Chapter 364: The Madman
Chapter 364: The Madman
Witch Cheri and Hunter Leo set off to hunt Aksha, leaving the rest of the group to stare at each other in bewilderment. They soon sensed the anomaly within the Titan Core.
"Damn it!"
Gear Jack, a Tier 2 Wizard with a small, dwarven stature, frowned. "The Dean has activated the Titan Core, likely with the intention of a last stand. The chances of escaping unscathed are slim."
"Indeed," affirmed a female wizard. "If this place falls into Witch Cheri's hands, given her reputation..."
"Even if we survive, we'll become servants in the Abyssal Cottage, bound by a contract for hundreds of years," another added bitterly.
"The crucial thing is..." someone's face turned sour, "once the Titan Core is activated, only the Dean can deactivate it. We can't even leave if we wanted to."
"What now?"
None of them were willing to simply wait for their fate.
"Everyone," Ron spoke up quietly. "How about we release that madman?"
"What?"
The group's expressions changed, and the only female wizard among them nodded in agreement. "Good idea!"
"He's a Fourth Circle Wizard, and as fellow members of the Viper Academy, he might show us some leniency after the fact."
"Mhm," Ron echoed. "When the Dean imprisoned him, we weren't involved. Releasing him now will be a favor."
"What's there to consider?" someone growled. "Let's go!"
The group rushed towards the interior of the base, unlocking a series of intricate Wizard Traps before arriving at a pitch-black cave.
Ron swallowed hard, cautiously peering into the cave. He bit his teeth and tossed something inside.
"Clank!"
Accompanied by the clatter of chains, a deafening roar emerged from within the cave.
"Aksha, you come to humiliate me again?"
"Senior!" Ron hurriedly called out. "I'm Ron from the Viper Academy. Do you remember me? I used to bring you food when I was a kid."
"Ron?" The voice weakened, laced with confusion. "Is there such a person?"
"Senior!" Ron knew the person inside had mental issues; otherwise, he wouldn't have been trapped by Aksha's scheme. It was normal not to remember him. "The Academy is in turmoil, and outsiders have intruded. We're powerless to resist, so we seek your assistance."
"Nonsense!"
The voice from the cave grew extremely angry. "I have no love for the Viper Academy; I'd rather you all die here."
"Hmm..."
"Where's that despicable Aksha? I may look down on him, but there should be no one here capable of matching him."
"Senior." Ron bowed. "You're unaware of the situation. The Dean... that stingy Aksha never shared control of the Titan Core. We've served him for hundreds of years without any benefits. Others targeted this weakness and set a trap, and he's likely dead by now."
"His death doesn't matter, but it'll drag us down with him!"
"What?" The voice hesitated, then asked, "Aksha is dead?"
"Even if he's not, it's almost certain," Ron replied. "Aksha is critically poisoned and being pursued by Witch Cheri and Hunter Leo. His chances of survival are slim."
"Hahaha..." The person in the cave burst into laughter, unrestrained.
"Good!"
"Very good!"
"Indeed," Ron quickly added. "Although we're from the Viper Academy, we also wish for his death. It's best if a senior like you, wise and powerful, takes charge."
"Hmph!"
The person in the cave coldly huffed. "You're Ron, and you speak quite interestingly."
"Thank you for the compliment," Ron wiped the sweat from his forehead. His straightforward words would be easily seen through by anyone with a hint of insight, but the person in the cave seemed to enjoy it, confirming Ron's strategy.
"What are we waiting for, then?"
The voice echoed again. "Let me out!"
"Witch Cheri... It's been hundreds of years since we last met."
"Transmutation Gold!"
"Expand Metal!"
"...!"
Gear Jack trembled with excitement, his eyes gleaming as he gazed upon the contents of the open-style Nine-Layer Tower.
"All these are treasures hard to come by outside!"
"Caw... Caw..."
The White Crow flapped its wings and screeched.
"Of course!"
"The Titan Core is a Sixth Rank Artifact crafted from the remnants of a fallen world. It was once the base of the Beastfolk, and when Aksha and his group discovered it, its treasures remained untouched.
"It's through his mining endeavors that Aksha was able to single-handedly establish Viper Academy. But he kept the truly valuable items to himself, never revealing them."
Gear Jack's initial excitement turned to anger as he asked, "Why? With so many treasures, even without reaching the Fourth Circle, cultivating a few Third Circle Wizards shouldn't be difficult."
"Why didn't the Dean share them?"
Jack's cultivation in wizardry required various wizardry materials and rare metals. He had requested them from the academy before but never received a response, assuming the academy didn't possess them. Now, it seemed Aksha simply didn't want to give them up.
If he had...
Gear Jack would have likely become a Third Circle Wizard by now!
White Crow's body stiffened, and he awkwardly replied, "Aksha always said that wealth shouldn't be flaunted, or it would invite envy. Plus, he's known to be a collector, and there are rumors that he has dragon blood, which is true."
Linen couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief.
While he didn't know much about the academy's dean, he had heard that the man was stingy, but he never imagined it to this extent.
"What's the point of hoarding treasures now that he's dead?"
"You're right!"
Gear Jack clenched his teeth and roared, "I've worked tirelessly for the academy for so many years, accumulating all these points. These items should be mine by right."
With a lift of his hand, countless gears of various sizes quickly assembled into a massive millstone that fell upon an altar.
"Boom!"
The altar's barrier shattered, and the strange metal inside, emitting a chilling aura, was collected by Jack.
Hmm...
Linen pursed his lips, and his body shimmered as he transformed into a flame dragon, soaring towards the wizard tower ahead.
The flame dragon could change its size at will, and at this moment, it grew to several dozen meters long, enveloping the wizard tower entirely.
Simultaneously, it breathed a torrent of flames towards the tower.
"Crack!"
With a shattering sound, the tower's restrictions broke, revealing the valuable items within.
On the first floor, there were over a dozen tables, each displaying a single item protected by a restriction.
All of them were treasures.
For example:
Twelve third-rank Wisdom Fruits, which could make dull individuals smarter, grant enlightenment to unintelligent beasts, and be refined into high-level magic potions to enhance psychic power. Each fruit was incredibly valuable.
Several wizardry books authored by Fourth and Fifth Circle Wizards, including some of the academy's heritage techniques.
A third-rank heritage wizard tool, the Gravitational Sphere, capable of manipulating gravity and compressing an entire city into a pile of rubble.
...
"One item each," Gear Jack spoke up. "You can choose first, but if you can't break the restriction, it's the next person's turn."
"Hmm..." Linen wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he turned to the Three-Eyed White Raven, "The restrictions here are stronger than the ones outside, and the best items on the upper floors are protected by powerful barriers. Without your help, White Crow, we'd probably only be able to take some less valuable items."
"Caw! Caw!" White Crow flapped its wings.
"Are you trying to get me into trouble?"
"No," Linen shook his head. "You brought us here, and you must have anticipated what would happen. Do you think the Dean will let you off?"
"Aksha is as good as dead, and even if he isn't, we can seek refuge under the Roll Family." Jack said, "White Crow, we've both reached the Second Circle Peak. Don't you want to take it further?"
"There are items you need up there!"
White Crow paused, his three eyes darting back and forth. After a moment's thought, he said, "I do have some understanding of the barriers and restrictions here, but I'll need to choose first when we select items."
"And..."
"The Avian Essence Blood is mine!"
"I get the Demonic Flame first." Linen raised his hand, "I have a use for it."
"The precious metals are mine."
Gear Jack didn't yield, and with their shares clearly defined, they began their task.
(End of Chapter)
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