The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 123 - 124: Stay or Leave

Half a month passed.

One evening, his enchanted rune stone pulsed with light—a message from Larry.

"Come see me. We need to talk."

Without hesitation, Hutson left his home and made his way to Larry’s residence.

The moment he arrived, Larry got straight to the point.

"What are your plans after becoming a full-fledged sorcerer?"

Hutson’s eyes narrowed slightly. "A full-fledged sorcerer? What exactly do you mean by plans?"

Larry leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee. "Will you stay in Moonlight Grove... or leave?"

At that moment, everything became clear.

Upon advancing to full sorcerer status, his current contract would automatically expire. If he wanted to remain in Moonlight Grove, he would need to sign a new contract.

And the choice was not a trivial one.

Staying in Moonlight Grove had undeniable benefits—easy access to potions, spellcasting materials, and magical resources. Leaving would mean losing those conveniences.

But there was a catch.

If he stayed, he would be forced to sign a new contract.

And unlike the one he had as an apprentice, this new contract would be far stricter.

As a mere third-tier apprentice, he was already required to take on assigned tasks from Moonlight Grove.

Once he became a full sorcerer, he would be bound to them entirely—his future, his fate, no longer his own to control.

Hutson despised that idea.

He had always valued freedom. He had no intention of letting someone else dictate his destiny.

Unlike Larry, who was a renowned master of potioncraft, Hutson had no leverage to negotiate a balanced employment contract with Moonlight Grove.

So, he asked the critical question.

"If I choose to stay, what’s the price?"

Larry set down his cup and answered, "A hundred years. You must serve Moonlight Grove for at least a century."

"A hundred years?"

The words left Hutson’s lips, his decision already forming in his mind.

There was no way he was staying.

Larry gave a small nod. "Most sorcerer organizations operate the same way. Newly promoted sorcerers must serve their faction for about a hundred to a hundred and fifty years before they are allowed to leave. The reason is simple—full sorcerers require massive resources to advance, and organizations need a return on their investment. It’s an equivalent exchange."

A century...

For many first-tier sorcerers, that was a third of their lifespan.

For a typical newly promoted sorcerer with no background, staying in Moonlight Grove made practical sense. It guaranteed them resources, stability, and protection.

After all, most first-tier sorcerers never even reached the second tier—advancement was slow, grueling, and uncertain.

Even powerful figures like Dino and Malcolm, who were considered top-tier first-level sorcerers, had spent decades cultivating their strength, yet they had barely reached the threshold of second-tier sorcery.

But Hutson was different.

He had AI chip.

For ordinary sorcerers, learning spells and constructing spell models was a time-consuming, painstaking process.

But AI chip erased that limitation.

If he remained in Moonlight Grove for a hundred years, he would be stifling his own growth.

More importantly...

Signing the contract meant surrendering his life to them.

When he first arrived, he hadn’t known this truth. But now that he did, he had no intention of placing his fate in another’s hands.

"Destiny must always remain my own."

And so, his decision was clear.

"Master Larry, I won’t be staying in Moonlight Grove."

Larry nodded. He hadn’t expected otherwise.

"I figured as much."

He took another sip of coffee before continuing.

**"This conversation isn’t just between us. The higher-ups in Moonlight Grove wanted me to ask you directly. If you’re willing to stay, they’re prepared to offer you two rare potions—**one Ancient Potion and one Amanda’s Potion—completely free of charge."

Hutson’s brows lifted slightly.

"Free?"

Hutson knew exactly what those potions were.

The Ancient Potion was a legendary elixir that strengthened the foundation of sorcerers, ensuring their future breakthroughs would be smoother.

The Amanda’s Potion was an extremely rare alchemical creation, enhancing both mental power and mana reserves, significantly boosting long-term potential.

Either one of them was worth an immense price—and Moonlight Grove was offering them both at no cost.

The message was clear:

They wanted him.

But the real question was—would he accept the deal?

Hutson remained silent, his mind weighing the choices.

Accepting meant long-term benefits, but also a century of servitude.Declining meant freedom, but at the cost of losing invaluable resources.

The choice would define the path ahead.

And Hutson had never been one to let others decide his fate.

No matter what he chose, one thing remained certain—

The journey ahead would be dangerous, unpredictable, and filled with trials.

And Hutson would face it on his own terms.

Larry exhaled slowly, tapping his fingers against his cup as he spoke.

"For an ordinary sorcerer apprentice, obtaining an Ancient Potion is nearly impossible without years of saving magic stones. But the sooner they advance to full-fledged sorcerers, the better—it’s not something they can afford to delay. That’s why Moonlight Grove’s offer is so tempting for them."

He glanced at Hutson with a knowing smile.

"But you... you’re different. You have enough magic stones to buy them outright."

Larry didn’t tell Moonlight Grove too much about Hutson.

He was just a hired alchemist here—his ties to the organization weren’t deep, and he had no reason to hand over unnecessary information.

For most sorcerer apprentices, especially those without a background, Moonlight Grove’s offer was irresistible.

An Ancient Potion plus an Amanda’s Potion was worth over a thousand magic stones—a staggering fortune for those struggling to accumulate even a fraction of that amount.

Most apprentices would never see that kind of wealth, let alone have the opportunity to use such rare potions.

But Hutson?

Money wasn’t an issue.

Hutson thought for a moment before speaking.

"Master Larry, can you acquire Ancient Potions and Amanda’s Potions yourself?"

He had already made his decision to leave Moonlight Grove, but he needed to be prepared for any complications.

Unlike Dawn-Dusk Potions, which had a limited shelf life, Ancient Potions and Amanda’s Potions were incredibly stable, remaining effective for decades. That meant he could stockpile them in advance without worrying about degradation.

Larry understood immediately and gave a slight nod.

"I can. I’d recommend getting three doses of Amanda’s Potion—no more than that. You’re still young, and three is the safe limit for your body. But I don’t have them in stock right now. Give me a few days, and I’ll have them ready for you. I’ll shave a little off the market price—twelve hundred magic stones in total."

Hutson bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Master Larry."

Larry took another sip of his coffee. "I’ll also inform Moonlight Grove that you ’haven’t made a decision yet’ and that you’ll reconsider closer to your promotion."

He knew that if Hutson outright refused, it might cause unnecessary trouble.

At this stage, as a third-tier apprentice, Hutson still had to follow Moonlight Grove’s assignments—he had no right to refuse orders. If the wrong people got wind of his plans to leave, they might try to force him into a binding situation before he had a chance to escape.

Leaving Larry’s residence, Hutson’s mind remained deep in thought.

If he wasn’t staying in Moonlight Grove, where would he go?

Now that his decision was made, he needed to gather more information about the world beyond.

The Karrag Continent was vast, and there were many powerful organizations beyond Moonlight Grove. He needed to research his options carefully—his next steps would determine his fate.

Just as he reached home, his rune stone pulsed with light again.

A message from Bessie.

"Got time to talk? I’m injured, and I can’t move around much. Mind coming to my place instead?"

Hutson raised an eyebrow.

Bessie was one of the few people he still considered an ally.

He quickly replied.

"Sure. Where and when?"

"Today works. I’m in Northern Forest District, Zone K, House 16. You’re not far."

Hutson frowned slightly.

She was injured?

This wasn’t just a casual chat. Something must have happened.

He grabbed his coat, tightened his belt, and headed out.

The night air was cool and still as he made his way toward Zone K.

Unanswered questions swirled in his mind.

What had happened to Bessie?

And more importantly...

How would this meeting affect the path ahead?