The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 65: The Journey Begins

"Thank you, Sir Hutson!" Joshi’s voice brimmed with relief, his eyes gleaming with newfound hope.

Hutson waved him off casually. "I’m just doing a job. An escort mission for ten thousand gold? Hard to find a better deal than that. Just make sure you don’t go back on your word—because if you do, the consequences won’t be pleasant."

"You have my word. I will not break it." Joshi’s tone was solemn, his sincerity evident.

Satisfied, Hutson leaned back and stretched, his stomach full and his body warm. Without another word, he disappeared into his tent, settling in for the night.

Outside, Kieran busied himself. Using broad leaves, he fashioned a makeshift bowl and ladled out a portion of broth for Joshi. It was the leftover soup Hutson had deliberately left behind, under one condition—whoever drank it had to wash the pot. Hutson had no interest in cleaning.

Joshi didn’t mind. He accepted the bowl and took a sip before offering it back. "Uncle Kieran, have some too."

Without hesitation, he also broke his biscuit in half, pressing a piece into Kieran’s hand.

The knight hesitated. It was a rare moment of indulgence—two days had passed since he’d last eaten, and he needed to regain his strength for the battles ahead. Finally, he accepted the offering and ate in silence.

Inside his tent, Hutson watched everything unfold with an unreadable expression. He hadn’t actually slept—rather, he was meditating. Without the aid of Meteor Grass, his practice of the meditation technique required even more diligence. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

By dawn, the rain had ceased, but the mist had thickened, curling like ghostly fingers through the ancient trees.

Kieran rested against the base of a massive oak, his arms crossed over his chest. Joshi, wrapped in Kieran’s cloak, had drifted off against the knight’s shoulder, his breath slow and steady.

Hutson stirred, making no effort to keep quiet as he rose. Kieran’s eyes snapped open at once, his first instinct to check on Joshi. Once he was certain nothing was amiss, he exhaled and relaxed.

With a flick of his wrist, Hutson’s tent, rain tarp, and supplies vanished into his spatial ring, leaving no trace of their camp behind.

He turned to the two. "I’m moving out."

"Understood." Kieran and Joshi wasted no time, rising and falling in step behind him.

Hutson retrieved his map and glanced at the markings before setting off into the mist.

As they walked, he spoke without looking back. "Tell me your story. I need to know what kind of trouble I’m walking into."

Joshi hesitated for only a moment before answering. "I am the second son of Count Remy of the Tasonei Territory. A few days ago, my uncle Kieran and I traveled to the countryside to inspect the farmland. Everything was going as planned... until we were ambushed on our way back."

His voice darkened, his emotions evident. "They were prepared. Crossbows—deadly and precise. Kieran fought to protect me, but all our other guards perished."

Hutson remained impassive. "Do you know who sent them?"

Joshi drew a slow breath before answering. "It can only be one person—Ruchi, my elder brother. He has always seen me as a threat to his inheritance. With our father growing weaker by the day, his desperation has only grown."

Hutson nodded absently. Another noble feud. Power struggles. Betrayals. It was nothing new.

His gaze flicked toward the trees. "Are they still hunting you? We’re not exactly near the forest’s edge."

It would take at least a full day’s journey to escape the thick woodland.

Kieran’s expression grew grim. "Yes. The Thieves’ Guild is involved. A Grand Knight-ranked assassin. I wasn’t confident I could keep Lord Joshi safe against an opponent of that caliber, so we chose to flee instead."

Hutson smirked. "I see. Well, you won’t have to wait long. He’s already here."

Kieran stiffened, his hand flying to his sword hilt. "What?"

His mind raced. A Grand Knight assassin—silent, lethal, nearly impossible to detect. Even he could not say with certainty that he would survive a direct confrontation. And Joshi... without even a fraction of a knight’s strength, the boy would be an easy target.

Yet Hutson stood calmly, arms crossed, almost bored. "Relax. Keep walking. No need to panic."

