Sword God in a World of Magic

"Oh, hey! You're still alive!" One of the Peak Ancestral Mages shouted to a Mid Ancestral Mage with a smile.

The other Ancestral Mage floated over and nodded. "Yep, and I also made quite a bit this time. I completed three trials."

The first Mage let out an impressive whistle. "Impressive," he said. "Anyway, did you get Maruda?"

The second Mage slowly shook his head. "Couldn't find him."

"Huh, he's normally one of the first ones that return. I thought that you got him," the first Mage said.

"Nope," the second Mage said again. "It would suck if he suddenly dies. I wouldn't get my payment and his wealth."

"Speaking of," he added as he looked at the gathered Mages above the surface. "I also don't see my contractor."

The first Mage shrugged. "Maybe they're still in a trial?"

The other Mage just furrowed his brows. Then, he turned to Lucin, who was looking at the ocean. "Lucin, who are we still waiting for?"

"There's one more Peak Ancestral Mage. She's choosing her rewards right now. I don't think it will take longer than a couple of minutes," Lucin answered.

When Lucin said that, several other Mages raised their eyebrows in surprise.

Wait, basically everyone was already here?

They looked at each other and counted.

Twelve Peak Ancestral Mages.

Two Late Ancestral Mages.

Two Mid Ancestral Mages.

One Early Ancestral Mage.

Three Initial Ancestral Mages.

with the one they were waiting

with 36, and

be about 30 left

a devastating death

the deaths mostly focused on the first two

three levels were still within expected parameters, but 80% of Early Ancestral Mages and 70% of

What happened?

extremely rare group trials

kinds of trials were only open for Peak Ancestral Mages that had been in the Wilderness Hunt

only left one

killed a

But who?

all, an Early Ancestral Mage couldn't possibly kill

each other via voice transmission, trying to find out who

came out that two of the three Initial Ancestral Mages had been at that level for quite a time to accumulate power, and

and noting down locations of trials to make a lot of money. She even had several deals with other Clouds. In exchange for her safety in the Wilderness Hunt, they would get a discount for purchasing any of the

which was why everyone was quite certain that

Ancestral Mage was a

Mage's biggest customer, and he specialized in a wide

trial after the other, earning a lot of stuff which

find certain extremely rare materials

so many other

first two Clouds, they were not happy about this

third Initial Ancestral

with light-blue hair,

been the new Cloud that had asked the leading Bolt about the Deep Crevices on their

a couple of decades ago and that her powers were

that she had an Ice Affinity, but they hadn't seen

that still

a single Cloud had seen her

all of this, and they

thankful that they had traveled mostly together

wanted to see if they could earn more by combining