Magus Supremacy

Grey, Scarlet, Vanica, Arthur, and Vorden were seen walking away from the others, heading in a different direction from where the magical beast cores were being extracted.

The group moved in silence, a quiet intensity settling over them as Grey remained deep in thought. His mana swirled around him, primed and ready to be unleashed in a spell at any moment.

After about ten minutes of walking, they arrived in front of a cave that resembled an ancient chamber, one that had weathered time itself. The mouth of the cave yawned wide open—so vast that ten people could walk in side by side without brushing shoulders.

Stepping inside, they were met with a cavernous space. The air was slightly damp and carried the faint scent of moss and stone, but the ground beneath their feet was surprisingly dry, though uneven, filled with ridges and scattered bumps.

The ceiling arched high above them, far beyond reach for most—but not for Grey, who could easily ascend with his wind magic.

'Wait... if something is really down here, then how did the scouts miss it?' Grey thought as they tread deeper into the dimly lit cave. Strange blue crystals lined the walls, casting soft glows—though many of them flickered weakly, and some remained dark altogether.

"Uhm… Grey," Arthur called out softly, quickening his pace to catch up. "Doesn't this place give you the creeps?"

"Creeps?" Grey echoed.

"I don't know… I just get a strange feeling the deeper we go," Arthur murmured.

"It's probably nothing. You're just being the weakling you are," Scarlet retorted, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

But before she could take another step, something small and fast scurried by her feet, making her yelp in fright and leap toward Grey.

"Look who's calling someone a weakling," Grey muttered with a scoff, continuing onward.

Eventually, they stood before three passageways. One of them was heavily draped in cobwebs, while the other two remained clear. They paused, unsure which path to take.

"Which one should we go with?" Vorden asked.

"I'm not sure…" Grey admitted, his gaze shifting between the three.

"Great! So you dragged us out here for some silly exploration and don't even know where to go?!" Scarlet snapped.

"Take the middle one," Noir suddenly said in Grey's head.

"The middle? But it's covered in cobwebs. That probably means nothing's gone in or out of there in ages," Grey replied under his breath.

"Just trust me."

"Fine! Guys, we're taking this one," Grey said, pointing at the center path.

"Huh? You were unsure a moment ago, and now you suddenly decide?" Vorden asked, confused.

"Trust me," Grey said firmly.

"Fine, whatever," Scarlet muttered. Flames ignited in her palms, and she fired a fireball that scorched the cobwebs to ash.

"Ladies first," she said, gesturing toward Grey with a smirk.

"Who are you calling a lady?" Grey snapped.

"You, of course!"

"What makes you think I look like a lady with all this masculine physique?" he asked indignantly.

"Hmm… something about your face. You just look like a pretty lady to me."

"You—"

"Guys! Focus," Vorden interrupted. "Let's explore this place quickly and head back."

"He's right," Grey said, taking the lead.

As they stepped into the corridor, the ground turned moist. Water sloshed beneath their boots with each step.

'Water? But the ground behind us was completely dry. Why didn't it spill out?' Grey mused as he led the group through the dim tunnel, the walls still glowing faintly with blue crystals.

He brushed a hand along the wall, feeling the jagged texture—until suddenly, his fingers grazed a smooth surface. He halted, stepping back a few paces to examine it more closely.

"What's wrong?" Vanica asked.

"Trouble?" Vorden added.

"Chill," Grey said, eyes narrowing as he focused on the smooth surface. Upon closer inspection, he noticed odd symbols—words etched into the stone.

"What is this weird writing? I can't f*cking read it," Grey muttered, squinting.

Then a voice echoed in his mind.

"The more you seek, the more you find. The more you find, the more you unravel. They are coming… and when they do, no one—no one is safe. They will destroy everything in their path and seize it all."

"You… can read it?" Grey asked, stunned.

"Duh. It's an ancient language—I recognize it from when I was with my previous owner," Noir replied.

"And who was that?" Grey asked.

"I'd rather not say," Noir said curtly and fell silent.

'Back to the inscription… They are coming? Who are they? The Otherworlders? Are they that powerful? And who came here to write this in the first place?' Grey pondered.

"Grey, something wrong?" Scarlet asked.

"No. Let's keep going," he said, pushing the ominous message to the back of his mind.

The group continued walking, encountering nothing unusual—until the narrow passage opened into a vast chamber. Their eyes widened at the sight before them.

A colossal six-legged beast lay asleep at the center. Behind it stood a massive door, ancient and untouched.

The creature's frame was monstrous. It had four gleaming eyes, jet-black skin veined with glowing blue cracks, and claws that looked sharp enough to shred steel. A row of jagged, serrated fangs jutted from its maw.

Grey instantly swirled his mana into his left eye, activating his analysis spell.

{Name: Voidfang Hydro}

{Level: 5 (Cusp of Evolving)}

{Magic: Regeneration}

{Mana: 60/60}

Seeing that the beast was asleep, they collectively let out a silent sigh of relief, all except Grey, who remained tense, assessing the situation. They were just about to plan a way to sneak past the beast toward the door when—

SPLASH!

Vorden had unknowingly stepped into a puddle, and the sound echoed across the chamber like a bell toll.

In an instant, the creature's four eyes snapped open, blazing red with fury.

Everyone's heart skipped several beats.

"Shit! Vorden, you idiot!" Grey cursed, as the creature rose to its full height and released a guttural roar that shook the chamber walls.

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