Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2346  The Apostle

The instructors' battle began, drawing the attention of everyone present. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

On one side of the arena stood Emery, representing Hall 33, a Magus with a reputation for defeating a one-cosmos grand magus before. On the other side was Adam, the Nephilim apostle, standing for Hall 6.

Despite Adam's youthful appearance, he was no ordinary opponent. He was one of the twelve apostles, figures revered as reflections of the Nephilim gods—rising above tens of thousands of bishops and hundreds of cardinals.

The crowd buzzed with excitement, expecting an extraordinary duel between two powerful figures.

Facing each other, Adam radiated calm confidence as he spoke with a respectful tone. "It is the Lord's will that I stand here before you," he said, his voice serene yet filled with purpose.

Emery, unfazed, quietly activated his Twilight transformation. His body shifted, fangs lengthening and muscles tensing as his dark energy flared. With a sharp grin, Emery responded, his voice dripping with challenge. "Why don't you call your Lord to come here as well? I wouldn't mind making his acquaintance."

Adam remained unfazed by Emery's taunt, his composure unbroken as he spoke, "It is blasphemy to speak of our Lord in such a manner, but our Lord is full of mercy. And don't worry—you will be in His presence soon enough."

With those words, Adam unsheathed a silvery sword, its surface shimmering with divine light. He raised the blade to his forehead and closed his eyes in prayer. In an instant, four majestic wings unfurled from his back, glowing with radiant energy, embodying his divine connection.

Emery drew his Savage Sword, its dark aura contrasting sharply with Adam's radiant presence. A low, guttural voice echoed in his mind as he called upon the being he had prepared for such battles: "Cthulhu." Dark, swirling Khaos energy enveloped his body, amplifying his dark core, and surging into his weapon. As the signal to begin the battle rang out, Emery wasted no time. He unleashed his [Void Blade], the blade crackling with dark energy that radiated menace. The arena seemed to tremble with the intensity of his power.

Adam's gaze sharpened at the sight "Such a dark… malignant force… It's no wonder the church mentioned you by name,"

The tension between them thickened, and the crowd held its breath.

Emery wasted no time, starting the battle by unleashing multiple Khaos-enhanced [Shadow Edge] attacks, dark slashes of energy that crackled ominously as they sped toward the apostle. The dark arcs bombarded Adam from all directions, aimed to overwhelm and test the limits of his defenses.

However, Adam remained utterly composed. With simple, precise movements of his silvery blade, he effortlessly deflected each of the attacks. The explosions erupted around him, scattering debris and filling the arena with smoke and shockwaves, yet Adam stood firm—he hadn't moved a single step. His wings flared out, shimmering with divine energy, as if providing an invisible shield that rendered Emery's initial barrage futile.

Undeterred, Emery used the chaos of the blasts as a distraction. His body shimmered as he activated [Spatial Bending], warping the space around him and distorting Adam's perception. In a blink, he closed the distance between them, his form flickering in and out of existence while launching more [Shadow Edge] strikes from multiple angles. Each attack seemed to come from a different direction, unpredictable and rapid, testing Adam's reactions.

Emery's plan was simple: gauge his opponent's strength. He observed every minute detail—the reach of Adam's sword, the speed of his reflexes, and how effortlessly the apostle seemed to parry each incoming attack. "Spatial energy… interesting," Adam muttered, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. Still rooted in place, Adam unfurled his majestic wings to block Emery's incoming strikes, absorbing the dark energy. His wings, shimmering with divine light, seemed to be an extension of his blade, reinforcing his defenses. As he channeled more power into his sword, a bright glow enveloped the blade, and then he made his move—one swift, decisive slash.

The slash was charged with overwhelming light energy, so potent that it didn't just shatter Emery's [Shadow Edge], but also tore through the spatial distortions surrounding him. The air rippled as if reality itself was cleaved apart. Emery quickly backstepped, recalculating his approach. But before he could regain full control of the fight, Adam took the offensive, unleashing a series of rapid sword blasts. Each one carried the force of divine light, cutting through the air like celestial blades. It mirrored Emery's own [Shadow Edge], yet opposite in nature—light clashing against dark, divine power against Khaos energy.

The arena erupted into a chaotic symphony of clashing energies as the two combatants launched ranged energy blasts at each other. Dark and light, shadow and radiance, clashed in midair with violent force, sending shockwaves through the arena. Emery, still analyzing Adam's capabilities, decided to test the apostle further. He activated his [Spectral Gaze], sending waves of psychic energy directly into Adam's mind, aiming to disrupt his concentration and break through his mental defenses. At the same time, Emery closed the distance, charging with quick, calculated strikes, hoping to catch his opponent off guard.

However, as expected from a grand magus adept in the Law of Light, Adam showed incredible resistance to the mental assault. His aura of light acted as a natural shield, repelling the spirit attack with ease. It was clear that psychic manipulation alone wouldn't be enough to subdue him.

Emery decided to add another layer to his attack, channeling a portion of Cthulhu's power, he unleashed a dense cloud of poison smoke, allowing it to seep into the battlefield. The thick, noxious fumes spread around Adam, slowly weakening him as it sapped his energy. The atmosphere became oppressive, darkened by the creeping malevolence of Khaos energy, and Adam's calm demeanor began to crack.

Adam's previous calm started to twist with disgust as he sensed the corruption creeping toward him. "Such evil! It needs to be cleansed!" Adam's voice boomed through the arena, filled with righteous fury. The growing pressure from Emery's relentless attacks forces him to respond with his full strength.

The Nephilim apostle raised his sword high, and a radiant light burst from his body. In a powerful display of divine energy, Adam unleashed his domain power—

[Guardian of Faith]

The sight of Adam's transformation was strikingly reminiscent of Julian's divine form, yet there was a key difference. While Julian's power was channeled through an external pillar of light, Adam's divinity radiated from within, drawn directly from his own core.

A brilliant halo formed behind him, its radiant light enveloping his wings and body, forming a set of majestic golden armor. The sheer power emanating from him left no doubt that this was a grand magus operating at the peak of his abilities.

With his transformation complete, Adam's strength soared far beyond what it had been moments before. His eyes gleamed with divine energy, glowing with righteous fury. Emery could feel the weight of Adam's new power pressing down on the battlefield like a crushing force, suffocating all attempts to resist. Raising his gleaming sword, Adam called forth a golden cross that materialized in the air above him, infusing his weapon with holy energy. It was a powerful attack.

"Holy Strike!" Adam's voice echoed as the cross empowered his next swing.

The sword strike came with terrifying speed and strength. A blinding wave of golden light shot toward Emery, and the force behind it was staggering.

Emery's [Shadow Edge] attacks, which had previously been his primary defense, were shattered instantly by the overwhelming power of the holy energy. The force of the strike cleaved through the battlefield, tearing the arena apart.

The air hummed with divine power as the shockwave spread, and cracks snaked across the stone ground, splitting it wide open.

Fortunately, Emery's quick reflexes kicked in, allowing him to dodge the attack just in time. He barely evaded the golden arc of energy, feeling the heat of its destructive force as it passed by.

Emery glanced back to see the aftermath: Adam's strike had torn the arena apart. The once solid battleground was now split down the middle, deep cracks radiating out from the point of impact. What was even more shocking was that the protective barrier—designed to shield the audience from such powerful attacks—had been shattered completely, its fragments flickering and dissolving into the air.

The sheer devastation left many in the audience speechless, a mix of awe and fear sweeping through the crowd as they realized the magnitude of Adam's power.