Earth's Greatest Magus

Klea returned to the academy from her short trip to the Kaleos faction with many surprises. Not only had the number of acolytes decreased, but she was also startled to see a certain silver-haired girl. Not only did she resemble a certain person, but she also shared the same family name, Ouroboros.

Initially dismissing it as a coincidence due to the large number of half-bloods sharing the same faction name, Klea's curiosity was piqued when she discovered that the girl had visited the hall twice, displaying a particular interest in Hall 120.

What really surge her interest was that the next day, she saw the girl observing Hall 120 acolytes intensely from afar, near the Perseverance Mountain gate, almost secretly.

Just as Klea contemplated approaching her, another figure beat her to it—a white-haired Grand Magus. Intrigued by their interaction, Klea decided to observe them from a distance.

Unfortunately, the Grand Magus utilized an item or spell that rendered Klea unable to overhear their conversation, leaving her in the dark about the nature of their interaction. However, the visible distress on the girl's face was unmistakable—it was evident that she was undergoing some form of emotional turmoil as if she were being coerced into something against her will.

"Who is that man? What is he doing to her?" Klea's mind raced with questions as she watched the interaction unfold.

When the Grand Magus eventually departed, leaving the girl visibly distressed, Klea's concern grew. She made a spontaneous decision to follow the girl discreetly, her mind swirling with questions and apprehensions.

To Klea's surprise, the girl left the academy grounds and headed toward Utopia City. This only deepened Klea's unease as she contemplated the various possibilities. Each scenario she imagined left her feeling increasingly anxious, especially when she observed the girl's suspicious behavior as she sneaked out of town.

Using her spirit-reading ability, Klea cautiously trailed the girl as they ventured deeper into the forest. As they neared a secluded hut, Klea sensed a powerful presence within and grew wary. She halted, contemplating whether to call for Emery's assistance, but before she could decide, the girl abruptly departed from the hut.

"So fast..." Klea muttered under her breath, surprised by the sudden turn of events. It was then that she caught sight of the figure inside the hut—a familiar female Magus, Annara Vermont.

Klea's mind raced with questions. "Why is the girl sneaking to meet her?" She mulled over the possibilities.

The last time Klea had encountered Annara was during the celestial expeditions, where Annara had concealed her true identity. Klea knew that Annara had assisted Emery for a while, but she couldn't shake the suspicion that it had been driven by self-interest or personal gain.

Klea's memories of Annara were tainted by the tragic events of the blood incursion. She vividly recalled the deaths of Roran Harlight, as well as Sigurd and Aiko, who had perished at the hands of Zenonia. Annara's presence had always been intertwined with these dark memories.

In Klea's eyes, Annara was a figure shrouded in betrayal. She had betrayed the academy, betraying her master by saving the acolytes on the dark elves' planet, only to later betray them again by using them as bait to escape danger. During the time Klea was searching for Emery, she had delved into Annara's past, uncovering a trail of deceit and death back to her early years, long before she even entered the Magus academy.

Klea's perception of the young silver-haired girl shifted abruptly from concern to wariness upon realizing her connection with Annara. The clandestine meeting between the two raised red flags in Klea's mind.

As she debated whether to confront Annara about the situation, Klea was abruptly addressed.

"Why are you hiding? You can come out now!"

Klea had believed her spirit reading ability to be keen, but it seemed Annara had anticipated her presence and set up detection spells or items around the hut. With a multitude of questions swirling in her mind, Klea opted to reveal herself.

"It's been a while, Klea," Annara greeted her

Klea maintained her composure as she closed the distance, her gaze sharp as she faced Annara. "What are you planning this time, Annara?"

Annara responded with a casual smile, her tone light. "Why are you so tense, friend?"

"Friend… we were never friends… you are a criminal," Klea retorted sharply.

Annara let out a deep sigh, before saying "Oh no, you're suffering from righteous female protagonist syndrome… you and he are so meant for each other."

Despite Annara's playful and somewhat mocking response, Klea remained composed, her mind racing with calculations. She even utilized her spirit reading ability to scan the surroundings, wary of any potential traps.

Seemingly aware of Klea's thoughts, Annara spoke again. "Stop worrying. Decide already,fight, or come in for a chat"

Klea's wariness only intensified in the face of Annara's confidence. She couldn't shake the feeling that either choice—

fighting or entering the hut—would play into Annara's hands. With this in mind, Klea made the choice to step back and leave. Whatever Annara was planning clearly involved the girl, and Klea believed it would be simpler to gather information by probing the girl while reporting her findings to Emery.

"It's a bit late today, maybe tomorrow," Klea stated calmly, already turning to depart.

However, Annara's response was unexpected. With another deep sigh, she moved to intercept Klea. "Wait… you cannot leave just yet!"

Klea ignored her, quickening her pace. Annara's demeanor shifted, and she resorted to a more forceful approach. Suddenly, a powerful burst of dark flame erupted, dark smoke covered her body as she was able to move rapidly and block Klea's path.

"I said stop!" Annara declared, her tone determined as she showed her frightening full moon magus powers.

But Klea was not one to yield easily. With a swift motion, she countered with a barrage of lightning and wind spells, each strike calculated to create openings for her escape. Though she was only at the half-moon stage, Klea's mastery of combined spells proved to be her greatest asset, enabling her to carve out a new path.

Yet Annara was relentless, her movements calculated and precise. She successfully pursued and intercepted Klea multiple times until she finally forced her to stop.

However, her initial confidence faltered as she realized she had walked right into Klea's trap.

The ground beneath her feet began to illuminate with ancient runes, forming a complex formation that bound her movements, leaving her immobilized.

With a smile, Klea turned to face Annara. "Now we can talk."

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