Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Forgive me, brother…

Valerian thought to himself as he flew higher and higher. As he gazed at Adam's broken and bloodied body in his hands, his topaz eyes welled up with tears.

Forgive me… I know I promised you… I know...

But this is my most powerful form…

And I will do whatever it takes to save you…

I will save you! No matter what!

Under the astonished gaze of everyone down below, Valerian soon turned into a tiny dot and disappeared from their sight.

The young dragon didn't know what was going on and why everyone was acting that way towards his brother. He didn't even know where he was headed.

All he wanted to do was get further and further away from Ravenfell.

For a fleeting moment, he truly believed he could escape safely with his brother. But the very next instant, that hope was mercilessly shattered.

"Who allowed you to leave?"

Balthazar's cold voice echoed in the skies, thundering in Valerian's ears like an omen of doom. In that moment, the young dragon's heart turned cold. His entire body shuddered in terror.

This was a Mana Core Magus he was facing!

He turned his head, raising his gaze to see the source of the voice. But all he saw was a human figure plummeting from the sky and crashing onto him with a devastating impact.

BAM!!

Valerian coughed out a mouthful of blood, his grip around Adam's body loosening. That single punch had shattered several ribs. As he plummeted listlessly from the sky, his topaz eyes rolled over. He was on the verge of losing consciousness, but then…

He gnashed his jaws tightly, his eyes blazing with unyielding resolve. His arms tightened protectively around Adam as he beat his massive wings, forcing himself higher, farther, away from the Magus.

No matter what… I will protect you, brother!

He let out another roar, enduring the crushing pain in his body as he flew faster and faster.

Behind him, Balthazar looked at the scene with a conflicting look in his eyes. He couldn't believe he was seeing the legendary dragon with his own two eyes.

But so what?

"I'll kill you both," he muttered coldly.

He then turned into a dark streak of light, and in the next moment, he once again appeared above Valerian. Black flames danced in his palms as he got ready to burn the traitor to a crisp.

Just as he thrust his hands forward to deliver the killing blow, an ominous shadow loomed over him. And before he could even react, he was struck down from the skies!

Balthazar adjusted his body mid-air. As he wiped the blood trickling from his lips, he looked up at the one responsible for the attack. His eyes narrowed, and he spoke in a cold voice, his tone filled with murderous intent:

"Are you certain you wish to get in my way?"

Blackie's towering figure hovered in the air, looking down at Balthazar with utter contempt.

"Know your place, human."

Just then, a figure shot past them, streaking through the sky towards the dragon.

Recognizing him, Balthazar's expression darkened. He roared, "Think carefully, Berger! That man is a traitor. Do not forget that! The choice you make now will determine whose side you stand on!"

Without waiting for a response, Balthazar flew towards Blackie and began a devastating aerial battle. He needed to first get rid of him before he could deal with Adam.

Meanwhile, Berger had already arrived before Valerian, his eyes teary and raging with anger.

"You…" The young dragon whispered in a trembling voice. But the next moment, his eyes narrowed. "Move!"

Berger ignored him and flew towards Adam. Valerian didn't retaliate. He couldn't.

The gnome was like family to him…

As tears trickled down Berger's face, he grabbed Adam's collar and muttered in a hoarse voice:

"Tell me… was it all a lie?"

Adam weakly raised his head, his lips curling into a faint, weary smile. Then, he whispered, "Old man…"

When those two simple words left Adam's lips, Berger was pulled back to those simpler times back in Moon City, when a younger Adam would run around his herb store, grinning from ear to ear, waving a freshly brewed potion in his hand as he shouted, "Old man! Old man! Look, I did it! I did it!"

As those memories resurfaced in Berger's mind, more tears trickled down his blood-stained face. His grip around Adam's collar tightened, and he said through gritted teeth:

"Damn it, boy! Why? Just why?! Tell me, was it all a lie?! Tell me… please…"

Towards the end, his voice turned into a whisper as he sobbed uncontrollably.

Adam stayed silent for a long time, his expression wavering, caught somewhere between a grin and a sorrowful frown.

At last, he said:

"I have never betrayed anyone… I am not a traitor… I'm just…"

He paused for a moment, then added softly, "I'm just tired…"

Then, he leaned forward with great struggle and whispered something in Berger's ears.

By that time, Balthazar had already arrived.

And this time…

Berger did not stop him. His lonely figure hovered in the air, sobbing silently as he clenched his fists.

After a long time, he turned around, just in time to see a bloodied and battered Valerian turning into a gray flash of light and retreating back to Adam's spirit sea.

And as for Adam…

Balthazar gripped Adam tightly by the neck, but Adam only grinned back at him.

In the next moment, Adam was consumed in black flames.

Balthazar released his hold and coldly watched as Adam plunged into the ocean. A fall from such a height would surely kill the youth. That was only if the magical flames didn't kill him first.

As the sun rose from the east, painting the sky in shades of lilac, Adam fell from the heavens, burning in flames…

Like a black comet.

His mind had completely shattered from the overuse of the Eternal Soul Lotus. The divine artifact had retreated into the depths of his spirit sea.

Now, there was nothing to suppress the flaw of the Faceless Mask.

So this time when the Laughing God whispered…

Adam listened.

And as he fell from the heavens…

He laughed.

(End of Volume 5: Black Comet)