Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2653: World Beast

It wasn’t just the size of the eye—it was the overwhelming aura that poured from it.

The moment it opened, space itself seemed to still.

A raw, primal force swept across the void like a tidal wave of intent, ancient and suffocating. The group felt it in their bones, as if the very will of the universe was staring into their souls.

Soltz’s voice cracked as he stumbled back. “W-What the hell is that…?”

Before anyone could respond, a deep, guttural growl echoed across the realm—no, it vibrated through it. Not a sound of lungs or throat, but a growl born from the twisting fabric of the void itself. The pressure behind it was unbearable.

It shattered every layer of mental defense.

For a terrifying instant, Emery couldn’t breathe. His vision blurred. His thoughts frayed.

“We need to get out of here!” Galael cried, all arrogance gone from his voice. The Ember Sage, ever brash, was now pale and frantic.

Emery snapped back to focus and rushed to Veyarel’s side. The Grand Magus was slumped and trembling, eyes unfocused. Emery pressed his palm to the man’s chest, channeling a healing spell. Light poured into Veyarel’s body like warm spring sunlight.

“Come on, senior,” Emery urged. “Wake up.”

Kaelyin knelt beside him, her slender hands glowing with healing light, reinforcing Emery’s efforts. The grand magus’ spasms began to slow. His breathing calmed.

But then—another growl.

Deeper. Louder.

This one tore through space like a splitting rift. The entire void began to ripple, as though reality itself were stretched taut around a rising leviathan.

And then, from the blackness beyond, a second eye opened.

A second world stared at them.

From the rippling void, the shape of a creature began to emerge—slowly, agonizingly. It was colossal beyond reason. This beast took the shape of a cosmic whale, yet its size dwarfed anything they had ever seen. It spanned hundreds of miles

The void bent around its body as though obeying its will.

It turned.

And it looked at them.

No one moved.

“We can’t just stand here…” Galael snapped them from the trance.

Rosin Karat was still cloaked in his Supreme Magus form, but he didn’t react with alarm. Instead, he spoke calmly.

“I’ve been on countless otherworldly expeditions… only ever heard rumors about this. …Void Leviathan… a world-defying beast. A creature born from the very essence of the void stream. No one move… we don’t want to agitate it.”

Soltz quickly fell silent, tension written all over his face. But Galael couldn’t hold back.

“Senior… But the horde of serpents is closing in. We need to move”

Rosin Karat turned his gaze to Emery, seeking an answer. Emery gave a slow shake of his head—he wasn’t sure how much longer it would take to fully restore Veyarel’s consciousness.

Each second felt like an eternity as the colossal creature watched them—no, observed them. No one dared to breathe too loudly. Muscles were clenched. Spells were silently readied, but no one acted. The creature, ancient and unknowable, stirred slowly—as if awakening from a slumber that had lasted eons.

Then it moved.

Just the ripple of its shifting mass distorted the surrounding void. Entire fragments of broken realms drifted off course. Emery felt his stomach twist as the very laws of gravity faltered.

Another minute passed.

From behind, the horde of serpent-beasts was now within sight. They moved faster than before, as if drawn to the energy radiating from the World Beast.

But this sudden surge also caused the World Beast’s attention to shift toward the incoming horde. If they wanted to escape, now was the time.

Without hesitation, Rosin took command of the platform, channeling immense cosmic force into it. The sleek metallic construct lurched forward, propelled at blinding speed.

They soared past the World Beast’s flank, trying to escape its gaze, trying to avoid the serpents chasing from behind. The group’s tense silence turned to cautious relief as the distance grew.

But the beast noticed.

A rumble shook the stars as the World Beast roared—a voiceless scream that tore at reality.

And then they saw it—the tail.

At the far end of the void, arching high like a mountain ridge and wider than their entire platform, the beast’s tail came like a titan’s scythe; it gleamed with void light and bore the same terrifying pressure as the creature’s gaze.

“Brace yourselves!” shouted Rosin Karat.

BAMMMM!!!

The impact didn’t just hit them; it folded space around them. The fortified platform was slammed with unrelenting force, flung like a discarded pebble. It shattered sideways, flung like driftwood in a storm. Cracks burst along the walls. The whole formation tilted, spun, and then barely stabilized.

Then they saw it.

The beast’s massive head had shifted again. They were no longer behind it. They were back in front of it.

And the serpents… they hadn’t stopped.

