Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 63: The Feast (2)

Led by Magnus, the pair soon arrived at the bustling central square of Lancaster territory. The area was already teeming with activity, people gathered in anticipation of the celebratory feast.

Without delay, Magnus ascended the stage. After giving a brief speech to the crowd about their victory in the trial and all the festivities commenced. Music filled the air, intertwining with laughter and the rhythmic movements of dancers. The aroma of delicious food mingled with the scent of various drinks as the people of Lancaster rejoiced.

Magnus circulated among the merrymakers, exchanging greetings and accepting toasts from various groups. Each time he paused to converse or simply acknowledge a well-wisher, another toast was raised in his honor.

After a little over two hours of constant socializing, Magnus finally found a quiet corner to rest. He had spoken with everyone he needed to, participated in countless toasts, and fulfilled his social obligations. Fortunately, his awakened status granted him a heightened resistance to alcohol. Otherwise, given the sheer quantity he had consumed during the numerous toasts, he would have been thoroughly inebriated.

Settled in his corner, Magnus observed the lively scene, a wide smile gracing his face. He had come a long way since his transmigration to this world. While still far from achieving his ultimate goals, he allowed himself a moment of self-congratulation. It would be a disservice not to acknowledge the significant progress he had made.

"Quite a feast, wouldn’t you say?" Augustus remarked, appearing beside Magnus.

"Indeed," Magnus agreed, his gaze sweeping across the ongoing celebration. "It’s even better than I anticipated."

"It truly is," Augustus affirmed. "It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, these people were gripped by fear, dreading both the Gaylordia territory and the impending trial."

Magnus nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed on the crowd. "Not to toot my own horn," he said with a playful grin, "but I’m pretty awesome." Augustus chuckled along with him.

Their conversation flowed for some time, until Augustus, overcome by a surge of emotion, embraced Magnus, even shedding a few tears. The older man had indulged in quite a bit of alcohol and was clearly becoming intoxicated. After a while, Magnus excused himself, wandering through the crowd for a bit before a furrow creased his brow.

He scanned the square, a kaleidoscope of music, laughter, and the rich smells of food and drink, until his eyes settled on a particular spot. Making his way through the crowd, Magnus arrived at a darkened corner where a lone figure sat, gaze fixed on the ongoing feast.

"Kael," Magnus called out.

"Lord Magnus!" Kael exclaimed, quickly rising to bow. Lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed Magnus’s approach.

"Something troubling you?" Magnus inquired.

"I’m fine, Lord Magnus. Nothing to worry about," Kael replied.

Magnus studied Kael, sensing that he wasn’t being entirely truthful. He was hiding something, but Magnus chose not to press the matter.

"Why are you here all alone? Come and join the feast," Magnus invited with a smile.

"I..." Kael hesitated.

"Come on," Magnus insisted, cutting him off before he could protest, and gently pulled him towards the heart of the celebration. They soon arrived at a group of Magnus’s men, gathered together and enjoying drinks. Among them, Magnus recognized a familiar face: Captain Godric.

"Greetings, Lord Magnus!" the men chorused, some of their voices slurred with drink.

"Greetings to you all as well. You seem to be enjoying yourselves," Magnus said with a smile.

"Indeed, Lord Magnus. The alcohol is quite excellent," one of the men declared, a sentiment echoed by the smiles on the others’ faces.

"That’s good to hear," Magnus replied. "By the way, I want you all to meet Kael. He’s one of your brothers-in-arms. He fought bravely alongside you during the battle, so I want you to make him feel welcome."

"You needn’t worry, Lord Magnus. My men and I will treat him as one of our own," Captain Godric assured him with a reassuring smile.

"Absolutely, Lord Magnus. You have nothing to worry about," another man chimed in.

Magnus smiled and nodded, pleased by their words.

"Brother Kael, come and have a drink with us," one of the men called out to Kael.

Kael hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t accustomed to such camaraderie. But seeing the genuine smiles on the men’s faces, he finally stepped out from behind Magnus and joined the group.

