VERSATILE MAGE: RISE OF A LEGEND

"I beg of you, please let me go… I was forced to do this, I…" Hui Si whimpered, his knees giving way as he knelt before Light, his voice shaky and desperate. The giant shadow spike still pinned him to the ground, preventing his escape. Sweat dripped from his brow as he clutched his stomach, trembling before the looming figure of his captor. His voice cracked, his pitiful sobs echoing through the dark, abandoned factory. "Please…"

Light's eyes narrowed slightly, his face devoid of empathy or mercy. This was not the time for words, nor the place for compassion. His gaze shifted lazily from Hui Si to the Corpse General standing beside him. The undead warrior's massive hatchet gleamed ominously under the dim light of the factory, still stained with fresh blood from the previous slaughter.

"Here's your midnight snack," Light said flatly, his voice cold, almost disinterested.

Before Hui Si could scream again, the Corpse General swung its weapon with a swift, brutal arc. Hui Si's final, blood-curdling scream echoed through the empty space, abruptly cut off as the hatchet cleaved him in two. The sound of flesh being ripped apart was followed by a disturbing silence, broken only by the soft splattering of blood on the concrete floor.

"Aaaa!" The miserable final cry of Hui Si reverberated through the factory as his body collapsed into a grotesque heap. Light didn't bother to watch the aftermath. He had no more use for the weakling, and the Black Vatican's lackeys were always so predictable in their desperation.

Without sparing another glance at the scene, Light turned on his heel and pushed open the rusted metal door of the factory, stepping out into the night.

---

"Sister Mu, where do you think that Shadow Beast is hiding?" The familiar voice of Ai Tutu floated through the air from outside. The innocence in her tone was almost jarring compared to the violence that had just unfolded.

Light walked towards the sound, his posture relaxed. "How is your investigation on the Shadow Beast going?" he asked casually, not breaking his stride.

"I won't tell you," Ai Tutu retorted, puffing her cheeks in mock indignation. "Don't you dare think about stealing our work! Let's put it this way, the Shadow Beast won't be able to escape from our hands!" She slapped her chest proudly, her voice full of bravado.

"That's what I'm going to do. Stealing the Shadow Beast," Light responded, his voice sharp with amusement, yet layered with seriousness that Ai Tutu hadn't anticipated.

"Dean Xiao said that once you took the Shadow Beast back to the Iron Beast Cage, you would have finished your mission," Mu Nujiao chimed in. "This also means that even if you were to catch the Shadow Beast, it does not mean you've completed your mission."

"Sister Mu, you're saying that the school doesn't care about who finds the Shadow Beast, nor do they care about who catches it, either? What they care about is who finally delivers the Shadow Beast back to the Iron Beast Cage in the school?" Ai Tutu exclaimed.

"Mhm. That is why before we catch the Shadow Beast, we need to consider that important factor," Mu Nujiao confirmed, her voice calm and collected.

Light smirked inwardly. Everything was falling into place, just as he had expected.

---

Later that morning, Light finished his breakfast quickly and headed straight for the hospital where Xu Zhaoting was being treated. His recovery was surprisingly swift, thanks to the Healing Magicians. Magic always had a way of speeding up the healing process, especially when the wounds weren't too deep.

Light escorted Xu Zhaoting back to his residence, sitting him down for a more detailed conversation. "Why were you at that place, Xu Zhaoting? It was reckless," Light asked, his tone direct.

"We were originally looking for students of other Elements to form a squad to find the Shadow Beast," Xu Zhaoting began, his expression serious. "But then I encountered someone in the bathroom. We followed that person, who seemed to be a student. After trailing him for a while, we found a bunch of dark beasts beside him. I decided to investigate further."

Light's brows furrowed. "A student?"

"Yeah. They said they were going to make a move on you," Xu Zhaoting continued. "But they were afraid of the school and the Magic Court, so they were planning to use a method that wouldn't easily expose their identity."

Xu Zhaoting then pulled something out of his pocket: a small strip of leather, worn and scarred. Upon closer inspection, Light noticed the scratched name inscribed upon it.

"It's the name of the Blue Deacon," Xu Zhaoting said quietly, handing it over.

Light studied the name on the leather, his mind working through the information. "Thanks. I'll help you take down the Black Vatican," he promised, though his tone was more matter-of-fact than emotional.

"Most of the people from the Black Vatican have honorable identities in society. This name is the one the Blue Deacon uses to deceive others," Light mused.

After leaving Xu Zhaoting, Light decided to make a call. His fingers moved swiftly over the keypad, dialing a number he hadn't used in a while. Miss Tangyue. After a few rings, she didn't answer.

Annoyed, Light paced the balcony of his temporary residence, his phone still in his hand.

Moments later, his phone buzzed, and he saw Tangyue's name flash across the screen.

"Ms. Tangyue, you finally contacted me," Light said with a grin, picking up the call.

"I'm currently in Hangzhou," Tangyue responded, her voice hurried. "I can't leave. Are you alright? I received some information that the Black Vatican is moving in Shanghai. They're targeting you."

"I'm fine. I encountered a group of minor Dark Beasts, but I killed them all," Light replied nonchalantly.

