Magus Supremacy - Chapter 239

Chapter 239: Fourth exercise! (Super gift bonus chapter)
Chapter 239

“Ow! That was a crazy rollercoaster,” Raze groaned, pushing himself up from the floor. His vision swam in dizzy waves, but it gradually began to clear.

“I could’ve sworn I went blind for a second,” Vanica muttered, blinking rapidly as she rubbed her eyes.

“Yeah, well, I totally drowned and almost died,” Jay added with a dramatic cough, shaking his sleeves dramatically as if squeezing water out and as if reliving the memory.

“You almost died? I actually did… in my core, at least,” Gordon chimed in with a dry chuckle, massaging his chest.

“You all need to stop whining about your petty suffering. Clearly, I had it worse,” Scarlet snapped, patting down her body with trembling hands. “I was burnt alive, like I had been tossed into hell’s furnace.”

“Tsk! Burnt?” Greg scoffed. “I was struck by lightning! From a freaking thunderstorm! Over and over again!” His eyes widened in horror as he recalled the ordeal, his voice rising with disbelief.

“If all of you with single elements are complaining this much,” Vince said, a half-smile forming, “what would you say about Grey?”

All eyes turned toward Grey—who stood apart, silent and composed. He wasn’t engaging in their banter. His brows were slightly furrowed, his gaze distant, lost in thought.

“I guess… he had it rough too,” Vorden muttered.

“Probably still shaken up,” Arthur added, and the rest nodded in agreement.

A sharp clap echoed through the room.

“Attention, everyone,” Magnus’s voice rang out, authoritative and clear. He clasped his hands again to silence the murmurs. “You’ve all successfully passed the third stage—and I’m proud.”

“Passed?” Vanica’s brow lifted. “I thought we were supposed to resist the mental stress and pain. But we didn’t—we passed out.”

“Yes, you did,” Magnus nodded, “but that very experience—the overwhelming pain and losing consciousness—was part of the process. It guided you toward the breakthrough. Without enduring it, you wouldn’t have passed.”

“I don’t get it,” Grey finally spoke, his expression tight. “What exactly do you mean?”

“I mean,” Magnus said, stepping closer, “that you all passed out not once but twice—yesterday and today. That means your minds were forced to adapt. You’ve endured the worst of the third stage and mastered it. Now… we move to the fourth.”

“If you say we’re ready, who are we to argue?” Raze shrugged.

“So, what’s the next step?” Scarlet asked, massaging her temples, still feeling the echoes of the earlier strain.

“The last three stages were just the foundation,” Magnus explained, folding his arms. “They steeled your willpower and sharpened your resolve. I’ve been timing your endurance—and today, all of you held on longer than yesterday. That matters.”

“So, what do we do now?” Arthur asked, sitting up straighter.

“Listen to my instructions—and give it your all,” Magnus said with a shrug, though his eyes were sharp with purpose.

“Everyone, return to your core space. Redo the third exercise. Face the pain again. Endure it. When I give the signal—follow my lead.”

“Wait, again?!” Vorden gasped, eyes wide.

“If you want a breakthrough, then yes. If not, get out,” Magnus replied coolly.

“Bu—” Arthur started.

“No ifs or buts,” Magnus snapped. “Do as I say.”

“Ye—yes, sir!” they all echoed, springing into action.

In an instant, the room shifted to silence as they slipped into meditation. Their core realms emerged—the swirling orbs within their spiritual domains spinning faster, brighter, more fiercely than ever before.

Then, the torment began again.

The searing agony returned—sharp, blinding, and relentless. Muscles tensed. Fists clenched. Jaws locked. Some pounded the ground in desperation.

Others bit their lips or cried out silently. The pain was monstrous, a storm that threatened to tear them apart.

But none of them backed down.

They had tasted the edge once before—and now, they stood at that precipice again, daring to go further.

“Now,” Magnus’s voice boomed, low but resonant, “I want you to do something different.

Fuel your willpower with your mana. Right now, your bodies scream for mercy. Your minds beg for rest. Your hearts race with fear. Doubt is clawing at your confidence.”

He paused, eyes scanning their struggling forms.

“This… this is your breaking point. But it’s also your chance. Here, and now, you must bind your willpower to your mana. Push. Force it. Own it.”

Even Grey—usually the strongest among them—was on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. His fingers dug so deeply into his palms that blood trickled freely.

‘This… this torture… even the kingdom’s worst enemies aren’t put through something like this. So why… Why us? Why me?!’ Grey screamed inwardly, the pain mounting like molten chains around his soul.

“This is just the price of power,” Noir’s voice rang out sharply in his mind, cutting through the chaos. He had been quiet for days—but not now. “You want to break through? Then suffer for it. Want to quit? Then do it—and stop whining.”

Grey grit his teeth harder, pushing through the torment with newfound resolve.

“I want you to chant this in your mind,” Magnus declared. ‘I am the force that transcends my limits. I break… to become more.’ Mean it. Burn it into your soul. If done right, your mana will stabilize… and then erupt—not outwardly, but within. That eruption is your breakthrough.”

“Qu…quick question,” Grey muttered through gritted teeth. “Do we… have to keep saying that… every time we want to… break through?”

“Of course not,” Magnus replied, his voice thunderous. “This is only for your first time. Once you master it, you’ll no longer need the chant. Now stop wasting breath. Focus!”

Silence fell—save for the chorus of minds chanting:

‘I am the force that transcends my limits. I break, to become more.’

Over and over.

Their cores spun violently now, releasing bright flashes in the void of their mindscapes.

Slowly, the mental realm shifted. A thick, shimmering glass veil appeared high in the sky of their consciousness.

The more they chanted, the more cracks formed on that veil—fractures spreading like veins through the surface.

Each student saw the same thing. No one was left out. And then…

Crack!

Shatter.

The veil burst into pieces, vanishing into glittering fragments. In its place, a wave of energy exploded inwardly, sweeping through their minds and cores.

And as if united in spirit, they all cried out together.

“Breakthrough!”

Mana surged around them in ripples, distorting the very air. Magnus’s lips curled into a grin as he witnessed it—dozens of students pushing beyond their limits.

But just as quickly as it began… The surge subsided.

The energy receded like a tide pulling back to sea. One by one, the students collapsed onto their knees, panting heavily, sweat pouring down their faces.

“Di…did we… manage to do it?” Raze wheezed.

“Welp,” Magnus said with a shrug, walking toward the exit. “It was worth a try. But no—you all failed. We try again tomorrow.”

He vanished through the door without another word.

Silence lingered for a moment. And then—

“I swear, I’m going to drive a wind blade through that instructor one of these days!” Grey howled in frustration, his fists trembling with fury and exhaustion.