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,

started with 36, and

about 30 left near the end, but there

was quite a

the deaths mostly focused on the first two levels in the

still within expected parameters, but 80% of

What happened?

one of the extremely rare group

were only open for Peak Ancestral Mages that had been in the

only left one other

had killed a lot

But who?

an Early Ancestral Mage couldn't possibly kill that many Initial Ancestral Mages since they were not allowed to attack them

via voice

end, it came out that two of the three Initial Ancestral Mages had been at that level for

money. She even had several deals with other Clouds. In exchange

others would be detrimental to her business, which was why everyone was quite certain that she hadn't been the

was a

Ancestral Mage's biggest customer, and he

one trial after the other, earning a lot of stuff which he would then mostly sell to

certain

kill so many other Clouds since that would damage

auras of the first two Clouds, they

the third Initial

light-blue hair, and they all

the leading Bolt about the Deep Crevices on their

concluded that she had joined just a couple of decades ago and that her

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

still held

single Cloud had seen

noticed all of this, and they moved

were thankful that they had

see if they could earn more by combining their businesses