Rebellion (2)

Adarua sat outside the Laboratory, basking in the sun and chewing on a blade of grass she had plucked, bored out of her mind.

The streets seemed livelier than usual, and people hurried about, apparently shouting about something.

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

"Marquis Eli, the city lord, has rebelled and taken the Princess hostage. A lot of people died at the Martial Magic Tournament..."

At the news, Adarua immediately ran toward the tournament grounds. After a few steps, she turned back.

"Manda, Mia, wake up! Donald might be in danger. I'm going to check on him. Don't go back to sleep. Lock the Laboratory door and keep an eye on Richard and Kelly. Don't let them go out... No, you two can't come. If you keep making a fuss, I'll send you home!"

Only after giving the sisters their instructions did Adarua leave, reassured.

The one-hour deadline was almost up.

Thousands of students and teachers from the two academies had faced the choice between life and death. Most had chosen to swear allegiance to the Tris Family. Only a little over a hundred still refused to budge. Donald, Wesley, Victor, Devis, and Merkel were among them.

Lucia had woken up, and to guard against any unexpected developments, Ilay City Lord kept her under his personal control. Until the situation was completely under control, no rope or guard could be as effective as a Level 3 Magician standing right beside her.

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

Thanks to the Dwarf's Wonder Potion, Professor Victor and Dean Devis had recovered most of their strength. But to avoid giving themselves away, Donald and Wesley still pretended to support them.

Their opponents included a Level 3 Magician, a Knight whose strength was close to Captain Kaz's—the Level 4 Knight Derrick—and a Level 1 Magician. They might even have other tricks up their sleeves. On their side, apart from the Magic Academy professors, who were badly injured and unable to fight, they had one weakened Level 2 Magician and one weakened Level 1 Magician, a few Level 1 and Level 2 Knights, and the rest were mostly Magic Apprentices and Squires...

Donald silently compared the two sides' fighting strength. He couldn't see any chance of victory. They might have no choice but to fight like cornered beasts in the end. He just didn't know how much good the trump card he'd prepared in advance would do.

Donald hadn't been afraid of dying. He'd once thought that since he'd suddenly arrived in this world, he might suddenly leave it at any time. But as time passed and he experienced more, he'd formed attachments and responsibilities, and found himself reluctant to leave.

Then he thought of Richard and Kelly. Under the Dwarf's care, they should be safe.

With no worries holding him back, he might as well go all out. The thought eased his tension, and he even smiled at Wesley. The latter still looked unconcerned, and Donald couldn't imagine how he managed it.

Just then, Adarua arrived.

"Eli, what the hell are you doing?" The Dwarf didn't like beating around the bush.

"Master Adarua." Ilay City Lord was startled to see the Dwarf charge into the grounds. His grip on Lucia's hand tightened, but only for an instant before he regained his composure. "What's happening here is a political matter. If I remember correctly, you have no right to interfere."

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

"Your friend? Are you going to risk violating our agreement to handle a personal matter? Are you really sure you've been granted that authority?"

"Bullshit! You'd better shut your mouth! Donald is a friend of the Extreme North Country. If you dare lay a finger on him today, I guarantee we'll support the Feymont Empire unconditionally for the next year, until they beat you to the point there's nothing left of you!"

Ilay City Lord's expression turned ugly. He knew Donald was just a Magic Apprentice, so letting him go wouldn't matter much. But being forced to back down on a day when he should have been celebrating his triumph was infuriating.

"Then please take your friend with you," Ilay City Lord said coldly.

Donald gave the approaching Adarua an apologetic look, then called out loudly, "I challenge Carl!"

"What an idiot who doesn't know what's good for him," Ilay City Lord thought.

"Carl, don't think I don't know that you arranged for people to hurt Richard and Kelly. I'm going to avenge my brother!"

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

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

"Of course!" Carl's expression was as cold as his grandfather Eli's.

"If I win, can you let one of my friends go too?"

"Win first, then we'll talk!" Before Ilay City Lord could answer, Carl had already stepped onto the open ground in front of him.

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

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

"A Magic Staff."

Carl looked to Ilay City Lord for confirmation. The latter nodded. He hadn't sensed any magical fluctuation from the Magic Array on Donald's staff. Clearly, it was just a worthless prop with no Magic Array carved into it.

