Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

East Wing, Saratoga Castle.

In one of the four common rooms dedicated to the Mana Liquefaction students of this prestigious institution, a group of contestants participating in the tournament had gathered.

The common room was warm, spacious, and steeped in a mystical charm. It had high vaulted ceilings with magical lanterns that lazily drifted near the top, casting a soft golden glow.

Its walls were lined with tall bookshelves filled with all kinds of books. Of course, there were no spellbooks to be found. Those were rare and precious, and almost never put out in the open.

A large circular window offered a sweeping view of Marian Lake and the distant mountains. Comfortable armchairs and low tables were placed by that window, and soft rugs covered the stone floor.

The familiar group of participants occupied this corner of the common room as they discussed the upcoming Second Trial.

"Ah, this is so warm and nice." Michael Isaac, the towering middle-aged man with short dark hair and a thick beard, glanced at the interior of the common room with a fascinating look on his face.

Kahn, the striking young man with piercing gray eyes from Coral Cove, turned to the man and asked curiously, "Which institution did you attend, by the way?"

Everyone turned to Michael with an inquisitive gaze. Out of everyone in the group, Michael was the only one who was a rogue Magi, after all.

Michael replied with an awkward smile, "Oh, I did not attend any academy. I just… did everything on my own."

Everyone was slightly taken aback. Other than the prestigious Four Pillars, there were countless other smaller institutions that were, in one way or another, tied to one of the four great institutions.

Most of the rogue Magi participating in the tournament hailed from one of those less-renowned academies. It was very rare for a Magus to continue down the arcane path without proper guidance.

Charlie Smith, the other contestant from Coral Cove, couldn't help but ask, "You reached the Mana Liquefaction Rank… on your own?"

"Ah, yes, I was very fortunate to have come across an inheritance in my youth," Michael said humbly.

It was quite common for Magi to build their magic upon legacies left behind by ancient predecessors. In fact, it was rare—almost strange—for a Magus to not possess some form of arcane inheritance.

But one still needed guidance. To be able to walk the path alone was truly… something.

Mikar Atkins, the blue-eyed youth from Greenfield Ridge, grinned. "Haha, I told you all, didn't I? Michael's pretty capable. And it turns out, he's quite talented as well. He'll be a great fit for our party!"

Chris Cloud turned to him and scoffed, "It doesn't take a genius to figure that part out."

There was a reason he had said that. It was because… Michael Isaac was among the first few participants to complete the First Trial.

That spoke volumes about his prowess, given that rogue Magi were generally less equipped—be it spells or combat techniques—compared to the Magi from the Four Pillars and the Baja High Forest.

It also helped that Mikar was a very sociable person. At this point, he had practically gotten acquainted with every Magus participating in the tournament.

Based on that, he believed Michael would be a valuable addition to their party, not just because of his capabilities, but also because of his easygoing nature, which made him well-liked despite being older than the rest.

Hearing such praises, Michael Isaac couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. "It's nothing, really. Compared to you all, I took quite a lot of time to reach the Mana Liquefaction Rank."

"Don't sell yourself short, Michael," Edward said with a smile. "If you had plenty of resources like the rest of us, you would have become a Mana Liquefaction Magus at a much earlier age."

Lisa nodded. "The fact that you were able to become one before fifty, and without being affiliated with any organization, is very commendable."

Her words weren't patronizing. No, they were simply the truth.

Michael simply smiled in return. If he were being honest, he hadn't expected these people to be so welcoming toward him. He figured they'd be a bunch of arrogant folks since they hailed from the Four Pillars.

Biden Fors turned to Adam's students, who were sitting together, and asked, "You said you found the final member of our party. Where are they?"

Eleiney hesitated for a few moments, then spoke evenly, "I don't know."

"…Uh, what?"

Arthur casually shrugged. "We don't know where he is. In fact, we don't even know if it's a he or a she."

Kahn looked at him with a slight frown. "You don't know who they are, yet you invited them to join our party?"

Even Chris Cloud, who was always at odds with Kahn, shared the same sentiment. "I don't wish to be mean, but that's quite irresponsible."

"Woah. Relax, guys." Aiden assured them. "You don't have to worry about the person's capabilities."

"And why is that?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow.

The Second Trial was expected to be far dangerous than the previous one. Professor Whitaker had herself warned that it would be nigh-impossible to clear the trial alone.

In fact, Magi were actively encouraged to form parties and challenge this trial for this very reason.

Each party could have up to six members, a limit that, in itself, spoke volumes about the challenge that lay ahead.

So, not only was forming a party imperative, but so was selecting the right kind of Magus to join. Each member had to be highly competent, both individually and as part of a team.

"Because it was Mentor himself who chose this person," Eleiney said with a light smirk.

Everyone was stunned.

The Dark King had personally recommended a member to join them?

What in the Nine Hells?

The young Magi gathered—except for Adam's three students, of course—were so stunned that they couldn't speak for a few seconds.

Chris Cloud was the first to snap to his senses. He looked at Eleiney and spoke with sheer excitement, "The Dark King has chosen this person to join us?! That's… incredible!"

And right at that moment, a ridiculous, comical, and oddly foolish laughter echoed in the common room.

"Fafafa! Boys and girls, your savior has arrived!"