Earth's Greatest Magus

?"Brother Emery!"

The beautiful woman with brown hair who enthusiastically jumped into his arms was Tatyana, the six-tailed fox. The reason she could stir Emery's blood was simply because she was part of his wolf pack. Her arrival felt like a reunion with a long-lost family member.

Shortly after Tatyana's lively entrance, two more figures joined them. One was Andrei, the winged wolf, and the other was Magus Yuria, the fifth and youngest wife of Lord Izta. The trio had just completed their cargo transport errands for Terra and rushed back upon learning of Emery's return. Their presence added to the atmosphere of reunion and camaraderie.

Except for Magus Rosia, Camilla, and Grisa, who were still fulfilling their duties with the Magus Alliance at the frontline, all the inner members of the Terra and Earth faction had gathered. Emery decided it was time to share his plans.

Assigned the dedicated role of Earth's caretaker, the safety of the planet became fully entrusted to Emery and his allies until the proposed duel with the Kronos faction.

Recognizing Earth's status as a lower realm and the inherent limitations on its resources for defense, Emery knew that seeking external aid was crucial.?He held hope that Terra would emerge as the central hub for coordinating and strengthening these collaborative efforts.

"We need more men, more resources, and greater access to information," Emery declared, outlining the plan ahead.

Magus Sheena, acting on the directive from Zodiac City, offered her full support and resources to aid Earth. With the authority granted to her, she could provide the necessary information and arrange for a dedicated squad of magus to provide ongoing assistance.

The old Emery might have hesitated at such an offer, but with the lives of his friends hanging in the balance, he inquired, "How many?"

Magus Sheena responded, "One squad of 5 magus for an extended period and another three squads on standby for emergencies."

These squads comprised Zodiac City's half-blood magus, each possessing the strength equivalent to at least two magus alliance squads.

Magus Sheena went a step further, offering additional support in the form of saint-level warriors. However, the effectiveness of these reinforcements was constrained by Earth's limited outposts, primarily situated on the moon.

Acknowledging the immediate need for external assistance, Emery accepted the offer from Zodiac City. However, he viewed this as a short-term solution. To secure Earth's safety in the long run, they needed to build their own force. This necessitated a comprehensive plan involving recruitment, training, and preparation for the challenges ahead. Magus Silica, displaying unwavering dedication, volunteered to spearhead this critical aspect of their defense strategy.

Emery emphasized another crucial aspect of their preparation: nurturing the talents native to Earth. While granting non-magus individuals Earthlink access to the magus universe was a challenging and costly endeavor, the importance of developing their own warriors, even without such access, couldn't be overstated. Earth needed to be prepared for the imminent calamity on the horizon.

The group collectively devised plans to address their immediate concerns, but the pressing issue that loomed ahead was securing resources, predominantly in the form of funds.

Despite the significant strides made in the development of Terra City, the Terra faction's financial landscape, while improving, still fell short of the substantial capital required for their ambitious ventures. While they boasted an average monthly surplus of five million spirit stones, it proved insufficient to elevate their operational capacity to the desired level.

In response to this financial challenge, Klea, sporting a smile, quipped, "Fortunately, we have a famous apothecary among us." Emery acknowledged the potential of upgrading his Merlin Apothecary Shop as a strategic move to bolster their financial reserves.

However, Emery's role as the designated caretaker of Earth presented a constraint. Prolonged absences from Earth were not feasible, particularly with the three-day travel time between Terra and Earth. This limitation emphasized the critical importance of prioritizing the setup of the Khaos gate—a vital link that would significantly reduce travel time and facilitate seamless coordination between Terra and Earth.

Emery faced the daunting task of locating a site rich in spirit energy on Terra. Magus Celica, knowledgeable about the planet, provided half a dozen notable locations. Emery, could only hope that one of these sites would prove suitable for their crucial undertaking.

As the meeting concluded, Emery geared up for a night of exploration, accompanied by Klea. Utilizing dozens of [Spatial Gates] spells, the duo traversed thousands of miles to reach the specified locations. To their disappointment, none of the six sites exhibited the unique and potent spiritual energy found on Earth.

"Seriously… none at all?" Emery expressed his frustration.

<No… nothing special about these places. Might as well just place it on the castle yard, no different at all.> Chututlu, the Khaos guardian, confirmed about each of the locations marked.

"Can we do that? In Terra's castle yard? That will be convenient."

<You can… but it won't be stable, and the waypoints will only last minutes, maybe seconds.>

With insights from Klea, they reached the conclusion that the existence of Gaia was pivotal for the creation of a stable Khaos gate on Earth.However, extending this to another planet outside Terra would significantly increase the risk. In the event of an attack, the teleportation gate would be the primary target for any assailant, as experienced in the past.

Klea proposed an alternative, "What about any planet just within ship distance from Terra?"

This idea resonated with Emery. An uninhabited planet would be even better for concealing the existence of the Khaos gate.

When Emery contemplated searching for information about planets within a convenient distance from Terra, a familiar mechanical voice entered his mind.

[I can help you with that]

The voice belonged to the female Virtual lifeform that Emery had acquired from the celestial ruins. With her assistance, compiling the information Emery needed became an effortless task.