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.

total, and with the one they were waiting

started with 36,

had expected that there would be about 30 left

was quite a devastating death

more, the deaths mostly focused on the first two

still within expected parameters, but 80% of Early Ancestral Mages and

What happened?

extremely rare

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

only left

a lot of

But who?

all, an Early Ancestral Mage

Mages talked to each other via voice transmission, trying to

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

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

to her business, which was why everyone was quite certain

second Initial Ancestral Mage was a

was the first Ancestral Mage's biggest customer, and he specialized

completed one trial after the other, earning a lot of

to find certain extremely

sense for him to kill so many other Clouds since that would damage his

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

left the third Initial Ancestral

light-blue hair, and they all

the leading Bolt about

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

knew that she had an Ice Affinity, but they

still held

seen her fight in the

Initial Ancestral Mages also noticed all of this, and they moved closer to each

thankful that they had traveled mostly

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