Earth's Greatest Magus

?1883 Meddle

Within the frenzied chaos of the battlefield, a determined group of dark elves managed to break through the ranks of the high elves' formations. Among them, D'Mal, their formidable champion, drew forth a colossal bow and carefully nocked enchanted high grade arrows, each gleaming with potent magic. His focus was unwavering as he aimed his arrow with deadly precision, directing it unerringly toward the crystal that lay at the heart of the tumultuous chamber.

The arrow hurtled through the air, closing the distance to its target in a matter of heartbeats. However, just a few meters from its intended destination, the arrow was met with an unexpected obstacle—a resounding, powerful strike from a gleaming white sword.

The sword was held by a magus who stood resolute in an Oculus dark magus uniform and the clash between the arrow and the sword created a burst of magical energy that momentarily capturing the attention of all those present.

"Damn! That's a powerful shot indeed. What kind of arrow did you use!?" The Oculus Magus exclaimed in astonishment.

The entire battlefield was momentarily stunned as they witnessed one of the dark magus ceasing the attack. "Why did you do that? Who the hell are you?" the dark elf demanded, his attack now effectively halted.

The Oculus Magus replied with a calm and collected demeanor, as though this extraordinary situation were nothing out of the ordinary. "What do you mean? Can't you see my uniform?" His voice held an air of nonchalance, despite the intensity of the unfolding confrontation.

The magus who had intervened was none other than Emery, and his disguise had allowed him to pass through the ranks of dark elves unnoticed. His quick thinking had bought him a precious moment of confusion amid the chaos.

Emery's eyes flicked toward the tumultuous battle between Loriel and the leaders of the dark magus, his thoughts racing as he calculated the time. Five minutes, he surmised. He only needed to delay for five more minutes before the high priestess could eliminate the Oculus Magus.

As the high elves were preoccupied by their confrontation with the dark elves, it was only Emery who stood as the last line of defense between the colossal crystal and the fifteen dark elves that closed in menacingly. A dozen high elves maintained their formation nearby, but their attention was fully absorbed by the strenuous task of preserving the formation's integrity.

D'Mal, the dark elf champion, and his small party grew increasingly irritated by the unexpected intrusion. He drew his bow with an air of determination, his voice laced with disdain. "You can back away, or you can stand there and die," he declared, his words a chilling echo of the imminent threat.

Emery couldn't help but let out a resigned sigh as the onslaught of arrows and spells closed in on him. It became clear that his disguise was no longer effective, and he'd been recognized. In response, he had no choice but to invoke his most potent protection spell, the [Aegis of Void], and even bolstered it with the power of Khaos to withstand the combined onslaught from multiple top-ranking dark elves.

"Space magic! This power! It's you!" D'Mal's annoyance was palpable as he continued to direct shots aimed at breaking through Emery's barrier.

The other dark elves wasted no time and charged at Emery, their intent clear. However, Emery was determined to hold his ground and attempt to reason with them. He unleashed his [Repulsion] spell, a forceful magic that sent the dark elves hurtling backward.

"Do you really need to break this crystal? I'm sure we can talk something out," Emery implored.

Though he didn't fully comprehend the situation, his instincts told him that whatever was stored within the crystal was far from benign. His gut feeling warned him against allowing its destruction.

Emery discarded the Oculus cape with a confident smile, revealing his true identity as more dark elves gathered around. Among them, the dark elf monarch was visibly excited at the sight of Emery's revelation.

"You really have to meddle in this, don't you?" the monarch remarked, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in his tone.

Emery remained composed as he responded, "You are ruining the expedition, so of course, there is nothing better to do than ruining your plan!"

The dark elf monarch's demeanor shifted, his excitement apparent as he acknowledged Emery's presence. "So be it, You will be a bonus to this mission."

As the dark elf monarch issued his orders, three dozen dark elves moved with eerie synchronization, splitting into multiple groups to attack from various angles. Their coordinated assault made it increasingly challenging for Emery to protect the crystal from all sides.

Remaining remarkably composed, Emery deployed his [Void Mist] spell, creating a hazy distraction that obscured the battlefield. In a display of his prowess, he generated three dozen clones of himself, each one dispatched to counter a dark elf magus.

"Huh! Sending your clones! You're a joke!" the dark elf Monarch scoffed. They were after all the elite of their kind, each possessing unique and formidable abilities. In a matter of seconds, Emery's clones were swiftly dismantled by their adversaries.

Unbeknownst to the dark elves, Emery had strategically used his clones as mere distractions. His true focus was directed toward their monarch. With sudden precision, Emery emerged from the void behind the monarch, his [Blade Claw] at the ready. In a swift and deft movement, he thrust the claw into the dark elf monarch, drawing upon the magus's energy and weakening him significantly.

This action quickly stunned the dark elves once again. "Now, if you don't want your monarch to die, back off from the crystal!" Emery demanded, his voice carrying a resolute tone.

With one decisive move, Emery managed to wrest control of the situation from the dark elf monarch, utilizing his vulnerability to safeguard the enigmatic crystal. This strategic maneuver provided the precious time needed to observe Loriel as she skillfully eliminated two more Oculus dark magus champions and a multitude of their comrades.

Simultaneously, Emery's keen perception detected the arrival of reinforcements to the core area. A group of fifty high elf magus, led by Nievan, who Emery had released earlier, joined the fray, along with a contingent of sixty from Jinkan's team. The balance of power had undeniably shifted once more, and it seemed that the dark magus's plan was on the verge of unraveling.

However, amidst the newfound optimism, Emery's attention was abruptly drawn to a commotion near the crystal. He turned in shock to witness the high elves who had been fervently chanting their spell suddenly collapsing to the ground. What followed was an alarming development—the already substantial crack in the crystal had expanded even further, and the infection rapidly covered the entire surface of the crystal, spreading like a malevolent shadow.