grey's smile widened as he observed the results.

"I wonder what rank this beast is," he muttered.

"That should be an earth-tier beast, judging by how quickly you handled it. That's a tier above the lowest-ranked beasts, so good job," Thalos mocked, clapping slowly.

"Tch! Does it have a beast core?" Grey asked with a raised brow, stepping closer to the fallen creature.

"All beasts do, dumbass," Thalos spat.

Stretching out his hand, Grey's pendant shimmered and his new sword materialized in his grip. Without wasting a moment, he began carving through the beast, and soon enough, he saw the gleaming core nestled around its chest.

Pulling it out, Grey examined the small crystal, which was roughly the size of two eggs merged into one. It glowed faintly, emitting a soft, pulsating light.

"Is it a strong enough energy source for the magic circles?" Grey asked as he scrutinized the crystal from every angle.

"If it's an earth tier, then sure, it's more than enough to power the circles," Thalos replied with a casual shrug, his expression unreadable.

"Great." Grey smiled, standing upright. The core along with his sword vanished from his hands in an instant.

"So what's next?" Thalos asked with a raised brow, curious despite himself.

"If these are earth tiers, and I can handle them so easily, I plan to stay much longer and train. I already have an idea for a new technique," Grey muttered with a wide grin, waving his hand in the air. The wind howled wildly around his fist as he nodded to himself, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

GROWL!

Another loud, guttural growl drew his attention. Grey spun around just in time to see the same species of beast he had just defeated leaping straight at him, claws inches from his face.

His pendant glowed brightly, and his sword shimmered into view. At the perfect moment, he brought the sword up in front of his face, blocking the beast's strike. The impact sent him skidding an inch before he regained his footing.

"Just because I'm slowly relearning magic doesn't mean I'll abandon my sword and Ki skills," Grey groaned as he leaped back fully, preparing for the next attack. The beast readied itself and bolted toward him once more.

It came at him from the side, but Grey spun deftly, avoiding the strike and sending the beast crashing into the ground, kicking up a small mound of dust.

Before it could even regain its footing, Grey was upon it. He spun in the air, sword raised, and sliced the beast's head cleanly.

Thud!

The beast dropped dead, and a grin spread across Grey's face as he knelt down to harvest the core.

Having done it a few moments ago, locating the core this time was much easier. Within seconds, he pulled out a gleaming core and, with a mere thought, sent it into his pendant.

"I need more beasts! Come on!" Grey roared, completely unconcerned with his surroundings.

Soon enough, his call was answered. Loud growls echoed through the area as more beasts appeared. The same species as before, but now far more numerous—around ten of them. Without hesitation, they lunged at him, claws and teeth bared.

Meanwhile, Grey's grin remained wide, full of excitement and anticipation. He dashed forward, ready to face the horde head-on, the wind swirling around him in anticipation of his next move.