Translator: Kris_Liu Editor: Vermillion
The sun was shining and the lake rippling.
Before Bellak, who was frozen solid, started to fall, the ice and snow pieces surrounding him started to melt and evaporate, and then his body and the magic robe he was wearing were turned into the white powder, simmering in the air.
The power of Evans’ Freezing Ray even surpassed Lucien’s own expectation. The spell just turned a six-circle sorcerer, who had already cast his own defensive spells, into pieces of ice crystal and a handful of powder. Even the magic he just used was also frozen and broken into tiny pieces!
Although it was possibly because Bellak underestimated the power of the ray, no one could deny the fact that this seventh-circle magic had already won against the rest of the snow and ice spells, and what was even more terrifying was that, with the proper casting reagent, even a senior-rank-to-be sorcerer whose cognition world had been partly substantialized could use it.
In order words, because of the progress in arcana study, Lucien had managed to lower the requirement of casting this seventh-circle spell while retaining the power, which complied with the effort that the Congress had always been making.
The powder of the magic items that Bellak wore fell onto the small piece of land at the center of the lake. Lucien turned around and saw the shocking look on Alferris’ face. Its amber-colored eyes opened wide.
Lucien, of course, wanted Alferris to keep it as a secret for him.
He put on a kind smile and asked Alferris who looked in shock, “Are you alright?”
“My rings… amulets…” Alferris’ childish voice trembled as if there was deep sorrow in it. It had been eager to collect Bellak’s magic items for a long time, which was always its biggest interest. As for how powerful Lucien’s spell was, sorry, right now it was not in the mood to think of it at all.
That was Alferris. Lucien released a sigh of relief in his mind, “You know what? The powder and pieces are still valuable.”
In fact, after Lucien’s cognition world was substantialized, using Elemental Swirl would not drain him up anymore, and he could even use it twice in a row. Lucien had several ways to kill Bellak, but to be careful, he directly used his most powerful hidden weapon.
“Really?” Alferris cheered up.
“Of course,” answered Lucien very calmly.
Although Lucien was not lying, as the broken pieces and power did have some value, when compared to the original rings and amulets, the value was not even close. However, Lucien was not going to tell Alferris the truth, since the dragon only collected them, and in fact, would never sell them.
Alferris dived and very quickly collected the powder and pieces.
“Are you happy now?” The smile on Lucien’s face was still nice and kind.
“Yup!” Alferris counted the materials it got and answered cheerfully.
“So… It’s time to give my ring back to me.” Lucien continued to smile.
Alferris’ body suddenly became stiff as it was just struck by an invisible bolt of lightning. And then it said in a pretended calm way, “Let me keep playing Lucien Evans.”
“I don’t need to leave Allyn recently,” said Lucien. He adjusted the monocle he was wearing and informed his teacher, Fernando, Thompson, Morris, and Raventi respectively.
Seeing that Lucien was being very firm, Alferris became very depressed. Slowly and carefully, it took off the ring and handed it back to Lucien.
…
In Rentato, the Kingdom of Holm.
After finishing his preach to the several leading conservative nobles, the red-robed cardinal, Adrian, stepped out of the strictly-guarded manor.
The experienced coachmen gently pulled the reins and coaches stopped in front of Adrian nicely and smoothly.
The pastors and knights guarding the red-robed cardinal quickly walked forward and divided into two rows to guard the coaches, waiting for Adrian to get on one of them.
Adrian crossed in front of his chest and prayed at a low voice. Then, he slowly walked to the coach in stateliness.
Suddenly, as if he was warned by God, he sensed a great danger and immediately activated a seventh level divine spell, Chaos Teleportation.
A sacred gate covered in white light slowly opened in front of him.
However, when Adrian was about to step in, the visional gate connecting to Mountain Paradise shook fiercely and then shattered.
The ninth-circle Force Field spell, Space Lock!
Then, the temperature of the environment rose rapidly and the air became boiling hot. The ground had been turned into a orange-red lava and devoured the pastors, bishops, and knights before they could release their bitter screams.
The red-robed cardinal started to fall into pieces, and the activated divine armor and protective screen were also melting like small candles before a great flame.
The ninth-circle elemental spell, Raventi’s Flame Hell!
Adrian could not move at all because of the space lock. Crying and screaming, he was burnt to ashes!