Dozens of them were now swarming toward the wrecked platform. Some were already beginning to circle, like vultures sensing the wounded. Others aimed straight for the center of the group.

“We’re going to die!” Soltz shouted in panic.

Emery steadied himself, his heart pounding.

At that desperate moment, the dark Emery emerged from the soul domain, materializing beside his counterpart.

“Let me do it.”

He raised his hands, calling upon the power of Khaos. A spell circle bloomed to attempt a spatial jump.

“Damn it!” Dark Emery growled. “It’s too strong!”

The gravitational pressure from the colossus in front of them—the World Beast—was suffocating. Even his spatial magic bent and cracked against it.

Before them, the monstrous being slowly opened its enormous jaws. What lay within was not flesh or teeth, but a terrifying, swirling singularity—stomach-like currents that could tear any being apart surged within. From that abyss, more serpent-creatures emerged, each one birthed from the void.

“That thing… it’s their mother!?” Soltz screamed.

He flung up a defensive wall of stone, jagged and thick. Kaelyin and the fairies followed suit, casting shimmering rainbow barriers that layered over the platform in a desperate attempt to hold the line.

The first wave of serpent-beasts hit like a meteor shower. Their scaled bodies collided with the barriers, screeching and howling with rage. When the massive three-horned serpent struck, the shield cracked with a sound like breaking glass.

Then, the barrier shattered.

Kaelyin and the two fairies screamed as they were thrown back by the backlash of magic. Blood splashed from their lips as they dropped to their knees, drained and dazed.

Luckily, the Supreme Magus had not been idle. Rosin Karat raised both hands as dozens of glowing metallic spheres flew into the air. With precise gestures, he assembled them mid-air—each piece snapping into place like clockwork.

From the platform emerged two dozen titanic golems—cosmic-grade constructs made of enchanted alloys. Their glowing eyes lit up as they took positions around the platform, bracing for impact.

A brutal battle erupted.

Serpents charged in waves, their numbers growing faster than the defenders could manage. Metal clashed with scale, and the air was filled with roars and the shriek of tearing space.

“Can you do it or not?!” Emery shouted over the din, speaking to his dark self.

“Give me a little more time! But where are we heading?!”

“Anywhere that’s not here!”

By this time, half of the cosmic golems had already been reduced to shattered metal and scorched fragments. The remaining constructs struggled to hold formation, their arms battered and glowing dimly from the relentless assault. Supreme Magus Rosin Karat was fully engaged in a brutal clash against the largest of the threats—a monstrous three-horned serpent whose strength shook the entire platform with every strike.

Amid the chaos, a sudden cry pierced the storm.

One of the two-horned serpents had broken through a gap in the defenses. It twisted through the air like a black arrow, its gaping maw glowing with spectral venom as it shot straight toward Kaelyin.

“My lady, watch out!” a voice bellowed from the flank.

The bear-like half-blood warrior hurled himself in front of her, cosmic energy roaring in his limbs. He caught the serpent with both arms, gritting his teeth as the beast’s momentum drove him back.

But then, a second serpent struck. It lunged from the side, its jaws clamping around the warrior’s torso. With a vicious twist, it dragged him from the platform.

“NO!!” Kaelyin screamed, reaching out with a trembling hand, but it was too late.

Everyone watched, helpless, as the brave warrior thrashed and roared—but even his immense strength wasn’t enough. Within seconds, he was torn apart, his body shredded and cast into the void.

There was no time to grieve.

“I’m ready!” Dark Emery declared, his body ablaze with unstable energy.

He activated the spell, and for a moment, the entire platform was wrapped in shadows. The spatial magic surged to life, fighting against the gravitational storm.

But even now, the pressure held them back. The teleportation could only take them a few dozen miles—barely enough to escape the immediate swarm. The void around them was still swarming with serpents.

Then, a whisper brushed across Emery’s mind—foreign, deep, and not from any of his companions.

He couldn’t understand the words, but the meaning was clear.

His eyes widened, and instinct took over. He turned to face the massive World Beast, whose mouth still hung open like a vortex to oblivion.

“No…” Emery quickly understood the intention. “You’re not seriously thinking—”

Without hesitation, the dark Emery shouted, “Hold on!” and activated the spell.

The platform shimmered. In an instant, it vanished—drawn not away from the beast, but directly into its open maw.

The group, the constructs, and the shattered remains of the vessel disappeared into the belly of the World Beast.