Chapter 1026: Raze’s Memories (Part 2)
Raze’s darkness was different from the darkness they had seen so far. Rather than it being the darkest acts that they themselves had committed, instead it was the worst of what had happened to him.
Since they hadn’t seen any of it through his own actions and memories, it almost appeared as if this person was cursed.
From a young age until he had grown older, it was no wonder he had a strong thirst for revenge and had a darkened heart.
If they had seen the things that led up to the darkest moment-his wife losing her memories just before, gaining them back, and in the end, his wife informing one of the nemesis that had gotten her killed-they would have had an undeniable rage in them.
The thing was, the memories didn’t stop there as it moved to another image. Raze looked older than before, his hair was completely snow white.
It looked like they were in the underground world of Alterian once again. Over his shoulder, he was carrying a taller man with short black hair, whose body was completely frail.
There were small cuts all over his body, and he looked malnourished. Eventually, Raze, going past a drawn curtain, went into one of the many buildings that had next to nothing.
When entering, several rats scurried away, moving to the side. It was hard to call what they had entered a house, especially since it was rare to even have a stable place in the underground world of Alterian.
Eventually, Raze placed the man down on the ground.
“Jake, what did they do to you? How did you end up like this? Tell me?” Raze asked.
Jake’s eyes were sunken, his chest had deeply sunken in, almost as if a bowling ball had crushed it.
Raze knew that this was a sign of illegal substance abuse. It was when one’s mana heart was collapsing in on itself, and other than an 8 or 9-star mage that specialized in Light Magic, it was impossible to save an individual.
“Raze… don’t be saddened,” Jake weakly said. “Haven’t both of us been through so much already? Didn’t we know the risks when we got involved with all of this?”
“Risks, these were all my risks!” Raze shouted back.
While here in this moment with his friend, Raze had started to think back to how the two of them had met.
This was not a memory that was intended to be shown by the Dark Faction founder’s magic power, but instead his deep thoughts in this moment had overridden it, taking the clock back and allowing everyone to see what had occurred.
At the time, Raze had already lost his wife, and he had been hell bent on his revenge. Using the books he had taken from the central mage academy.
He believed learning Dark Magic was his only way to get back at the powerful mages that had ruined his life.
When seeing that the Grand Magus had been established, Raze had done research into the links between the Green Mage Pharmacy Company, run by Gizin, and the link to Idore and the rest.
It was quite clear that the two were working together and had Trubin in their back pocket as well.
He couldn’t rush these things he needed to bide his time. Yet, there was a moment-a moment not too far gone for Raze just yet he hadn’t completely sunken into the pit of darkness as there was a small light that had somewhat pulled him out.
This light was the man known as Jake Dove. The only friend that Raze had made after losing his wife.
It was a coincidental meeting. Often, Raze would walk the streets of Alterian, the same paths and walks that he would often take with his wife.
Although Raze had next to no income, it was easy for him to do odd jobs that only a high-level mage could do.
Although they had to be more on the black market side-jobs that he hadn’t considered doing before he had lost his wife.
Some of them were even as far as getting rid of a few people. Although Raze had yet to go this far, he was able to capture individuals and deliver them to whoever needed to do who knew what.
He didn’t delve further into the matter. At the same time, it allowed him to test his Dark Magic powers as well.
The jobs started small and continued to rise in vulgarity, and even Raze had his limits. On days like this when his head was too filled with what he had done or what could happen, he would go for a walk and remember his wife Sabrina instead.
During the walk, while passing by a bakery shop, it was there the tall man known as Jake Dove had exited out of the shop.
“Professor Cromwell?” Jake asked.
Hearing his second name, it was the first in a long time and had immediately caused Raze to turn his head.
He looked at the young man who was dressed sharply, with a nice outfit and short hair, yet he couldn’t recognize him.
“Ah, it’s been a long time so I doubt you would recognize me. My name’s Jake Dove, I was a student of yours at the academy.”
“Your lessons on Wind Magic and theory were truly the best. You were my favorite professor, so when I saw you I just had to say hi.”
