Moonlight Holy Sword Amulet

Tylen shook the blood from his hand, as naturally as if he had just slaughtered a chicken.

He bent down and pulled the silver-gray Ritual Sword from the gradually cooling corpse of the burly man.

Though the blade was smeared with blood, the fluctuations of Mana within it were still palpable.

"What are you doing?!"

Virgil demanded sharply, his face so gloomy it looked ready to drip water.

Tylen wiped the Ritual Sword on the burly man's clothes, casually tucked it into his belt, and tilted his head slightly as he said with complete conviction:

"According to Chapter Three, Article Seven of the Imperial Wizard Duel Codex, the victor has the right to claim spoils from the loser."

"This sword is my spoils now."

Virgil was just about to blow up when Locke and Kathy, who had finally come to their senses after standing stunned, immediately stepped forward and shielded Tylen.

Locke sneered, fixing Virgil with a sharp gaze:

"That's right. Those are the rules."

"What? Your Blazing Sun Tower lost the competition and the duel, and now you won't even follow the most basic rules of dueling?"

Kathy was still a little frightened, but she pressed her lips together and nodded firmly in support.

At this, Joyce and Virgil looked utterly furious.

They stared at the sword at Tylen's waist. They didn't care about the artifact worth 830 Purple Gold Coins. What mattered to them was their pride!

In the end, Virgil could only grit his teeth and force out:

"We're leaving!"

With that, he led the Blazing Sun Tower's apprentices away in disgrace, without even taking the time to collect the burly man's body.

As they watched the group retreat in defeat, thunderous cheers and applause erupted all around them.

The competition ended with the Kane Wizard Tower victorious in every match.

Tylen silently took out a Corpse Bag and said to Ike, who stood there looking stunned and shocked, "Come on, give me a hand!"

Meanwhile, at the top of the Kane Wizard Tower.

This was the tower's center of power, as well as the place with the widest view.

Makley clutched a silver mirror engraved with intricate patterns. Unable to hide his excitement, he hurried down the long corridor and pushed open the heavy obsidian doors.

"What is it?"

Moke, who was reading documents behind his desk, raised his head slightly.

This Grand Wizard of the third rank was already more than three hundred years old. His hair and beard were completely white, and his face was lined with the furrows of time, but his eyes remained as deep as the sea, brimming with wisdom and authority that made one's heart tremble.

Makley strode over, set the silver mirror on the desk, and fed it a trace of Mana.

Hum!

Ripples spread across the surface of the mirror, and a clear holographic image appeared.

It showed the entire competition and duel that had just taken place outside the Rune Shop.

Moke watched in silence.

He saw Tylen take out the Bone Flute and shock the crowd, cleverly share the credit with Locke and Kathy, and finally fight a breathtaking duel and turn the tables.

When Tylen sliced off the burly man's head, Moke's white eyebrows rose slightly.

Only after the image ended and cheers rang in his ears did Moke nod slightly, a trace of satisfaction appearing on his face.

"I know those two children. They're descendants of the Sara Family and the Hoffman Family, and they're your students."

Moke pointed to the boy standing in the shadows in the image, smiling humbly.

"Is this one your student as well?"

Makley nodded respectfully, unable to hide a trace of pride in his voice.

"Yes, great-grandfather."

"His name is Tyron Arthas Magnus. I discovered him and taught him myself."

"I'd say he's the most outstanding student in this year's class. There's no one else even close."

"He has excellent logical reasoning skills and an extraordinary memory. And he's... loyal and dependable."

Moke set down his quill and asked with interest:

"What makes you say that?"

Makley took a deep breath, then gave a concise account of what had happened over the past week.

He told Moke about Old Jack's death and what followed, Tylen's astonishing speed at learning Runic Studies, his remarkable efficiency at work, and his shrewd way of handling relationships.

The surprise in Moke's eyes deepened as he listened.

He lowered his gaze to the boy in the silver mirror again, as if trying to see through the image and into his soul.

"To think someone so young could have such a calculating nature and such composure?"

"Are you sure... some old monster hasn't possessed him?"

Makley shook his head, his tone firm.

"That's almost certainly not the case."

"I used the rune token my father left me to examine him closely."

"I found no signs of spiritual instability, nor any mismatch between his consciousness and his spirit."

