[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe":3,"chapter-greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-973":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},160317,309,"Chapter 973: No Excuses","greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-973",973,"\u003Cp>Back on the surface, Professor Whitaker’s expression had twisted into a dark scowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she witnessed how Merlin was thrashing Edward, she couldn’t help but assume that he was trying to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more than that, she was astonished to see the greatest talent from the Tower of Daybreak being defeated so one-sidedly by a nobody.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart was gripped by a foreboding feeling. If Edward were to die during the First Trial, the relations between the Tower of Daybreak and Saratoga Castle would undoubtedly deteriorate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with the threat of the Cult of Bones looming nearby, that was the worst possible outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when she thought of intervening personally, she saw Merlin hand over the magical key to Edward before swimming into the depths of the maze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just what is he planning on doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One moment, she thought that Merlin was about to kill Edward; the next, he gave him the prized key and allowed him to pass the First Trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was truly perplexed. However, what truly astonished her was the fact that Merlin was heading into the heart of the maze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is he...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, her eyes narrowed as realization dawned upon her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t tell me... has he discovered—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when a sudden commotion drew her attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the banks of Marian Lake, Edward was suddenly thrown out of a portal, looking utterly battered and miserable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was deathly pale, and his bloodshot eyes spoke of sheer exhaustion. He quickly rolled over and vomited several mouthfuls of water he had swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he feel the pressure ease slightly, and he let himself fall onto his back, staring blankly at the blue sky with a lost, distant gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take long for the people from the Tower of Daybreak to rush toward him and surround him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were completely panic-stricken earlier, thinking to themselves that he wouldn’t make it out of the lake. That would have dealt a severe blow to the morale of the Tower of Daybreak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greatest talent to have ever come out of their prestigious institution, yet unable to make it past the First Trial of the Grand Magus Tournament? What a joke!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people heaved a collective sigh of relief as they surrounded the blue-eyed youth and checked to see if he was alright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from the fact that he had nearly choked on water, he appeared to be fine... at least physically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words of the people surrounding him did not register in Edward’s mind. His mind was somewhere else entirely—more specifically, on what that stranger had said to him earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your brain must have rotted for you to prioritize a woman over the First Trial’s objective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You abandoned the key for what? A woman? And look where that brought you... at my feet, at my mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did you think she couldn’t take care of herself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did you think you were some knight in shining armor who was going to save her and complete the trial’s objective together?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or were you simply just insecure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You placed something else above magic, and for that... you should be ashamed of yourself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a Magus, nothing should be more important than magic. The moment you place anything above magic... is the moment you cease to become a Magus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially, the last few words. They continued to echo within Edward’s mind, making him rethink his life choices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eddie! Eddie, are you alright?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a blonde young woman reached out to him and gently caressed his cheeks. Lisa’s eyes were filled with concern as she gazed at his pale face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward turned to her with a complicated look on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...So you made it out, after all,\" he murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lisa frowned. \"What does that mean? Of course, I made it out. But what took you so long? Were you surrounded by a large group of those crab-centaurs? Just... what happened down there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward ignored her question, then turned back towards the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah... why did I choose to look for her instead of the key?He wondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lisa is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, so then why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Am I really... insecure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, the stranger’s words echoed inside his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You placed something else above magic, and for that... you should be ashamed of yourself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward’s lips quivered. He truly was ashamed of himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right at that moment, Edwin’s cold words drifted into his ears, causing the rest of the people to instantly quiet down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re the last to pass the trial,\" he said, his tone laced with disappointment. \"What took you so long?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward turned to his grandfather. He wanted to say a lot of things, but in the end... only a few words escaped his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I have no excuses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edwin deeply looked into his grandson’s eyes. Then, he shook his head and turned around, silently walking away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward, however, was lost in his own thoughts. He kept repeating the stranger’s words in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a Magus, nothing should be more important than magic. The moment you place anything above magic... is the moment you cease to become a Magus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words continued to repeat over and over again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After swimming for several minutes at his fastest speed, Adam finally arrived at the heart of the labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contrary to his expectations, the center of the maze revealed a vast stretch of land, and at its heart stood an enormous castle... nearly as large as Saratoga itself!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most notably, this castle also seemed to be made out of coral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adam was absolutely stunned. Not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined a coral castle lying at the heart of Marian Lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coral castle rose from the lakebed, vast and alien, its crimson and violet spires glowing with a faint, ominous light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twisting archways and kelp-shaped windows hinted at a design not meant for human dwellers—or any creatures of similar size, for that matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its halls were wide and winding, built for something that glided rather than walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounding the enormous castle, sirens, crab-centaurs, and other magical creatures stood guard, their movements synchronized like a living defence system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These countless underwater creatures were staring at Adam with open hostility. He could even sense dozens upon dozens of these creatures having strength equivalent to the Mana Vortex Rank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just what are they guarding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adam couldn’t help but wonder solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was certain of two things. First, if he took even one more step forward, the underwater creatures would attack him or perhaps even kill him—or try to anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, whoever—or whatever—resided within the coral castle was closely tied to the labyrinth itself. That much he had concluded after carefully studying the maze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, I’ve satiated my curiosity. Time to leave,he thought as he reached out for the last magical key on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to infuse mana into the item and teleport away when suddenly he froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through his Sphere of Resonance, he sensed shadowy figures shifting within the castle’s depths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, a moment later...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pair of titanic eyes fixed their gaze upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>",1191,"2026-05-29T04:45:04.623Z","2026-06-01T04:29:11.309Z",1,"novelbin.me","0dd11cf252246af9c3ad06810f35578256be5410208952f4f9b8f9c4e79be981","greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-974","greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-972",1765,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fgreatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-cover.jpg"]