"So we can use magical items?"

"Of course!"

Carl sneered to himself. He'd planned to use a Magic Scroll anyway, and Donald had just handed him the perfect excuse. What an idiot.

To avoid any mishaps, Carl deliberately stood not far in front of Ilay City Lord. Donald didn't back down either, stepping right up in front of Carl and glaring fiercely at him.

Carl suddenly recalled the way Aldrich had died yesterday, along with Donald's strange close-range spell, and instinctively took a few steps back.

"This time, we're not alone..." Donald murmured, saying something that seemed to make no sense.

Lucia, who had been listless under Eli's Spiritual Power suppression, suddenly brightened. She alone knew Donald was speaking to her.

Eli glanced at Carl, preparing to announce the start of the duel.

Donald pressed both hands together slightly, shortening the Magic Staff to its limit. After confirming that a Tri-Ice Spear had slid into the cavity at the front of the handle, he pulled the handle back to its furthest position. At that point, a hole the size of a grain of rice lined up with his palm.

Donald crouched slightly, adopting a stance as if ready to charge forward.

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

Donald didn't hesitate. He twisted his waist and aimed the Magic Staff at Ilay City Lord, bracing the handle against his shoulder in a strange stance. Then he activated the prepared Magic Model. As the Exploding Ice Bead fitted into the tiny hole in his palm, he twisted the handle, covering the hole.

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

Just like Eli, everyone turned to look at Kaz when they heard Wesley's shout. But Kaz was still tightly bound, and even he looked bewildered, unsure why someone had suddenly called out his name.

Almost at the same instant, a thunderous boom came from the dueling area. When everyone's attention snapped toward the sound, smoke was curling from the end of Donald's strange Magic Staff. In the direction it pointed, only half of Ilay's head remained, and blood and brains were splattered everywhere.

That's right. The so-called Magic Staff Donald had been holding all along was actually a Heavy Magic Rifle. The use of Mithril without regard for cost had multiplied the magic's power inside the barrel. The Exploding Ice Bead had become even more violent. Its enormous explosive force drove the Ice Spear inside the staff faster and faster, until it shot from the cavity at the front at an inconceivable speed. The tremendous recoil made Donald's shoulder ache.

With the aid of Spiritual Power, aiming a gun without needing to calculate a projectile's arc was incredibly easy for a Magic Apprentice accustomed to ranged magic. Especially at such close range, against an unprepared opponent.

The Ice Spear used as a bullet was simply too fast to give Eli any time to react. He'd also never seen a weapon like this, so he couldn't have prepared for it in advance.

All these factors combined to bring about one result: Eli, a powerful Level 3 Magician, died at the height of his glory at the hands of an enemy he'd never expected.

Almost everyone was stunned by what had just happened. The most shaken was Carl, who was standing close by. He dropped to the ground, eyes vacant and strength seemingly drained from his body. His grandfather, powerful as a god, had been killed by Donald in a single strike.

A Magic Apprentice had killed a Level 3 Magician despite the difference in their ranks. It was simply unheard of. But someone quickly realized there was more to it: the Magic Apprentice hadn't intended to challenge Carl at all. He'd been targeting Eli from the very beginning. Wesley's shout had clearly been planned before Donald entered the arena. He'd used the challenge against Carl as cover to lull Eli into lowering his guard, then arranged for Wesley to assist and divert Eli's attention. Every step had been part of a trap, all to lure Eli in.

And why hadn't even Ilay City Lord been on guard against the tremendous power of that Magic Staff? Was the Magic Array on it really so well concealed?

After witnessing the staff unleash such a devastating attack, the onlookers were most concerned about whether it had been a one-use magical effect or a magical item that could be used repeatedly.

"Follow me! Get the Scrolls ready!" After firing once, Donald didn't pause for a moment. He shouted to Lucia, then turned and headed toward Derrick and Judy.

He pushed the handle, and another Ice Spear slid into place. He extended the handle, loaded the Exploding Ice Bead, twisted it, and—boom! Judy fell with a mangled abdomen. For an instant, her face showed not pain, but confusion and fury.

She couldn't understand why her father hadn't noticed anything unusual about the terrifying power of Donald's Magic Staff. Even as she was struck down, all she'd sensed was a faint ripple of Water Element magic.

