Betrayal (2)

Adarua sat outside the laboratory door, basking in the sun, idly chewing on a blade of grass he had plucked at random. Bored out of his mind.

The streets seemed livelier than usual, with people rushing about and shouting loudly about something.

A familiar neighbor walked by, and Adarua stopped him to ask what was happening.

"The City Lord, Marquis of Eli, has betrayed us. He's captured the princess, and the Martial Magic Tournament has left many dead..."

Hearing this, Adarua immediately ran toward the venue, but after a few steps, he turned back.

"Manda, Mia, wake up. Donald might be in danger—I need to go check. Don't go back to sleep. Lock the lab door, keep an eye on Richard and Kelly, and don't let them out... No, you can't come. If you cause trouble, I'll send you home!"

After giving his instructions to the two sisters, Adarua finally felt at ease enough to leave.

The one-hour deadline was almost up.

Among the thousands of teachers and students from the two academies, the vast majority had chosen to swear allegiance to the Tris Family in the face of life or death. Only a hundred or so still held firm, refusing to budge. Donald, Wesley, Victor, Devis, and Merkel were among them.

Lucia had woken from her unconscious state. To guard against any mishaps, the City Lord of Ilay kept her under his personal control. Until the situation was fully contained, no rope or guard was as effective as a Level 3 Magician standing right next to her.

Roger had also been tied up as a hostage, with Carl watching over him.

Thanks to the dwarf's miraculous potions, Professor Victor and Dean Devis had mostly recovered, but to avoid revealing this, Donald and Wesley still pretended to support them.

On the opposing side: a Level 3 Magician, a knight close to Captain Kaz in strength (Level 4 Knight Derrick), a Level 1 Magician, and possibly other hidden cards. On their own side: besides the severely injured Magic Academy professors who had lost their combat ability, there was one Level 2 Magician and one Level 1 Magician, both with diminished strength, a few Level 1 and Level 2 knights, and the rest were at most Magic Apprentices and Squires...

Donald silently compared the combat power on both sides, seeing no opportunity at all. Maybe in the end, it would come down to a desperate struggle. He just didn't know how much his pre-prepared trump cards would help.

Donald hadn't been afraid of death before. He had once felt that, having suddenly arrived in this world, he might just as suddenly leave at any time. But as time passed and he experienced more, he had gained attachments and responsibilities, reluctance and reluctance to let go.

His thoughts then turned to Richard and Kelly. Under the dwarf's care, they should be safe.

With no worries left behind, he might as well go all out. Thinking this, Donald felt a bit lighter and even smiled at Wesley. The latter still wore his usual carefree expression—Donald had no idea how he managed it.

Just then, Adarua arrived.

"Ilay, what the hell are you up to?" The dwarf didn't like beating around the bush.

"Master Ada." The City Lord of Ilay was startled to see the dwarf storm into the arena. His grip on Lucia's hand tightened involuntarily, but only for a moment before he regained his composure. "What's happening here is a political matter. If I recall correctly, you have no right to interfere."

"Hmph! I don't care about politics. I only care about the safety of a friend."

"Your friend? Are you prepared to risk violating the treaty to handle a personal matter? Are you truly sure you're authorized to do that?"

"Bullshit! You'd better shut your mouth! Donald is a friend of the Extreme North Country. If you so much as touch a hair on his head today, I swear to you, within the next year, we will unconditionally support the Feymont Empire until they grind you into dust!"

The City Lord of Ilay's face turned extremely ugly. He knew Donald was that Magic Apprentice, and letting him go wouldn't matter much. But on a day like this, when he was finally basking in triumph, being forced to compromise was infuriating.

"Then take your friend and go." The City Lord of Ilay said coldly.

Donald made an apologetic face at the approaching Adarua, then shouted loudly: "I challenge Carl!"

"A fool who doesn't know his place." The City Lord of Ilay silently judged Donald.

"Carl, don't think I don't know—you sent someone to hurt Richard and Kelly. I'm going to avenge my little brother!"

Adarua shook his head. He hadn't expected Donald to be so impulsive, but since his reason was avenging his brother, he had no grounds to stop him.

Ilay looked at Carl and asked slowly: "Then, Carl, do you accept the challenge?"

"Of course I accept!" Carl's cold expression was very much like his grandfather Ilay's.

"If I win, can I also free one of my friends?"

"Win me first before you talk!" Carl didn't wait for the City Lord of Ilay to answer before stepping forward into the open space before the lord.

Donald whispered a few words to Wesley, then walked toward Carl.

"Is that your weapon?" Carl pointed at the Magic Staff in Donald's hand.

