Even though the mages stationed on the second inner wall were part of the elite core of the Noble Guild, their confidence was rapidly evaporating. These weren't the common practitioners found in the outer slums; these were individuals scouted for their high mana potential and their capacity for ruthless efficiency. Yet, as they looked down from their high vantage point and saw Raze walking toward them, a primitive, cold fear began to take root in their chests.
They could feel the atmosphere thickening around him. It wasn't just the mana of a nine-star mage, a level of power that commanded respect even in the capital, but it was the mana of a man who had already stained his hands with the blood of the Grand Magus's own enforcers. Beyond the magic, there was a second, darker power swirling in his wake. It was a physical weight, a crushing gravity that made the air feel like liquid.
