Earth’s Greatest Magus - Chapter 2158: Search

“Lord Warwick and Lord Philip, I welcome you to our friendly gathering,” said the Viceroy, his tone dripping with insincere hospitality as he gestured for the Wolf half-blood grand magus to join the serpent conclave. The air in the Majestic Faulen Oval chamber was thick with tension as the prominent figures took their seats.

With the arrival of the Ouroboros Queen and the leaders of three other major clans, the chamber was now filled to capacity. Eleven factions were represented: The Faulen, The Ouroboros, The Mauritius, The Targaryan, The Kruk, The Boa, The Colubrid, The Fanes, The Jafar, The Mara, and The Severus. The leaders and their proxies occupied the central seats, while the thirty other grand magus-level figures, including the three wolf bloodline guests, sat in the outer circle, their presence adding an edge to the already charged atmosphere.

The Viceroy, exuding confidence, rose to open the meeting. “Now that we are all here, let us start by hearing Queen Silviana’s words.” His voice echoed through the grand hall, drawing the attention of every attendee.

Queen Silviana stood gracefully, her regal bearing commanding respect. Her eyes scanned the room, meeting the gaze of each leader before she began.

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While the conclave was in full swing, Emery and the two grand magus stealthily made their way through the labyrinthine gene facility. The facility was a fortress, fortified with multiple layers of security. However, with a detailed schematic of the layout and Grand Magus Vulani’s acute divine sense, they managed to evade detection and bypass several guards.

Their first target was a potential chamber where they believed Shinta might be held. Moving swiftly and silently through the dimly lit corridors, they reached the chamber and carefully opened the door. Inside, they found a few research patients in various states of treatment, but Shinta was not among them.

“She’s not here. Let’s check the second place,”

Grand Magus Vulani took the lead again, her spirit reading ability scanning the surroundings. She extended her senses, searching for any sign of Shinta’s presence while identifying the safest paths through the facility. Her abilities allowed them to avoid several patrols, her illusions deceiving the guards into seeing empty hallways where intruders tread.

Whenever they encountered a guard who was resistant to Vulani’s illusions, Grand Magus Rictus took swift action. His serpent gene bloodline allowed him to move undetected, striking with precision. With a flick of his wrist or a quick, silent motion, he incapacitated the guard and swiftly moved the body into his Magus domain.

Minutes later, they successfully sneaked into the second location, a concealed area beneath the gene facility. As they navigated the dimly lit corridors, they discovered multiple empty chambers. The emptiness struck them as odd, especially considering the intelligence they had received. Grand Magus Vulani’s brow furrowed as she voiced her concern.

“This is strange. According to our intel, there should be a few dozen research patients kept in here.”

Anxiety gnawed at Emery. Determined to uncover the truth, he scanned the surroundings and spotted one of the master apothecaries nearby. Without hesitation, he decided to capture and use his newly learned spell, [Partial Soul Enslavement].

The spell was potent; while it didn’t turn the magus-level individual into a complete puppet, it heavily influenced his thoughts and acted like a forced contract. Emery could inflict pain on his soul or kill him with a single command if he wished.

As the spell took hold, the apothecary’s eyes widened in fear. He dropped to his knees, trembling. “Please, don’t hurt me… I will help you…”

The master apothecary, still under the influence of Emery’s spell, explained in a trembling voice that the silver-haired girl, Shinta, had indeed been under treatment in this facility until three days ago. She, along with several others, had been moved back to the prison.

Emery’s expression hardened with resolve. He turned to the two grand magus accompanying him. “I am going to this prison,” he declared.

Grand Magus Vulani hesitated, her concern evident. “Unlike the research facility, the prison will be more heavily guarded. There will be multiple full moon captains, and even the grand magus warden might be there.”

Emery’s eyes blazed with determination. “We can’t stop now… I can’t stop now.”

The princess’s safety was paramount, and despite the increased risk, they decided to proceed to the prison. They could only hope that most of the grand magus would be attending the conclave, leaving the prison less fortified.

To ensure their mission’s success, Emery decided to access one of the facility’s computers and let VIA hack into their systems. This move provided them with an extra set of eyes and helped them navigate the prison database. Within a minute, VIA pinpointed Shinta’s cell.

<Level 3, cell number 38>

Emery’s swift actions and resourcefulness impressed the two grand magus, Vulani and Rictus. They unknowingly began to follow his lead as Emery used the enslaved master’s apothecary to guide them, turning him into another layer of disguise in case they were discovered.

As they progressed, their movements were swift and calculated. The first and second levels of the prison were navigated with relative ease, their path made clear by VIA’s surveillance and Vulani’s spirit readings. The corridors were dimly lit, casting long shadows that aided their stealth.

Upon reaching the stairwell to level three, both VIA and Vulani issued simultaneous warnings. VIA’s mechanical voice buzzed in Emery’s ear.

<Warning: Two grand magus level individuals and multiple magus detected guarding level three.>

“There are at least 30 magus-leveled guards down there,” said the female spirit master

“It smells like a trap!” Grand Magus Rictus muttered.

For Emery, the heavy security around the area only confirmed that the Ouroboros princess was indeed being held in cell 38. Filled with a sense of urgency, he was ready to jump into action.

“I am ready,” However, Vulani, the female spirit master, placed a restraining hand on his arm. “Wait,” she said firmly. “The high probability of detection means we must coordinate with the Ouroboros Queen first. Our actions could jeopardize the negotiations at the conclave.”

As the female grand magus sent the message, Emery’s impatience was evident, his eyes flickering with unease as he glanced towards the stairwell. Something about the third level made him deeply anxious. He struggled to remain calm, his every instinct urging him to move forward.

Minutes passed in agonizing silence. Emery paced, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. He knew that Shinta’s safety was paramount, but the wait was excruciating.

Then, finally, a soft chime from Vulani’s communication device signaled the green light from the Ouroboros Queen.

“Let’s go!”