Magnus watched with a warm feeling in his chest. He knew Kael’s past was difficult. Even his bio didn’t reveal the full extent of his hardships. He felt empathy for the young man and wanted him to have a happy life, free from the shadows of his past. A life surrounded by people who valued and cherished him. Seeing the sincere welcome extended by his men towards Kael warmed his heart. This was a good start.

"Wait a minute, isn’t that the Shadow Ninja?" one of the men exclaimed as Keal stepped out from behind Magnus and started approaching them.

The rest of the group turned their eyes toward Kael, gradually recognizing him, and their recognition spread like a wave.

They hadn’t identified him earlier due to the modifications Magnus had made, but now that Kael was closer, they quickly recognized him.

"It really is him, how cool!" another man exclaimed, joy filling his voice.

Unbeknownst to Kael, he had become quite popular among Magnus’s men. His strength and prowess during battles had captured their admiration. He was nicknamed the Shadow Ninja for his ability to blend seamlessly into darkness and strike from the shadows, eliminating his foes with lethal precision.

"Wow, you should have seen when he tackled that Minotaur! It was amazing; the creature didn’t even have a chance to react," one of the men recounted.

"Aww, you were lucky to see him; most of us only caught glimpses of his dagger," another man chimed in, and the others nodded in agreement.

This wasn’t an exaggeration. Even Magnus, during the initial stage of the trials when Kael fought on his side at the Eastern wall, had scarcely caught a glimpse of him.

Once the battle began, Kael would immediately melt into the shadows. Most observers only saw a dagger materialize out of nowhere, strike a beast, and vanish again. In fact, seeing Kael emerge from the darkness was rare during those trials, so the men spoke truthfully when they said they rarely saw him.

"Let’s toast to Brother Kael," Godric proposed, sensing the mood could use an uplift.

"Yes, let’s toast!" all the men agreed energetically.

And with that, Magnus found himself drawn into another round of drinks. Starting to feel a bit drowsy, he excused himself, leaving Kael to socialize.

As Magnus walked away, he overheard snippets of their conversation.

"Brother Kael, I awakened a Shadow affinity. Do you think you could train me? I want to be like you," one man eagerly asked.

"Pfft, keep dreaming. You could never be as cool as Brother Kael," another teased.

"Shut up, you bastard! Just wait until I can blend into darkness like Brother Kael. I’ll shove a long sword up your ass while you’re... you know," the first man retorted, causing a wave of laughter.

Magnus smiled as he walked on, confident that Kael would manage to make friends here.

Leaving the bustling central square, Magnus continued his walk, the sounds of the ongoing feast fading behind him. Soon, he arrived at the Eastern wall.

A few of his men stationed there greeted him. Magnus responded with a nod before ascending to stand atop the wall.

From there, Magnus could survey the landscape. The moon cast a bright glow, highlighting the battle-scarred terrain with craters, bloodstains, and scattered, broken weapons gleaming under its light.

Magnus sighed before activating his [Empyrean Codex].

A purple ring appeared in the middle of his irises, sharpening his vision immediately.

Unlike before, when he used the Codex, its effects were now enhanced. It granted him night vision, a new feature since he had tested it after regaining consciousness three days ago. The [Empyrean Codex] was indeed a significant upgrade from [Akashic Insight], functioning like an eye skill with various effects.

First, it allowed him to understand the complexity and rules of nature, helping him harness his abilities. It also provided night vision and retained the original [Akashic Insight] function, allowing him to glean information from objects and beings he focused on. Lastly, it offered a slow-motion ability in battles.

This skill was incredibly powerful.

With his night vision activated, Magnus could now clearly observe the landscape in front of him as though it were daylight.

Magnus sighed once more, seeing the devastation left by the battle. The intensity of the encounter was evident in the destruction.

Deactivating [Empyrean Codex], his eyes returned to normal, and the purple glow faded. Just then, a small portal opened near him, and Vorax emerged.

The creature communicated through their link, causing Magnus to frown.

"You want to return to the Silent Forest now?" Magnus asked.