Rebellion (1)

"You crippled or something? Why'd you bring a walking stick?" Wesley asked with a sly grin.

"It's a magic staff. Pretty powerful," Donald replied.

"Like hell I believe you." Wesley snatched it and examined it in his hands. "Oh, pretty fancy. What's it made of?"

"Expensive stuff. Would blow your mind if I told you." Donald grabbed the magic staff back from Wesley.

"Hmph, all show. Doesn't even have a magic array carved on it. Don't tell me you're planning to go toe-to-toe with a squire using that stick? I'm starting to think you're a dwarf at heart—love a good brawl." Apparently, Wesley didn't approve of Donald's fighting style, or maybe he was just talking tough.

Donald smiled and said nothing.

On the second day of the tournament, the remaining sixty-four contestants drew lots to determine their matchups. This time, Donald was drawn for the sixth match, and his opponent was an old acquaintance—Roger, the eldest son of the Celtic Duke.

Before the match began, Marquis of Eli, the city lord, brought Derrick along to the Magic Academy seating area.

"Captain Kaz, I never imagined you'd grace our city's Martial Magic Tournament with your presence. How thrilling," Marquis of Eli said with a sincerity that starkly contrasted his usual cold demeanor.

"Marquis of Eli, I'm here to visit an old friend." Captain Kaz spoke while warmly draping an arm around Dean Devis's shoulder. From Devis's relaxed expression, the two were clearly old acquaintances.

"Oh, my apologies for having you sit here—it's a dereliction of duty on my part. I invite you, and Dean Devis as well, to my private box. You must accept, or I'll be uneasy all day."

"You're too kind. Devis and I haven't seen each other in ages, and this is a rare chance to catch up. We won't impose."

"Ha, you can catch up anywhere. I'll just give you my box."

Marquis of Eli insisted, signaling his son Derrick with a glance. Derrick immediately stepped forward and gently took Captain Kaz's arm. Kaz's brow furrowed slightly—the gesture was a bit too forward.

"Come now, Dean Devis. If you don't move, Captain Kaz will surely be too embarrassed to go first."

Marquis of Eli also stepped forward, reaching as if to take Devis's arm.

Just as his hand was halfway there, Dean Devis sensed danger and opened his mouth to warn, but it was too late.

In an instant, a fierce gale erupted from where Eli's hand passed, sweeping up Lucia, who sat between Devis and Kaz, and hurling her into the air.

Captain Kaz roared, "How dare you!" and lunged to grab Lucia, but Derrick held him tight, preventing him from breaking free. No one knew that the latter had just advanced to Level 4 Knight. Though he might not beat the long-seasoned Kaz in a fight, holding him back for a moment was no trouble.

Dean Devis was right next to Marquis of Eli. In desperation, he cast a Level 2 Stone Spike Spell straight at Eli's chest. A whirlwind suddenly surrounded Eli, enveloping him completely. The hard stone spikes, as thick as an arm, were torn apart the moment they approached.

Earth Spike, Earth Spirit Entangle, Petrification Technique... In the blink of an eye, Devis unleashed four or five attack spells, but all were neutralized by Eli's Level 3 defensive spell, Gale Vortex.

By the time the other Magic Academy professors reacted, Eli's Level 3 Wind Blade had pierced through Devis's Earth Shield and struck him in the chest.

"Protect Lucia! He's a Level 3 Magician!" Devis, gravely wounded as he collapsed among the crowd, still mustered all his strength to warn them.

The Magic Academy professors scattered immediately, and the students fell into chaos.

Over a dozen attack spells of various types rained down on Eli, all blocked without exception by his Level 3 defensive spell, Gale Vortex. Standing at the center of the vortex, Marquis of Eli looked calm, with enough spare power to control the Hurricane Bind in the air, tightly wrapping Lucia.

"The city lord has betrayed us," Donald quietly warned Wesley beside him. From the looks of it, the bandits who had pretended to kidnap him and Lucia were likely soldiers under the city lord's command.

"No way? Is he insane?" Wesley had always been cold toward his father, but seeing him gravely injured, worry showed on his face.

The common folk and students didn't recognize Captain Kaz. To them, both the Magic Academy and Marquis of Eli should be on the side of justice. No one knew why the two sides were fighting.

Even most of the Magic Academy professors didn't understand why Marquis of Eli had suddenly struck. But Dean Devis's authority and their loyalty to the academy made them fight back without hesitation. And the fact that Eli had been hiding his true strength all along gave them a whiff of conspiracy.

In an instant, fury and raging waves erupted, sand and stone flew alongside vines and leaves, all sucked into the howling gale, shredded, and scattered. A Level 3 Magician fighting over a dozen Level 1 and 2 Magicians at once—the scene was almost mythical.

On the other side, the clash between two Level 4 Knights was equally spectacular.

Kaz had broken free of Derrick's hold, but the latter still stood between him and Marquis of Eli. Bare-handed, every exchange between them boomed, the air trembling from the impact. Chairs near them were shattered, and students too slow to dodge were injured by the shockwaves.