"A Magic Staff."

Carl shot a questioning look at the City Lord of Ilay. The latter nodded at Carl. He hadn't sensed any magical fluctuation from Donald's Magic Array—clearly, it was a fake with no array inscribed.

"So, we can use magical items?"

"Of course!"

Carl sneered inwardly. He had already planned to use a Magic Scroll, and now Donald had handed him a perfect excuse. What an idiot.

To avoid any surprises, Carl deliberately stood not far from the City Lord of Ilay. Donald didn't back down either, standing directly in front of Carl, glaring fiercely at him.

Carl suddenly recalled Odrich's death yesterday and Donald's strange close-range spell. He instinctively stepped back a few paces.

"No one else around this time..." Donald muttered something incomprehensible.

Lucia, who had been listless under Ilay's Spiritual Power suppression, suddenly brightened. Only she knew Donald was speaking to her.

Ilay glanced at Carl, ready to announce the start of the duel.

Donald applied slight pressure with both hands, pushing the Magic Staff to its shortest length. After confirming a triple Ice Spear was wedged into the cavity at the front of the handle, he pulled the handle back to its full extension. At this position, a pinhole-sized opening aligned perfectly with his palm.

Donald crouched slightly, assuming a starting stance for a forward charge.

Just then, Wesley's hoarse shout rang out from a distance: "Captain Kaz!"

Without any pause, Donald twisted his waist, aimed the Magic Staff at the City Lord of Ilay, braced the handle against his shoulder in an odd motion, and activated the pre-prepared Magic Model. The moment the Exploding Ice Bead embedded itself into the pinhole in his palm, he rotated the handle, covering the hole completely.

Ilay City Lord was looking in Captain Kaz's direction and didn't notice Donald's movements. Even if he had, he wouldn't have cared about such a faint magical fluctuation.

Like Ilay, everyone heard Wesley's shout and turned toward Kaz, but Kaz was still tied up tight, looking just as bewildered, having no idea why someone would suddenly call his name.

At almost the same moment, a thunderous boom came from the direction of the duel. When people's attention was drawn by the sound, the tip of Donald's strange magic staff was still smoking, and in the direction the staff pointed, only half of Ilay's head remained, flesh and brain matter splattering everywhere.

Yes, the so-called magic staff Donald had been holding all along was nothing but a Heavy Magic Rifle. After using Mithril materials without regard for cost, the magical power within the barrel had been multiplied. The power of the Exploding Ice Bead became even more violent. The massive explosive force drove the Ice Spear inside the staff to accelerate, faster and faster, until it shot out of the front cavity at an unbelievable speed. The tremendous recoil slammed painfully into Donald's shoulder.

With Spiritual Power assisting, for a Magic Apprentice accustomed to long-range magic, there was no need to estimate a parabolic arc. Just aiming the staff directly and firing was far too simple. Especially at such close range against an opponent who was completely off guard.

The Ice Spear used as a bullet was simply too fast. It left Ilay no time to react. And since he had never seen such a weapon before, he couldn't have prepared in advance.

The result of all these conditions combined was that the powerful Level 3 mage Ilay, at the height of his pride, died at the hands of an enemy he never expected.

Almost everyone was stunned by what they had just witnessed. The one who reacted the most was Carl, who was right there. He fell to the ground, his eyes vacant, all strength seemingly drained from his body—his grandfather, as mighty as a god, had been killed in one blow by Donald.

A Magic Apprentice had killed a Level 3 mage, leaping across ranks. It was too shocking to believe—but soon, some people thought deeper. That Magic Apprentice had never been challenging Carl at all. He had been after Ilay from the very beginning. Wesley's shout must have been arranged before he stepped onto the stage. He used the challenge against Carl as cover, lulling Ilay's vigilance, and then set up Wesley to divert Ilay's attention. One link after another—it was a trap laid out, just waiting for Ilay to walk into it.

And that magic staff of his, with such terrifying power—why hadn't even City Lord Ilay been on guard against it? Were the magic arrays on it really that well hidden?

After witnessing the staff unleash such a devastating strike, what the onlookers cared about most was whether it was a one-time magical effect or a reusable magical tool.

"Follow me! Get the scroll ready!" Donald didn't pause after his successful shot. He shouted at Lucia, then turned and walked toward Derrick and Judy.

He pushed the lever, another Ice Spear locked into place. He pulled the lever, Exploding Ice Bead, spin, boom. Judy fell to the ground, her abdomen a bloody mess. In that instant, her face showed not pain, but confusion and resentment.

