A young man stood bare-chested in front of a desk, cluttered with vials of colorful liquids and strange herbs. The air was thick with the potent st of these mysterious ingredients, filling the small room. Peculiar glowing objects lit up each of the four walls, casting an eerie glow over the space.

  His body appeared to be badly injured, with cuts, gashes, and swelling on both his front and back, blood staining his skin. His muscles were lean, and his height erfectly proportioo his frame. He was massaging his right shoulder when suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the room.

  His face twisted, but no cry escaped him as his shoulder—presumably dislocated—slotted bato pce, a process that would have made any normal person at least gasp in pain.

  Moments ter, he pointed his left index fi the shoulder, and a blue light appeared at the tip, gradually enveloping the area. His expression ged, slowly easing into relief, and a sigh escaped his lips.

  He then moved both arms in different motions, as if testing their funality, before a satisfied expression spread across his face.

  After that, he g the messy table, picked up some of the herbs, and popped them into his mouth like dy. It was clearly not dy, as his face immediately torted in disgust. With quick hands, he grabbed one of the vials and dow in a single gulp. He didn't stop at just one, drinking vial after vial until every st one was emptied.

  He slowly turned around and g the lone sofa by the wall. With slow steps, he walked over and slumped down, as if the weight of something heavy had been lifted from his shoulders.

  Leaning back, he closed his eyes, only to open them again moments ter, his gaze fixed on the only door in the room.

  ...

  It had been over an hour since Maverick returned. What would normally take a single jump had taken him three, with short breaks iween to make it back to Egypt to the underground base.

  That final use of illusion magid Apparition nearly made him lose sciousness, but he mao persevere and arrive here quickly.

  Fortunately, rejuvenation potions, healing brews, and medial herbs had been prepared in advance before he and his party left, saving him the effort of searg.

  After downing a couple of potions, he began using all sorts of healing spells in his arsenal. Starting with the worst of his internal injuries, he worked methodically to mend everything else, bit by bit.

  While he wasn't fully recovered, the remaining injuries weren't serious—just requiri and routireatment. It wouldn't be wrong to call him a professional healer now. At least when it came to recovery spells, his abilities were on par with, if not superior to, the renowned healers in magical hospitals.

  With slow movements, he leaned forward from the fortable chair, pushing himself to his feet. He took a step toward the door, but before he could reach it, the door swung open with a rush, and Aisha was the first to enter.

  "Wait..."

  Before he could ask her to be gentle, she had already run forward and enveloped him in a big embrace. He let out a sigh. Though she was careful, it still caused a brief wince, but he didn't let any outward rea show.

  He could sense her , that clear emotion, his Magical-Seected it as soon as they had apparated here.

  Ali entered , but he remained silent. His eyes sed him with quiet , though he let Aisha hahe questioning, knowing she would ask what o be asked.

  The hug and affe weren't part of some dramatic se but simply her way of showing care for him, nothing more, nothing less. After pulling away, she gave him a long, assessing look, her gaze sweeping over his form with as she examined his injuries.

  "How're you holding up?" she asked softly.

  His handiwork was clear—there were no visible gashes or open wounds, which seemed to ease her worry somewhat. She appeared calm, though still ed.

  "I'm fihanks, both of you," he said, gng betweewo of them. He added, "I've taken care of most of the serious injuries. Now I just need routireatment and a lot of rest..." He said, trying to reassure them.

  The sound of footsteps interrupted the moment, and Edward Garliered the room. Maverick's eyes quickly focused on his teacher, surprised by what he saw. Exhaustion was clear on the man's face, as though he had undergone some intense work before arriving.

  There was only one possibility that came to his mind, and the words slipped out before he could stop them. "Teacher... Did you have a fight with that woman after I left?"

  Edward gave a long, pierg stare to his apprentice, making Maverick tense. His mind scrambled, quickly trying to figure out what had happened, as the gre clearly suggested it was reted to him.

  Fortunately, his teacher wasn't that petty and didn't let the sileretch. "I had to up the mess you two made... that woman dumped everything on me," he said, his voice ced with clear irritation.

  Maverick cocked his head in fusion. "I don't uand," he said almost instinctively. He truly couldn't uand why his teacher, of all people, had to cover up the devastation after his—no, Bloodraven's—duel with Morvain.

  Edward gave him a look that suggested he was staring at an idiot. "Your duel with Morvain broke the mountain, not to mentioher damage. Or did you fet that already?"

