Mages Requiem

The scene erupted into a battlefield of chaos, a storm of clashing steel, crackling magic, and panicked screams. White-robed Klan members fought desperately, their wards and enchantments proving useless against the relentless onslaught, of masked individuals completely clad in black combat outfits to hide their identities.

Halberd blades met bone, spells shattered defenses, and bodies fell in heaps, staining the ground red.

Through the carnage, Liam moved like a wraith, silent and calculated. His black combat outfit, mask, and aura of cold precision made him indistinguishable from his operatives—homunculi soldiers who executed his commands with mechanical perfection. They weaved through the melee like specters, their glowing red eyes the last thing many of the Klan members ever saw.

Liam's raid was meticulously planned with a blackout wardstone already set in the area. His operatives—black-clad and masked like himself—spread across the Klan's Washington base, systematically breaching magical wards and sealing off escape routes.

The Klan leaders, believing their base impenetrable, had no time to mount a defense. Instead, they were dragged into a whirlpool of slaughter, overwhelmed on every front.

Each spell cast by the Klan mages fizzled or rebounded as Liam's countermeasures activated with brutal efficiency—enchanted barriers turned to traps, redirecting attacks back at their casters. Runic circles placed by Liam's homunculi exploded underfoot, leaving only blood mist where Klan soldiers once stood.

"Push forward."

Liam's cold voice whispered through the two-way radios he was using as a communication network, his tone devoid of emotion. C2 relaid his orders and the other homunculi responded immediately, closing in with flawless synchronization.

The Klan members screamed as they were outflanked and cut down with brutal efficiency.

While the battle raged, Liam focused on the true goal—Victor Haled's private vault. He slipped deeper into the base, unseen and unchallenged, while the black-clad homunculi created havoc and confusion in the upper levels.

Every ledger, encrypted note, artifact, book, gold bar, and hidden treasure he sought was systematically confiscated, each object a potential key to more power or wealth. The operatives piled stolen riches and magical relics into bags, ready to be transferred into Liam's Merchant System for points.

A cold grin spread under Liam's mask. They wouldn't waste anything here, not the bodies, not the gold, not even the knowledge buried in the Klan's hateful doctrines.

In the heart of the vault, Liam paused before Haled's private grimoire and magical core storage.

Grinning beneath his mask, he whispered.

"Mine."

Liam stood amidst the fading chaos, the masked faces of his homunculi, still drenched in the blood of their enemies, gathered silently behind him, awaiting further orders. They continued their work of wiping out any surviving Klan members who didn't surrender, but Liam had no interest in sparing them. He had achieved everything he came for.

The final Klan fighters—wounded and exhausted—gathered in a defensive formation, their backs against a warded wall, hoping to make a last stand. But the homunculi encircled them like wolves, their Halberds gleaming under the flickering lights of dying magic wards.

Liam appeared at the forefront, his aura dark and menacing. With a single gesture, the homunculi launched forward, slaughtering the remaining defenders. It was over in moments.

As the last body hit the ground, C2 approached, bowing.

"All targets neutralized, Master. We've collected everything of value. The corpses are being prepared for transfer to the lab."

Liam nodded. The smell of burnt flesh and blood filled the air, but it was the sound of points tallying up in his mind that brought a cold satisfaction.

Liam turned toward the carnage, where the last remnants of the Klan had been butchered. His black-masked homunculi began packing the stolen treasures for extraction.

He gave a satisfied nod to C2.

"Take everything back to the Sanctuary. Store the corpses—we'll need them for new homunculi."

C2 bowed again.

"As you command, Master."

Without a word, Liam gave a sharp hand signal, and his homunculi melted into the shadows, vanishing into his Dimension Sanctuary. His cloak swirled around him as he made his escape, moving effortlessly toward the hidden exit they had mapped earlier. This mission was complete, and the next one was already waiting.

Having triumphed in battle and plundered the base of all valuables, Liam engaged his trade function upon reaching the perimeter of the estate. Instantly, the whole structure and its lands flickered into nonexistence, dissolving as they were transformed into MSP by his Merchant System's gain.

The air quivered momentarily before settling—leaving behind nothing but the desolation and void of Victor Haled Washington's former stronghold.

Ding!

[Trade Confirmed: Base location sold for 240,000 MSP.]

The notification signaled success. Liam had now struck the second Klan stronghold, following Gavin LeClair's base in New Orleans, and his campaign was far from over. He intended to dismantle each of these strongholds completely.