A few minutes later, the flame hell quieted down. The coachmen were more than scared seeing the big pit in front of them. The area of the pit just covered the area where the clergy was standing. However, the coaches and the coachmen who were just a few inches away from them remained completely unharmed, and the horses were even snorting in a quite relaxed way.
The remaining flame formed the words on the ground,
“Equal Revenge.”
…
At noon, in a quiet church in Rentato.
There were no followers coming in and out since it had been converted into a cloister for the ascetics. All the fancy decorations had been removed, and the thistles and thorns representing all the sufferings were planted.
In the room which originally belonged to the bishop, a young man in his early twenties was tempering his will using pain. His hair was rather short, and his figure was robust.
Abraham was the most outstanding and talented ascetic among his peers, and he had directly contributed to the improvement of theology. Although Varantine disliked some of his point of views, he had to concede that Abraham was very likely to become a red-robed cardinal in the next five years. Many grand cardinals even regarded him as the future Saint!
Ever since the main focus of the Church started to change after facing the continuous provocation from the Congress, Abraham was among the first team of clergy who volunteered to come to Holm. Abraham once said, “Only dangers and obstacles can purify one’s piety. Without death and the sufferings, no honor of devotion can be proved.”
In the darkness, Abraham walked on the thistles and thorns with his bare feet, however, he did not release a single groan. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide, as the dark room was somehow lit up.
Outside of the cloister, four flaming meteorites fell from the sky and directly hit the building.
The ninth-circle spell, Meteor Swarm.
It was a magic belonging to both the school of Element and Astrology.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The cloister was completely flattened after the series of explosions.
Abraham’s body was now in chunks and pieces, and his eyes were still open wide. In the last second of his life, he still had no idea what just happened.
In the air, Morris opened the gate of Precise Transfer in the sky and left before the defense magic circles in Rentato were activated.
…
Not far away from Radiance Church, in the station of the Knights of Grail.
The level-six radiant knight Sigma was leading his team, doing the regular patrolling as usual, and the sounds of the pure-white armor pieces clacking were short and crisp.
All of a sudden, he jumped forward very swiftly, but the lightning from the sky was even faster.
The lightning hit Sigma’s back along with the sacred wings he had. The lightning did not numb Sigma like the common ones, but it vibrated at a high speed. Like a table-knife cutting a piece of cheese, the lightning blade easily cut open Sigma’s armor and his body. The cut was burned black.
That was Fernando’s Lightning Smelter!
The power of this fifth-circle spell, when cast by an eighth-circle sorcerer, was no inferior to that of an eighth-circle spell!
After leaving the words “Equal Revenge”, Thompson quickly left.
…
On the thirty-third floor of the headquarter of the Congress of Magic in Allyn.
“The red-robed cardinals, ascetics, and radiant knights, ten in total, have been eliminated. We have shown the Church our resolution on taking revenge. In the future, if they dare to do anything like this again, we will make them pay tenfold,” reported Thompson to the Lord of Storm.
Fernando nodded slightly, “So they are all supporters of the Pope, right?”
“That’s correct. The red-robed cardinals and ascetics supported the theology reform, and the knights were even more loyal,” said Thompson in an assuring way, and than he added concernedly, “We shall be prepared for the war now, sir. Seeing what we did, the Church will for sure fight back.”
“Gather the sorcerers to get prepared. Also, inform the nobles. They were the ones who were pursuing the balance between the Congress and the Church, and thus they should be ready to bear the consequences,” said Fernando a bit sarcastically. “We’ll see if they want to support one side, keep the weak balance… or… they are going to wait until we are both weakened from the war to benefit from it. However, if there is going to be a war, the war will for sure take place in Holm. There’s no way that the nobles can just look on with folded arms. The best way for the nobles to act is to threaten the Church to stay calm, and thus the delicate balance can be kept. ”
After listening to Fernando’s analysis, Thompson left the office to inform Affair Committee the will of the Highest Council.
After a while, Fernando saw that Lucien walked in, followed by Alferris.
“You were being quite careful this time…” Fernando was still the same tightfisted when it came to giving any praises, “So… why are you here?”
“Sir, I have finished another paper.” Lucien smiled.
Fernando did not take the paper instantly but carefully looked Lucien up and down with his red eyes.
