"What did you say? Leif wasn't killed by you, but by this kid?" The Archmage's eyes bulged, as if they might pop out of his skull, his voice thick with disbelief.
He never would've imagined that the one who took down Leif was this unassuming young man! Could he possibly be more formidable than Magnus and Stellan?
Impossible!
"Boy, was it you who killed Leif?" Zorath the Silent's expression shifted rapidly, his earlier grimace transforming into unrestrained delight.
"It was me," Kael replied with a smile.
"Hah! Well done, splendidly done! What do you say now, Lysander? I told you the Holy Order wouldn't best the Sacred Council this time!" Zorath clapped Kael on the back with enough force to stagger a lesser man, laughing heartily, his pride palpable.
For years, the Sacred Council's younger generation had been overshadowed by the Holy Order's. But now, Kael's feat of slaying Leif had not only redeemed Zorath's pride—it had lifted the entire Sacred Council's standing!
Zorath had never felt this exhilarated! This kid is a godsend! His decision to recruit Kael had been absolutely vindicated. The more he looked at Kael, the more he swelled with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the Archmage named Lysander scoffed quietly, struggling to accept that the Holy Order had lost this round. Leif's death held extraordinary significance—had it been achieved by the Holy Order's members, they could've spun it into a monumental propaganda victory, bolstering their prestige. But fate had decreed otherwise.
"Excellent, boy! I knew you were special!" Zorath beamed, adding, "Eliminating Leif will earn you the Sacred Council's highest regard. Pack your things in the coming days—you're all coming with me to our headquarters!"
"Since you're the one who slew Leif, Kael, you've earned the right to enter the 'Eternal Tower'—the sanctum of the God of Magic, Orlando!" Zorath winked, his voice booming with enthusiasm. "That's a place every mage—hell, even warriors—dream of setting foot in! Kid, you're about to make waves across the entire Sacred Council!"
The Eternal Tower!
Kael's heart stirred. So that's the name of the legendary Star-Archmage Orlando's sanctum. Though he possessed the Book of Immortality and wasn't overly fixated on the tower's secrets, how could he not feel anticipation toward such a mythic figure?
"Leader Zorath the Silent, you're saying we'll accompany you to the Sacred Council's headquarters?" Kael asked.
"Exactly. You've earned this honor with your deeds. Prepare to depart—but I'll give you a few days to settle your affairs here first," Zorath replied with a faint smile.
The trio exchanged glances and nodded. A trip to the Sacred Council's heart was welcome news indeed.
"Boy, I still refuse to believe you killed Leif," interjected the Archmage Lysander, skepticism dripping from his voice. "Leif was the strongest Seventh-Circle mage, one who'd grasped a Domain. How could you possibly—?"
Though he left the sentence hanging, his disdain was palpable.
"Hmph." With a cold snort, Kael unleashed his Lightning Domain in a sudden surge. With Zorath present, he saw no need to hide his strength—and he knew full well that the more power he displayed, the more the Sacred Council would value him.
"Peak Seventh-Circle… a Domain! And this is—Lightning?!" In an instant, Lysander's arrogance shattered. Though the Archmage remained unfazed by Kael's raw aura (a mere Seventh-Circle, even at its peak, meant little to him), the revelation of a Domain left him utterly stunned.
To comprehend a Domain at the Seventh Circle—what monstrous talent!
But what truly shook Lysander to his core was the nature of that Domain. Lightning. Never in history had a mage wielded such power. Countless legendary figures had attempted to harness it, only to fail.
His eyes widened with realization: This young man's potential is boundless.
Zorath's gaze burned with triumph. "Excellent! Truly excellent! Ethan has nurtured a prodigy. Kael, your strength already rivals the top tier of the younger generation—hell, you're nipping at the heels of those old monsters!" He laughed, his eyes crinkling with delight.
Kael smiled faintly. In this world, power commanded respect. His display had forced even these Archmages to take notice.
At Kael's age, these so-called Archmages were likely still struggling as Fifth- or Sixth-Circle mages.
Yet here he stood—a Seventh-Circle mage with a Domain and mastery over Lightning, poised to ascend to the Eighth Circle at will. Of course, Kael had no plans to rush that breakthrough. After all, he still had unfinished business in the Ancient Ruins.
"Let's go!" The Archmage Lysander's expression shifted between disbelief and resignation. With a sigh—and a newfound dread of Kael's power—he led the Holy Order's group away in subdued retreat.
"Hah! Don't forget, Kael—meet me here in three days. I'll take you all to the Sacred Council's headquarters!" Zorath the Silent chuckled before departing as well.
"We should head out too. I need to return to the academy and settle some matters," Kael said with a smile. Before leaving for the Sacred Council, it was only right to bid farewell to Ethan.
Amelia nodded, while Ethan shrugged in agreement.
Over the next few days, Kael remained at the academy.
Good news abounded: Under Vesper's tutelage, Finn had advanced explosively, reaching the Seventh-Circle as a warrior. When the brash lad proudly boasted to Kael, only to realize Kael's strength now rivaled the Eighth-Circle, his face crumpled into comic despair.
Yet Finn shared intriguing news: "Kael, the Sacred Council's been recruiting aggressively—I've been invited too! I'm officially one of them now!"
This revelation clarified things for Kael. So the Sacred Council, aware of its disadvantage against the Holy Order's younger generation, is bolstering its ranks. Finn added that even Dylan and others had received similar invitations.
Kael remained unmoved. Even with expanded recruitment, the Sacred Council was unlikely to close the gap with the Holy Order anytime soon.
Still, seeing Finn's progress eased his mind. After a final word with Ethan, Kael prepared to rejoin Zorath the Silent.
Just as Kael was about to leave, he spotted an unexpected guest in his courtyard.
"Victor!" Kael smiled faintly.
It was indeed Victor, who wore a warm grin as he greeted, "Benefactor Kael!"—a title he never failed to emphasize. "You've returned?"
"Victor, what brings you here?" Kael asked, puzzled.
"I came to deliver something." Victor chuckled, producing a crystal card from his hand. "This is a Gemcoin Card—it holds 500,000 gold coins."
"500,000?!" Kael was stunned. Why would Victor suddenly present him with such wealth?
"Here's the story, Benefactor. You cured my mana defect, and I've longed to repay you. But I couldn't discern what you needed, so… during the Grand Magic-Martial Tournament, I wagered 50,000 gold on your victory. When you claimed the championship, the sum multiplied tenfold." Victor's explanation was laced with amusement.
Kael was speechless. He hadn't realized Victor had backed him so fervently.
"I've been meaning to give you these winnings as a token of gratitude. Please accept them."Victor extended the card earnestly.
Who would refuse free money? With a wry smile, Kael pocketed the crystal card.
"Victor, my sincere thanks." The 500,000 gold would be a tremendous boon. Though a fortune by any measure, Kael's post-breakthrough cultivation now demanded magic gems to condense mana—each costing at least 1,000 gold. This windfall couldn't have come at a better time.
As he watched Victor depart, Kael reflected with quiet awe. I saved him for the sake of the mines, yet his repayment is beyond anything I imagined. Even in another world, kindness thrives.
With everything settled, Kael hurried to Amelia, and together they set off for Zorath the Silent'sdesignated meeting point.