Nathan stared at the stranger in front of him, wide-eyed. He didn't expect this at all. Nathan had many questions, but no answers were coming, and he knew that. Nathan, although wasn't a cultivator and couldn't feel Xue Mo's power, he was a veteran.
Looking at Xue Mo made his instincts go haywire. Dangerous, he's too dangerous! That's what he felt while looking at Xue Mo. Yet, he wasn't just a normal man either.
Even if Xue Mo was dangerous, he was the former king of the Udanem kingdom. He was a Magic Grandmaster powerhouse; he wasn't just a run out of the mill weakling.
Nathan just stared at Xue Mo and remained silent. Although he heard the question, he decided to ignore it. Silence ensued between the two. Nathan didn't talk, and Xue Mo wasn't the talkative type anyway.
Seeing the situation starting to get awkward, Lu Yao spoke, "Hey, you. Nathan, right? Why don't you answer my partner? He was serious, you know, if he weren't, he wouldn't bother asking!"
Nathan was startled seeing Lu Yao talk. He was so focused on Xue Mo that he didn't notice the white fox sitting on him. This was how big of an effect Xue Mo's natural aura caused to Nathan.
Nathan observed for a couple more seconds; he saw how Xue Mo hadn't attacked him yet. He sighed exaggeratedly and relaxed. "Stupid? No! Power hungry? Definitely!"
Nathan's answer was honest and straightforward. He knew that there was no reason to lie. He was caught red-handed talking with the red-robed woman; maybe if he answered the other party and accommodated them, he might get spared. Although the possibility was low, he wanted to survive!
Getting his answer, Xue Mo nodded his head while thinking inwardly, 'power-hungry is the same as stupid. He thinks he's smart, but he made an enemy that he knew ruled a whole world, maybe more. As expected, all those rulers are stupid as f*ck!'
Nathan thought that Xue Mo was satisfied with the answer, but he didn't know that his response just made him seem stupider in the latter's eyes. 'Well, let's get this over with, shall we?' Xue Mo thought before getting into a fighting stance.
Nathan knew that he screwed up big this time and wouldn't survive. Yet, he wanted to try. He had lived for over 170 years. How could he die just like that? The answer is: he couldn't! He wouldn't! He had to survive; even if he had to put his life on the line, he would survive.
Xue Mo noticed the changes occurring to the sitting monarch, but he didn't care. He saw him going from a pondering expression to a serious one and end up with a bloodthirsty cruel smile plastered on his face. This made him happy. It seemed that this opponent might cause him a challenge.
The two stared at each other and were about to fight any second. Nathan rose from his throne and took a fighting stance that had his hands spread. He was a mage; after all, his expertise lay in magic.
"WAIT!" Lu Yao yelled, seeing them about to engage each other, "do it outside! Were you trying to destroy the building?" Lu Yao's words calmed them down. Although Xue Mo didn't care, remembering his plan, he complied.
Nathan, on the other hand, sighed in relief. Even if he didn't care what sacrifice he had to make, but he didn't want the castle that his family built all those years ago to get destroyed. He had lived in it his whole life, after all.
"Let's go from the secret entrance," Nathan gestured before tapping the gems on the throne in a specific sequence.
CLANG!
The walls opened the same way he saw in the Assassination Academy yet also different. That place was more secure and complex. He knew that this small kingdom couldn't compare to an organization that dabbles in Qi and Mana, such as the Academy.
There was no need for Nathan to explain why such an escape route exists as it was naturally obvious, not that he wanted to tell. After the three individuals entered the wall, Nathan pulled a lever, and the door closed.
A big hallway filled with torches was in front of them. They walked for half an hour before seeing a dead end with a similar lever on the wall. Nathan did the same as before, and they exited.
Their exit point was inside a cave. The scene in front of them confirmed that they weren't inside Danem. It seemed that the tunnel they took extends to outside the capital. Still, they didn't stop and exited the cave.
BABBLE!
Lush land with different types of flowers surrounded the landscape. The water ran in the river, making a nice view as fish jumped in the air from time to time. It didn't look like anyone took care of it, yet the place's natural beauty was mesmerizing. It was a beautiful scene to behold.
Still, the didn't mean anything to Xue Mo. He just gave a glance at the place before focusing on the Magic Grandmaster in front of him. Lu Yao jumped from his shoulder and sat on top of a rock lazily. "Mo, finish this fast!"
Lu Yao's words infuriated Nathan, even if he knew he would lose, he didn't want to be this underestimated. But thinking of it in another way, this would be beneficial. 'Underestimate me! Do it, once you do, I would win!' He was inwardly praying.
The atmosphere again became cold as the two leaked their battle intent. They concentrated on each other, forgetting everything else; it was as if they were the only ones' in a separate world.
Dark-colored smoke started enveloping Xue Mo suddenly. It wasn't his Shadow Soul Pressure nor the Mana skills that he used. This was Xue Mo's True Arch Energy working with his Dark affinity. It looked menacing and made Nathan's heart grow cold.
Nathan didn't let his emotions control him, stretching his arms forward, he yelled, "Blazing Tornado!"
Following Nathan's shout, Mana leaked and took the shape of a fiery tornado. At first, it was small, yet in less than a second, it started moving in a circle clockwise manner, becoming big that it reached the sky.
It headed toward the standing Xue Mo with incredible speed. It seemed about to reach him, making Nathan happy yet wary. Why wasn't Xue Mo doing anything? Why was he just standing there? Xue Mo suddenly smirked and laughed coldly, "Is this the best a Magic Grandmaster could do?"
Xue Mo's wasn't the type who usually talks in battle, yet he came here to test himself, and if Nathan doesn't go all out, it would be for nothing.
As expected, Nathan became angry hearing his words but didn't lose his cool. He again stretched his hand, yet this time it was both. One of his hands seemed to be harnessing Mana and converting to fire while the other turned it into wind.
"Blazing Tornado! Wind Enhancement!" Nathan yelled with passion, "Combination Magic, Blazing Wind Tornado!"