Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

In the depths of Marian Lake, a cataclysmic battle was about to take place.

After being trapped by the tentacles within the castle, Daggett's mind was assaulted with intense disorientation. The world shifted around him, and he found himself in front of another castle, this one deep under water.

The disadvantages of an underwater battle weren't lost on him. On top of that, the crushing pressure of the lakebed caused him to nearly suffocate, despite casting underwater breathing and movement spells.

The tentacles that had coiled around him slammed him into the lakebed, sending clouds of dust and debris to billow outwards. If it wasn't for him adding multiple layers of mana around his body to counter the corrosive ink, the impact would have surely shattered a few bones.

Still, that did not mean he was unharmed. His face twisted into a dark scowl as he hurriedly got to his feet and flew—or rather, swam—further away, nearly dodging the colossal tentacle that had once again lashed out in his direction.

After making enough distance from the threatening danger, Daggett anxiously waited for the dust to clear, and when it did… his entire body trembled with abject horror.

Before him, in the dim shifting lights of the lake's depths, lay a giant castle that was an exact replica of Saratoga Castle above ground. However, this one was covered by moss, coral, and underwater vegetation. Schools of fish darted between the battlements, as if the castle itself had become a part of the lake's living ecosystem.

And then… there was the other presence.

Ancient and colossal.

A titanic abomination.

Ink the Kraken!

It occupied the castle like a nightmare given form. Massive tentacles, each as thick as ancient oak trees, writhed and coiled around its main body. A cluster of eyes, cold and unblinking, gleamed with an otherworldly, intelligent light, all of them fixed on the tiny silhouette of Daggett.

And that wasn't all. Around the castle—and the kraken—there was an entire army of merfolk. Hundreds of Mana Vortex-level creatures, even more Mana Liquefaction-level beasts, and as for the Mana Foundation-level beings… they numbered in the thousands!

Seeing the massive number, Daggett instantly paled. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that there was such a massive army waiting in the depths of Marian Lake.

His earlier grandeur of conquering Saratoga Castle and burning it to the ground now seemed like nothing but a fool's errand.

In that moment, his eyes widened. It wasn't because of the scene that lay before him, but because he had just lost connection with one of its Rank 4 knights! It would appear that Mathilda had succeeded in killing it.

Furthermore, Daggett's connection with the other Rank 4 knight was also rapidly waning. Before he could cancel his summons, his eyes widened even further. The second knight had also been killed!

Damned that woman!

He gnashed his teeth. He had severely underestimated her. No, to be more precise… he had greatly underestimated her conviction. She was willing to go to extreme lengths to slay her enemies and protect Saratoga Castle, even if it meant death.

However, he had no more time to worry about the matters above the surface. Because in that moment, a deep resonant sound vibrated through the water. The kraken's massive tentacles stilled, swaying only slightly as if the entire lake was holding its breath.

From somewhere within the monstrous frame of the Mana Core Rank creature, a low rumble emerged. Then, the words of the kraken thundered in Daggett's ears.

"It has been centuries since I last tasted a Mana Core. You thought you could conquer my friend's castle. Yet look where that brought you… straight into my maw."

And then… Ink commanded the army of merfolk to surge forward!

In an instant, Daggett felt like the entire world was upon him. Fear crept into every fiber of his being, and in that moment, only one thought echoed inside his mind:

Run!

***

Above ground, in the ancient halls of Saratoga Castle, the brutal battle was slowly dying down.

The corridors were littered with countless corpses of undead creatures, cultists, merfolk… and the Magi of Acadia. Casualties were very low, but they were there nonetheless.

Wars were brutal. Zero casualties existed only in fairy tales. In reality, blood was shed on both sides, and graves were going to be filled with heavy hearts.

One could call it a miracle that the great Pillar managed to survive the invasion of the Cult of Bones. Yet, the ones who truly knew about the strength and heritage of Saratoga believed that such an outcome was inevitable.

There was a reason why Saratoga Castle was one of the Pillars of the Acadian Empire.

It was because true pillars never crumbled.

Being the oldest Pillar, how could Saratoga fall to a mere bunch of cultists?

Yet, all of this was only possible because of one person. When the situation called for it, she stepped forward and protected the children of Saratoga, the children of the other Pillars who had come to participate in the tournament.

It was because of this person that Saratoga remained standing. The enemy they faced was dangerous, vile, and treacherous. The undead army they commanded was enormous. Yet, the Magi of Acadia prevailed nonetheless.

Saratoga Castle remained standing.

Yet, the one who made this possible did not…

In a ruined wing of this ancient castle, where the ceiling had collapsed and the fractured floor was littered with corpses of undead creatures and stone knights, Professor Whitaker sat on the ground, her back resting against a shattered section of the wall.

With great effort, she raised her head and glanced at the twin moons in the night sky.

"I'll protect them…"

She murmured.

Blood pooled beneath her, but she didn't seem to care enough. It didn't matter, after all.

A black sword had pierced straight through her heart.

It was the final, desperate attack of the second Rank 4 knight she had slain with the help of the entire castle.

"I'll protect them…"

She repeated those words in a daze, her hand tightly gripped onto the black staff as she infused it with her mana, her spiritual energy, her lifeforce, her everything.

There were still undead creatures loitering around the castle. She needed the stone knights to kill them all, and for that, she needed to constantly inject energy into the black staff.

It was a Grade 4 artifact. Wielding it had taken a great toll on her body. She knew the risks, but she did it anyway. Because that was her duty.

"I'll protect them…"

She desperately clung to life for almost half an hour. Only after she was certain all the undead creatures and the cultists inside the castle had been vanquished did she finally release her grip on the staff.

And at the same moment, the last vestiges of her life slipped away. As she gazed at the twin moons, her pupils gradually dilated.

A faint, peaceful smile found its way onto her lips, and she whispered:

"I protected them… at last…"

Mathilda Whitaker, proud professor and steadfast guardian of Saratoga Castle, drew her final breath.