Magus Supremacy

Chapter 948: Impossible Quest

Chapter 948

"Huh? What do you mean by I have already met your son?" Grey questioned, looking at the Emperor with a thoroughly confused expression.

Julius chuckled softly as he turned to face Amir, who appeared equally lost.

Nobody seemed to know the truth.

Perhaps the Emperor’s deceased subordinates held that secret, but currently, not even Amir or the high-ranking Captains knew anything about the Emperor’s offspring.

When the boy was born, or if an heir truly existed, no official announcement had ever been made to the public.

It was all kept under wraps, silenced as if the heir’s very existence was a fact that shouldn’t be whispered aloud.

Why Julius had chosen such a path—and his ultimate reasons for the secrecy—remained entirely unknown.

Now, with the claim that Grey had already crossed paths with his son, Grey felt totally adrift in the conversation.

"Cough... cough.... Cough..."

Julius’ chuckling transitioned into a heavy, deadly cough, leaving fresh specks of crimson on his silk handkerchief.

"You see..." The Emperor began, a pained, weary look clouding his features.

".... My son is something of a monster on the battlefield. Ever since he could walk, he was forced to do only two things."

Julius paused for dramatic effect, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing:

"Train and learn everything about the Kingdom. Being the Emperor’s son, he possessed so many privileges that he could go anywhere or do anything he liked.

Regardless of that power, he wasn’t arrogant like some of the entitled nobles in this world. But there was one specific flaw he had—one I still didn’t know how to properly combat."

Grey lifted an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

"Which is?"

Julius looked at the table, a distant gleam in his golden eyes.

"His annoying, relentless drive to fight. Every single moment, he just wants to engage in combat. And not just any skirmish; he sought out opponents far stronger than himself.

He was constantly putting his life at risk in search of powerful adversaries.

In fact, he had already challenged every single one of my guards in this palace. Heck, he even challenged one of my personal subordinates and lost."

Grey blinked, absorbing the information.

"That’s not necessarily a bad trait, though."

Julius looked up, his gaze sharpening.

"It wouldn’t have been if he wasn’t roaming everywhere looking for a fight at constant intervals and without any breaks.

The only time he truly managed to calm down was after his defeat at the hands of my subordinate.

But even then, he was too eager. Because of that, I was given a suggestion, and after a not-so-careful consideration, I agreed to it."

Amir was now fully intrigued by the tale.

"And what was the suggestion?"

Julius smiled faintly.

"I sent him to one of the academies. Knowing how desperate he was for a challenge, I figured that enrolling him in an academy would satisfy his hunger for growth—and it worked.

Going on missions, battling fierce beasts, and competing with peers allowed him to grow both more powerful and more disciplined."

Grey was more than curious now, his mind racing through the faces of everyone he had met during his time in the ranks.

"Well? Who is he? You said I have met him before. What is his name?"

Julius lifted a brow, then coughed a few more times before waving his hand dismissively, the moment of personal revelation passing.

"That’s not the primary reason I called you here. I requested your presence to provide you with all the intel I possess regarding the Otherworlders."

At the mention of the ’Otherworlders,’ Grey’s demeanor shifted instantly.

He calmed down, his eyes narrowing into slits of pure focus.

Sitting up properly, he pushed the mystery of the Emperor’s son to the back of his mind.

Knowing a prince’s identity wouldn’t help him defeat the entities from beyond.

Those were his true enemies, and he would do anything to dismantle their influence.

Every single drop of information would be a weapon in his quest.

"I’m all ears."

"...."

Julius nodded solemnly and tapped the center of the heavy table.

Immediately, a small, inconspicuous orb embedded in the wood—one Grey hadn’t even noticed—began to spin.

Within seconds, glowing holograms began to manifest in the room, illuminating the dim space with flickers of data and ancient maps.

Holographic images flickered to life—strange, abstract shapes that Grey couldn’t immediately make sense of.

The Emperor remained poised, ready to explain the visual data.

"The Otherworlders first appeared during the era of the Originals." Julius paused for a second, a deep frown etching into his face.

"You know who the Originals are, right?"

Grey nodded.

"The first generation of mages."

Julius smiled faintly and continued:

"... They didn’t make an entrance in previous centuries. They didn’t launch an offensive here before humanity awakened as mages; in fact, there were no reports of conquered worlds anywhere.

But a few years after the Originals revealed themselves, the Otherworlders made their first terrifying appearance."

Grey listened attentively as the holographic projections cycled through.

Now, he could see five distinct individuals clad in heavy robes, their visages concealed behind deep hoods.

These were the same five people he had spotted in one of the grand paintings in the room earlier.

"These were the Originals. The first five supreme mages in existence. Each possessed devastating affinities. Some were versatile multi-elementalists while others were single-elemental masters, yet all were uniquely powerful."

Grey took notice of each of their features with a calm, analytical gaze.

He spotted one mage who, judging by his physical build, appeared quite young—almost exactly Grey’s own age.

Noticing his focus, Julius added:

"That is the mage Armin."

Grey paused, his breath catching in his throat.

His eyes widened in sudden recognition.

’Tha—That’s Thalos’ master? The legendary creator of the Waterfall Clan?’

Julius coughed once more, the harsh sound drawing Grey back from his racing thoughts.

"Anyway, theories which remain unconfirmed even by the Imperial records suggest that one of these five did something strictly forbidden.

He acquired a taboo power that caused him to view the world through a twisted lens.

Some historical articles claim he simply descended into madness; having become so immensely strong, he began perceiving himself as a god on earth.

After attempting to sway the others to his cause of world domination and failing, they reached a bitter impasse."

Julius took a shaky breath.

"He vanished. Then, five years later, the Otherworlders were born. Their very first target? Our world."

"...."

Amir frowned, his voice low.

"That is far too close to be a mere coincidence."

"That’s because it isn’t," Grey chimed in, his expression becoming thoughtful and grim.

"One of the Originals is the leader of the Otherworlders."

"Exactly." Julius nodded solemnly.

"Unfortunately, his initial strike was so devastating that one of the remaining four Originals lost their life.

The survivors managed to hold their own, eventually repelling the Otherworlders, but only after suffering catastrophic casualties."

"..."

Julius sighed, the weight of history resting on his slumped shoulders.

"Luckily, the four academies had already been established by then, as more humans began awakening their elemental affinities at the age of twelve.

To ensure they were trained on the proper path and ready for the encroaching darkness, the institutions were solidified."

Amir rubbed his temples, trying to process the scale of the betrayal.

"So, it was just one Original gone rogue that started this entire mess?"

Grey’s eyes darkened as he stared at the hologram of a man clad in obsidian robes.

The figure’s face was obscured entirely by the shadow of his hood, projecting an aura of absolute malice.

Julius sighed and then looked directly at Grey, his gaze piercing.

"The main reason I called you here is to tell you to drop your plan of attacking the Otherworlders. You cannot defeat their leader."

"Huh?" Grey looked at the Emperor with a sharp frown.

The Emperor stood up from his seat with great effort, tapping the table with a trembling finger to emphasize his point.

"Unless you are as strong as they are, the Originals cannot be killed, Grey Dawn. They are, for all intents and purposes, immortal."