John was startled. Not only did Zatiel disobey him but he also insulted him in front of all the apprentices present and also the Magi that were looking at this scene from the tower through their consciousness.
John was almost 50 years old, and he was an Advanced-Rank 1 Magus, so he could be considered relatively young and with his talent reaching the Master level was not something truly difficult and even the opportunity of Rank 2 was present for him if he was lucky, so being called a pet by someone who wasn't even was 20 years old made him angry.
"Who the hell do you think you are! Not long ago you kneeled and begged me, so I took pity and saved you, but this is how you repay me. Truly an ingrateful animal!"
John knows that his words were 99% lies, but he wanted to humiliate Zatiel and see him angry, and if he tries to defend himself, he would just continue to lie, after all, who would take the words of a newly advanced Rank 1 over him.
Contrary to the anger that John was hoping to see in Zatiel's face, there was only disdain as if he was looking at a clown making a show, making his rage only greater, but all that went away as he felt Ezequiel blasting in his direction covered in lightning.
John hasn't given him much attention, as he had just remained beside Zatiel without doing anything, but as Ezequiel crashed against him, he felt as if a mountain was going to crush him.
He sensed something weird as he saw so many openings in the attack, but the fear of being hit by him made him act.
"Poison Hurricane!"
A hurricane of green wind reached Ezequiel and covered his body entirely, creating a tornado that remained in that position harming everything inside.
"HAHAHA! Shouldn't you go and save your friend before he ends up like a poisoned corpse?" Leonard took the first opportunity he could to make fun of Zatiel, but he remained calm and the one that was upset was John.
Although this should have made John happy, he was confused as his opponent did not make the smallest effort to dodge and took the spell head-on.
Something was telling him that there was a problem, but he could not see it.
When the green wind had finally vanished, Ezequiel remained standing, although some parts of his body were harmed and poisoned, due to his ability to transform into lightning and his titan constitution, they were superficial wounds and his lightning was already destroying all the poison in his body.
"Little EZ, he attacked you without reason, so according to the laws of the Empire, even if you kill him, there is no problem."
John understood everything. It was pretty simple, yet greatly effective.
If they had attacked him first, then the Rank 2 Magus, Clive, would have every right to intervene since John was one of his men, and then Zatiel could have done nothing even if Clive imprisoned him.
But now that he attacked first then John has to fight back or else, even if they kill him, they could just say that they were defending themselves.
His thoughts were interrupted as he felt an immense amount of energy coming out from Ezequiel's body as the Lightning Armor and Lightning Transformation were activated to the maximum and he dashed with a speed much greater than before.
'This amount of power is close to the Master level, but how?'
John tried his best to distance himself as he threw 1-meter long blades of green wind against him.
Just like before, Ezequiel didn't change his course, but when the blades were about to reach him, he moved his body just the right way to pass through them, leaving him in the perfect position to dodge the next one and continue his chase.
This control over his body made almost all the Magi that were seeing the fight impressed, several of them could have withstood the attacks of John with the same ease that Ezequiel did, but to dodge those blades with such a mastery and without letting their speed slow down in the slightest was something even those Body-Refinement Rank 1 with the best reflexes will find difficult.
John looked with horror as Ezequiel managed to reach him and punch him right in the stomach. Although his rank spell activated, creating a compacted tornado around him, it did almost nothing as the lightning covered fist pierced it and reached his body.
The attack had such a power that made him crash against the walls of the tower and burn marks were on his abdomen as his intestines were badly hurt, but even worse, John saw how in Ezequiel's hand a spear of lightning that resembled a horrible serpent was formed before it was thrown on his direction.
John knew that if that attack reached him he was dead, but the lightning of the previous attack remained in his body paralyzing him and the spell carried such a speed that he couldn't move in time.
Just as the attack was about to land, an immensely powerful consciousness descended and encapsulated the spear, destroying the attack.
This consciousness was different than the one a Rank 1 being had, this one was filled with natural energy, of the darkness type to be more specific, giving it the capability of affecting the surroundings and giving the one who owns it the ability to use it to attack and launch spell from a distance by channeling the energy inside it.
The moment it arrived, most of the Magi that were seeing the fight withdrew their consciousness, as offending this person was not a wise choice, but still, some remained, meaning that they either were at least equally powerful or had a greater background.
"Enough! The three of you come to my place with John. Unless you refuse,"
Although it was only his consciousness, the power it carried could make any Rank 1 shudder.
Zatiel, Ezequiel and Sophia felt an immense pressure descending on them, although it was not to the level of making them powerless, if the three were going to fight against it, the most they could do was escaping.
The pressure continued increasing as Clive waited for the answer, it appears that he wanted to make them kneel, but as it continued growing stronger, in the bodies of the three their two hearts started to beat faster increasing their energy and allowing them to resist.
It was only until Zatiel was able to get an assessment of the power that Clive had, that he talked.
"I wouldn't dare to challenge a Rank 2 Magus," Zatiel made a small bow with a respectful expression.
"Hmph!"
The consciousness vanishes but the three know that he is still looking at them, and if they continue creating trouble, it will take direct action the next time.
Ezequiel deactivate his spell and came back to Zatiel, as for Sophia, she was still torturing Arnold, making sure the decaying effect of her water did not harm his vital organs making the agony last the longest possible, but realizing that there were important matters to attend, she destroyed the apprentice's brain before gathering with the other two.
"Using the consciousness to harvest the natural energy of the world, and no longer being restricted to having to use your body as a container is one of the main characteristics a Rank 2 has, remember, every advancement in the ranks has a qualitative change that makes the difference in power great, even though our race and bloodline are incredibly powerful, never underestimate your opponents, especially those of a higher rank," Zatiel communicates with the two through their cores, and after seeing the solemn expression of the two, he nodded.
In his past life, the number of individuals he killed just because they think that their racial advantages make them superior to the rest was uncountable, so he was making sure it would not happen to Ezequiel and Sophia.
Zatiel came to John who was standing up and recovering from the attack, "Come on, lead the way, your Master is calling you."
John's face once again filled with anger, but he contained himself by thinking that once they were with Clive, he would make sure of paying back all the offense, so he turned around and led them to the tower.
When they entered the tower and left his sight, Leonard crumbled to the floor.
Everything that has just happened was so surreal and terrifying, but it was finally over. As he was preparing to leave, he heard a voice in his head.
"Don't think I forgot about you, very soon I will come to visit you and we will have tons of entertainment, just like the fun you enjoy giving to others."
It was Zatiel's voice that had reached his consciousness.
Leonard's body starts to tremble uncontrollably and his heart is filled with dread as he starts to think what will happen to him if he falls into Zatiel's hands.