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.

the one they were waiting for, they would be

with 36,

expected that there would be about 30 left near the

was quite a devastating death

deaths mostly focused on the

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

What happened?

they enter one of the extremely rare

kinds of trials were only open for Peak Ancestral Mages

only left one other

a

But who?

one of the three remaining Initial Ancestral Mages. After all, an Early Ancestral Mage couldn't

to each other via voice transmission, trying to find out who it could have

three Initial Ancestral Mages had been at that level for quite a time to accumulate power, and

wildernesses and noting down locations of trials to make a lot of money. She even had several deals with other Clouds. In

business, which was why

Ancestral Mage was a notorious serial

Ancestral Mage's biggest customer, and he specialized in

of stuff which he would then mostly sell to

find certain

kill so many other Clouds since that would

from the auras of the first two Clouds, they were not happy about

third

was a woman with light-blue

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

the Clouds concluded that she had joined just a couple of

she had an Ice Affinity, but they hadn't

that still

single Cloud had seen her fight in

Initial Ancestral Mages also noticed all of

that they had traveled mostly together

wanted to see if they could earn more by combining their businesses