The Magi World is a High World, meaning that its laws are extremely well-developed, and it generates an immense amount of natural energy. It can be considered one of the Principal Worlds of the multiverse, with Magi known to everyone as cruel, pragmatic warmongers who bring doom to many of the Middle and Lower Worlds and Planes.
The more complete a world is, the easier it is to produce strong life forms that not only protect it against invaders but also attack other worlds and planes.
The Magi World is incredibly huge, with hundreds of continents, and the Magi are the dominant force in this world. There exist hundreds of organizations in the world, but there are three that are the most powerful and divide the continents among themselves.
One of these three is the Aeternum Empire, an organization made up of hundreds of Magi clans of all sizes that occupy the center of the Magi World.
The Zanabi Tower, which Zatiel was previously a part of, was owned by the Zanabi family, a small clan that was part of the Aeternum Empire, and it was positioned at the periphery of the Empire.
When Zatiel left the Grey Swamp, he didn't have second thoughts about going back. If he were to do that, he would undoubtedly be questioned by the Magus who runs the tower. After all, it has only been less than three months since he departed from the tower as a Rank 1 Apprentice Magus, and now he is as strong as a Rank 3 Apprentice.
They might want to extract his memories and dissect his body to find out how he achieved such rapid progress. As for the consequences, nobody would question a Rank 1 Magus if he kills an Apprentice, no matter how strong the Apprentice is.
Luckily, he doesn't need to worry about being searched for since those Apprentices who brought him to the swamp and threw him to die will invent their own story, claiming that he died due to an attack by a magical creature to cover their tracks.
So, the destination Zatiel was heading to was the Sinux Magic Tower, which is directly controlled by the Aeternum Empire. This magic tower is a strategic point as it is close to the entrance to the Underground Zone and also borders the Endless Forest.
The Endless Forest is an uncivilized zone full of magical creatures, some of which are equally as powerful as some of the strongest Magi in the Magi World.
Although it is dangerous, it is also a place full of opportunities, and those who are powerful enough can obtain great wealth. Therefore, many unaffiliated Magi and Apprentices venture there. Whether they can survive or not depends on their ability and luck.
According to the information Zatiel has, the Grey Swamp is approximately 10,000 kilometers away from the Sinux Magic Tower. Fortunately for them, most of the path they have to follow is through human kingdoms and danger zones that do not pose a threat to them.
They start running during the day to improve the efficiency of their agility spells, and at night, they rest. If they are close to a place with magical creatures, they kill and eat them to improve their strength.
The cultivation of the Chaotic Core can be done in several ways, with the most common one being attracting the natural energies of the world inside the body and letting the Core absorb it to improve itself and the amount of Abyss Aura in the body.
Another way is by consuming something with a high concentration of energy, such as magical creatures. Hunting serves to improve their battle skills and overall power.
Zatiel allows Ezequiel to take care of the magical creatures to familiarize himself with fighting and battling powerful creatures. Of course, Zatiel is always ready to intervene if something goes wrong.
Currently, Ezequiel is fighting a Metallic Bear. This bear-like magical creature has hair that looks like metal. Although the beast is stronger than Ezequiel, the moment the boy activates Lightning Armor, the fight becomes one-sided.
Ezequiel's weapon is a double-edged dagger that he found in the bandit camp. He chose it because it complements his battle style.
From time to time, the weapon is covered with lightning, enhancing the damage he inflicts on the opponent.
'Impressive! His proficiency in the spell has reached a level that allows him to extend its coverage to other objects, surpassing the original limitation of only covering his body. Lightning is suitable for him,' Zatiel thinks as he observes the boy fighting the beast.
During the fight, Ezequiel only attacks when the time is right, aiming for the beast's vital organs, demonstrating his years of experience as an assassin.
As the fight comes to an end, Ezequiel's lightning starts to fade. He seizes the opportunity when the beast is injured, making an opening to attack it from behind. He buries the dagger all the way into the beast's head, killing it.
"Well done, little EZ, but always remember to maintain control over the amount of Abyss Aura in your body. Never let it deplete entirely, as you would be too weak to react to unexpected situations," Zatiel advises the boy, assessing his battle power.
'With his abilities, fighting a Rank 3 Apprentice should be easy. If he catches them by surprise, he might even be able to kill a Pseudo-Magus. Not bad.'
Ezequiel nods and reflects on the fight, analyzing his mistakes and considering how he can improve his fighting style.
Zatiel and Ezequiel continue their journey, constantly training their spells and hunting magical creatures to either consume or harvest their organs.
...
After a little over three months, Zatiel and Ezequiel arrive in the area controlled by the Sinux Magic Tower. Both of them are carrying huge bags made of animal skin filled with parts of magical creatures.
As they get closer to the tower, more and more buildings appear in their surroundings. They see inns, weapon shops, and even some brothels.
When they are about to enter the city, a wave of energy passes through their bodies, scanning them, and disappears just a second later.
Although most of the Apprentices who enter the city wouldn't know what just happened, Zatiel detects it.
