Published at 10th of March 2026 6:57 am

Chapter 1573 Expectations

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Galestine Ocean.

Tebu moved slowly through the western waters, his ancient shell cutting a steady path across the sea.

Far ahead, colossal stone barriers rose from the ocean.

Towering cliffs stretched endlessly across the horizon, their jagged faces dark

and slick with seawater. Waves crashed against them with violent force, exploding into white spray. Yet the walls did not yield.

These were the Great Walls of Mabi.

A structure so immense that even the sea itself could not break it.

Carved into the face of the towering barrier was a colossal statue of Varak the Paladin. The stone figure stood firm, sword planted before him, gaze fixed toward the horizon as if guarding the continent for eternity.

Sprawled atop the ancient turtle's head, Valerian listened with wonder and fascination as Tebu explained to him the history of Mabi, the Land of the First Magi.

Meanwhile, Adam was nowhere to be seen.

He was elsewhere on the Coral Island. More precisely, he was inside the cave he had once claimed as his home when he first arrived on the island, back in the days when madness had clouded his mind.

The raven-haired youth knelt on the cold stone floor, a mirror hovering silently before him.

Its surface reflected his battered face, faint scars, lingering bruises, and the dull marks of wounds that had still not healed, even weeks after returning from the spirit world.

The cave was thick with the residue of his past.

Madness lingered in the air like a faint echo. The walls, ceiling, and floor were covered in carved rune language, an ancient arcane language etched deep into the stone.

Decades ago, he had carved them with his own finger, using blood as ink when he had tried to decipher the voices in his head.

But he did not dwell on that.

Adam's gaze narrowed as he studied his reflection. His lips parted, and he softly said:

"... You're pathetic!"

All he could think about was the duel.

He had trained for decades, fought wars, survived the Dark Valley, fought an abomination from the Beyond, and overcome madness itself.

And yet...

Against true power from the Greater Universe, he had been nothing.

His fingers slowly curled into fists on his knees. A part of him knew that he was being harsh on himself. After all, he had faced off against a Mana Seed-level dragon who could even defeat Transcedent Magi.

But at the same time, another part of him couldn't help but wonder:

Not even one strike? You couldn't even land a single blow?

Adam placed heavy expectations on himself.

He was not an ordinary Magus. He wielded the Eternal Soul Lotus. Through it, he had access to knowledge that surpassed most - if not all of his peers in the world.

Techniques, arcane theories, fragments of higher laws, he had studied more than anyone around him ever could.

If anyone should have narrowed the gap, it should have been him.

That was why the defeat stung so deeply.

He could accept losing. He could accept being weaker. But the one thing he could not accept... was being helpless.

His jaws tightened as he glanced at his reflection.

"It's fine if you lost," he muttered under his breath. "But you should have at least landed a single fuckin' blow on him!"

He inhaled deeply, and then...

He laughed.

"So pathetic." He shook his head as he rose to his feet.

As he exited the cave and stood at the entrance, he noticed that the island was gradually slowing down.

"It looks like we've arrived," he muttered under his breath, a brilliant smile on his face.

***

The giant floating island drifted within half a mile away from Mabi's towering walls.

Standing atop the ancient turtle's head, Adam faced forward. He wore plain clothes a simple tunic and trousers with a black cape flowing behind him

in the sea wind.

Perched on his shoulder was a gray cat, a purple crystal amulet resting against his chest as he watched the distant cliffs in excitement.

"Lord Tebu, thank you for bringing us here." Adam smiled.

"Little Adam," the turtle began slowly. "What do you intend to do here?"

Adam sighed. "I don't know. Train for a while, I guess. There's nothing much left to do on this island. I might explore a few ancient ruins that I couldn't see the

last time I was here."

"I see..."

Adam lowered his head and asked, "And what about you?"

"I shall let the currents of the deep guide me," Tebu said with a gentle smile. Adam smiled. He had already made the necessary arrangements on the Coral Island. Moreover, he could also track the ancient turtle no matter where he was

on Tron.

As for Wagner, Bartholomew's tomb, and the great war on the horizon... Adam remained quiet about it for now.

"If fate wills it, we shall meet again," he said with a gentle smile.

"We shall." Tebu closed his eyes and faintly smiled.

"Goodbye, Lord Tebu!" Valerian beamed.

"Farewell, Little Valerian."

Soon, Adam took to the skies.

Within moments, he was levitating high above Mabi.

"Whoa!!" Valerian's topaz eyes shone with fascination. "There are so many trees

here!"

"Indeed." Adam nodded. "It's the only continent in the world untouched by civilization. So you'll find dense jungles, ancient ruins, and powerful beasts prowling the land."

His lips curled into a smirk as he grabbed Valerian by the scruff of his neck.

"Myu?"

Adam glanced at the purple amulet and nodded. "That should be more than enough to protect you when you're in grave danger."

"B-Brother?" Valerian suddenly felt a chill crawl down his spine.

"My foolish little brother." Adam's lips curled into a wicked grin as he drew his arm back slowly. "You will be on your own now. By the time we leave this island, you should be strong enough to hunt a Rank 4 beast by yourself." "Wh-what! What is the meaning of this?! I am a Prince! You cannot treat me like this!" Valerian flailed in the air. "Brother, wait! I beg-"

Without hesitation, Adam hurled his little brother into the distant tree line.

"MYUUUU!!!"

The little guy soon disappeared beneath the canopy, and a few seconds later, a dull thud echoed in Adam's ears.

Satisfied, he flew deeper into the dangerous continent, the region that was overflowing to the brim with Mana Core-level beasts and constant danger.

His eyes flashed with a cold light as he cancelled the Flight spell.

He dropped from the sky, wind tearing at his cape as he plunged toward the

ancient forests below.

It was time to train.

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