Dark Magus Returns

After hearing the mysterious voice speak to him, Mantis didn't know why, but his heart thudded once again. The great pain that he felt during his match with Simyon had returned and this time he wasn't even in a fight.

Quickly, he had no choice but to lean up against the wall with his shoulder.

'The pain, why is it back? Is it because of that person's threat?'

The pain once again shot through his back. Trying to bear the pain within, he lifted his hand and started to cover his face. As his hand slid down his face, one of his eyes had narrowed and was glowing slightly yellow.

It was something that Mantis himself was unaware of. Regardless, he pushed through and started to take a step forward.

With each step away from where the hooded man went, Mantis was starting to feel slightly better and continued forward.

'If I'm like this, or don't find out the reason my body is doing this, I might just lose this fight.'

Shaking his head violently, the look of both of his eyes had returned to normal.

'As if that would happen.'

——

In the Dark Faction viewing area, the atmosphere was a lot more relaxed, at least between the Clan heads and the other adults in the room.

Murkel, rather than standing, was now sitting in his seat, with the two Clan heads beside him. Gavin Rocksbored, leader of the Moon Shield Clan.

Then there was also Crine Runn, leader of the Flowing Force Clan. These were the main powers that had been brought by the Dark Faction.

On top of that, there were quite a few more. For one, there was a female named Susan, who had a blue wave tattoo that could be seen flowing to the tip of her neck.

Originally, Gunther had been asked due to his relation with one of the contestants, Mada, and to Crine himself, but he had declined.

Gunther had never really been interested in the Academy's affairs so Murkel thought this was fine. Instead, Susan, who had also fought for the seat of the Flowing Force Clan at one point, was selected.

She had great strength to challenge for the seat, and after losing out, she had promised to stay in the shadows so not many knew about her powers, and it was why the Light Clan was fine with her coming along.

Ricktor, who had been staying at the back, was keeping an eye on everyone.

"What are you doing?" Mada asked. "You keep looking at all the adults."

"I'm just eyeing up those that we might have to break free from," Ricktor replied.

Mada desperately looked around, scared that they had been caught. They were already treading on thin ice. He wondered if Ricktor had a death wish.

"Haven't you realized it already, the other three already have. Once this tournament is over, we'll be lucky if we can even make it back to the main Academy alive."

Mada gulped in response. Was it really the case? He shook his head. He hadn't forgotten what they had done in the assessment; that certainly would be the case.

"I'm looking out for the ones we need to worry about, you were the one that told me about Susan. On top of her, we also have to be careful of Bargo; he is the Vice head of the Moon Shield Clan and is incredibly skillful in his defense even though he uses a sword.

"I also recently heard that he had helped fend off an attack from the Demonic Faction with little help from the remnants of the Lethal Bite Clan; he is certainly someone to look out for."

After that, though, there was more as well. There was one person that worried Ricktor nearly as much as Murkel himself.

"Don't turn around, but there is an old man at the back of this room."

The moment Ricktor said that, Mada went to turn around before he felt something hard stomp on his foot.

"The old man is the oldest member of the Erupting Fist Clan, my clan along with my father's. He is the one that trains the elite units in our clan.

"The people in the masks that day. He is one that no one has ever seen, and it's stated that those that have seen his face never live to see another day. Arkon the melter."

"Then how do you know what he looks like?" Mada asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Only the direct descendants and bloodline of my clan have met him. If he goes out on tasks sent by Murkel, he is usually wearing his mask, and the fact that he isn't worries me.

"He could very well be the person that will end up eliminating us."

What was frightening was now that Mada was looking around the room, he noticed that those weren't even the ones he had to worry about.

There were certain rules as to who each faction could bring. They weren't allowed to bring their very strongest in case they had planned anything.

Such as the assassination of the other clan heads. Yet the Dark Faction had clearly brought in either those that weren't well known or the strongest after them.

Out of the four more Adult clan members that had been brought, from the Tulip Clan, another of the five major clans in the Dark Faction, the powerful twin female warriors, Lin and Lulu were selected.

They stood there in their tight-f

itting dress that had a split running down the leg, both of them with a fan that covered their mouths open at all times.

It was impossible to tell the two apart. Unlike the other members, these two were well-known in the Tulip Clan.

Along with Sherry, the head of the clan, the three of them were said to dominate the clan that was filled with powerful men that had subdued their women in their clan.

There was once a rule in the Tulip Clan that the woman were to be servants and maids only. They were forbidden to learn martial arts.

Secretly, the three of them had done whatever they could to learn martial arts. Selling their bodies to other clan members.

Deceiving others, promising to do them favors and help others rise. In the end, all of this had just caused the three of them to rise, and in turn, the three females had taken over the Tulip Clan.

Ever since, the Tulip Clan had been dominated by the strongest female warriors in the Dark faction. Many females looked up to the clan and aspired to join them as well, growing their strength and numbers.

It was hard to say if these two were any weaker than the clan leader herself.

Then there were the final two adults in the room, Wendart, although not part of the five major clans, he was a respected teacher at the Academy itself.

He had managed to reach being the top red headband teacher, and then progressed further into the higher ranks of the Academy.

He was the Clan head of the Zan Su Clan. Many students requested to join the Zan Su Clan, at least those that were unable to join the Major clans; they all thought it was the next best place.

Some even with offers from the Major clans decided to join Zan Su, due to his simple explanation when talking.

Finally, there was one more person.

"The last person… the last person… who is that, do you know him?"

When looking at the man, he didn't stand out much. His skin was quite pale, almost a gray color. He had no hair, he was bald with a strict straight face.

He wore simple clothing and hadn't said a word during all of the events and hadn't even reacted. It was to the point where Mada didn't even know he was in the room until he started to look at every single person that was inside.

"No, I do not, and that is why that person worries me as well," Ricktor said. "Do you really think Murkel would bring someone that was of no significance.

"Not a clan head, not someone from the academy, not anyone that people have heard of. It's quite possible that Murkel has several trump cards in all of this, and the real question is why."

With all the people to worry about, even if Raze had some type of plan, how was he meant to deal with all of them in the middle of all of this?

"He is a man of miracles," Ricktor said to himself. "Now it's time to see him produce another one."

The Dark Faction had nothing to worry about because they hadn't made it to the final event yet; each of the students was nervous as they watched the Demonic Faction area open up, along with the Light Faction.

"Walking out to the arena for the final time this evening, we have our fellow contestants, give it up for Jake! Mantis and Hannah.

"And may the strongest Pagna warrior win!"