"There are only two possibilities: either he's a true genius, or the old monster possessing him is so powerful that we can't detect it—and wouldn't dare provoke it."

Moke gave a thoughtful "Hmm."

He raised his head and looked deeply at Makley, the corner of his mouth curving into a meaningful smile.

"I thought you were usually indifferent to worldly affairs and didn't care much for these power struggles."

"But I never expected you to inherit your father's knack for managing people so perfectly."

Makley smiled without replying, merely lowering his head respectfully.

Moke's fingers tapped rhythmically against the obsidian desktop.

"He really is a rare talent."

"Judging from his performance just now and what you've told me, this boy will achieve a great deal in academia, and he'll also be very good at political maneuvering."

"Tell me, what do you have in mind?"

"Should we promote him directly to a core apprentice and give him the best resources?"

Makley shook his head, a trace of cold pragmatism flashing in his eyes.

"No."

"That would only make him a target."

"Besides, I haven't finished testing him."

"His basic qualities and abilities have already been tested. What remains... is his character."

Makley raised his head, his gaze burning as he looked at Moke.

"So I'd like to request a Moonlight Holy Sword Amulet."

"After the exams, I'll send him to the hunting team outside the city for a month."

"I'll give him ample funds and authority, and put him in charge of purchasing and managing magical beast corpses for the Wizard Tower."

"I want to see whether he'll grow resentful and disloyal after accomplishing great things, only to be passed over for promotion and sent outside the city to toil."

"I also want to see whether, with a large sum of money and considerable power at his disposal and no one watching him, he'll become arrogant and greedy, and start deceiving his superiors and concealing the truth."

At this, a thoughtful look passed through Moke's wise eyes.

"Human nature can't withstand being tested."

"What if he really does fall into corruption?"

Makley's voice turned cold and merciless.

"Then it'll prove he's a highly capable thief who's good at pretending."

"Even if he becomes tremendously powerful and renders countless services in the future, he won't feel any gratitude toward our Wizard Tower or do us any good."

"I'll nip him in the bud myself."

Moke fell silent for a moment, then said calmly:

"This is a gamble."

Makley drew a deep breath, his gaze resolute.

"But if he passes the test..."

"I hope he'll earn the right to enter the Holy Sword Dungeon this year."

Moke thought for two seconds, then let out a long sigh.

"Your political cunning and your knack for managing people are exactly like your father's."

"Very well."

Makley was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed.

"Thank you, great-grandfather! I won't let you down!"

Moke walked over to the obsidian bookcase and opened a hidden drawer.

From inside, he took out a cross-shaped pendant.

It was a finely crafted silver greatsword, its blade engraved with countless tiny runes and glowing with a faint, cool radiance like moonlight.

"May the moonlight protect you and your student, child."

Moke handed the amulet to Makley, his eyes filled with honor and pride.

The Moonlight Holy Sword was the emblem of the Kane Wizard Tower and the source of its glory.

A thousand years ago, during the Third Abyss Expedition, the saint Ludwig, who had received guidance from the Goddess of the Moon, took up the Moonlight Holy Sword and led the Pure Holy Sword Squad like a dagger piercing the heart of the Abyss.

They slew countless Abyssal monsters. In the end, to cover the retreat of the main force, they remained forever in that dark world.

The ancestor of the Kane Family had been Ludwig's deputy.

For his achievements in that battle, he became a regional lord, and his line gradually developed into the Kane Wizard Tower of today.

This Moonlight Holy Sword Amulet had been crafted from fragments of the shattered holy sword wielded by their ancestor.

Each fragment contained the bloodline mark of the Kane Family, as well as the blessing of sacred moonlight.

The bearer would not only receive the moonlight's protection but could also form a resonant connection with direct descendants.

In the face of mortal danger, the bearer could even activate the amulet's power, allowing a Wizard of the direct bloodline to appear at their side instantly as a spiritual avatar.

Just as Makley was about to leave, Moke suddenly called out to him.

"Don't forget to warn your student."

"Tell him not to use Mental Power to probe the power within the amulet. That would be extremely dangerous."

Makley stopped and turned back with a smile.

"Maybe it's better not to tell him."

"Often, the more you warn someone, the more curious they become and the more they want to try it."

"On the other hand, if he doesn't know, he won't think much of it and will treat it like an ordinary ornament."

With that, Makley bowed and strode away.