Faced with the powerful elf in front of him, Headmaster Willard dared not take any chances.
He said to the Arcanum mages behind him, "Take the children and evacuate everyone in this castle."
"Yes, Headmaster."
The Arcanum mages rarely saw Headmaster Willard so serious. They immediately followed orders and led the students away.
Soon, the castle's alarm sounded, followed by the chaotic footsteps and the sound of furniture being moved upstairs and downstairs.
Lucas first reduced Ela's level to 80 to conserve power, then stood quietly, waiting.
In the meantime, he used his consciousness phone to look up information on Headmaster Willard.
At 172 years old, he was the 27th headmaster of Arcanum Academy and had served the longest term. This longevity was thanks to his partial bloodline of a psychic.
Longevity, diligence, and talent granted Willard extraordinary prowess in magic.
Epoch Games classified Willard as a five-star hero. However, like many five-star heroes with overpowered real-world abilities, by player standards... Willard should be considered five and a half stars.
This time, it wasn't a sneak attack on the equally five-and-a-half-star red dragon Nielcolone. Lucas wasn't confident he could kill Willard with a level 120 Ela in ten seconds.
Currently, the phone's power wouldn't sustain a level 120 Ela for even ten seconds.
Using a level 100 Ela should allow him to escape.
After all, Willard's age was a factor; his old body might manage a few owl flaps, but it couldn't handle much strain.
Soon, the noise faded, indicating everyone who needed to evacuate had done so.
Headmaster Willard broke the silence first: "You don't look as vicious as Congressman Virgil described. I heard you killed over a hundred people in the Seawall District. Is that an exaggeration?"
Lucas readily admitted, "No, he was right... I killed many people in the Seawall District."
Headmaster Willard continued, "Congressman Virgil also said you stole a summoning artifact from the Storm City Alchemist Association called 'The Heart of Red Dragon Nielcolone.'"
"I didn't steal it."
"Do you have it?"
"I refuse to answer!"
To Willard, this was almost a confirmation.
"I can sense you don't harbor ill intentions towards Arcanum Academy, and I don't wish to make an enemy of someone as troublesome as you. But I must know your purpose here.
Tell me! As long as it doesn't threaten the academy, I'll let you go."
Lucas had found something interesting while looking up Willard's information.
"Headmaster Willard, you're very good friends with Professor Felix, aren't you..."
Willard's expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "Yes, Felix and I are good friends. He is even my mentor.
He is a true genius, capable of mastering any academic field with ease. If not for certain special circumstances, he would have been the 27th headmaster of Arcanum Academy.
You asking about him... it seems you've discovered something?"
"I know that you have the bloodline of a psychic and can transform into two forms... a tree monkey and an owl."
Given your relationship with Felix, you must know that he guards that library in spirit form. I guess that when you learned I had entered the library, you followed me there and hid using your psychic abilities.
You've been following me ever since. That's why you were able to save Lydia in time.
Your true purpose in stopping me now is actually for the 'Book of Calamity,' isn't it?"
Having his motives revealed, Willard no longer concealed his intentions.
He grasped his staff and struck the floor heavily again. Magical energy beams spread from his feet, causing the walls and ceiling tiles to flip. The narrow corridor quickly widened.
With a rumbling sound, the ceiling rose…
The space expanded, walls merged, rooms split and rotated, and within moments, it transformed into a vast hall the size of four basketball courts.
"I could feel Felix's soul dissipate. This was a release for him, but you cannot take the 'Book of Calamity' with you. You should know the history of that library.
That book is a cursed artifact, bringing only disaster. No one can control it, and anyone who tries will be corrupted by its darkness.
Give me the 'Book of Calamity,' and I'll let you go."
A magic circle unfurled on the ground before Willard, and a curtain of light rose from it.
Roars echoed from within the light curtain.
As the curtain fell, a giant gorilla appeared. It pounded its chest furiously, looking extremely agitated, yet the outer ring of the magic circle restrained its movements.
It stared at Lucas with blood-red eyes, waiting to be unleashed.
Willard gave Lucas a final warning: "This castle has been fully enchanted; it's extremely resilient and hard to destroy. You cannot escape!
You are not purely evil, just influenced by secret arts. Hand over the Book of Calamity. This is your last chance."
Seven whirlwinds formed within the hall, crackling with electricity.
Lucas hadn't anticipated facing such a scenario. It didn't align with the typical progression of events.
His own actions had drawn too much attention, involving the Storm City Security Bureau and the Secret Service, making it almost impossible not to alert Headmaster Willard.
Now, he had no choice but to duel with Willard.
[Ice Dance Garden]
As ice mist flowers blossomed in the air, the temperature inside the hall plummeted.
Rain began to drizzle indoors, quickly freezing on the floor. The rain turned to ice crystals and snow, swirling in the whirlwinds.
The ice mist flowers continued to bloom. The hall was filled with storms, lightning, and snow.
A giant gorilla roared within the magic circle.
Gripping Stardust Radiance, Lucas said to Willard, "Headmaster Willard, you're over 170 years old. Don't be too confident in your strength. If I kill you, Arcanum Academy won't be able to bear the blow."
"It seems you're ready. Then let's fight!"
"Fight!"
Headmaster Willard struck the ground with his staff once more, dissolving the summoning beast's binding circle.
The gorilla charged forward like a truck, running on all fours toward Lucas, leaving deep claw marks on the ice, shaking the hall's floor.
On the ice, Lucas's feet seemed fitted with ice skates, allowing him to tilt slightly and slide out of the gorilla's path.
The gorilla, trying to turn abruptly, slipped on the smooth ice and crashed uncontrollably into the wall.
Sliding on the ice, Lucas sped like a meteor toward Willard.
Behind him, the massive gorilla's body slammed into the wall, causing the entire castle to tremble.