Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

The following morning, when Adam woke up, he was immediately startled by the strange phenomenon happening outside his cottage.

Alert, he immediately expanded his Sphere of Resonance to see what was going on. Then, his eyes gradually widened.

Edward hadn't moved from the boulder the entire night. In fact, currently, he seemed to be in a state of… enlightenment.

Because the changes around him that Adam was witnessing right now were usually seen in Mana Vortex Magi who were close to advancing to the Mana Core Rank.

As a mere Mana Liquefaction Magus, Edward was already showing signs of resonance!

Adam sighed, shaking his head and thinking to himself, Ah, so enviable.

His lips curled into a faint smile as he sensed the lonesome, broad back of his childhood friend.

Looks like I might have been harsh on him yesterday, he mused.

At least he's back on the right track for now.

...I hope.

He got off the bed and put on a pair of white silk robes. Then, he silently exited the cottage, heading towards the pond.

Edward sat on the boulder, seemingly practicing mindfulness. But, in fact, he had transcended the state of mindfulness and was in the process of achieving enlightenment.

His eyes were open, but his blue pupils were distant, lost in a daze. His lips were slightly parted, and a thin stream of saliva trickled down unbeknownst to him.

The youth was slightly hunched over and seemed like he would fall any moment. But he remained in place, supported by a supernatural force.

To the untrained eye, Edward would seem like he had gone senile. But in reality, this was how the process of enlightenment looked.

There was no awareness of the external world; every ounce of focus was directed inward, toward the profound changes unfolding within.

Adam silently walked toward him, but also made sure to stay at an appropriate distance so as not to disturb his state of enlightenment.

He squinted his eyes and observed the mana flowing around Edward.

It did not flow with haste, but in accordance with the great order… the Way. It stirred with quiet grace, as if the universe itself was acknowledging the alignment of Edward's inner and outer worlds.

Something that typically only occurred when a Magus stood on the threshold between the Mana Vortex and the Mana Core… was now happening an entire rank earlier.

Edward truly was a child loved by mana.

Adam silently sighed.

Envious, envious, I am so envious, he mused.

After all, even he had not undergone the process where his mana showed signs of resonance. As mentioned before, it only happened when one was on the cusp of advancing to the Mana Core Rank.

Adam was still decades away from that glorious moment when he attained the peak of magic in Tron.

But for now…

He had to ensure that Edward reaped the maximum benefits from his state of enlightenment.

The raven-haired youth did not know what had triggered this enlightenment.

Perhaps it was his harsh words, or maybe it was Edward's own evolving understanding of his goals that had finally brought him to a state of gratitude for the boundless magical energy surrounding him.

Regardless of whatever it was, Adam did not care about the cause. He only knew that it was going to be a great boon for his friend.

Perhaps… it would even propel him to the Mana Vortex Rank!

The raven-haired youth silently started setting up a mana-gathering formation around the boulder, making sure to help his friend out as best as he could.

Almost half an hour later, he had finished carving a small yet complex runic formation around Edward. The latter still hadn't emerged from his state of enlightenment.

Gazing at the blue-eyed youth's stupid face and how saliva was dripping from the corner of his lips, Adam couldn't help but scoff.

Damned ugly bastard!

He turned around and went back inside the cottage.

Envious… he was very, very envious!

He himself had entered a state of enlightenment twice in his life—once during his first visit to the Soaring River Secret Plane, and the other during his intense battle with the werewolf, Stratford—but that wasn't what he was envious about.

Entering a state of enlightenment was an exceptionally rare phenomenon, and when a Magus did achieve it, they would emerge with tremendous gains.

Adam was already able to achieve this state twice in his thirty-five years of life because of his profound understanding of the Way.

What he was envious of was… Edward's mana achieving resonance.

Adam sighed as he entered the cottage and then went to the kitchen to make some breakfast.

A child of mana is truly one blessed by the heavens…

***

Edward felt like he was floating in an ocean of ethereal blue energy. From time to time, streaks of lightning would crackle on its surface before diving into its depths.

He floated on the surface of this ethereal space, gazing at the white sky above him with a look of confusion.

Where… am I?

The mana inside his body, which was in a gaseous state, was now slowly transforming into a liquid state.

From chaos, came order.

His mana, which was in a state of partial gas-partial liquid, flowed through his mana channels, gradually taking the shape of a whirlpool in his stomach region.

Edward was on the verge of advancing to the Mana Vortex Rank!

As the mana constantly revolved, slowly gathering around a single point, he thought to himself, What's happening?

I'm forgetting something…

Where is this place?

In his state of enlightenment, his mind felt very sluggish. His instincts guided his body—and mind—in the most optimal direction.

And at the moment, that direction seemed to be… the Mana Vortex Rank.

But what is this place?

He looked around at the pristine white sky and the ethereal blue ocean.

Somehow, he had this vague feeling that the sky represented spiritual energy, and the ocean represented mana.

But was this even real?

Or a figment of his imagination?

Was he witnessing the present?

Or glimpsing at the future?

Strange, he thought.

Why would this be the future?

Suddenly…

HISSS!!

Six black serpents emerged from the ethereal blue ocean. They rose to the skies, their forms towering and menacing, then cast their predatory gazes on the terrified Edward.

Before he could react, the six serpents lunged down toward him!