Legacy of the Dark Sage

A transport ship from one of the neutral merchant clans in the Higher Realm hovered a few thousand kilometers from the Blade Dancer Clan's Immigration Office.

The clan it belonged to owned a plane a few hundred million miles from the Blade Dancer Clan, which was why they could easily travel there without using the portals from a Junction Port. Besides, they carried large crates full of merchandise that could not be quickly cleared in the ports. Thus, it was best to go to the Blade Dancer plane directly.

With a trade history spanning hundreds of years, the merchant clan had established not just a relationship with the Blade Dancer Clan but a deep and enduring bond of trust and mutual benefit. This history of stability and reliability meant that their documents were usually approved faster than those of newcomers or those yet to establish a good relationship.

Nevertheless, their entry took time to approve because the Immigration Office's port needed to be prepared so the merchant clan's merchandise could be checked properly.

"Is there still no response?"

A middle-aged man with light brown hair dressed in a dark red coat over a golden breastplate sat on the captain's seat inside the merchant clan's transport ship. His light blue eyes were fixed on the monitor that displayed the closed port of the Immigration Office.

Even without knowing who the man was, it was easy to guess that he had a high status in the merchant clan from the air of nobility he exuded.

A thin young male mage in light gray robes holding a tablet stood beside the middle-aged man and scratched his head anxiously upon hearing the latter's question.

"Err... we have not heard anything from the officer yet. The status of our submitted documents is still showing as under review."

"Y-Yes. However, because of what happened at one of the Junction Ports—."

"Ugh! That annoying b*stard! Why did he have to pick today to make a scene?"

The news of what happened at one of the Junction Ports was already known to every clan in the Higher Realm. Because of this, every clan that agreed to connect their portal in the Junction Ports decided to either close their immigration office for the day or tighten their security.

Apparently, the Blade Dancer Clan opted to close entry to their plane through the Junction Port route. However, because they could not close off their plane completely, especially to those merchants, because it would significantly affect their relationships and the economy of their plane, they decided to continue accepting transport ships.

The approval of their entry took longer because of the tightened security, but at least they would not suffer such significant losses.

"Uhmm... according to the Junction Port management's statement, the intruder was a female mage..."

The middle-aged man paused momentarily upon hearing the young mage's response. He initially thought the latter's response did not make sense, but as he finally understood the connotation behind the young mage's response, he looked at him with a deadpan expression.

The young mage immediately sensed the drop in the cabin's temperature and hastily said, "O-Of course, the intruder's gender is unimportant. Y-You may call that mage a b*stard as you please, V-Vice Deputy..."

"...If I remember correctly, you submitted a request for a month-long leave, right?"

The young mage started to sweat profusely at the sudden shift in their conversation. Obviously, the vice deputy head disliked his cheeky response and contemplated not granting his leave request.

"D-Deputy head, I deserve that month-long leave—."

BOOOOM!

The aftershock that followed that unexpected explosion shook the whole transport ship and triggered its defensive array formation.

Everyone inside the cabin held on to their seats or safety handrails as they braced themselves from the still ongoing aftershock.

The middle-aged man was the first to regain his composure. His light blue eyes trembled in shock as he gaped at the ship's monitor that continued to show the Blade Dancer plane.

"W-What in the world has happened—?"

A quarter of the Blade Dancer plane was destroyed, and its barrier shattered. Fragments from the Immigration Office that failed to withstand the aftershock after the massive explosion drifted into space.

The middle-aged man's expression darkened as he saw a massive silhouette covered in a blinding light emerge from the destroyed part of the Blade Dancer plane. The silhouette's magic pressure was too much for any low-level Sovereign to withstand. In fact, because the grandness of the silhouette's light was too blinding, any low-level Sovereign would likely explode upon seeing it.

"W-What was that—?"

"All of you close your eyes and don't look at the monitor!" The middle-aged man ordered everyone inside the cabin before they could examine what caused that massive aftershock.

The middle-aged man was fortunate that he had just broken through the wall of becoming a High Sovereign. If not, he would not have been able to survive the mere sight of the massive silhouette.

Upon hearing the middle-aged man's command, none of the mages inside the cabin dared look. Even without his warning, the oppressive, almost suffocating pressure they sensed in their surroundings frightened them to the point that they only wanted to cower to their knees.

RUNNING IS FUTILE. I WILL CHASE YOU TO THE ENDS OF BOTH REALMS AND DEVOUR YOU.

A resonant voice shook the whole transport ship.

It went without saying, but the middle-aged man knew the massive silhouette had spoken those words. He also became aware of the latter's identity.