Kieran clenched his jaw, scanning the treeline with sharp eyes, but he saw nothing. Still, the momentary assurance in Hutson’s voice unsettled him.

Then, realization dawned.

That aura. That presence. It was one he had only encountered a few times in his life—belonging only to those few who wielded true power. He had sensed it the moment he laid eyes on Hutson, but now, he understood.

A sorcerer.

Kieran had fought beside powerful mages before, and the feeling was unmistakable. No Grand Knight, no assassin, no mortal blade could match the might of a true spellcaster.

Deep in the misty woods, concealed beneath layers of expert stealth magic, a bald man froze as a chill ran down his spine.

His instincts screamed a warning.

He’s looking at me.

Robert, one of the Thieves’ Guild’s most feared assassins, had been following them undetected for hours. He was a Grand Knight—a master of the shadows, capable of striking down even skilled warriors before they could react. His concealment techniques were flawless.

Or so he had thought.

How?

Two hundred meters away, hidden behind a thick canopy, his cover should have been impenetrable. Yet, somehow, that man—that sorcerer—had seen him instantly.

For the first time in years, Robert felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Fear.

The Assassin’s Dilemma

"This... this is impossible!"

Robert felt as if he had just seen a ghost.

But more importantly—he no longer dared to make a move.

The moment his eyes met Hutson’s, a cold, primal fear gripped him from the depths of his soul. It wasn’t rational—it was an instinct honed from years of walking the razor’s edge between life and death. His experience screamed a warning: If you approach that man, you will die.

Robert prided himself on being an exceptional assassin. A master thief. A shadow that could slip past even the keenest eyes. And above all else—he trusted his instincts.

"...Damn it." He let out a long, pained sigh, his face contorting as if he had just suffered a personal loss.

So much gold, slipping right through my fingers...

The thought of forfeiting such a lucrative bounty was like a dagger to his chest. But regret was nothing compared to the sensation clawing at the edges of his consciousness. That young man... Hutson. There was something about him—something that set every fiber of Robert’s being on edge.

It wasn’t hesitation. It wasn’t doubt.

It was the unmistakable scent of death.

This job wasn’t worth it. Not now. Not while that sorcerer was still with them.

Robert made his decision swiftly. He would wait. If he struck now, it would be suicide. But if he bided his time... if he waited for Hutson to part ways with Joshi and the knight... then, and only then, would he move in for the kill.

For years, his survival had depended on two things: sharp instincts and an unwavering caution. And right now, both were screaming at him to leave.

"Hmm. Gave up, did he?"

Hutson glanced at the glowing glyphs of Ai chip’s detection magic. The assassin’s presence had faded, slipping away into the distance. It seemed he had abandoned the pursuit entirely.

Robert had lingered in the shadows for a while, but the fear gnawed at him, growing stronger with each passing moment. In the end, he had fled without even waiting to observe their next move.

Hutson smirked. Saves me the trouble.

He pressed forward without concern, his pace unbroken.

Right now, even without casting a single spell, his raw physical strength alone rivaled that of a Grand Knight. And should it come to it, he had magic—layers upon layers of power that could annihilate anything foolish enough to challenge him.

Against an ordinary knight, or even a Grand Knight assassin?

Hardly a threat.

Yet, he said nothing to Kieran.

The knight remained tense, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings, his every movement filled with caution. He believed the assassin was still lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Hutson saw no reason to correct him. Let him keep watch. One more set of eyes isn’t a bad thing.

By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, they had finally emerged from the dense woodland. Far ahead, beyond the rolling foothills, the vast plains stretched endlessly toward the horizon.

"We should rest in the forest tonight," Kieran suggested. "The plains are too exposed."

Hutson considered it for a moment before nodding. It made sense. If an ambush awaited them, stepping into the open was like painting a target on their backs.

The forest, with its tangled roots and uneven terrain, was a far better option. If enemies lurked nearby, at least here, they had room to maneuver.

A single Grand Knight, in the dead of night, could slaughter dozens of ordinary fighters with ease.

And with Hutson here?

Even an army wouldn’t be enough.