Earth's Greatest Magus

In the midst of the heated argument, Emery focused on the man Linhao was confronting. He had wavy blond hair, a commanding presence, and was surrounded by a group of full moon magus, much like Linhao's protective entourage. Among the group, there was one young man, approximately 17 years old, who stood out from the rest. From a distance, his powerful aura was palpable, so much so that it made Emery gasp for breath.

Emery couldn't contain his curiosity and asked Jinkan, "Who is he?" The question lingered in the air, but Jinkan had no time to respond immediately. She leaped into the middle of the dispute, positioning herself in front of Linhao and addressing the man with wavy blond hair.

"Prince Liam," Jinkan began, her voice a mix of authority and diplomacy, "we'll be heading into battle in just a few hours. There's no need for confrontation now. Please, allow me to handle my brother."

The man's expression began to change from one of anger to a placid smile, as he responded, "Yes, you're right, Jinkan. I may have overstepped. My mistake."

With that, he calmly walked away from the scene, leaving Jinkan to turn her attention to the irate Linhao. Unexpectedly, in a fit of rage, Linhao slapped Jinkan across the face. The action incited a surge of anger in Eeshoo, who was visibly furious. However, Jinkan intervened, restraining her fiancé. She calmly assured Eeshoo, "It's alright, I'm fine."

Linhao, still overwhelmed by emotion, shouted, "How dare you! You damn bitch! Don't you ever do that again!" The lounge was filled with tension and astonishment as the quarrel subsided, though it was clear that the peace was fragile, and the situation remained far from resolved.

Jinkan led Eeshoo back to their seats, firmly gripping his hand as they retreated. The Amarhiks princess exhaled deeply and then downed her drink in one swift gulp, a determined look in her eyes.

Emery observed her actions with curiosity, his brows furrowed slightly as he questioned, "You could have dodged that slap, but you took it on purpose... why?"

Jinkan's expression had transformed into a smile as she leaned in closer to Emery, her voice a whisper amidst the lively lounge. "That's the easiest way to calm him down," she explained.

She understood that, no matter how irritating her stepbrother Linhao might be, his well-being was crucial for the Amarhiks family. If anything were to happen to him, it would weaken their position, potentially jeopardizing the Amarhiks' standing among the Nephilim.

As for the other man in the argument, Liam Azazel, he held the prestigious position of being the third in line for leadership in the Nephilim Thorne. In fact, the man was the one leading the Azazel family's expedition, a formidable group of 300 powerful magus.

Emery's curiosity was piqued, and his next question centered on the mysterious young man who had left quite an impression. It was Eeshoo who provided the explanation.

"That's one of the Nephilim faith children," Eeshoo began.

The Nephilim were a unique faction that thrived on the power of faith. They boasted millions of temples spread across thousands of planets, and every millennium, this accumulated faith had the power to grant them the birth of a special child, a Faith Child. These children were said to be filled with extraordinary powers stemming from the vast wellspring of faith.

Jinkan was the one who continued, "That young man, named Nael, is just a crescent moon in terms of magus strength, but he has already mastered the power of the cosmos."

Emery couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement upon hearing this remarkable revelation. The notion that a grade 5 faction like the Nephilim had such a hidden talent within their ranks only fueled his anticipation for the upcoming expedition.

As the four-hour journey neared its end, the flagship approached its destination, and Emery was met with a captivating sight. Peering through the window, he observed the immediate vicinity: three dozen spaceships enveloping a mobile space station. Of these ships, five were of the star class.

This impressive display of the human armada was not the primary focal point of interest. In the distance, beyond this spectacle, Emery's gaze locked onto a colossal construct suspended in space, dwarfing all around it, resembling a moon. Further beyond, an elven armada loomed, mirroring the human presence, and to an uninformed observer, it might seem like the precursor to a vast and cataclysmic battle between the two races.

"We have arrived at the destination," the ship's automated voice announced.

Within minutes, the 1,000 Nephilim magus began the process of disembarkation. Some opted for smaller family craft to navigate, while others traversed the vast expanse of space on their own. Their destination was the main dome of the space station, where more than 30,000 human magus had already convened. This was the site of 'the gathering,' the anticipated congregation that would mark the commencement of their grand expedition.

Upon reaching the space station, Emery discovered that the Nephilim had set up a designated area exclusively reserved for grade 4 and 5 factions. The space was meticulously organized, providing an air of distinct prestige for those of higher rank and capability.

As Emery settled into this allocated space, he gazed out the window and noticed a ship with a unique and unmistakable design. It was none other than the Taurus, the flagship of Zodiac City.

As the ship docked at the space station, an assembly of formidable individuals disembarked. Each one appeared fierce and battle-hardened, boasting crescent and half-moon realms. They were led by a man whom Emery recognized all too well – Zach Talon.

Despite the hundreds of magus present in the vicinity, Zach's gaze seemingly found Emery among the crowd. Eight years had passed since their last encounter, but now, once again, they stood facing each other in the midst of this monumental event.

x x x x x

Author Note:

The WSA 2023 Evaluation is here! Each reader has 12 random novels to evaluate. If you received my new novel, "Re: Apocalypse Game," on your list, please kindly give the book a read and provide your evaluation. If not, please support the novel by giving it a read anyway. Your support would go a long way in increasing the chance of me winning the competition. Thank you very much!