Eluard overheard the conflict outside the carriage but ignored it. He was staring at the mission panel flashed in his eyes.
[ Warning: Your Special Task: Uninvited Guests has been updated ]
'Updated?', he wondered.
[ Special Task: Uninvited Guests (Updated) ]
[ Members of the Creed of the Morning Star have found an entrance to the Heavenly Magic Academy's dimension. You were supposed to meet them 2 months from now but an unexpected incident has occurred. A warlock has rampaged through the fort and is causing havoc. Avert the crisis from worsening and stop the perpetrator. ]
[ Requirement: Stop Dartex, The Fallen Genius ]
[ Additional Requirement: At least 75% of the Creed and League of Wizardry members survive ]
[ Optional Requirement: Reform the Fallen Genius ]
[ Rewards (Updated): Temporary Power Scroll x 3 (Random), Random Special Skill x1 ]
[ Additional Rewards (On Completion of Optional Requirements): Random Equipment (Epic) x1, Orange Magic Crystal x1 ]
[ On Failure: Death of the Creed and League of Wizardry Members ]
'I might have to use my temporary power scroll for this.', Eluard thought.
If even the lives of the members of the Creed and League were threatened, there was no other thing than the fact that the enemy was powerful.
He was about to silently leave when he heard Vulture's oppressive words.
'System… use the temporary power scroll.'
[ Applying ]
Power surged through Eluard's body, making him float for a moment and emit a bluish aura.
'I never wanted to include myself in this conflict, but your words and actions gave me no choice.'
He conjured the death reaper, striking Vulture's men and reaping them of their lives. He opened the door and showed himself.
"A profound magic root, daring to look down upon a mythical magic root. Do you think that just because she's a woman means you have more authority than her?!"
Eluard manipulated the mana to slowly corrode this abusive elf's magic root and cultivation.
"Ah!", Vulture agonized in pain, turning his face into purple. His nerves were starting to bulge out of his body. He couldn't feel properly as everything inside him was being burned inside out.
"St-stop it, Mr. Kai!", Haera begged. Although Vulture was a scornful fellow, the household and people that backed him were powerful.
However, she had to admit that Eluard was also a very powerful wizard indeed.
"Luckily, my time is nearing and academy master has called me out. Otherwise, I would've obliterated you and the people behind you to dust.", Eluard threatened before conjuring a teleportation magic circle below him.
"Miss Haera, this is where we part ways for now. I'll be back to finish this later."
…
Eluard teleported to the headmaster's office. He took out his mask and hesitated on equipping it.
'Should I… present myself as the academy master or as Mr. Kai?'
There were advantages and disadvantages of either option, but he concluded that presenting himself as Kai was more sensible than as the academy master.
First of all, his temporary power scroll was limited to the level of a grandmaster magus. The Heavenly Magic Academy's academy master should have no difficulties in restraining the rampaging warlock and Eluard was unsure of the enemy's strength.
What if it was an archmage and he embarrassed himself under the identity of the academy master?
On the other hand, presenting himself as Mr. Kai, the alleged 'hidden sixth disciple' of the academy master, would provide him a lot of space for errors and unexpected outcomes.
In addition, Haera and Uncle Vermon witnessed his power and his words saying that he was called by the 'academy master'.
If he reappeared in the eastern seaboard and captured the rampaging warlock, he would validate his identity as someone related to the Heavenly Magic Academy, giving him an easier time communicating with the Sanctuary and other factions in Aludia.
'However, this will lead to another problem as well.'
Eluard considered the inconsistency it might bring in the future.
After all, his true power is far from the fact of what the Sanctuary and the rest of Aludia believed upon, a grandmaster magus.
People with observant eyes might notice something suspicious should he be careless from now on.
"System, I'm ready now.", Eluard said before putting back the mask on his inventory.
[ Calculating coordinates ]
[ … ]
[ Calculations completed ]
[ Target: South of Eastern Seaboard, Dulrak's Ruins ]
[ Teleporting ]
A very wide teleportation magic circle appeared underneath him, illuminating the entire office and blinding his eyes.
Eluard could feel his body lighten and start to float again in the air. The mana surged until his figure vanished from the office.
The students noticed this disturbance but paid it no heed.
'Academy master must be testing some new spells right now. I wonder what it is.', Jinmu mused while flipping on a thick book discussing the intricacy of magic array formations.
He was stuck on his venture in domain mana synthesis.
'The advanced knowledge presented is something I cannot discern properly for the time being. I might be lacking in knowledge.'
Reading another book proved successful as his mind was refreshed and new knowledge popped into his mind.
Meanwhile, Emi and Olivia sat a few tables from him and studied on their own.
"Sister Olivia, did you feel it too?", Emi said while munching on a vegetarian sandwich. For some reason, the vegetables served in the canteen were similarly delicious like that of meat.
Olivia nodded, wrinkling her brows in contemplation.
…
Morning Star Empire. A few hours earlier.
A four-horned demonic creature suddenly attacked Miguel, forcing him to block it and land back to the ground.
"Kekekeke…", the demonic creature laughed, "What's the hurry, Herald of the Dragons? Care to join me in my solitude?"
Miguel ignored the creature and glanced at the disappearing undead legion in the distance.
"No wonder Dartex has the audacity to start an outbreak.", he turned his head around and locked eyes with the towering demonic creature, "It seems like your great demonic lord cannot wait any longer, Otherworldler."
"How dare you sully my master's name, hybrid! How can an impure being like you could ever understand?!", the demonic creature cursed.
Its long tail flapped around, pounding the ground with each sentence it finished.
"This world was supposed to be ours in the first place! You only set your foot upon here the moment those shiny crescent heads became jealous of us and chose to steal it during our most vulnerable days!"
Miguel scoffed, "Your fault for being careless, Otherworldler. The sins of the past are something we in the present are gloriously upholding until now."
This phrase angered the demonic creature. It hissed and opened its large mouth, with its large ears and tail erecting high.
The huge four arms trembled in great distress, grasping the air as if it wanted to crush Miguel's head a thousand times.
"Die!"