  "I didn't fet," Maverick said, "I'm just fused why you had to cover it up. How did you even do that? Did you restore the pce?"

  Edward scoffed. "Don't be stupid. Even I 't restore a mountain. I did my best, so now at least that area doesn't look like a se from the apocalypse."

  "I'm really fused now, teacher... I mean, teically, the guy who fought Morvain and you don't even know each other... wasn't that what we were going with? Why did you have to restore it even a little in the first pce?"

  Edward sighed, looking tired. His student still had much to learn. These matters had never been expio him, not even during Maverick's training, so he couldn't really fault him.

  He figured this would be a good time to teach a quick lesson to his pupil. Before starting, however, he cast a wandless s over Maverick to firm he wasn't in any immediate danger.

  Satisfied, he turo address the room—it was important for Maverick's subordio uand this too, sidering his grand ambitions.

  "The Statute of Secrecy isn't as simple as you think," Edward began, his tone serious. "There's a lot," he paused for emphasis, "a lot of work that goes into keeping it intact. It's not just about erasing the memories of a few No-Majs."

  "Often, when some lunatic witch or wizard loses trol for whatever reason, they end up causing signifit public damage." His eyebrow lifted as he g his pupil. "For instaonight..."

  He tinued, "Most of the time, these is are witnessed by normal humans. If there are only a few witnesses, it's manageable... but when the numbers are te, it bees impossible for the Oblivation team. Our numbers are pitifully small. So, we have to rely on No-Maj govers to help up our mess."

  "But even they 't keep doing it if it happens too often. Saying 'gas explosions' or some other flimsy excuse every siime won't work. The No-Maj public aren't stupid."

  The Arch-Magus's voice was steady, carrying the weight of experience. "Even though the magical and non-magical govers—and even the ICW—have special teams to up these kinds of aftermath, the noise you two made," he said, fixing his student with another poiare, "woke up every important person, magical or not, from their beds. Meetings are already happening, and I wouldn't be surprised if an emergency world security cil is called."

  He paused briefly before tinuing. "And since I was there, and as a speaker for the ICW, it became my responsibility to deal with it. Well, that woman's too..." He sighed and waved a dismissive hand. "Anyway, I've been fixing the mess. It's not perfect, but it should be enough to keep the No-Maj publi asking too many questions."

  He finished, gng at Maverick, who now looked deep in thought.

  To them, the Statute of Secrecy was just a funing w, but they had no idea about the plicated work being done, especially by the two parties operating behind the ses.

  For Maverick, this was the first time he was hearing about it. But trary to what anyone might think, Maverick was now even more vihat the Statute of Secreeeded to end. But he didn't voice his thoughts.

  After a moment, he g his mentor with a slightly apologetic look. "Sorry, teacher... will this cause you any trouble?"

  Edward waved his hand. "Don't get me wrong. What you did, you had my full support. I'm just telling you how the world works, not my opinion..."

  "Besides, like you said, whoever fought Morvain has nothing to do with me... I was just there... tally, and ended up having to do the -up. Anyway, you mao slip away even when Maxime asked you to e with her to the ICW... so no questions will be raised at me..."

  Maverice again uood how lucky he was to have this man as his backer. Otherwise, he'd be in all sorts of deep trouble by now.

  "I see..." Maverick muttered. "So... what happe?" he asked, curious and looking to see if there was anything he could do to help.

  Edward sighed. "I have to meet with some No-Maj leaders and expin things since I was there. You don't have to worry."

  Just then, Aisha cut in. "But why do you have to do it? I mean, you're a speaker at the ICW, an Arch-Magus. Why expin yourself when you've already done more than enough?" She fidgeted as soon as she finished speaking, clearly realizing her words had e out impulsively.

  Edward turo meet the witch's gaze. "Order," he said firmly, his voice steady. "There are billions of them, and we're just a few million. Do you really think it would be the same when we have to deal with the s if we funted our power to every leader, crushing them like bugs?" He paused, his tone calm but instructive. "Girl, this world is far more plicated than you think. And if you believe the Arch-Magus are the most powerful people in the world, you're sorely mistaken..."

  "Thank you, teacher..." Maverick quickly interjected, sparing Aisha further embarrassment. Besides, he didn't want Edward lecturing his subordinates, even if he was his teacher.

