The view of what was happening in Alterian was not the same for everyone. In particular, the guilds saw the situation very differently from the general public, mainly because they possessed more information than most. As events unfolded, many of them began to realize just how desperate Gizin had become. That desperation had been clear from the moment he had issued his call to action.

When Gizin had put out a notice to the guilds, he had not limited himself to the underground organizations. Instead, he had sent his message to every guild he could reach, regardless of reputation or alignment. It was a move that spoke of urgency rather than confidence. He was no longer being selective. He needed numbers, power, and immediate action.

Even guilds that usually avoided involvement in conflicts of this scale had been tempted by the enormous amount of money Gizin had offered. For some, the reward alone had been enough to justify participation, and they had joined the assault without hesitation. However, not all guilds had accepted the offer.

Those who followed their own moral code, those who already knew what kind of person Gizin truly was, found themselves questioning their decisions. If they had been wrong about the Grand Magus, then how many other things they believed to be true might also be lies? The thought lingered heavily in their minds.

It was this uncertainty that eventually drove them to get involved, not to aid Gizin, but to observe and intervene where necessary. At some point, the world of Alterian had changed. People no longer sought the truth before acting. Instead, they acted first and asked questions later. For years, the words of the Grand Magus had been treated as unquestionable fact, but now that certainty was beginning to crack.

With the help of these guilds, efforts were made to keep the Underside inhabitants safe. Even so, unease remained. Everyone could feel it, the massive surge of energy below the surface. It was unnatural, oppressive, and growing stronger by the second. No one wanted to stay near the area any longer than necessary.

Far below, in the chaos beneath Alterian, Liam stood frozen in place.

His system had predicted that his previous attack carried a high probability of success. However, the system's calculations were based solely on the information it could observe and analyze. It had not accounted for Harvey's ability to reposition himself within the giant puppet. That single unknown factor had rendered the entire plan ineffective.

As the realization settled in, Liam's system began feeding him additional data. None of it was encouraging.

Alen had completely exhausted his mana. He was no longer capable of acting as a distraction, something even he had come to accept. That was why he had taken refuge inside one of the nearby buildings, watching the battlefield through shattered windows, conserving what little strength he had left.

The situation was similar for the others. Large-scale attacks were no longer an option. Dame's body showed no signs of recovering anytime soon, and despite his resilience, the damage was catching up to him. Londo and Kelly had pushed themselves to their limits. The only one who still seemed capable of sustained combat was B.

Even so, Liam knew the truth. If B alone could have defeated the monster in front of them, she would have done so already. Her restraint was proof that even she recognized the limits of what was possible.

"I don't understand," Liam muttered under his breath. "This thing isn't stronger than a higher-star mage, is it? Then why is it giving us so much trouble? Is it just the nature of Dark Magic… the affinity, the way it feeds and persists?"

Above them, the giant puppet shifted.

Harvey, now positioned within the head of the massive construct, made his decision.

"You," Harvey said, his voice echoing through the battlefield, distorted and amplified by the puppet. "You were the one who organized all of this."

Liam felt the weight of Harvey's gaze settle on him.

"Well, since I know you have no way of truly harming me," Harvey continued, "then I'll simply remove you first."

All of the puppet's limbs began to move at once, drawing inward instead of striking outward. Just like before, when it had fired devastating beams of energy, the Dark Magic was condensing again, but this time, it was different. Every limb contributed, every strand of darkness pulled together into a single point.

A massive black sphere of Dark Magic began to form, pulsing with destructive power. Its surface warped and twisted as if barely containing what lay inside.

It was aimed directly at Liam.

[Warning. Warning.]

[Incoming Dark Magic attack confirmed.]

[Likelihood of impact: 100 percent.]

[Estimated chance of survival: 1 percent.]

Liam's breath caught in his throat.

'So if that attack hits me… I die,' he thought.

[Bases on current calculations, evasion is impossible.]

For the first time since the battle began, Liam felt something close to despair. His mind raced, searching for alternatives, for any overlooked variable, but there was nothing. The system had spoken clearly.

Then, footsteps landed beside him.

Dame stood at his side, lightning flickering faintly across his battered body. Kelly and Londo followed moments later, their expressions grim but resolute. Finally, B stepped forward, her presence steady and unwavering despite the exhaustion etched into her face.

"Maybe we can stop it together," Kelly said, forcing confidence into her voice. "We can block it. And then we try again."

Liam wanted to agree. He truly did. But the warning still echoed in his mind.

Even with all of them combined, it wouldn't be enough.

The massive beam of Dark Magic erupted from the sphere, tearing through the air with unstoppable force. It was enormous, wide enough to consume all of them at once, and powerful enough to erase everything in its path.

The attack surged forward.

Then, everything changed.

A figure appeared between them and the beam.

White hair drifted in the air as a man hovered calmly in front of the oncoming destruction. Darkness spread outward from him, not violently, but deliberately. The beam of Dark Magic was pulled inward, absorbed piece by piece, until nothing remained.

Silence followed.

When the darkness finally dispersed, Liam, Dame, Kelly, Londo, and B were still standing, completely unharmed.

"Harvey!" the man shouted.

The giant puppet stiffened.

"Dark… Magus?" Harvey replied, confusion evident in his voice.

Raze had arrived.

****

*****

For updates for MWS and future works, please follow me on my social media below.

Instagram: Jksmanga

*Patreon: jksmanga

When news of MVS, MWS, or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first, and you can reach out to me. If I'm not too busy, I tend to reply.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.