Published at 9th of February 2026 7:32 am

Chapter 1485 Giant Statue

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Nyle Damon walked through the streets of the Scholar Ward, hands clasped behind his back.

It was deep into the night, so the streets weren't as crowded. Still, there were quite a few people going about their businesses.

Magi could be seen hurrying past with satchels containing their research documents. Scholars could be seen arguing in low voices at the entrance of a Magus tower. A few shopkeepers swept their doorsteps and closed the shutters.

But no one looked at him. People passed him within arm's length and didn't react. Some shifted their path at the last second, stepping aside without realizing why. Others slowed down or sped up, creating a clear line for him to walk through.

Damon wasn't even using magic. There were no distortions, and certainly no mana fluctuations. And yet… everyone ignored him.

This was concealment honed through years of training, allowing him to mask his presence in plain sight. And also... there was something in his blood that aided him in remaining hidden. Although he did not know it.

He moved straight through the crowd, untouched, unseen, and unacknowledged. Several minutes later, he reached a large manor near the edge of the district.

Tall iron gates, high stone walls, it was a quiet, respectable estate. This was one of the Brotherhood's safehouses in the Scholar Ward. Damon entered the manor and went straight to a private sitting room at the back of the building.

There, a cold fireplace stood against the wall. He stepped in front of it and threw a handful of special powder into the hearth.

Gray flames ignited without heat or smoke, filling the fireplace from bottom to top. The fire didn't flicker. It held steady.

Damon inhaled deeply, his eyes flickering with resolve.

Whatever happens from this point forward… I'll just wing it, Adam thought to himself.

I never expected to get this far beyond my initial plan.

But now that I'm here… might as well wreak some havoc.

He then stepped forward into the mystical flames, his body dissolving into the gray light. The fireplace went dark, and moments later, Damon emerged from another hearth deep underground.

The Councilor stepped out into the stone-tiled hall. This was the headquarters of the Twilight Brotherhood.

The place was quiet. It was late into the night, and most of the main floor was empty. Only a few agents moved through the hall, their footsteps echoing softly. A few clerks sat behind desks, finishing paperwork under dim crystal lights while yawning covertly.

Damon slowly looked around. This was only "his" second time here. The first time, he didn't have enough time to take anything in.

But now he did.

His eyes moved over the massive hall, the high arched ceiling that was engulfed in darkness, the thick rune-carved pillars, the layered balconies lining the walls, the floating platforms, and the branching corridors leading deeper underground.

He took everything in with deep fascination. After all, who knew when he was going to come here next? Perhaps many years later. Perhaps… never.

Then his gaze stopped.

At the far end of the hall stood a giant statue, towering over everything else in this place. It was a robed figure carved from granite. Its face was hidden beneath the hood. One hand rested on a staff, while the other was held out, palm open, as if… offering or demanding something.

Could he be… Adam couldn't help but wonder as he felt a strange feeling in his chest.

His feet started moving on their own. His eyes never left the statue, and before long, he was finally standing before it.

Damon looked up at the statue's face beneath the hood. It wasn't blank or smooth like he had expected. No. There were clear features carved into the stone.

The face looked gentle and calm. Almost kind.

A faint warm smile bloomed on its lips. The eyes were slightly narrowed, carved in a way that made them seem alive, as if they were watching him. Even though it was stone, there was a strange warmth in that gaze.

Adam couldn't help but think, The craftsmanship is too… precise.

Every line, every contour, every detail of the face looked deliberate and exact. It didn't feel like an artist's imagination at all.

No, it felt like a copy.

Adam frowned ever so slightly, wondering, Is this what Aldo Wagner, the founder of the Twilight Brotherhood, looked like?

Although there was no inscription naming who this statue belonged to, the answer couldn't be more obvious. Every member of the Brotherhood respected and admired the founder, their reverence for him bordering on worship.

So this is the man who came from the world I yearn to go? Adam thought with a look of yearning in his eyes.

Aldo Wagner… I wonder what you'd say if you saw what the Brotherhood has become today?

Rest assured, I will try to fix this place to the best of my ability.

It's the least I can do for you, the one whose journal has taught me so much.

Although Adam had never met the man, he still considered him one of his mentors. Aldo Wagner's journals might not have taught him much about being a proper Magus, but they had taught him how to be a proper man. A good man.

In many ways, Wagner's philosophy had shaped who Adam had become.

Don't worry, Adam thought as he looked into the statue's eyes.

I will restore this organization to what it used to be…

To what it is meant to be.

He suddenly recalled something, his eyes gleaming with an intrigued light.

That's right! There's also your inheritance on Lord Tebu's shell. I have to visit him anyway, so I might as well explore your inheritance ground too.

Now that I'm a Mana Core Magus, maybe I'll have an easier time finding it.

The sound of footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts.

Damon did not move. He just silently observed the Warden approaching him.

Perhaps someone from the Shadowblades? He wondered.

The elderly man approached him and stood two steps behind him. Then, he placed his hand on his chest and respectfully bowed.

"Lord Damon," he said. "The others are waiting for you."

The Councilor nodded.

"Tell me," Damon said, still staring at the statue's face, "do you think the founder's face is accurate here?"

The Warden frowned ever so slightly, wondering why Damon was asking such a strange question. Yet, he replied nonetheless. He stared at the statue, a reverent look in his eyes, and nodded.

"Yes, absolutely, my lord. The first men taught directly by Lord Wagner came together and built this statue in his memory. This is the most accurate depiction of him. Also, the statue was made in such a way that one can only clearly see the face as they grow stronger."

"The more powerful they grow, the more secrets they are entrusted with," Damon said with a nod. "And the more secrets they keep, the more they're allowed to learn about the Founder's own truth. His philosophy is truly something…"

The Warden felt there was something off about Damon, but he didn't have the courage to bring it up. Why was the irascible Councilor speaking so strangely? He did not know. He did not want to know.

Damon turned to him and gestured. "Very well. Lead me to them."

"Yes, my lord." The warden bowed and guided him to one of the floating platforms.

It was time to meet the other Councilors.

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