Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Saratoga Castle.

Inside a dimly lit circular chamber, Adam sat crosslegged practicing a round of mindfulness. Mana swirled around him and was absorbed inside his body as his chest rose up and down in a stable manner.

It had been several hours since he was in this seating position. He was practicing mindfulness not just to gather mana inside his body but also to achieve a calm state of mind.

He was about to do something very important. It was perhaps going to be the most harrowing test he had to face. Succeeding would result in him obtaining great power. Failure would lead to unknown consequences.

The Trial of Death!

It was the final test inside the Raven Inheritance. Adam didn't know what it would entail, but he had to be prepared nonetheless.

Considering how the previous tests were designed, he surmised that the Trial of Death was meant to teach him something deep and philosophical. He had a lot of time to ponder about what the test would be about.

But one thing was certain. He sure as hell didn't wish for the trial to be about physical death.

Adam slowly opened his eyes, his pupils darker than the void, deeper than ever. They shone with an uncanny light.

The further he advanced in his path as a Magus, the deeper his pupils became. He knew it, he was very close to the next stage. He was only a little over thirty years old, yet he was already so close to becoming a Mana Vortex Magus.

An unprecedented feat, no doubt. One that he attributed to the vast increase in his mana reserves thanks to Valerian and his deep understanding of the Way.

But now was not the time to bask in the feeling of triumph. Before him lay a pair of towering doors, its surface darker than the night sky. He took a deep breath and got to his feet.

"So this is it," he murmured, his fists involuntarily clenching. "The Trial of Death."

He took a step forward, causing a cold and mechanical voice to echo inside the chamber. It was a familiar voice, one that had guided him through the last three trials of the Raven Inheritance.

"Seeker, you are about to enter the Trial of Death," said the voice. "Please note, there is no room for failure. If you fail, you will not receive the final reward of the inheritance. Do you wish to proceed?"

Adam took another deep breath, finding the resolve in his heart that had been hardened by countless trials in the past.

"I am ready," he affirmed.

"Place your hands on the doors."

Adam took a step forward and, without hesitation, placed his hands on the black stone doors.

The androgynous voice announced, "The Trial of Death will now commence!"

…

The final chamber was a dark, shadowy realm—a place where the boundaries between life and death blurred.

It was an eerie environment that the founder of Saratoga personally designed, wanting the inheritor to be forced to confront their fears, their regrets, and the ultimate reality of their mortality.

Adam's mind went blank the moment he touched the doors. After an unknown period of time, he gained consciousness, feeling calm and at ease.

He found himself running through the streets of Moon City. His body moved on his own, without him needing to control his movements. But something felt strange.

A child? He thought.

He found himself in the body of a child. This 'Adam' had a completely different upbringing compared to him. He was born into a wealthy family. He had loving parents, loving siblings, and all the money in the world.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned to years. Young Adam was admitted to the prestigious Clover Academy. He became a Rank 1 - Mana Foundation Magus and diligently studied the mysteries of the arcane.

Adam grew into a fine young man and soon got married to the love of his life whom he met at the Academy. He grew older and had kids. The love of a big and happy family enveloped him throughout his life.

He grew into a middle-aged man and finally became a Rank 2 - Mana Liquefaction Magus. His kids grew old enough to join the Clover Academy, just like he did in the past.

Adam continued pursuing magic and several decades later, he became the Headmaster of Clover Academy, a powerful Rank 3 - Mana Vortex Magus that lorded over the Southern Federation.

Even the King of the Nightingale Kingdom, Arnold Nightingale, treated him as an equal. In this life, he had obtained wealth, fame, and power.

He sired many descendants, all of whom grew up to be well-renowned Magi. The name of the Constantine Magus Family was revered throughout the vast lands.

But… it was all restricted to the Southern Federation.

In this life, Adam never chanced upon the white lotus.

In this life, Adam never had the privilege of meeting his dear teacher, Berger.

In this life, Adam never formed a bond with Valerian.

"It feels so… empty," he muttered softly.

Because he was never able to advance past Rank 3, he only lived for a couple of hundred years before old age finally caught up to him. His hair turned white and his skin gradually decayed.

The wise and old Magus, Adam Constantine, lay on his bed, surrounded by loved ones. All of them had tears in their eyes for they knew that he didn't have much time left.

The inevitability of death, the understanding that his time in this world was finite began to dawn on the old and feeble Adam.

But after having lived such a long, happy, and fulfilled life, strangely enough, he didn't feel the urge to flee from or deny his mortality.

How strange, he thought. It feels like I've already experienced death before… but whose?

Adam had witnessed countless deaths in the memories of the experts whose souls he had devoured. In some of those, he had even experienced his own death at the hands of Magus Stockholm in that great battle.

Thus, the feeling of dying and also witnessing the death of close ones had been deeply ingrained in Adam's soul. That was the reason why he was having such thoughts during the final trial.

The reason he didn't know why he was having such feelings about death was because he had already deactivated the usage of the white lotus before entering the trial!
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Adam looked at the faces of his descendants, all of whom he was greatly proud of. He looked at all of them one last time as his lips curled up into a warm and gentle smile.

His mind was tranquil as he thought to himself, Do not fight death.

Accept it with dignity and peace.

Do not fear death.

Embrace it.

As the last of his thoughts died down inside his fleeting mind, a vague silhoutte appeared before him. His figure was hazy but Adam could figure out that it was a man.

The figure extended his hand toward the old Adam and asked, "Are you ready for what lies next?"

Adam's face bloomed with a sincere smile, his eyes full of acceptance and gratitude. He caught onto the man's hand and nodded.

"Yes."