Silence fell over the hall.
After Edwin spoke, no one made a sound.
The ghastly pale light of the magic glowstones illuminated everyone's faces.
It brought their tense, furious, and desperate expressions into sharp focus.
Morgan's lips twitched slightly.
His gaze fell upon the two half-demon youths kneeling on the ground.
Then it shifted to the faces of Cedric and Lia, and finally rested on Hewlett.
Within those blood-red eyes were anger, killing intent, and exhaustion—but above all, something he did not dare look directly at.
It was trust.
They were waiting for him.
From the City of a Thousand Towers to the Withered Wood Wasteland, from a bustling magic city to this remote Forbidden Zone, they had followed him all along.
Even when starved to skin and bones, even when hunted by demons, even when targeted by magic families, they had never once doubted him.
And now, Edwin was telling him that he was the cause of all this.
His research, his thesis, his choice to actively seek out the Great Sage in the first place—that was the true starting point of this hunt.
This was no fabrication; it was a truth he could not bring himself to face.
Morgan's fingers trembled slightly against his knees.
His breathing grew heavy, as if a boulder were weighing down his chest.
“Everything will return to how it was.”
Edwin's voice sounded once more, slithering into his ears like a snake.
“You only need to make the right choice, Lord Morgan.
“For those who are still alive, and for those who can still be saved.”
Morgan closed his eyes.
Cedric saw the fleeting waver on his face.
He exchanged a look with Lia.
The moment their eyes met, both moved simultaneously.
Cedric kicked off the ground with tremendous force, shattering the stone floor as his body shot straight toward Edwin like an arrow released from a bow.
In that instant, his Low-tier Legendary battle force was pushed to its absolute limit—and even beyond.
The muscles in his arms tore, blood seeping through his pores, yet his speed surged even higher.
The pitch-black short blade in his hand turned into a straight line, tearing through the air directly toward the space between Edwin's eyebrows.
In less than a breath.
The tip of the blade was already three inches from Edwin's face.
Layer upon layer of pale-blue magic shields suddenly blazed to life, encasing Edwin's body like stained glass.
The short blade slammed into the first shield layer, sending cracks spreading outwards.
Cedric did not retreat. Gritting his teeth, he poured his battle force frantically into the blade.
“Break for me!”
Crack.
The first layer shattered.
Second, third, fourth... Piercing seven shield layers in a single breath, the blade stabbed into Edwin's body.
Yet there was no solid sensation.
Instead of the resistance of flesh and blood, there was only the emptiness of air.
Cedric's pupils shrank into pinpricks.
Edwin's figure flickered like a reflection in water, then dissolved into nothingness.
An illusion.
At that same instant beneath Cedric's feet, a dark magic circle unrolled silently, its rotating runes emitting a murky glow.
His body sank abruptly, as though pinned down by an invisible giant hand, rendering him unable to move.
Battle force, mana, and even his breath were frozen in that single instant.
Cass materialized from the side, pressing a short blade against the back of Cedric's neck while clamping his other hand around Cedric's wrist and giving it a gentle twist.
Crack.
The sound of a dislocated joint.
Cedric's dagger dropped to the ground, bouncing twice.
On the other side, Lia's strike was equally fierce.
Taking advantage of Cedric drawing everyone's attention, her body turned into a gray shadow, skimming low along the floor toward Arthur Julian.
She could tell that this young man was the most vital link among the group.
If she could hold him hostage, Edwin would be restrained by fear of hurting him, potentially giving them the upper hand in the negotiation.
Her dagger thrust forward, aiming straight for Arthur's throat.
Arthur raised his head and looked at her.
In those youthful eyes, there was no fear, no panic—not even a trace of emotion.
He stared at Lia as if looking at something he had foreseen long ago.
Then he opened his mouth.
“Left.”
The moment the word left his lips, Victor's figure ripped out of the air to the left, his short blade slashing down toward Lia's wrist.
Lia's expression changed dramatically. She barely managed to shift her stance to block, but Victor's strength far exceeded her expectations.
Clang!
Her dagger was knocked flying and her arm went numb, causing her to stagger backward two steps.
Cass's short blade pressed against her lower back from the other side.
“Don't move.”
From Cedric's sudden burst to both of them being subdued, barely a flash of lightning had passed.
The hall had suffered severe collateral damage during this brief clash.
The ground Cedric had shattered opened into a deep fissure. The shockwave of battle force overturned the stone table, while magic glowstones broke loose from the walls and rolled across the floor in a clattering chorus.
Rubble showered down from the ceiling, filling the air with dust.
Hewlett quietly took a step forward, shielding Morgan with his body.
His greatsword remained sheathed, yet his entire frame stood like a wall, blocking the gazes from Edwin's side.
Pinned to the floor, Cedric rasped out a yell, “Don't listen to him, Morgan!”
Edwin slowly stepped out from the shadows.
On the far side of the hall, away from where his illusion had vanished, his true body appeared, his deep purple mage robes completely unruffled.
Morgan opened his eyes, looking at his subdued companions, at the two half-demon youths kneeling on the ground, and at Hewlett.
His lips moved.
The corners of Edwin's mouth curled up slightly, a glint of satisfaction surfacing in his cloudy old eyes.
But at that very moment...
Outside the hall, a flurry of rushed and panicked footsteps approached from afar.
A figure practically tumbled inside, prostrating on the ground and trembling all over.
“Lord Tower Master...”
Edwin's brow creased sharply, suppressed anger emanating from him.
“I said not to disturb us!”
His voice was not loud, yet the temperature in the hall seemed to drop several degrees.
But the person did not retreat.
Steeling himself, he practically crawled to Edwin's side, leaning in close to whisper a few words into his ear.
Edwin's expression changed.
A flash of brief surprise crossed his face, and a sharp glint darted through his cloudy old eyes.
But quickly, he forcibly suppressed the tremor of emotion, his face returning to normal.
“...Understood.”
He waved his hand, and the messenger, as if granted a grand pardon, scrambled backward out of the room.
Edwin turned around, looking at Cass and Victor.
“Release them.”
Cass and Victor exchanged a glance, then let go simultaneously.
Cedric and Lia staggered to their feet and retreated to Morgan's side.
Edwin's gaze swept across them, his tone resuming its unhurried composure.
“A demon nest has rioted, and we need to deal with it.”
“If, by some misfortune, it affects our future little heroes of the City of a Thousand Towers... that would be unfortunate.”
Edwin withdrew his gaze, casting a final look at Morgan as he delivered his ultimate warning.
“Lord Sage's patience is limited, Lord Morgan.”
“Do not keep him waiting too long.”
With that, he turned and walked out of the hall.
Cass and Victor followed behind him, and Arthur stood up as well, lazily trailing along.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance, leaving only Morgan and his companions amidst the wreckage scattered across the hall.
Rate on N.U.
