The Genius Mage Was Reincarnated Into A Swordsman Family

Alex's transformation was absolute. His eyes blazed with pure golden light that seemed to contain depths beyond dimensional measurement, while Pride's cosmic energy flowed through his form with intensity that transcended normal comprehension. The golden aura surrounding him pulsed with divine presence that made the air itself feel sacred, as though reality bent around his position in acknowledgment of something greater than mortal existence.

His appearance had shifted from merely enhanced human to something approaching divinity. Each movement carried grace that suggested mastery over fundamental forces, while his expression held certainty that came from communion with entity whose knowledge spanned cosmic distances. The change was so profound that every conscious being in the chamber felt compelled to witness this manifestation of transcendent power.

Even Klaus paused mid-combat, his crystalline eyes tracking the golden radiance with expression that combined recognition and something approaching alarm. The two demons he had been fighting ceased their assault entirely, aristocratic features showing uncertainty for the first time since their summoning. They stepped backward with movements that suggested instinctive deference rather than tactical repositioning.

Throughout the chamber, all combat ground to sudden halt. The Beast Emperor and Kazimir stopped their desperate battle against the third demon, while Roman and Melo found themselves abandoned by their supernatural opponent. Every entity present—mortal and otherworldly alike—turned attention toward Alex's transformed state with reactions ranging from awe to calculation.

The four demons exchanged glances before simultaneously turning toward their Priestess, elegant voices carrying uncertainty that hadn't been present moments before.

"Is... he also a Priest?" they inquired with deference that suggested fundamental shift in perceived hierarchy.

Sabrina's response was sharp click of her tongue, annoyance flashing across her features as tactical situation became more complex than anticipated. Her crimson eyes studied Alex with calculation that transcended mere battlefield assessment—this was threat evaluation on cosmic scale.

'Just what did he do with his Arkdieu?' she thought, her analytical mind racing through possibilities. 'Seeing his physical abilities, I was certain the communion with his Arkdieu wasn't even at two percent completion. But for him to channel such pure Arcane energy directly—that shouldn't be possible without triggering causality laws.'

Her gaze sharpened as implications crystallized. 'Did he perhaps use an artifact as medium for communion? That could explain the energy purity despite incomplete integration.'

The consideration carried disturbing ramifications. If Alex had found method to bypass normal communion limitations through external catalyst, his potential development could exceed anything she had previously encountered. Artifacts capable of facilitating such connection would be relics of extraordinary rarity and power.

'Because of his energy's purity, those demons cannot attack him,' she realized with growing frustration. 'His Arcane emanation exceeds even mine in fundamental quality. Even though my Arkdieu—Lust—has fully conquered and currently rules the demon realm, these creatures lack ability to distinguish between different Arkdieu energy signatures. They recognize only superiority, not source.'

The strategic disadvantage was profound. Her summoned forces, powerful though they were, had been rendered inert against target whose energy signature commanded their involuntary deference. It was cosmic hierarchy asserting itself despite her tactical intentions.

'I have to kill him,' the thought crystallized with absolute certainty. 'Even more so since Pride and Lust are ancient enemies. This cannot be allowed to continue.'

Her attention expanded to encompass both transformed figures—Alex with his divine radiance and Klaus with his impossible mana control. The Lionhart family had produced two beings whose capabilities transcended normal classification, creating threat concentration that exceeded her initial calculations dramatically.

'Damn Lionhart family!' she thought with growing irritation. 'First this Klaus displays such fighting prowess—even though I can't sense a single drop of Arkdieu presence within him, he's already able to stand his ground against two high-class demons. Even if they're only accessing thirty percent of their true power, this remains impressive. Even I would struggle against both simultaneously.'

The assessment stung her pride despite its accuracy. Klaus's performance had exceeded every reasonable expectation, demonstrating capabilities that defied explanation through conventional understanding. His lack of detectable Arkdieu influence made his achievements even more unsettling.

'And now there's Pride's Apostle who can directly channel his Arkdieu's Arcane energy,' she continued her analysis. 'If I allow these two to survive, I might regret it when they become as powerful as the other two Apostles I've encountered.'

The comparison carried weight of experience. In her centuries of existence, she had met only two other Apostles whose capabilities approached genuinely threatening levels. Both had demonstrated growth curves that transformed manageable opponents into existential threats within remarkably short timeframes.

A dark smile spread across her perfect features as decision solidified with absolute finality. She would eliminate both Alex and Klaus regardless of cost, even if doing so required expending resources she had planned to conserve for future operations. Some threats demanded immediate action despite tactical inefficiency.

Her calculating gaze swept between the cousins, weighing optimal approaches for neutralizing targets whose capabilities had proven far more problematic than anticipated. The evening had evolved from simple demonstration into serious combat that would determine regional power balance for generations to come.

Yet as Sabrina formulated strategy for eliminating both threats, Klaus's attention had shifted toward Alex with expression that carried cold fury. His crystalline eyes studied the golden radiance with recognition that transcended mere tactical assessment—this was personal animosity manifesting through supernatural perception.

'Pride,' he thought with disgust that penetrated to his core. The name carried weight of accumulated experience, lifetimes of conflict that painted the Arkdieu as enemy rather than potential ally. Whatever memories were surfacing within his consciousness clearly included extensive history with the cosmic entity currently manifesting through his cousin.

'Should I end him now, before Pride gains full manifestation capability in this realm?' The consideration arose from strategic calculation rather than mere hostility. Klaus recognized that Alex's current state represented transitional phase—impressive but incomplete compared to what true communion might eventually achieve.

His decision crystallized with mathematical precision. Hundreds of ice lances materialized in the air above the chamber, their crystalline points aimed with lethal accuracy toward Alex's transformed position. The technique displayed control that exceeded his previous demonstrations entirely, each projectile perfectly shaped and positioned for devastating collective impact.

The sudden manifestation caught everyone present completely off-guard. Demons froze mid-thought as supernatural senses detected massive energy concentration gathering overhead. Sabrina's strategic calculations halted as her crimson eyes tracked the unexpected development with growing alarm.

Even Alex, despite his divine enhancement, found his attention drawn upward by the overwhelming presence of Klaus's technique. The ice lances hung suspended like sword of Damocles, their combined mass representing destructive potential that could level significant portion of the chamber despite its reinforced construction.

The temperature plummeted as Klaus channeled power that approached his absolute limits, frost spreading outward from his position in patterns that spoke of barely contained force seeking release. His crystalline eyes reflected depths of determination that transcended normal human emotion—this was cosmic judgment rendered through mortal vessel.

Throughout the ballroom, every conscious being recognized that pivotal moment had arrived. Whatever happened next would reshape not merely the evening's events but the fundamental balance of powers that governed continental existence.

Klaus's ice lances trembled with contained energy, awaiting only his mental command to transform suspended potential into devastating kinetic reality. The chamber held its breath as impossible forces prepared for collision that would determine which transcendent being would survive to shape the future.