Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe-Chapter 1635: Dagger in the Dark

Back in Tron, Valerian remained completely unaware of his family’s resolve and how far they were willing to go to bring him back to the clan.

The little guy strutted across the deck of the flying vessel, his small paws tapping against the enchanted wooden planks as he moved with confidence.

Yet his eyes never left Blackfire Balthazar.

The young dragon kept a constant, hateful glare fixed on the despicable man, his tail flicking irritably behind him whenever their gazes briefly crossed.

Though he said nothing, it was clear to everyone on the deck that Valerian was keeping a very close watch on the man.

He couldn’t understand what was going on in his brother’s mind.

Considering what both of them had gone through following the Battle of Ravenfell, and how much Balthazar had played a hand in their misery, he was unable to comprehend why Adam had even allowed the man to fly with them.

Has brother finally gotten senile? The little guy thought in mild irritation.

They say humans tend to grow dumber in their seventies and eighties. Maybe that’s what happened to him?

Wait, no! I think that was about mortals...

He had half-expected his elder brother to viciously bathe Blackfire in flames. Giving the man a taste of his own medicine, and whatnot.

But the reality was vastly different from what he had expected.

Not only had Adam not retaliated against Balthazar, but he had even allowed him to fight beside him and the rest of the army.

Ludicrous!

If it were up to Valerian, he would have made Blackfire drown in a sea of flames for the rest of eternity.

The little guy’s lips curled into a sadistic smile as he imagined the things he would do to the vile human. But alas, such things would never come to pass, for he was not the one making the decisions.

Still, he made it plenty clear to everyone on the ship that he detested breathing the same air as Balthazar.

"Hmph!" the young dragon snorted in displeasure.

My brother has gone soft, he thought to himself.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching him from behind. He turned around curiously and saw two ladies walking toward him.

"Myu!" The little guy leapt into the air. "Lisa!"

The blonde-haired woman fondly welcomed the young dragon in her embrace. Anna, who was standing beside her, witnessed this interaction and chuckled lightly.

"Why are you glaring at Lord Balthazar?" Lisa asked in exasperation. Although she already knew the answer to that question.

Valerian’s mood instantly soured. "I don’t want to talk about it!" he turned away and pouted in dissatisfaction.

"But do try to control your emotions, Little Val." Anna gently rubbed his furry head. "Whether you like it or not, he is still our ally in this great endeavor."

"Hmph! We were fine without him," Valerian said arrogantly. "Brother is strong! I am also very strong! We don’t need him."

The ladies were truly at a loss for words. It would seem that during the long time they had been away from him, the little guy had gotten a little too prideful.

Just then, Adam appeared on the upper deck.

His voice carried across the ship.

"Anna, Lisa, Val, quarterdeck in five."

He continued, calling out the names of a few others scattered across the vessel. The warriors looked up as his orders echoed over the deck.

Without waiting for a response, Adam turned and disappeared down the stairway, retreating into the depths of the giant ship.

The young dragon noticed that Adam had also called out Balthazar’s name, and he couldn’t help but grumble in annoyance.

"Val..." Anna grabbed the little guy’s ear and gave it a light twist. "Behave."

"Grrr!"

Valerian growled in mild defiance, but in the end, he relented.

***

The quarterdeck was spacious and open, built for command rather than comfort.

At its center stood a large, wooden table, and spread across it was a highly detailed map of Europa, and more specifically, the Haynam Empire. It was marked with cities, rivers, borders, and key strategic locations.

Nine people and one dragon had gathered around it.

Adam stood at the head of the table. Beside him were Anna — who was also holding Valerian — Balthazar, Edward, and Lisa.

The others included Darren Burke, a powerful Mana Vortex Magus and professor from Greenfield Ridge, Reynold Woods of Coral Cove, Ansel Grover, the representative of the Black Legion, and finally Ulric, a well-known wandering Magus unaffiliated with any faction of the Empire.

Adam rested both hands on the table and looked at each of them in turn.

"I’ll keep this simple," he began.

"I am the commander of this force. Lord Balthazar will serve as my second-in-command."

He paused briefly as he scanned everyone’s faces, especially Valerian’s. Fortunately, the little guy remained quiet. Irritated, but quiet.

"The army will be divided into eight divisions. Each of you will lead one. From this moment onward, the men under your command answer to you."

Valerian was naturally going to be staying with Adam throughout the entirety of the campaign.

"The chain of command is important," he continued in a solemn voice. "Orders will flow downward, and reports will flow upward. When an order is given, it will be carried out."

No one spoke. They all solemnly nodded. Even the prideful Valerian became serious as the gravity of the moment settled in the room.

Adam tapped the map on the table.

"Our army is small," he said. "Compared to the massive forces that will clash in the coming war, we are little more than a dagger in the dark." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

His finger moved across several marked regions on the map, his lips curling into a smirk.

"So we will not fight like an army. We will fight like hunters. Our objective is simple... we will strike supply lines, destroy depots, eliminate commanders, and sabotage anything that keeps the Haynam Empire standing."

His voice remained calm, but some of the people gathered could already sense the sharp excitement barely concealed beneath it.

"Remember. We are not here to conquer any territory."

The smile on his face turned deeper, appearing more and more predatory by the moment.

"Our job is to bleed the enemy."

Adam tapped on the map one more time.

"We bleed the Haynam Empire and the damned Cult until the Sovereign Union gains the upper hand."

"Brother!" Valerian suddenly raised his tiny paw — an act that gave Balthazar a mild headache.

"What is it?" Adam arched a brow.

The little guy gazed at Blackfire with narrowed eyes. But soon his gaze shifted to Adam again. Then, he said in a low voice:

"We have yet to name this ship."

The corner of Adam’s lips twitched.

Though he was secretly relieved that Valerian didn’t take this chance to insult Balthazar more.

"How about we call her..." Adam deliberated for a moment and then laughed.

"The Red Wind!"