Chapter 1046 Part 1: Library Incident
From MC's Perspective:
The Following Day,
After getting ready, I left my room and exited the dorm building. Another day, same routine. I began walking towards the castle building.
[Ding! Warning]
[Spying on host with killing intention is detected]
The mechanical voice jolted me awake. My heart pounded. For a moment, I questioned the warning. Then, I froze, replaying the system's alert.
"Someone's targeting me," I thought.
My eyes narrowed in determination. This wasn't the city; it was the academy campus. Outsiders were prohibited.
"Could it be students?" I wondered, continuing my walk without turning around. Any hesitation would tip off the enemy.
If I received the same warning inside the castle building, I'd confirm the threat was an academy wizard.
A few minutes later, I reached the building's entrance.
Meanwhile, a wizard adorned with the Transformation Hall emblem materialized where Vincent Carey had stood earlier. Clad in a mage robe and hood, his eyes held a sinister gleam.
Craig Steel, recently promoted to Level-7 Elder House Wizard of the Transformation Hall, was his name. Unknown to many, his family was a secret ally of the Royal Force Hall Academy.
Today, his family had received orders from the Royal Force Hall Academy dean to eliminate Vincent Carey on campus.
Initially shocked, he later understood the academy's fear of Vincent Carey's potential.
However, confronting Vincent Carey was a death sentence. Yet, he couldn't defy his family head, or he'd be hunted down.
Gritting his teeth, he decided to observe Vincent Carey before acting. He feared being spotted near his target.
So, he began studying Vincent Carey's habits.
Concurrently, the Weapon Palace Academy had instructed their hidden pawn, Bailey from the Beast Hall, also a Level-7 Wizard, to kill Vincent.
Unlike most Level-7 wizards, Bailey visited the library after gathering information on Vincent Carey, knowing he was a frequent patron.
Assassinating Vincent within the crowded library would be difficult. He planned to strike outside and escape swiftly, recognizing Vincent Carey as a mere core wizard.
Bailey entered the library and logged in.
At the same time, I arrived at the library entrance, spotting someone at the monitor. I waited.
Then, I caught him glancing at me, appearing startled before refocusing on logging in.
[Ding! Warning]
[Killing intent is detected]
My heart raced. I stared at the man, who seemed normal. Yet, I trusted the system.
I waited for him to leave before approaching the monitor. My mind raced. I chose a deserted study section on basic magic, containing few books and rarely visited.
This was a test. If anyone wished to harm me, they would come here.
As I moved to the corner section, students noticed Vincent Carey's unusual choice. They were accustomed to seeing him in the geography or history sections.
This section was primarily for new inner house wizards studying basic magic systematically.
Curiosity piqued, some students observed, while others posted the news online. Vincent Carey's activities were always popular.
I selected "What is called Mana?" and pretended to read while pondering my next move.
Usually unseen, the library's elder guards observed Vincent Carey. His fame after the Mage Union Wizard's visit had made him a topic of discussion.
"Why is that kid in the newcomer section?" an old man muttered.
"Starting from basics?" a female wizard wondered.
"Strange kid. Can't see his level. Maybe the Old Magic Lord favors him," the old wizard mused.
"He's the academy's future. The only one to gain Mage Union favor recently. Everyone's watching him," the female wizard replied.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Meanwhile, Craig Steel entered the library, scanning the study areas for Vincent Carey. He knew the small rooms held specific sections where Vincent might be.
But checking each room would expose his intentions.
Overhearing students discussing Vincent Carey's location, he checked social media and found the trending post.
A plan was formed. He wouldn't risk missing the opportunity to eliminate Vincent Carey within the given timeframe.
Logging in, he selected the same book section and headed there.
Bailey was surprised to see another wizard, especially Craig Steel, in that section. Their presence in Vincent Carey's chosen area was perplexing.
I grew impatient, wondering if I'd chosen the wrong section. Then, I heard footsteps. Maintaining composure, I continued reading, casually glancing up.
It wasn't the previous person. A thought occurred to me: "Was he the one who targeted me outside the dorm?"
Craig Steel entered, his gaze briefly meeting mine. A surge of urgency prompted a subtle killing intent in his eyes.