'This is a spell that detects the power of individuals entering the city. The moment it sensed that our strength was inferior to that of a Rank 1 Magus, it retreated immediately. Understandable, since even the strongest Rank 3 Apprentice poses no threat to the magic tower.'
Zatiel is not concerned about his Abyss Aura or Chaotic Core being exposed. His Abyss Aura is created from his Chaotic Core, using spirit force as the base. So anyone who detects his energy will only sense the spirit force. As for the Core, it is designed in a way that external forces cannot detect it, making it almost impossible to discover unless someone significantly stronger than him were to scan him.
As they venture deeper into the city, they are startled by the sight of a mind-blowing 300-meter-tall tower. Its exterior is made of obsidian metal, and inscriptions surrounding the tower emit a mystic glow from time to time. The tower exudes a majestic pressure that makes most people afraid to look at it directly.
It's the first time Ezequiel has seen something so impressive, and thanks to his high affinity for energy, he can feel the immense amount of energy concentrated inside the tower.
Zatiel notices the look on the boy's face but says nothing. Even he is impressed, not by the tower's size or the amount of energy it contains, but by the runes inscribed on its surface.
'Whoever inscribed those runes certainly has a high level of proficiency. The runes are strong enough to augment the strength of whoever controls the tower, enabling them to defeat someone of a higher rank,' Zatiel thinks as he continues walking toward the tower.
They head directly to the tower to register as apprentices and decide their next steps.
As they get closer to the tower, more and more apprentices start paying attention to them. Seeing two newcomers with a concentration of energy corresponding to Rank 3 apprentices and carrying a bag full of precious parts of magical creatures is not an everyday sight.
Although greed can be seen in the eyes of most apprentices, none of them take action. It's as if they are waiting for something.
However, it doesn't take long for an apprentice to confront them. He is a 2.5-meter tall man with a brawny figure, and based on the energy he emits, he is a Rank 3 Apprentice following the path of body refinement.
A vicious smile appears on his square face as he approaches Zatiel.
"Stop there, little brats. Since you're new, I'll do you a favor and explain how things are done here. I'm Nick, and I'm in charge of checking any type of material that comes to the tower. Now hand over the bags so I can assess if there's anything wrong with what you have. If you resist, I'll have to consider that you're hiding something and take them by force."
This is daylight robbery, but none of the other apprentices say anything, as if it's a completely normal occurrence.
"The newcomers have bad luck."
"Hmph, it's their fault for showing their wealth so openly."
"Nick always does this kind of thing."
"What can we do? After all, he has his brother as his backer."
Nick stands there without saying anything else. He's used to this kind of bullying, and it always ends in one of two ways: either the newcomers resign themselves to their bad luck, or they argue and resist, in which case he always gets what he wants.
However, contrary to his assumptions, today, he encounters something completely different.
"Ha ha ha! I'm sorry, I never thought such a cliché scene would happen just as I arrived here. But luckily, you've arrived at the perfect time. I was looking for a guide, and you're perfect for the job," Zatiel speaks with laughter.
Nick is furious, not just because of the boy's reply but also because of how the other apprentices start looking at him. He knows that if he doesn't teach these newcomers a lesson, he will become a laughingstock in front of everyone in the tower.
"You little shit! I'll show you the price of insulting me."
Before he finishes speaking, Nick throws a punch with all his strength directly at Zatiel's head. If it connects, it would be enough to kill any apprentice Magus.
But before his fist can even get close to Zatiel's head, a lightning-covered figure appears by his side and delivers a kick directly to his head.
The attack is so fast that Nick can barely react in time to raise his arms to block it. The lightning explodes on his arm, throwing his body five meters back before he can stabilize himself.
"You bastard..." Nick is furious and curses at his enemy, but before he can finish speaking, the lightning figure appears again.
This time, it materializes right in front of him and lands a punch directly to his stomach.
Nick doesn't have time to react as the punch penetrates his body, making him spit blood. But the assault doesn't end there. The lightning figure starts attacking him from all directions, treating Nick like a punching bag.
Nick felt like his bones are breaking under the hits, and his body is burning from the electricity running through his fists.
Finally, the figure grabs Nick's head and smashes it against the ground, sending some of his teeth flying.
As Ezequiel retracts the lightning, he stands by the side of the now badly wounded Nick, acting as if nothing happened.
The rest of the apprentices are shocked. One of the reasons Nick could bully newcomers was his great strength. But who would have thought that of these two newcomers, the youngest one, who looks like a kid, would be so powerful that he could easily defeat a Rank 3 Body-Refinement Apprentice, using his body as the main weapon?
"He is too strong!"
"That boy is terrifying."
"Nick is badly wounded. His brother won't let this slide."
Zatiel pays no attention to what the others are saying as he walks toward the wounded Apprentice. He knows that displaying a degree of dominance is necessary to establish a foothold in this place; otherwise, it will be very difficult.
Once he stands in front of Nick, he lifts him by the neck and speaks to him.
"Now, be a good guide and tell us where the center to register new apprentices is."