Eluard woke up in a familiar void of space. His slightly muddled eyes were trying to comprehend the visuals appearing in front of him.
'This is…?'
On the far distance was a bluish-white star, emitting radiant light to the nearby floating debris of rocks and other things.
Dust swirled around it like a typhoon and its dark clouds.
'I'm in space? What's going on?'
He looked around, only to be replied with a warning prompt from the system.
[ Warning: Brute memory intrusion detected. Deploying countermeasures ]
'Memory intrusion?', he shook his head, clearing up his chaotic mind.
The moment he opened his eyes again, he witnessed a mesmerizing event.
The star in the center of the planetary system started rapidly spinning on its own, glowing brighter than usual before sending out large rays of light flying towards his forehead with light speed.
It hit him, 'Wha-what's happening now?!', frightening Eluard.
Before he realized it, strange memories were being dumped into his head forcefully.
"Ah!", Eluard shouted. He was caught off-guard and was now experiencing a mind-numbing headache, almost losing consciousness in the process.
'Hold on! I need to hold on!'
He didn't notice that a golden humanoid figure appeared right beside the star on the planetary system. It simply glanced at Eluard before it disappeared.
Back on the outside world, everyone inside the dome saw Eluard's forehead glowing in a golden hue. He was shouting in pain with his eyes closed.
The spectral glade that tried to assault him was struck by a golden ray of light before it was pushed far away, devoid of sentience.
Its hollow figure fell to the ground, turning into ashes a second later.
The other spectral glades became wary and careful in their approach. Some of them even backed further in case they were hit by that strange light that entangled around Eluard.
"I don't know what happened to him but get away for now!", Amos ordered the others.
Time passed by and the golden light became stronger, tearing down the earthen dome as the rays flew outwards. It flashed intensely like the sun then died out.
Eluard regained his consciousness, kneeling on the ground while gasping for breath.
"Who are you, human?", a cold voice called out to him.
Eluard raised his head and saw a huge skeletal head floating in the sky. Its figure was too intimidating that he gulped and remained silent for a while.
[ Legend: Kamtya Henan ]
[ Affiliation: Death Realm – Steward of Death ]
[ Type: Ascended Divine Being ]
[ Rarity: Divine ]
[ Power: Deity-level ]
[ Affinity: Darkness, Void ]
'De-deity level! I thought monarch-level was the peak!', Eluard shouted in his mind.
This sort of monster was too strong for anyone to battle against. Moreover, it was only a skeletal head but its figure was already a towering behemoth.
Seeing that the human was not in the mood to reply, Kamtya let out a sigh.
"Fine, keep your identity to yourself. But know this, human. Be careful of that power hidden inside yours. A… treacherous war might prematurely start in case you carelessly use it for your entertainment."
It turned around and looked at Dartex, "Consider yourself lucky today. I'll take this as your sacrifice instead."
Kamtya dropped his jaw, absorbing the raging flames that Dartex casted earlier. Although it had spread far and wide, almost tens of kilometers in a matter of minutes, all of it was easily taken away by one big skeletal head.
"Mark my words, human. Use your power well… Kekeke…"
Kamtya's figure slowly faded into nothingness. The crack in the space above also mended and returned to normal.
Dartex became speechless. That skeletal head wasn't this talkative on other occasions. For it to act like that after seeing Eluard, something was going on.
Now that his trump card was out of the table, Dartex no longer have any reasons to stay. He knew how fast the League would react and the Knights might be on their way as well.
However, a wide smirk appeared on his face.
"Kai... Kai… I'll remember that name very well!"
A dark portal emerged behind Dartex, sucking him in and distorting his figure in the process. The portal faded away, leaving only a devastated wasteland that was once a lush forest full of life.
The remains of the earthen dome crumbled into dust. Amos and the others could feel the agonizing burning smell. It was too strong that he could feel his stomach acting up.
