Magus Supremacy

Chapter 922

Chapter 922

Charlotte’s eyes widened to the absolute limit, as if she were staring directly at a ghost.

Her mouth hung agape in sheer horror.

Her hands grew weak, nearly slipping from the edge of the mattress as she gazed at the figure standing in the center of the room, looking for all the world as if he had never left.

Recognizing the crimson robes, the distinct posture, and the familiar height—even though the mask was currently absent—the informant trembled violently.

He took a shaky, involuntary step backward in fright, his breath hitching.

"He—he—"

"G-G-GREY? You are alive?!" Charlotte exclaimed in pure, undiluted shock as she shakily rose from the bed.

She struggled to accept that the person standing before her was real; it felt more like a cruel illusion than reality.

"Grey? You did all of this?" Max asked, his own eyes wide with disbelief.

The Supreme Magus casually crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where is the evidence that I did, eh?" he questioned with a small, knowing smile, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Max shook his head, a frown settling on his features.

"You are wearing red robes at this very moment, and you are the only person I know—aside from the Emperor—who is a multi-elementalist. What better proof could there be than that?"

Charlotte rubbed her face, her mind racing as she looked toward Max.

"Wait. Can we focus on the fact that Grey is actually alive?!"

Observing Max’s expression, she realized he wasn’t nearly as stunned by this arrival as she was.

"... Hang on. You already knew Grey was alive?"

Max finally met his sister’s gaze with a calm yet conflicted look.

Frowning at her brother, she asked in a low, level tone: "When exactly did you find out?"

"Today. An hour ago, he arrived here and I informed him about what had occurred. He departed abruptly without another word. I assumed he had personal matters to attend to—perhaps to see his friends or something."

Looking back up at Grey, he added, "I never suspected he was on his way to slaughter an entire town along with Bale."

Grey listened to their exchange with a nonchalant, detached expression.

Gradually, Charlotte’s initial shock and surprise began to subside as she processed Max’s explanation.

"I see."

She looked up, opening her mouth to speak, but Max cut her off with a sharp inquiry of his own.

"Tell me, Grey—why did you do all of this?"

The Supreme Magus met his gaze coldly. "Do all what?"

"Don’t play dumb with me. You stopped me from heading over to take my revenge on Bale, yet you were planning to do it yourself the whole time? Why didn’t you tell me?!"

"Does it truly make a difference?" Grey asked, his head still cocked to the side in mock confusion.

"Does it make a difference?" Max repeated, his voice rising in disbelief.

"Of course it does! Yes, it makes a massive difference! I wanted to be the one to rip Bale’s head off. I desired to give him a merciless end. I wanted to force him to suffer and scream while I watched—and you took that satisfaction from me?!"

Charlotte watched Max, noting the jagged sparks of lightning arcing around his hands as he spoke.

She cast a brief, worried glance toward Grey, who remained utterly unperturbed by the outburst.

Finally, Grey heaved a long, tired sigh.

"Look. If it makes you feel any better, I ensured that he screamed. I tortured him extensively before I delivered the final blow."

Max opened his mouth to retort, but before he had the chance, Grey cut him off with a firm tone.

"... There is a specific reason I stopped you from going."

Max lifted a brow, the lightning dancing around his knuckles settling back down as he stared at the mage with an urging look.

"Go on."

Grey pointed a singular index finger directly at Max.

"I didn’t want you to tread the dangerous path of revenge. I have been through that shit already and don’t want another person to go through that. Taking vengeance is hollow, painful, and doesn’t do anything to ease one’s heart. Do you know what it does?"

The warrior mage’s eyes twinkled with a somber light.

"It makes one a monster. Hollow and indifferent. After taking your pound of flesh from Bale, you won’t feel satisfaction or relief; you will only feel emptiness.

A piece of you will be gone, and in the process, you would embark on other dark paths to fill that void, losing yourself and maybe your life along the way."

Grey paused for a moment, looking at the mage deeply with his hands clenched into tight fists.

"... I wasn’t about to let you go through all that. As I said earlier; Charlotte needs you more than she would ever need anybody else. I wouldn’t want her brother to suddenly switch up and become cold toward her after chasing shadows.

Nobody close to me has to go through that. I’m willing to soak up that darkness, that hollow void, for you all. I’m ready to lay down my peace just so you all can be peaceful. And I have already promised not to let anybody harm or take those I care about, so drop this!"

"...."

A heavy silence filled the room as Charlotte looked deep into Grey’s eyes, searching for the boy she once knew within the man standing there now.

Finally, she staggered toward him, and soon enough, she was before him.

In a flash, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I know you are not the touchy type, but I just want to appreciate you. Thank you so much, Grey.

Max is a hot-headed fool, and I’m glad you were here to calm him and speak some sense into his head. If—if—if something had happened to him, I don’t know what I would have done. Thank you a bunch."

As she spoke, tears fell freely from her eyes, soaking into his crimson robes.

Grey took in several deep breaths and began tentatively stroking and patting her back.

"Calm down. You are welcome. Now, will you move? I still don’t feel comfortable."

Charlotte chuckled slightly through her sobs and took a few steps back.

Then, a heavy sigh escaped Max’s mouth.

His eyes grew moist as he looked in Grey’s direction with a newfound clarity.

"I—I—I’m sorry for how I reacted."

The Supreme Magus shook his head.

He took a few steps back and waved his hand, causing a shimmering portal to manifest in front of him.

"It’s not a big deal. I expected it."

Turning around to face the swirling gateway, he added,

"Take your time to grieve properly. When you are done and calm, I will need to address everybody’s questions back at Lunaria. Do not rush."

He was about to take a step forward when Max called out to him one last time.

"Thank you for everything."

Grey smiled without turning around and simply walked into the portal, which snapped shut behind him.

The informant in the room stared at the spot where Grey had appeared and vanished from with wide, terrified eyes.

’That’s a monster right there!’