She didn't understand. Donald's magic staff was so terrifyingly powerful—why hadn't her father sensed anything unusual? Even she herself, before being struck down, had only felt the faintest ripple of Water Element magic.

She hated. She hated that she had still underestimated this young man. She had always thought he got by on manipulating people's hearts. Even after the incident with the overseas message, it had never occurred to her that he could be this strong.

The others at the venue were equally shocked, because Donald's magic staff could be reused. How could a staff of this level have made its way to Middle-earth? And how could it have ended up in the hands of this young man?

Derrick charged forward like a madman.

"The scroll!" Donald shouted.

This time, Lucia didn't mess up. She unfurled the scroll in the direction Derrick was charging and fed a little Spiritual Power into it.

Boom, boom, boom. A massive Ice Storm pinned Derrick in place, the Battle Qi glow on his body flickering unsteadily.

Taking advantage of this, Wesley, Victor, and Dean Devis rushed to Captain Kaz's side and loosened the Fine Steel Chains binding him.

The moment the Ice Storm showed signs of dissipating, Kaz charged straight in and threw a punch at Derrick. Derrick, already drained of most of his Battle Qi by the Level 3 ice magic, had no strength left to defend. He was sent flying by the punch. The moment he hit the ground, Kaz closed in and struck again. This time, Derrick was on his back. Kaz's iron fist, full of fury, slammed straight down into his abdomen. Derrick curled up like a shrimp, then went limp.

With that, Ilay was dead, Derrick and Judy were severely wounded. The situation had reversed in an instant.

From the moment Donald accepted the challenge, Adarua had stood by with his hands folded. Even though he found Donald more and more to his liking, he really couldn't intervene. Seeing the power of Donald's magic staff, even he was startled. He quietly wondered if he could handle it without preparing in advance. The answer was that he might take a little damage, but Donald would never get a second shot. Considering Donald was just a Magic Apprentice, that result was already astonishing.

The thousands of teachers and students who had just sworn allegiance to the Tris Family were both shocked and embarrassed. They certainly wouldn't follow through on that oath now. They could only stand at a distance, waiting to be dealt with. Dean Devis walked to the front of the crowd, coughed a few times, and said vaguely, "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and round up the remaining conspirators."

There were always clever people. They immediately understood Devis's meaning: standing around waiting to be dealt with was practically admitting guilt and forcing the Princess to pass judgment.

So the thousands of people quickly dispersed to arrest the officials and soldiers under City Lord Ilay's command.

Seeing that Kaz was rescued and the situation was settled, Lucia suddenly hugged Donald, burying her head in his chest and crying loudly. Donald was momentarily at a loss, then patted her back and whispered soothingly, "It's okay, it's okay. Didn't I tell you? Since we weren't alone this time, nothing bad would happen."

Hearing his words, Lucia felt even more wronged. She raised her fist and kept pounding his chest, but her other arm still held him tight.

Victor didn't bother with discretion at all. He even forgot that Lucia was the Princess. He walked over, took Donald's magic staff, examined it, and asked, "Where did you get this staff? It's so powerful?"

"I'll explain it to you slowly later..." Donald could barely move with Lucia clinging to him, so he just spread his hands in reply.

"Your Highness, this subordinate failed in his duty and caused you distress." Captain Kaz knelt on one knee before Lucia, bowing his head.

Only then did Lucia stop crying. She let go of Donald, helped Kaz up, and said, "Captain Kaz, the rebel forces under Ilay's control..."

"Your Highness, rest assured. There were no rebel forces at all. The day after you and Donald were kidnapped, my men had already secretly placed all the military commanders in the Three Southern Provinces under surveillance using my writ. Ilay's orders never got through."

"Then why were you just now..." Lucia asked.

"I was afraid that madman would harm you if he learned the rebellion had failed."

"Hey! What do we do with this idiot?" Wesley pointed at Carl, who was slumped on the ground.

Hearing this, Donald took back his magic staff from Victor and walked over.

"I remember you told me to rely on myself?" Donald said slowly to Carl. The latter's eyes were vacant, and it was unclear if he was even listening. "But look at you. When have you ever relied on yourself, aside from your family's influence and your noble title?"

Donald continued, "I originally just found you annoying. But you actually... forget it. Why am I saying so much? You should just die."

Boom. Carl fell into a pool of blood, like a dead dog.

At that moment, the sun had just reached its zenith.

A rebellion that had been plotted and prepared for six hundred years failed in a single morning.

(Thank you to the readers who have supported this book since its release. The first climax is over for now. More exciting plots are coming soon. If you like this book, don't forget to bookmark it. Also, please vote for recommendation tickets!)