Though Derrick was showing signs of losing, Kaz still couldn't break through his line. Watching Lucia in the air, Kaz grew anxious and suddenly leaped to grab her down.

Derrick jumped almost simultaneously, catching Kaz's ankle midair and yanking him down. Before landing, Kaz kicked fiercely at him. Derrick dodged the blow to his head but took the kick to his back, spitting blood—clearly injured—yet he clung to Kaz's leg like a madman.

Unable to shake him off, Kaz shouted to the Knight Academy instructors, still frozen in confusion: "I'm Kaz of the Crimson Knights! Protect Princess Lucia!"

The instructors remained hesitant; none recognized Captain Kaz. Just then, Roger jumped out from among the Knight Academy students and pointed at the girl bound by the gale in the air, shouting, "Lucia is a princess! Lucia is a princess!"

By the time the instructors reacted and moved to help, the Magic Academy professors had all fallen. Aside from those hit by Marquis of Eli's Wind Blade, several had been ambushed from behind by Judy, including Victor.

After her successful ambush, Judy joined the fight between Derrick and Kaz. The occasional Level 1 Flying Leaf and vines that suddenly sprouted from the air caused Kaz no small trouble. Derrick finally got a chance to catch his breath.

"Stop! Anyone else moves, and I'll kill your princess!"

Eli had dispelled the Gale Vortex around him and brought Lucia down from the air. He didn't release the Hurricane Bind but pointed at the unconscious Lucia, issuing his threat.

No one, including Captain Kaz, dared to move. Being targeted by a Level 3 Magician at such close range was more effective than a knife to the throat.

"Eli, are you betraying us?" Kaz shouted bitterly.

"Betray? Hahahaha..." Eli laughed loudly. "Who's betraying? The Tris Family was the master of this land six hundred years ago!"

"The Tris Family?" Judging by the crowd's reaction, no one seemed to remember that name.

"Hah! The Fermont Family not only usurped our land but erased every trace our family left behind. Six hundred years ago, there was the Tris Dukedom—how could there be no Tris Family? But who remembers us now? Who is the real traitor!?" Eli roared, his hair and beard bristling like a madman.

Kaz stared at him coldly, saying nothing.

"The Cyril Family is the Tris Family! For six hundred years, we've been careful, hiding our name, all for today! Today, we take back what's ours! Right now, the Thorn Empire's army is crossing the border. The Fermont Kingdom is about to fall! War will burn every inch of this land... except here."

Marquis of Eli turned to the commoners in the stands and shouted, "You are all fortunate, because the Thorn Empire has promised that this war will not touch the Tris Dukedom!"

"What a pitiful madman," Kaz finally said slowly. "How stupid must you be to trust a jackal's promise?"

"Shut up! My men have already taken control of the entire province's army. The Tris Dukedom has always been the hardest nut to crack. The Thorn Empire will think clearly about whether they want an enemy or an ally. And now, with a valuable gift in my hands, that choice becomes even easier." Eli glanced at Lucia, then said to Derrick and Judy, "Take them all into custody."

Too many things had happened this morning. The original rulers of the Tris Dukedom, the Tris Family, after hiding their identities for six hundred years, had finally rebelled. The Thorn Empire launched a massive invasion. The Hells Continent, peaceful for eighteen years, was once again engulfed in the flames of war. Any one of these events alone was hard to believe.

Yet before everyone's eyes, Princess Lucia had fallen into Eli's hands—that was an undeniable fact. Given the strength Eli had displayed, no one was confident they could escape his magic, let alone rescue the princess from him.

The ordinary spectators seated in the high stands had once erupted into chaos. At the height of the magical confrontation below, panic had even led to a stampede, likely causing no small number of casualties. Only now did they gradually quiet down, as officials under the city lord began to evacuate them in an orderly fashion.

Derrick tightly bound Kaz with the Fine Steel chains prepared in advance and handed him over to his subordinates for safekeeping.

Judy bent down and searched the fallen, barely breathing professors of the Magic Academy one by one, ensuring they no longer concealed any potions or scrolls on their persons.

The instructors of the Knight Academy were gathered together, awaiting their fate.

The students of both academies automatically drew closer to their own professors or instructors. No one dared to act rashly.

Donald carefully helped Professor Victor up and, when no one was watching, secretly fed him half a bottle of Orange Healing Potion—the one Adarua had given him before leaving that morning. After finishing, he quietly passed the bottle to Wesley beside him and shot a meaningful glance toward Dean Devis's direction.

Wesley naturally followed the flow of the crowd, slowly strolling toward his father.

Afraid of being discovered acting suspiciously, Donald lowered his head and stopped looking at Wesley.

About half an hour later, all unrelated civilians had been evacuated. Everyone from the Magic Academy and the Knight Academy was herded to one side of the venue. Those too injured to walk were supported or carried by students.

"Those willing to swear allegiance to the Tris Family, step forward. The rest—executed in one hour!" Eli announced loudly.

A stir ran through the crowd.

Soon after, one student stepped out, then more and more, until they formed a continuous line...

In the slightly empty venue, a gentle breeze blew softly. The sky was azure, the clouds snow-white, and the spring sunlight shone brightly.