Unbeknownst to him, this would be a fatal mistake.
[Ding! Warning]
[A killing intent is detected]
Anger consumed me. This person wanted me dead.
Craig casually selected a book and sat opposite Vincent. Feigning interest, he flipped through the pages while formulating a sinister plan.
A golden opportunity presented itself, but the library's magical restrictions were a significant obstacle. Any aggressive action would trigger the protective formations.
Lost in thought, he received a text. The message, from his family head, read: "You don't have much time. If you find the target, kill him right away. Don't give him any chance."
His hesitation vanished, replaced by a cold, murderous intent. His fate was sealed; he couldn't squander this chance.
[Ding! Warning!]
[A Strong killing intent is detected. Host is advised to stay in alert]
The mechanical voice jolted me awake. My heart pounded as I looked at him. His bloodshot eyes held a terrifying intensity, as if he yearned to end my life in that instant.
With shocking speed, Craig's arms bulked up, resembling a monstrous transformation. Alarm bells rang in my head. "Is he insane?" I thought. He was about to attack me inside the library.
A surge of power coursed through Craig's arms. "Power Strike!" he roared, casting the spell. His fist, charged with destructive energy, could obliterate an average Level-7 wizard. He envisioned Vincent Carey reduced to a bloody pulp.
My eyes turned icy as I anticipated his move. As his fist closed in, I countered with my own spell, "Repulsive Force." A terrifying burst of Level-6 mana erupted from my body, propelling a powerful force outward to meet his attack.
Boom!
With a cataclysmic boom, the magic collided. The explosion shattered bookshelves, tables, and chairs, reducing the area to rubble.
The force of the impact sent me flying into the wreckage, while Craig was thrown back in shock. He realized that Vincent Carey's magic was far beyond Level-5, possibly even approaching Level-7. A precious opportunity had been wasted, and doom loomed.
Nearby students were hurled from their seats by the blast, their faces etched with shock and terror. Some Level-5 wizards suffered injuries from the impact. Bailey, who had witnessed Craig entering the room, was dumbfounded by the sudden explosion.
Simultaneously, hidden magical formations activated, trapping both wizards who had recklessly used their magic within the restricted area.
A commotion erupted as the loud explosion drew attention.
Two elderly librarians arrived at the scene, their expressions grave. They saw the trapped wizards and the devastation. Having observed Vincent Carey, they knew the Level-7 wizard's arrival had preceded the explosion.
"Take both of them to the dean's tower," the old man ordered.
The librarian nodded and activated a device, deactivating the magic formations. With swift movements, she handcuffed both Vincent Carey and the Level-7 wizard, preventing them from casting spells.
Bailey watched in disbelief as his carefully laid plans crumbled. Someone else had interfered, and Vincent Carey lived to fight another day.
The commotion drew the attention of nearby wizards as the library's alarm bells blared, signaling an emergency.
The old man scanned the injured, sighing in relief when he found no fatalities. The wounded could be treated. He immediately summoned the Medicine Hall Elders to provide medical assistance.
Wizard students from across the academy began arriving at the library. Those who arrived first tended to the injured.
Ignoring the commotion, the old man inspected the scene. His suspicions were confirmed by the presence of two distinct mana signatures, indicating a confrontation within the small section.
"How did that kid survive a Level-7 spell?" he muttered in disbelief. Then a thought struck him. "Perhaps the Magic Lord granted him life-saving abilities," he mused.
The idea of a Level-7 wizard attacking a Level-5 within the library was inconceivable. A cold fury ignited in his eyes as he realized the wizard's malicious intent.
"That kid was the target," he concluded. "Fortunately, he survived."
Meanwhile,
The emergency alarms reverberated through the various Wizard Halls, startling even the Level-8 Council Elders. Recognizing the origin of the disturbance as the Main Building, several figures swiftly converged on the scene. The Medical Hall was the first to respond, dispatching teams to treat the injured.
As the injured began to recount the events, the newly arrived wizard students were stunned. A fight within the library was unimaginable. Their shock deepened as they learned the identities of the wizards involved in the explosion.
They couldn't believe their ears. How could a Level-7 wizard attack someone weaker? The idea of such reckless behavior from a high-level wizard was incomprehensible.