The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 108 - 109: The Pursuit

"Wait!"

The masked man’s voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, his hand shooting out to stop Hutson from leaving.

For a moment, he hesitated. Though his expression remained hidden behind the mask, his indecision was palpable.

Hutson turned back, his patience wearing thin. "Do you have anything better?"

The masked man reached into his cloak and withdrew a block of ice. Encased within it was a massive, still-beating heart.

"The heart of a Stone Giant!"

"Why is it frozen?"

Murmurs rippled through the onlookers.

"This is a Stone Giant’s heart," the masked man explained. "Normally, even if I added this to the Moonstone Herb, it still wouldn’t be enough to trade for your Cursed Effigy. However..." He lifted the frozen organ slightly, his voice carrying an air of significance. "This heart has been sealed using Frostworm Grass. It will remain active for a full two years."

He fixed Hutson with a steady gaze. "With this, along with the Moonstone Herb, surely that’s enough to make a deal?"

Hutson’s expression darkened with contemplation. This was no ordinary offering.

For a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, the heart of a Stone Giant held immense value. It was the primary ingredient for the Dusk and Dawn Elixir—a crucial potion for advancing to Third-Class Wizard Apprentice.

The greatest challenge with such a material was preservation. Normally, apprentices would only hunt Stone Giants when they were on the verge of promotion, ensuring the heart was fresh for potion crafting.

For those under the protection of a wizarding organization, such hunts were manageable. But for rogue apprentices like Hutson, finding and slaying a Stone Giant was an entirely different ordeal—one that came with extreme risk.

Frostworm Grass was another rarity—perhaps even more precious than the heart itself. Using it to preserve such a material was beyond extravagant, yet for unaffiliated apprentices, it was often the only way to ensure they had what they needed.

Hutson narrowed his eyes. The masked man was also a Second-Class Apprentice—this heart was likely meant for his own promotion. That he was willing to part with it now only proved how desperately he wanted the Cursed Effigy.

A slow smirk tugged at Hutson’s lips. This deal was becoming interesting.

"This is a decent offer," he admitted, rubbing his chin. "But not quite enough." He let the words linger before adding, "Throw in that Ice Spike spell model, and we have a deal."

The masked man fell silent, tension crackling between them like an uncast spell.

Then, after a long pause, he reached into his robe and pulled out the tome.

"Fine," he said, voice cold as winter steel.

Even without seeing his face, Hutson could hear the restrained fury beneath his words.

He didn’t care.

The masked man wouldn’t abandon the Stone Giant’s heart—Hutson was certain of that. He might have made an enemy, but that was of little concern. If trouble was inevitable, he might as well take full advantage of the situation.

Under the watchful eyes of the Fallen Crow Town enforcers, the exchange was made.

The moment the items were in his possession, Hutson whispered, "AI chip, scan these for tracking magic."

"Scanning..."

A brief pause. Then—

"No tracking enchantments detected."

Hutson’s brow furrowed. That was unexpected. He had been almost certain the masked man would try something.

Without hesitation, he secured the newly acquired items in his spatial ring. Normally, anything stored inside a spatial ring existed in a separate dimension—making magical tracking nearly impossible. Even if there had been a hidden spell, it would have been rendered useless the moment the items entered the alternate space.

His preparations complete, Hutson strode toward the massive stone monolith at the heart of Fallen Crow Town.

Placing his palm against its rough surface, he channeled his magic into it.

The world around him blurred—spinning into a vortex of color and shadow.

Then, he was gone.

A few moments after Hutson vanished, the masked man emerged from the shadows, striding toward the same monolith.

Fallen Crow Town had its rules. Once a person used the monolith to teleport, the next traveler had to wait ten full minutes before following.

Even he wouldn’t dare violate that law.

So he waited—silent and motionless, his aura simmering with cold intensity.

As soon as the ten minutes passed, he placed his hand against the stone—vanishing into the ether.

Hutson landed on solid ground once more, the landscape around him shifting into focus. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his gaze to the night sky, pinpointing the position of the stars.

He frowned.

His exit point wasn’t ideal. It had veered slightly off course, leaving him farther from Ryan City than expected. There was no time to return for his horse—he needed to move.

Without hesitation, he broke into a sprint, pushing himself to cover as much distance as possible.

An hour passed.

Then—his senses flared.

Someone was following him.

Hutson turned his head, his sharp gaze piercing the darkness.

There—charging toward him on horseback—was the masked man.

Hutson’s reaction was immediate. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed two Corrosive Arrows—one aimed at the horse, the other at its rider.

The masked man’s instincts kicked in. He abandoned the horse in an instant, leaping from the saddle and rolling across the ground before springing back to his feet.

A sharp incantation left his lips.

"Swarm of Shadow Worms."

A tide of writhing, mosquito-like creatures burst forth from the void—dark, buzzing nightmares that surged toward Hutson.

He didn’t hesitate.

"Dark Energy Shield!"

"Ice Shield!"

"Mana Shield!"

Three layers of magical barriers erupted around him, each shimmering with protective energy.

The shadow insects crashed against the shields, chipping away at their defenses but failing to break through.

The masked man narrowed his eyes.

"You wield that many defensive spells?"

A flicker of genuine surprise crossed his voice.

The game had changed.

And neither of them was backing down.

Those who lived outside the protection of wizarding organizations had limited access to spells. Many lacked even a single defensive incantation.

Yet the moment battle began, Hutson had already cast three shields upon himself.

The masked man’s gaze darkened.

"Counting the Corrosive Arrows from earlier... That’s already four spells."

A sense of unease settled in his chest.

This opponent was not going to be easy.

But retreat? That was out of the question.

The Stone Giant’s heart was far too valuable—he had to reclaim it.

Hutson drew his longsword, his grip steady. With his protective spells still holding strong, he seized the moment, surging forward at breakneck speed.

The swarming insects obscured him completely, a writhing cloud of darkness that would blind any ordinary man.

Yet Hutson moved unhindered, unshaken, cutting through the gloom with unwavering precision.

The masked man’s eyes narrowed.

He had no choice but to redirect some of the swarm for defense. At the same time, he channeled energy into his hands, a jagged Bone Spike beginning to take shape.

Hutson didn’t slow.

He pressed forward, loosing more Corrosive Arrows as he advanced.

The masked man had only a single Mana Shield protecting him, and under the relentless assault, it quickly crumbled—splintering apart, its last wisps of energy fading into the night.

Hutson was nearly upon him now.

At that very moment, the Bone Spike in the masked man’s hand solidified into a massive, lethal weapon.

But before he could strike—

Hutson vanished.

The masked man’s heart clenched. A flicker of realization dawned, but it was already too late.

A blade of cold steel erupted from his chest.

"...Blink."

The masked man exhaled the word in a whisper, his voice fading as his body collapsed to the ground.

The swarm of shadow insects dissipated into nothingness.

Even as he lay dying, a bitter thought gnawed at the edges of his mind.

Blink.

Among all zero-level spells, it was one of the most difficult to master.

The spell model alone was almost impossible to acquire—restricted to members of established wizarding orders. And even if one could obtain it, learning the technique required a level of precision and magical control beyond the reach of most apprentices.

As his vision blurred, realization struck him like a cruel jest.

Hutson had to be affiliated with a wizarding organization.

That was the mistake.

He had assumed Hutson was just another rogue apprentice, a lone wanderer without backing. He had underestimated his opponent. Worse still, in his greed—his desperation to claim both the Cursed Effigy and the Stone Giant’s Heart—he had thrown caution to the wind.

And now, he paid the ultimate price.

Darkness swallowed him whole.