Chapter 394: Magi’s Issue

Orion gently shook his head and chuckled lightly as he reached forward and carefully placed the gleaming crystal back into his inventory.

The room around him was still in complete disarray, scorched furniture and shattered wood scattered across the floor.

Rising slowly from his seat beside the window, Orion carefully navigated through the debris, murmuring softly to himself, “I should get someone to fix my room soon; I still need to sleep here, it’s looking like a battlefield right now.”

Lumi’s floating screen bobbed playfully in front of him, her voice lightly teasing,

[It’s more accurate to say this place is already a battlefield, Master, just without the enemies! (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀)]

Orion gave a resigned smile, gently swiping away Lumi’s teasing words with a flick of his hand before taking back the Silent Hall Cube and exiting the room while munching on some meatballs.

***

Days swiftly passed in a comforting blur. Orion dedicated each morning to meticulously memorizing the intricate contents of the Oblivion Codex, carefully engraving its profound secrets into his mind, always wary of the insidious nature of the Darkness Element.

His afternoons were filled with careful observation of Fiora, ensuring she fully recovered without lingering complications from her harrowing experience.

It pleased him greatly to see that not only had she gained full control over her Draconian bloodline, but she’d also become less shy and stopped stuttering while speaking now, as though overcoming her past trauma had subtly transformed her spirit itself.

***

On one particularly calm afternoon, Orion sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed in meditation as he practiced the familiar Basic Mana Breathing Technique, steadily circulating mana throughout his body.

The gentle hum of energy resonated within him, strengthening and stabilizing his foundation.

A soft yet distinct knock at the door broke his peaceful concentration. Opening his eyes slowly, Orion recognized Fiora’s gentle voice from behind the door, tinged with curiosity and surprise, “Master, Magi has come to visit you.”

Surprise flickered momentarily across Orion’s calm expression. Slowly unfolding his legs and rising from his meditative position, he walked over to the door, opening it to find Fiora standing there with an expression of curiosity.

“He came?” Orion asked, genuine curiosity filling his words. ‘I told him to visit me if something happens, but I didn’t think he would come so soon.’

Fiora nodded gently, her eyes reflecting her mild confusion. “Yes, he seemed eager and… nervous? I didn’t see him clearly, but he’s waiting in the main guest lounge.”

Orion’s brows knitted slightly, feeling a faint sense of unease mixed with curiosity. “Did he mention anything about why he came?”

Fiora shook her head, her golden hair swaying lightly, “No, Master. He just asked specifically for you.”

Orion released a quiet, contemplative sigh, placing a comforting hand on Fiora’s shoulder as he offered her a reassuring smile. “Alright. Thank you, Fiora. I’ll go see him now.”

With that, Orion stepped past Fiora, moving through the corridors toward the main guest lounge.

His steps echoed softly along the polished marble floors, each step increasing his anticipation and curiosity about the reason for Magi’s unexpected arrival.

Upon reaching the lounge, Orion pushed open the large wooden doors, stepping inside to find Magi pacing quietly, his expression unusually serious.

The normally casual, easy-going man turned instantly toward Orion at his arrival, his eyes flashing with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

“Boss, sorry to disturb you without notice,” Magi greeted immediately, stepping forward quickly, his voice unusually tense.

Orion raised a curious eyebrow at Magi’s apparent agitation. Calmly closing the door behind him, he approached Magi while responding in a calm tone, “It’s fine, Magi. What’s going on?”

Magi took a deep breath, his eyes practically glowing with excitement as he began to speak, “Boss, you remember telling me about getting people for our operation, rig—”

Before he could finish, Orion swiftly raised a hand, interrupting him with a sharp glance. Reaching into his inventory, Orion calmly took out the Silent Hall Cube.

Magi watched in fascination as Orion activated it, a subtle ripple of mana flowing outward, immediately enveloping the lounge in a translucent barrier.

The sounds from outside vanished instantly, leaving an uncanny silence hanging in the air. Nodding to Magi, Orion gestured calmly, signaling him to continue now that their conversation was protected.

Clearing his throat slightly, Magi’s excitement flared up once more as he continued, “So, as I was saying—I completed that task, and I got some really capable people, Boss. However, that’s not the main issue here. You see… on my way back, I ran into this old man.”

Orion raised a skeptical eyebrow, repeating slowly, “An old man?”

Magi energetically nodded his head, completely unaware of Orion’s skepticism, “Yes, an old man! But he wasn’t ordinary, Boss. He stopped me and read my fortune right on the spot. It was uncanny, really. He explicitly told me to follow you on your next adventure because that journey will give me the greatest opportunity of my life.”

Orion stared at Magi with speechless disbelief for a moment, his expression frozen between confusion and exasperation.

His lips twitched involuntarily, a slow, controlled breath escaping him as he visibly gathered his patience. Finally, his voice emerged, painfully slow and annoyed, “Magi… Don’t tell me this is the reason you came here all anxious and excited?”

Magi blinked, momentarily confused by Orion’s reaction. Gradually, with earnest sincerity, he nodded carefully, “Yes, Boss. That’s exactly—”

Before Magi could finish, Orion sharply threw up his hands in frustration, his voice rising with an annoyed edge, “Motherfu—”

Magi quickly raised his hands in surrender, frantically trying to calm Orion down, his words hurried, “Wait, wait, Boss! Calm down! You know me, I wouldn’t come here and bother you with something if it were just a mere scam or nonsense.”

Orion paused, taking a slow, deep breath to regain control of his irritation, gesturing firmly for Magi to continue.

With an earnest tone, Magi explained further, “This old man wasn’t normal, Boss. He mentioned very personal details about my past, things absolutely no one else knows about.”

“Things from my childhood, some rather sensitive incidents that I have never shared with anyone. It wasn’t some cheap trick. It was real, Boss. He knew about my family’s history, my struggles, he even knew about the trip I made to the northern territories a few years ago.”

Orion’s expression softened somewhat, replaced by genuine intrigue. Magi, although eccentric at times, was sharp and skeptical; fooling him wasn’t an easy task.

Orion thought about Magi’s claim carefully, understanding fully well that the man wouldn’t easily be deceived.

With a thoughtful expression, Orion asked, “Are you sure about this, Magi? You’ve seen what adventures with me are like. Last time, even I barely survived. This could be incredibly dangerous for you.”

Magi firmly met Orion’s eyes, conviction shining brightly within them. He nodded resolutely, his voice steady and unwavering, “I’m absolutely sure, Boss. If what the old man said was true, then even risking death would be worthwhile. I trust his words completely.”

Orion studied Magi carefully for a long moment. Magi stood his ground confidently, meeting Orion’s intense gaze without flinching.

Even the little white bunny perched silently upon his shoulder seemed cautious and alert, carefully avoiding any movement that might disturb their conversation.