Wes could clearly feel the magical pressure radiating from Bluenote
Its intensity was second only to Hades himself—even Ultear couldn't compare.
At the same time, Bluenote also sensed the powerful magic coursing through Wes, and he examined him with growing interest.
[Not a bad opponent.]
Bluenote found himself intrigued by Wes. A potential challenger like this stirred a sense of excitement in him.
"Can you fly?"
"Try me and you'll find out," Wes replied, his confidence fully on display.
Though he wasn't someone who actively sought conflict, he knew very well that the powerful individuals here loved to test newcomers through battle.
[Fine. I'll show them I'm not someone they can push around.]
Wes resolved to make everyone present understand he was not someone to provoke lightly.
"Come on, we finally got a newcomer. No need to be so serious."
Rustyrose—by far the most talkative among the Seven Kin of Purgatory—spoke up, attempting to ease the tension.
But neither Wes nor Bluenote paid him any attention, leaving Rustyrose feeling somewhat embarrassed. His personality was notoriously self-centered and unpredictable.
The kind who could be joking with you one moment and stab you the next.
Just as Rustyrose was about to "teach Wes a lesson," Azuma stopped him with a hand on his arm.
"He's a wizard who's fought against a Wizard Saint."
Her words were meant to remind Rustyrose that this newcomer was far from ordinary.
"You mean I'm not his match?" Rustyrose snapped, pointing at Wes in agitation.
"I'm simply stating the facts," Azuma replied calmly, arms crossed, looking utterly indifferent.
"I've had enough of you and your stuck-up attitude!"
Rustyrose's exaggerated expression made it seem like he might lunge at Azuma any second.
The other members of the Seven Kin didn't bother reacting—they had long grown accustomed to these disputes. They happened at least every few days.
As long as Hades was present, a real fight would never break out.
Just as the tension peaked—
"THUD!!"
A heavy sound cut cleanly through the chaos.
It was Hades' staff striking the floor, the deep echo immediately drawing everyone's attention back to their leader.
"Wes, since you've just joined us, the others don't know much about you yet."
Hades' tone carried a clear message: as a newcomer, Wes needed to demonstrate his strength if he wanted the guild's acknowledgment.
Wes understood the meaning behind his words—and he agreed.
Rustyrose instantly stepped forward, volunteering eagerly.
"Master, allow me to 'welcome' our newcomer. I'll make sure he truly feels at home."
He could hardly wait to have a "friendly" match with Wes.
"He's strong. I want to fight him too."
Azuma's voice was direct and frank—facing strong opponents thrilled him.
The moment he voiced his wish, Rustyrose's expression twisted as if he'd swallowed a fly.
"Cheh."
He didn't bother hiding the irritation or contempt in his voice.
The other members of the Seven Kin of Purgatory were also showing strong interest in Wes, each eager to gauge the newcomer's strength.
Just as Rustyrose and Azuma were on the verge of breaking into another argument, Bluenote stepped forward.
In that instant, the entire room fell silent.
"Leave it to me."
The moment Bluenote spoke, no one dared compete with him for the opportunity.
To prevent unnecessary damage to the airship, Wes and Bluenote decided to take their battle outside.
The news spread through the guild like wildfire.
Everyone wanted to know what made this newcomer bold enough to challenge the vice master the moment he joined.
Members poured out of the ship, gathering around the chosen battleground, eyes filled with anticipation and excitement.
The Seven Kin were all present as well, their figures standing out clearly among the crowd.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, Wes and Bluenote faced each other quietly, separated by only a few meters.
Bluenote broke the silence first.
"I can sense you're strong." He rotated his wrist, preparing for the battle. "I won't hold back. I'll use my full power from the beginning."
With that, he unleashed his full magic. The surge of force was overwhelming, and even the air vibrated under the pressure.
Wes refused to take a step back. His magic burst forth with equal intensity, colliding with Bluenote's in the air—yet the two forces did not immediately erupt into a chaotic explosion.
"Is this really all your magic?" Wes asked, utterly confident in his own power.
Their magical energies intertwined, creating visible ripples in the air.
Everyone watching was shocked by the scale of the confrontation.
"What terrifying magic!"
"He's actually matching the vice master!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, most of it filled with admiration for Wes's strength.
The expressions on the faces of the Seven Kin grew heavier—Wes's mana reserves far surpassed their expectations.
Hades' lone visible eye remained locked on Wes.
"His magic has grown since the last time I saw him. And he still has power he hasn't released."
He had noticed the unawakened reserves of energy within Wes.
In this clash of magic power alone, Bluenote was clearly at a disadvantage.
Yet Bluenote felt no discouragement. In fact, the more overwhelming the challenge, the fiercer his desire to fight became.
To him, raw magic power was only one part of combat—true victory came from one's mastery over magic, mental fortitude, and battle technique.
"Gravity Crush!"
At Bluenote command, the air seemed to clench under an invisible grip. Gravity spiked instantly.
Many of the Guild's mages watching the fight were caught entirely off guard, crashing to the ground and pinned there, unable to move.
"This isn't a battle you can watch. All of you, fall back," Azuma ordered sternly.
In truth, the moment Bluenote released that spell, the mages had already realized the gravity of the situation. They hurriedly helped up their immobilized companions and fled the scene.
Wes felt the full power of Bluenote's gravity magic firsthand.
[Compared to my Gravity Charm, his magic is far more aggressive.]
Not only could Wes cast gravity magic, he also mastered its counter-spells.
Against this Gravity Crush, Wes was almost completely unaffected.
"You can use gravity magic too?" Bluenote asked, immediately noticing that Wes wasn't resisting with force—he had simply neutralized the spell with skill.
"It's just a gravity charm I learned. When it comes to controlling gravity, I'm still far below you."
°°°
Hungry for more chaps? Then check out our pătreon!
Link: Påtreon.com/BaphometFiction
I post 20 advanced chapters of this fanfic there.
If you do subscribe, please do so in the web patreon, not the ios app.