She hated that she'd underestimated this young man after all. She'd always thought he got by through manipulating people. Even after the incident with the message sent abroad, she'd never imagined he could be this powerful.

The rest of the people at the grounds were just as shocked. Donald's Magic Staff could be used repeatedly. How could a Magic Staff of this caliber have made its way to Middle-earth, let alone into the hands of this young man?

Derrick charged forward like a madman.

"Scroll!" Donald shouted.

This time, Lucia didn't falter. She unfurled the Scroll toward the charging Derrick and fed it a little Spiritual Power.

Boom! Boom! Boom! A massive Ice Storm pinned Derrick in place, the Battle Qi around his body flickering on and off.

Taking advantage of the opening, Wesley, Victor, and Devis rushed to Captain Kaz's side and removed the Fine Steel Chain binding him.

As soon as the Ice Storm showed signs of fading, Kaz charged straight into it and swung a punch at Derrick. The Level 3 ice magic had already drained most of Derrick's Battle Qi, leaving him unable to defend himself. Kaz's punch sent him flying. The moment he hit the ground, Kaz closed in and punched him again. Derrick lay on his back as Kaz's furious iron fist slammed down into his stomach. He curled up like a shrimp before collapsing limply.

Just like that, Eli was dead, while Derrick and Judy were seriously injured. The situation had turned around in an instant.

From the moment Donald accepted the challenge, Adarua had stood by and done nothing. Though Donald was increasingly growing on him, he truly couldn't intervene. Even he had been startled by the power of Donald's Magic Staff. He wondered to himself whether he could handle it if he hadn't prepared in advance. He figured he'd suffer a minor injury, but Donald wouldn't get a second shot. Given that Donald was only a Magic Apprentice, that was already an incredible result.

The thousands of students and teachers who had just sworn allegiance to the Tris Family were both shocked and embarrassed. They obviously wouldn't honor their promise, but all they could do was wait at a distance for judgment. Dean Devis stepped in front of the crowd, coughed a few times, and said vaguely, "Why are you all standing around like idiots? Hurry up and round up the rest of them!"

There were always clever people. They immediately understood Devis's meaning. If they stood around waiting to be judged, wouldn't that be admitting their guilt and forcing the Princess to punish them?

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

Seeing that Kaz had been rescued and the situation was settled, Lucia suddenly threw her arms around Donald and buried her face against his chest, sobbing loudly. Donald didn't know what to do. All he could do was pat her back and comfort her softly. "It's all right, it's all right. I told you, we weren't alone this time, so nothing would happen."

Hearing his words only made Lucia feel more aggrieved. She raised one fist and pounded on Donald's chest again and again, while still clinging to him with the other arm.

Victor didn't bother to keep his distance, and had even forgotten that Lucia was the Princess. He walked over and took Donald's Magic Staff, examining it as he asked, "Where did you get this Magic Staff? It's incredible!"

"I'll explain it all to you later..." Donald could barely move with Lucia clinging to him, so he could only spread his hands as he answered.

"Your Highness, I failed in my duty and let you suffer a fright." Kaz came before Lucia, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head.

Only then did Lucia stop crying and release Donald. She helped Kaz to his feet and said, "Captain Kaz, what about the rebels under Ilay's control..."

"Rest assured, Your Highness. There aren't any rebels. The day after you and Donald were kidnapped, my men were already using my written orders to secretly keep watch on every army commander in the Three Southern Provinces. Ilay's orders couldn't be delivered at all."

"Then why did you..." Lucia asked.

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

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

Hearing him, Donald took the Magic Staff back from Victor and walked over.

"I remember you telling me you had to rely on yourself." Donald spoke slowly to Carl, whose eyes were vacant. He couldn't tell if Carl was listening. "But look at you. When have you ever relied on yourself, apart from your family's power and your noble title?"

Donald continued, "I just thought you were annoying. But you actually... Forget it. What's the point of saying all this? You should just die."

With a bang, Carl collapsed in a pool of blood, like a dead dog.

By then, the sun had just reached its peak.

A rebellion six hundred years in the making had been defeated after lasting only one morning.

(Thanks to all the readers who have supported this book since it began. The first major arc has come to a close, and even more exciting developments are just around the corner. If you're enjoying the book, don't forget to add it to your collection. And please vote for it!)