Earth's Greatest Magus
chapter-2324

The sounds of clashing weapons and spells echoed throughout Terra City's special training room as two magus engaged in an intense sparring session. The room trembled under the force of their attacks, the energy between them surging like a violent storm.

"Gaebolg!! I told you to break that shield apart!!" Thrax bellowed as he spun his spear with incredible force, aiming to shatter the shimmering barrier of Julian's holy flames. His strikes were relentless, each impact causing shockwaves, yet Julian's shield held firm, its golden light pulsating as it absorbed the gladiator's assault.

BAMM!! BAMM!! BAMM!!

The room vibrated with each strike, yet Julian, despite the sweat pouring down his face, remained focused. Gritting his teeth, he gathered his full strenght and bashed his flaming shield forward, using the force of his divine skill to throw Thrax off balance. The attack sent the immortal gladiator stumbling back, but instead of frustration, his eyes burned with renewed fury.

Panting, Julian leaned on his shield, sweat dripping from his brow as he called out,

"Come on… let's take a few minutes' break!"

But his plea for a respite only spurred Thrax on. With a roar of defiance, the Immortal gladiator lunged again, his spear striking out with even greater ferocity. Julian, realizing the situation was escalating, was forced to invoke his divine skill—[Guardian of Faith]. Instantly, his form was enveloped in holy flames, transforming him into an avenging angel. His wings of fire spread wide, and his aura intensified, radiating both power and grace. Each movement now carried divine strength, and as Thrax swung again, Julian blocked with ease, his flaming sword deflecting the incoming attacks.

The two continued their fierce exchange, the air around them thick with energy. Thrax roared in frustration, refusing to back down despite the overwhelming power Julian was now wielding. His pride refused to let him admit that Julian might be stronger.

Just as Julian prepared to make a decisive move, ready to end the spar, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Chumo, striking swiftly and silently, his dagger gleaming as it aimed for Julian's flank. The sudden assault forced Julian to retreat, his divine flames flickering as he narrowly avoided the well-placed strike.

"Two against one… I know you guys are still annoyed… but this is a bit much, isn't it?"

Thrax, spear in hand, ignores him with a savage grin. He charged again, spear gleaming in the air as he aimed directly for Julian's chest. Meanwhile, Chumo, with his shadowy agility, darted around, seeking the perfect moment to strike from Julian's blind spot. From the sidelines, Emery and Klea watched the battle unfold. Klea's arms were crossed, her expression serious as he observed the intensity of the fight. She let out a sigh. "This doesn't look like a practice session anymore…"

"Let them go on… They need to vent some of that rage." Emery said in reply.

Klea glanced at Emery, her smile softening as she added with a teasing edge, "If you've got something pent up, you should join them too."

Emery remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ongoing clash. Klea's smile faded as she watched Emery. His silence spoke volumes. She knew him too well—his mind was still weighed down by doubt, the unease he couldn't shake since Julian's alliance with the Nephilim. She sighed softly, her teasing replaced by genuine concern. It was clear to her that it was going to take more than sparring or reassurances to mend them.

The clash continued relentlessly. Chumo, with his Khaos-enhanced Nightwalker transformation, came in full force and became an ethereal shadow darting in and out of the darkness. Each of his strikes was aimed at exploiting gaps in Julian's defense, forcing the latter to stay on high alert. Meanwhile, Thrax charged head-on, unleashing raw power with each thrust of his spear, a barrage of brutal attacks that would have crushed most opponents.

Emery stood back, watching closely. His eyes narrowed as he admired the seamless coordination between Chumo and Thrax. The two of them had grown immensely, their combined effort was enough to match against someone with the power of a grand magus.

However, no matter how relentless their assault, Julian's divine abilities gave him the edge. His [Guardian of Faith] form allowed him to tap into a reservoir of cosmic power fueled by faith, a resource that not only replenished his stamina but healed his wounds as the battle raged on. With each strike he absorbed or deflected, Julian regained strength, making it harder for Thrax and Chumo to wear him down.

Despite their best efforts, the two began to falter. Half an hour later, it became clear who the victor was. Julian stood tall, panting but still in control, while Thrax and Chumo struggled to catch their breath.

"Damn it!" Thrax spat, clearly frustrated with the outcome. Sweat poured down his face as he slammed his spear into the ground. "I can't accept this! Let's take a 15-minute break and go again!... NO!! 5 minutes will do!!"

Before the gladiator could charge back in, Klea stepped forward, her voice firm. "I have been waiting enough... no more sparring." Her tone left no room for argument.

Thrax grumbled, clearly still itching for another round, but Klea's commanding presence left him no choice but to relent. Chumo, too, gave a silent nod, stepping back from the shadows as his Khaos transformation faded.

All five Earth magus gather around a central table where a large holographic projection flickered to life, displaying a detailed overview of the Kronos faction.

Julian retrieved the details he had gathered. "Kronos has three grand magus," he began, his tone heavy with implication. "The newly advanced Zeus, the seasoned veteran Perses, and their strongest, Kronos."

As he spoke, images flickered into existence. The figures of the three grand magus materialized before them, each adorned with their distinct magical aura. Zeus, radiating power with a crown of lightning; Perses, a stoic warrior with scars of past battles etched upon his skin; and the enigmatic Kronos, shrouded in shadows yet emanating an intimidating presence.

Next on their list were three full-moon magus: Poseidon and Ares, known as Kronos' most powerful generals, both vying to break through to the grand magus realm. Each of them carried a formidable reputation, Poseidon for his mastery over water and Ares for his unmatched strength in battle. Then there was Hera, Zeus' wife, and arguably the most cunning among them, renowned for her sharp intellect and manipulative tactics.

Following those three were a group of four other contenders with half a dozen promising candidates. Among them were Hecate, Triton, and Heracles, the younger magus they had faced during the Celestial Expedition.

With the assistance of VIA, they projected visual simulations of each Kronos magus, along with a breakdown of their known techniques and abilities. The more they analyzed the information, the heavier the atmosphere grew, and it became harder to ignore the looming odds.

Each Earth Magus began silently calculating their chances of success, but most of them couldn't shake the growing feeling that, without enough high-level magus on their side, victory seemed far out of reach.

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