That massive silhouette could only be the Higher Realm's most powerful mage: The Emperor.

Following The Emperor's declaration, streaks of blinding light sprang out from his massive body and flew in different directions.

The middle-aged man almost choked in fright when one of those lights suddenly appeared outside the transport ship. He then realized that the streak of light was The Emperor's essence because of the similarity of its figure to the massive silhouette.

SPREAD THE WORD. ANYONE WHO TRIES TO SHELTER AZAZEL AND THE VOID MASTER SHALL PERISH BY MY HANDS.

The middle-aged man trembled in fear. Although The Emperor's essence was merely looking at the transport ship, it felt as if he could see right through its walls and was directly looking at the middle-aged man.

"Y-Yes... Y-Your Majesty."

The middle-aged man's merchant clan was neutral. Nonetheless, he would—they could never defy the Emperor's orders.

After that, The Emperor's essence became a streak of light and went in another direction.

Silence ensued in the transport ship's cabin after that unexpected ordeal.

Apart from the middle-aged man, everyone inside was drenched in cold sweat. They were also slumped on the ground, losing their strength to stand. As a matter of fact, the middle-aged man would have been the same if not for the fact that he was sitting in the captain's seat.

"D-Deputy Head..."

The young mage started, his voice quivering at the realization that they had avoided instant death by a hair's breadth.

"...S-Shall we return...?"

"...."

The middle-aged man did not respond immediately because he was still contemplating the Emperor's words. After a short while, he finally nodded and said, "Yes. Let's return and make sure to—."

CRACKLE! CRACKLE!

"!"

Everyone inside the cabin paled as the space right in front of the captain's seat split, and a figure in black appeared. Discover exclusive content at

"Don't just leave without me~."

A handsome young mage with auburn hair and aquamarine eyes emerged from the crack with a broad smile.

"From this day forth, I'm in charge of your lives."

*

Half a day after Kyran left the transport ship and entered the Junction Port, Oceanus, and Leif received news of the commotion that had occurred. They knew at once that it was Kyran's doing and were torn between landing there to check the situation or not.

In the end, they decided to heed Kyran's advice to stay put and wait for his return after a few days.

A day later, they still hadn't heard from Kyran. This was still well within their expectations since he had said he would return after a few days.

A few days could mean two, three, or more. But it would not take longer than five days or a week.

However, by the evening of the second day, a piece of news shook the whole Higher Realm.

A quarter of the Blade Dancer plane was destroyed. The fates of its inhabitants, visitors, and even the Blade Dancer Clan were unknown.

The news did not sound good, and Oceanus contemplated his next moves in case Kyran was behind that incident, and he was caught.

If Kyran revealed the Ogen Clan's involvement, Oceanus would have to choose whether to feign innocence or stubbornly stand by his side and rescue him.

Rescuing Kyran would not bid well for the Ogen Clan. It might even spell their doom. But feigning innocence would leave a bitter taste in Oceanus as well.

Before Oceanus could delve into the situation, another piece of news spread.

The Emperor made a declaration.

About Azazel and the Void Master.

Few knew who Azazel was. Most who did were those who fought in the war during The Fall. Thus, the mention of Azazel's name did not elicit much reaction. But it was the opposite at the mention of the Void Master.

Only one mage could possess that title, and it was not because a mage's title could only be used by one.

Void Master. A mage who possessed the Void.

Following The Emperor's declaration, information about where and why he was missing during the Solis Clan's attack on the Dragon Clan surfaced.

Apparently, The Emperor went to the Lower Realm after discovering a human who possessed the Draconic Core. After that, he also found another human with the Void Core. Unfortunately, he lost the latter after he miraculously entered the Higher Realm.

This information caused an uproar.

No one knew whether this information had been uncovered by factions opposed to The Emperor or if he, The Emperor, had leaked it himself.

Nonetheless, it achieved the desired effect, and those clans who wanted to receive The Emperor's favor began to gather their elites to search for Azazel and the Void Master.

Similarly, the rebels frantically contacted all the clans and tribes under them to search for them. Their reason was different from those wanting to receive the Emperor's favor.

The rebels wanted to shelter Azazel and the Void Master and support them in overthrowing The Emperor.

This news and information spread in a matter of a single day in the Higher Realm.

Oceanus became more anxious about his clan's fate with each passing moment.

Leif, on the other hand, appeared calm. She could not put it into words, but she was not worried about Kyran.

Finally, on the third day, after what happened to the Blade Dancer plane, she received a coded message from Kyran.

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