They then approached Eluard. Their faces were pale due to the intense battle earlier but a hint of gratitude could be seen in their eyes.
If it wasn't for this brave human whom they were unfamiliar with saving them in the nick of time, they would've died.
"Mr. Kai, I am Magister Amos Linson from the League of Wizardry. Thank you for your help.", Amos sincerely bowed.
Eluard stood up and nodded to them, "Are you the people sent here to access the teleportation array to the Heavenly Magic Academy?"
"Yes, this is all of us, Mr. Kai. It was spearheaded by the Creed led by Cardinal Lerga, but…", Amos eyed the corpse of Lerga whose body was riddled with punctured holes everywhere, "Well, I guess that doesn't matter now."
Amos didn't expect that things would turn out this way and neither did Eluard.
Dartex's sudden attack was unexpected, and his direct involvement in the undead outbreak was a surprise as well.
"Mr. Kai, you said that you came from the Heavenly Magic Academy, right?", Amos asked.
"Yes, I am a student there. The academy master sent me here to assist you.", Eluard calmly answered.
"Eh? You-you already know that we were coming?", Amos and his colleagues were stupefied.
If that was the case, what was the purpose of the academy waiting for them to be attacked before Eluard showed up?
Wasn't it much safer if their academy master received them in advance instead?
Eluard waved his hands in dismissal, "It's not what you think it is. Master has his plans. Looking at that guy's body, serving as evidence, his plan seemed to have worked well."
Amos understood Eluard's implication. Moreover, he realized that they were tapping onto a teleportation array that led to the academy.
Since that was the case, it was a given that its powerful academy master would've noticed something happening here.
Lastly, the academy had pride of its own. Meeting them proactively would tarnish the academy's high prestige. After all, it wasn't under the jurisdiction of any factions or empires. They weren't required to give or show face to them and wouldn't be punished for not doing it either.
Rather, it should be them crawling under the academy's mercy.
Amos bowed in pardon, "I see. It is my fault for not realizing it sooner, Mr. Kai."
Eluard panicked in his mind, 'What own plans of mine? This is bullshittery at its finest! And he even believes it!'
"Mr. Kai, the other magisters in the League will arrive soon. Do you want to meet with them? It would be of great news should they know that the Heavenly Magic Academy has returned.", Amos suggested.
He did not, for one bit, doubt Eluard's identity. His power was immeasurable and Amos could feel a hint of divinity coursing through Eluard's inner body.
A powerful archmage like him deceiving Amos would be too far-fetched. There wasn't any point in receiving the hostility of the League just to mess with them by playing a prank.
"Fine by me.", Eluard accepted. He was willing to meet and talk with the big guys.
Although it was now steering off his original plan by miles ahead, he was willing to adapt and compromise.
'Maybe I could hire someone from them instead.'
An archmage working for him… That would tremendously help his time management and teacher quality problems.
Archmages were highly knowledgeable and well-versed in the art of nameless spell casting. Their decades of experience in magic cultivation were something not to be trifled with. It could help the current students in building their foundations, transferring such knowledge clearly and directly.
Of course, in the case that the rest doubted him, he would just teleport the pack of mistrusting wizards and slap reality to their faces.
Amidst his thoughts, Eluard noticed a faint aura emanating from the east of his position.
Noticing Eluard, Amos sighed, "So you feel it too, Mr. Kai?"
Eluard was intrigued, "May I know what this aura is all about, Magister Amos?"
"It happened yesterday. Someone from the Luchador family assimilated their blood with the divine flame dragon in the dwarven mountain compass, the flame dragon lord Arahon Agui.", Amos explained.
"What were feeling right now is a remnant of that legendary event. Nobody has yet to assimilate blood from a divine beast and everyone is interested in knowing this young person who achieved such a feat."
After hearing the answer, Eluard felt happy inside.
'It must be Solordo. That brat is living up to his words.', he thought, 'I'll have to prepare a present for him when he comes back.'