Tangyue sighed, exasperated. "That's reckless, Light. The Black Vatican's methods are cruel. If something were to happen—"

"You're being overly cautious," Light interrupted her. "I can handle them. Anyway, I was wondering if there's a reward for giving information about the Black Vatican? What's the payout?"

"Five hundred thousand for a Gray Priest, nine million for a Black Clergy, and a hundred and twenty million for a Blue Deacon. Dead or alive, but you need proof," Tangyue explained quickly, her tone becoming more professional.

"A hundred and twenty million for a Blue Deacon?" Light frowned. "Isn't that a bit low?"

Tangyue chuckled dryly. "If you're able to catch one yourself, the reward can go up to two hundred million, depending on their rank. But if you catch one alive, the bounty increases since they can provide us with more information."

Light's interest piqued. "How much more for catching them alive?"

"The payout's always higher. Alive, we can interrogate them, find other members, maybe even more Blue Deacons. Why are you asking all this?"

Light's smirk deepened. "Because I've got information on a Blue Deacon. What's the payout?"

Tangyue paused. "If you have verifiable information, you could get up to 120 million for the tip alone. But you should discuss that with the Enforcement Union or the Magic Court directly."

"Fine. If they're interested, they can reach out to me," Light said, ending the call.

Tangyue stared at her phone, a slight frown on her face. Without hesitation, she dialed the head of the Magic Court.

---

"Lingling, have you found the Shadow Beast's location?" Light asked as he dialed the young genius's number.

"Why do I feel like I've become your personal assistant?" Lingling sighed, her voice full of mock annoyance. "Even though I'm in Hangzhou, I'm still helping you track down leads in Shanghai. But yes, the Shadow Beast has landed in the hands of someone called Shen Mingxiao."

Light's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Help me find them."

"Already done," Lingling replied, clearly enjoying her efficiency. "They're in a warehouse south of Pearl Institute. I'll send you the coordinates."

"Good. In two hours, spread a message. Tell everyone that I, Light, will be taking the Shadow Beast to the Beast Iron Cage at dawn. Make sure the news reaches every single participant in the exam."

Lingling paused. "What are you planning?"

"I'm pulling the snake from its hole," Light replied cryptically. His real objective was far more dangerous than simply returning the Shadow Beast to the school. He was setting the perfect trap.

---

An hour later, Light received a confirmation message from Tangyue. The Magic Court had agreed to his terms.

It was time.

The old warehouse was in a state of disrepair, cluttered with junk and debris. At the center of the room, a massive creature resembling a leopard lay chained to the floor with thick ice shackles. This was the infamous Shadow Beast. Shen Mingxiao and Luo Song had worked hard to capture it, but now it was about to slip through their fingers.

As Light approached the creature, he couldn't help but smile. Everything was going according to plan.

---

Shen Mingxiao glanced at his phone and saw the caller ID: Shen Lin, his older brother. He answered with a grin. "Big Brother, did you call to ask about our progress? We've already caught the Shadow Beast."

"Is that so? Then how come I received news that someone named Light is dragging the Shadow Beast to the Beast Iron Cage?" Shen Lin's voice was calm, but the implication hit hard.

"How could that be? The Shadow Beast is under our control. That guy must be bluffing," Shen Mingxiao said dismissively, a sneer forming on his face.

Luo Song, however, felt uneasy. "How about I call and check?" he suggested, dialing one of their squad members left behind at the warehouse. The call failed to connect. He tried the others — nothing.

All three numbers were out of reach. Shen Mingxiao and Luo Song exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions shifting to panic. "Shit!"

Without wasting another moment, they sprinted to the old warehouse. Upon arrival, they found the door wide open. The Shadow Beast was gone, and their three squad members lay unconscious on the ground.

"That disgraceful bastard! He dared to rob us!" Shen Mingxiao exploded in fury. "Let's go, we'll find him!"

Meanwhile, Pearl Institute's Beast Taming Iron Cage, meant for Summoner students to restrain out-of-control beasts, became the center of attention. The news of Light capturing the Shadow Beast spread fast, sparking excitement and curiosity. Students who had been in the dark were now eager to see him in action.

"Shit, I'll turn that scoundrel into a corpse! He dared to call everyone here!" Shen Mingxiao growled, losing his composure.

On a nearby rooftop, Ai Tutu, crouched low, whispered to Mui Nujiao, "Big Sister Mui, did Light really catch the Shadow Beast?"

"Didn't you see the picture?" Mui Nujiao responded calmly.

"But did his brain malfunction? Even if he caught the Shadow Beast, why would he take a selfie and send it to the group?" Ai Tutu asked, baffled.

From the crowd, a voice shouted, "Corpse General! I see the Corpse General!"

Another chimed in, "And the Shadow Beast — the Corpse General is dragging it!"

Light arrived right on time, walking down the road lined with maple trees. He moved forward confidently, knowing full well that students were hiding behind trees, walls, and bushes, waiting for their moment to ambush him.

Undeterred, Light kept walking. As he approached, several students could no longer hold back and swiftly surrounded him.