Entering the swirling magical portal that linked him to his Dimension Sanctuary, Liam disappeared, emerging at his mansion before turning to C2.

"Prepare for the next raid."

C2's glowing red eyes flared.

"New objective?"

Liam's grin widened beneath his mask.

"No rest. We keep hitting them. Next stop: Chicago."

The homunculus bowed deeply.

"Understood, Master."

With an additional 240,000 MSP added to his already substantial fortune, Liam's sense of control deepened. He had decimated multiple Klan bases, stripping them of their wealth and trading it through his Merchant System. Now, with over 1 million MSP amassed from these brutal raids, the next phase of his plan was set into motion.

Ding!

[First Payment of 100,000 MSP: Paid]

[Remaining Debt: 9,900,000 MSP]

A cold smile played across Liam's lips as he watched the notification. The first payment of his monthly 10 million MSP debt was complete, a mere fraction of the total sum, but a significant milestone nonetheless.

His heart was no longer weighed down by this month's colossal debt, he now felt something entirely different—purpose. Every raid, every corpse collected, and every hidden treasure stolen brought him closer to his goals.

Liam's Sanctuary Dimension thrived, expanding steadily through his ruthless cunning. The latest expansion came from manipulating a dozen Klan members he captured, into willingly surrendering their magical cores. He had played on their primal instinct to survive, offering them the false hope of life—if only they gave up the very essence of their magic.

Once they agreed to the deal, Liam received their cores in his contract storage, he next activated an anchor point linked to a shark-infested section of the ocean. The instant they were teleported there, panic turned to horror as the waters churned red. They fought in vain, devoured one by one by tiger sharks until nothing but blood remained.

Since Liam hadn't killed them directly, the magical contract he was bound by remained intact. There would be no punishment, no backfire—just raw magical essence in his possession.

Liam divided the stolen power without hesitation—half toward expanding his Sanctuary Dimension and half into his own core. He could already feel the immense surge of power within him as his magic core rose to 343.

Liam walked the expanding grounds of his dimension, satisfied with his progress. The new acres gave him more room to shape his perfect domain—fortified farms, irrigation systems, training grounds for homunculi, and extending underground laboratory for experiments.

"C2."

Liam called out, and the homunculus appeared at his side instantly, her red eyes glowing with alertness.

"Allocate specialized homunculi to oversee the new fields. I expect rapid results in crop rotation and livestock breeding, among other tasks. Additionally, commence the construction of an underground stasis storage facility. We will require additional space for... future acquisitions."

"Yes, Master."

C2 responded smoothly, her tone devoid of emotion, as always. She bowed and vanished, organizing the estate's ever-growing infrastructure with clockwork precision.

With his core now at 343, Liam could feel the difference. His spells flowed stronger, sharper, and more precise. He was no longer just a magician—he was becoming a force of nature, wielding power few could rival. He relished how every new magical core he absorbed added layers to his magic, making him a conduit of untapped potential.

The contract bound him only in technicalities, and Liam exploited every loophole mercilessly. There were more Klan members to deceive, more bases to plunder, and more opportunities to grow both his domain and his power.

The road ahead was paved with blood, trickery, and magic—just the way Liam preferred it.

Standing on the highest hill in his Sanctuary Dimension, the green dome above glowing softly with ambient magic, Liam smirked. The future was his to shape, one stolen life at a time.

With over 1 million MSP at his disposal, Liam planned to strengthen his sanctuary, turning it into a stronghold that could support him and his homunculi forces for generations to come.

C2, his ever-loyal homunculus, reported to him.

"Master, the next preparations are ready. Shall we proceed with the reinforcements?"

Liam nodded.

"Yes, begin immediately. The defenses and agriculture need to be in place. Use the wards to automate the farming systems and create specialized homunculi to manage the fields and livestock."

Liam's path wasn't just about revenge; it was about securing a future—one where no one could touch him or those under his protection. And to achieve that, he would stop at nothing. His next move was already clear.

The remaining 9.9 million MSP debt didn't daunt him. If anything, it motivated him. Each Klan base taken down, each operation dismantled would be one more step closer to being free from the shackles of the past.

He had already hit two bases, but there were more. Chicago was next on the list, and he had no intention of showing mercy there, either.

With his plans moving forward and his power expanding, Liam couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. His cold grin returned as he imagined what was yet to come—more wealth, more power, more destruction of those who wronged him.

In the end, Liam's story was no longer about survival. It was about domination.

"Onward to the next target."

He muttered to himself, his dark eyes burning with resolve.