  "Is there anything I do to help? Maybe with the restoration work... I mean, this whole thing is my mess, so..."

  The Arch-Magus waving his hand dismissively. "Just focus on healing. You've got plenty of recovery ahead..." He paused, then ged the topic. "what's for you, kid? Another try?"

  Maverick hummed in thought. "Probably take a break. Go home. I have to spend some time with my new sister... and write to Bel too... it's been a month since I st wrote her..."

  Edward raised a brow at him. After a moment, he said, "Be sure to see her on her graduation..."

  Maverick gave a sheepish smile. "Of course..." Then, as if recalling something, his tone ged, being more excited. "By the way, teacher, I have something to show you..." he said, then walked to the door, taking the lead.

  The three of them followed without asking questions. They rarely saw Maverick looking this excited, and seeing how suddenly he had bee like this, they too grew curious.

  Soon, Maveritered a familiar room, where there were three desks scattered with various items.

  Edward, Ali, and Aisha remained outside at his instrus, and shortly after, they saw him e out carrying a bunch of things.

  Edward raised an eyebrow, looking at his pupil. "Are those No-Maj cell phones?" he asked, notig two hand-sized regur items in Maverick's hands.

  Maveriodded as he walked up to them. "Yes, exactly what you think it is," he said, handing oo his teacher.

  Edward took it, showing slight fusion, but he didn't ask questions.

  Maverick moved a few steps bad then g his teacher. "Teacher, suppress yid turn it on..."

  Edward did so without hesitation. This wasn't the first time he had used eleic devices.

  Maverick dialed the other phone's number, and sure enough, after a few seds, a ring echoed throughout the hall.

  (Author's Note: If you think they wouldn't get a signal there in the underground base, normally, yes, they wouldn't. But let's just assume it does.)

  Edward looked at his student, unsure of what Maverick meant, but waited for an expnation. He didn't believe Maverick would do anything unnecessary, especially now.

  The young Great-Magus did not keep them in suspense for long. "Teacher, you taught me that this is how we magicals use eleic devices—by suppressing ic so it doesn't interfere with electrical signals."

  He shifted his gaze to Aisha and Ali before adding, "Unfortunately, 99% of the magical popution 't actively or passively suppress their magic…"

  "This isn't breaking news, you know," his teacher interjected.

  Ali and Aisha looked puzzled. The topic of eleic devices had never crossed their minds. From school, they were taught that magicals simply couldn't use Muggle eleics, and that was the end of it. There had never been any further expnation, not even publicly. It was safe to say they hadn't even bothered usironic devices in their entire lives.

  Maverick's gaze moved from the puzzled witd wizard to Edward. "I know it's a known fact, though not very public," he said, then reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a strange-looking crystal. It was about the size of his finger, ft aangur, with intricate patterns carved into its surface. "Watch," he added.

  They all watched, intrigued.

  Maverick smirked before fog on the phone in his hands. He pced the finger-sized crystal onto the back, aligning it with the ft area carved. The distinct cut made it clear that it was hand-made.

  With a subtle wave of his fingers and a flicker of magic, the patterns on the crystal's surface glowed for a brief moment, fshing for just an instant.

  Now, aside from the strange regur crystal affixed to the back, the phone looked exactly the same as before.

  Maverick turhe phone on again, then g his teacher, before saying, "Dial the st number..."

  His teacher didn't raise any questions and did as asked. After a while, the phone in Maverick's hand began t. This was still nothing unusual for the Arch-Magus, as he khey were both masters of mana trol.

  However, his curiosity grew. He didn't ask, though, and chose to let his student tinue.

  "Alright... now what?"

  Maverick chuckled. "Patieeacher," he said, then g Ali and Aisha. "Ali, e here..." he called.

  Ali, looking fused, followed the instrus and became even more puzzled when Maverick stretched out his hand aured for him to take the phone.

  The Magus, still unsure, poio his ow and asked, "Me?"

  Maveriodded. "Yes! Take it, pce this side against your ear, and the other end toward your mouth..." He hahe phoo Ali after pressing the answer button.

  Ali took the phone and followed the instrus, though he was very fused. He presumed the phone would lose all power as soon as he touched it, but—

  His eyes widened—and not just his. Edward and Aisha's expressions also turo shock.

  —————————

  Author's Note:

  Just a quick update — up to Chapter 92 is already avaible on P AT r30n!

  PAT r30n [.] / RyanFic