[{"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-983":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},160327,309,"Chapter 983: Stronger","greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-983",983,"\u003Cp>Everyone turned to the source of the sound, and instantly... they were dumbstruck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward, out of everyone present, was the most shocked. His eyes widened in disbelief as he thought to himself,Wait... what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is that guy doing here?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few moments of awkward silence permeated the room, then Chris Cloud shot to his feet and incredulously pointed at the newcomer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You?! Weren’t you the one who came dead last in the First Trial?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newcomer was a young man with pale skin and coppery-red hair. Freckles dotted his face, giving him a boyish charm, while his round crystal glasses gave him the air of a scholar. His eyes, however, contained a mischievous glint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin Mathias spread his arms wide and spoke with theatrical flair, \"Ah, my friend, even the last place is a place, is it not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips curled into a smirk, and he added, \"After all, someone must anchor the chain of progress so others may feel... fast.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was dumbfounded by that answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of them could not accept that someone who came dead last in the First Trial was now going to be a member of their party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But few people thought otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you know Mentor?\" Eleiney asked after lingering for a few moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin turned to her, his eyes flickering with a peculiar light. \"If by Mentor you mean the Dark King, then yes, I’ve known him for a while now... since before he was given the title of King.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, scanning everyone’s expression, and then added, \"I met him in the Southern Federation while I was still a Mana Foundation Magus. Oh, right, I’m from a place called Glassford, from across the Murky Mountains. I’m not sure if any of you have heard of it. \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Glassford!\" Lisa exclaimed in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then turned to Edward and could tell that both of them were thinking the same thing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Merlin have entered the Soaring River Secret Plane along with us more than two decades ago?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin’s eyes lit up in surprise. He turned to Lisa and asked, \"Young Lady, you seem to know something about Glassford. Have you been there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yes,\" Lisa said with a succinct nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin then turned to Edward, a mocking smile appearing on his face. \"Ah, the genius of Daybreak. Ah, what an honor to be in your party. Fafafa!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the blatant sarcasm in his voice, the Magi gathered—especially the ones from the Tower of Daybreak—couldn’t help but frown a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Biden Fors, the dashing young man with blond hair and blue eyes, looked at Merlin with narrowed eyes. \"Is that supposed to mean something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eh?\" Merlin tilted his head, confused. \"My friend, perhaps... you don’t know Acaros? Should I communicate with you in sign language? I do have some proficiency in it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before things spiralled out of control, Mikar Atkins rose to his feet and welcomed Merlin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Magus Mathias, why don’t you take a seat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, of course, of course.\" Merlin chuckled. Then, he went and casually sat between Arthur and Eleiney, making them slightly uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at everyone present and then rubbed his hands with an excited smile. \"Alright! Shall we discuss how we are going to tackle the Second Trial? Let’s go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin was oddly enthusiastic, while the rest weren’t so sure about him being a member of their party. The only thing that did, however, assure them slightly was that the Dark King had vouched for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still... some weren’t satisfied with that either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kahn looked at the coppery-red-haired youth and spoke in a flat, indifferent tone. \"I do not mean to question the Dark King’s judgment, but how can I be certain that you are capable enough not to be a hindrance to us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin turned to Kahn with a thoughtful expression. He lingered for a few moments as he stroked his chin, deep in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You say you don’t wish to question the Dark King’s judgment, yet the next moment you do precisely that,\" he said. \"Hmm, I wonder which one you are... a hypocrite or an idiot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vein suddenly started to throb on the side of Kahn’s forehead. Meanwhile, Chris Cloud, who was sitting not far from him, burst into laughter. \"Haha, I like you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kahn turned to him and growled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right at that moment, Merlin spoke up again. \"Forgive me, it’s a bad habit of mine to joke with others. You see... sometimes I cannot stop myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What else can we expect from a damned jester.\" Biden Fors harrumphed in displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A jester...\" Merlin repeated his words, his smile gradually deepening. \"Fafafa, I guess you’re right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His laugh truly caused others to feel strange. It went without saying that they thought the copper-red-haired youth was a complete nutjob.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one laughed like that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin turned to Kahn, then spoke in all seriousness, \"If you are uncertain about my capabilities...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Edward and gestured with a smirk. \"Why don’t you ask him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone simultaneously turned to the blue-eyed youth from Daybreak. They couldn’t help but wonder why Merlin would say that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edward, on the other hand, felt conflicting emotions. In his mind, he wasn’t thinking about Merlin’s capabilities. No, he was thinking about something else entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just who is he? And how deeply is he related to Adam?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I could surmise... he even seems to know about Lisa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the things he said to me yesterday underneath Marian Lake... It seemed like he’s known me for a very long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this is only the second time I’ve met him, though...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never for a single moment did he think that Merlin was Adam. After all, there was no way for the latter to participate in the tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana fluctuation was something that could not be altered, and that was a well-known fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Adam had tried to participate in the tournament, he would have been instantly found out by the Magi overseeing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Edward could only think of one thing...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merlin must have found out everything about me from Adam? But why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would even Adam disclose such things?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It just doesn’t make sense to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, Merlin was full of mysteries. Perhaps, more so than Adam himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Edward?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lisa’s voice snapped him out of his deep thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He deeply looked at Merlin, then at everyone else gathered. His following words caused them to be astonished:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can vouch for his capabilities. He’s... stronger than me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1076,"2026-05-29T04:45:04.623Z","2026-06-01T04:29:11.309Z",1,"novelbin.me","0b03e22801ce87b3614156b7a639ce7f1b7140a25ebae1e2c5d3b409dcdbf930","greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-984","greatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-chapter-982",1765,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fgreatest-legacy-of-the-magus-universe-cover.jpg"]