“Ah right, Jake Dove, you do look different,” Raze said, his words were the truth.
He remembered Jake Dove because he was one of his hardest and most talented working students in the class. The thing was, he had mostly forgotten his golden days as professor
back at the academy.
Because it was what had eventually led him to the domino effect.
“Professor, you taught me so much. I told myself that if I ever saw you, that I needed to treat
you for a drink,” Jake said. “So please, let’s have a talk over a drink.”
Raze thought about it for a while. He wanted to say no, but his mind was riddled with
unwanted thoughts.
It would have been nice to just talk with a student about magic for a change.
“Okay… but I don’t drink alcohol anymore,” Raze answered.
There was a big smile on Jake’s face as he led the way to a nearby shop.
Thinking back at it now, Raze wished he had never accepted that offer, for the sake of Jake
himself.
Chapter 1027: A Real Friend
Raze had done as his old student had requested, and the two of them had gotten together to talk about the olden days. It went beyond just having a drink, as they continued and even shared a bite to eat together, despite Raze not having an appetite before.
Jake would bring up some of the other kids who would be told off from time to time, as well as the funny moments and projects in his life.
It was a nice break-a break from the rambling voices that constantly echoed in his head, replaying over and over how he would get payback against those who had wronged him one day.
He hated to admit it, but he enjoyed his time spent with the student. As the time and conversations were coming to an end, even Jake could tell there was some sort of pain on Raze’s face.
“Professor, actually, I’ve become quite the talented Wind Magic researcher thanks to you,” Jake continued. “I’ve been picked up by a publisher to write a few books. It’s not a research book or as academic as professor papers.”
“But it’s more of a tool that will help Wind mages of all ages and stars grow stronger. If it does well, the publisher thinks it will be a big hit.”
There were plenty of magic books aimed at increasing one’s mana, power, and skills. However, there were always issues with them.
Some didn’t explain the basics and jumped several steps. Others were written for specialists or by those talented enough that they didn’t know how to teach.
So Raze could see the gap in the market for such a book.
“You were always the best at breaking down and explaining the small details that made the bigger picture. That’s why I wanted to ask-why don’t you help me write the book?”
The question was completely innocent. Having such a pleasant experience, Raze couldn’t wait to experience it again, so with less hesitation than he expected, he agreed.
Over the next year, Raze and Jake met frequently. In his spare time, Raze still tried to learn from the Dark Magic scrolls he had obtained and worked in the black market from time to time.
However, he had been doing so less often, as he looked forward to helping Jake Dove with his book.
Finally, the time had come-the book was complete, and it was ready to be sent off to the publisher for a final review.
This time, the two met at a coffee shop by a large open river. Raze, with his hood up, still covered his face wherever he went-a habit he thought he might never break.
Jake, sitting beside him, thought about all the times they had met and finally decided to ask a question that had been on his mind for a long time.
“Professor, we’ve known each other for a while now. Do you know-all we’ve talked about is magic-do you even know I have a wife and kid?” Jake asked.
The professor’s eyes widened. He realized he hadn’t even asked or pried into Jake’s life once. Hearing he had a wife and child, Raze thought he would feel saddened, as Jake had something he didn’t. Instead, he felt happy for him.
“Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal. We’re friends who’ve been linked to each other through magic-not just teacher and student. I hope you know that,” Jake said. “Which is why I wanted to ask-would you be willing to put your name on the publication with me as a co- author?”
Raze had helped a lot with the book, giving heavy advice. It would have been natural for anyone to insist their name be put on it, but Raze already had an answer.
“No. You know how heavy my name is,” Raze replied. “If you put my name on there, the publisher might even cancel the contract.”
“No one will buy it because they’ll know who’s on it.”
Jake gave a deep sigh.
“I had a feeling you’d say that, and I know there’s no pushing you. But, you know, Raze, I never thought you did what they said you did.”
“I always believed you were a good professor. Something must have happened back then. I thought maybe you’d tell me what actually happened, but we just talked about magic all the time.” Jake laughed.
The two continued talking, with Raze steering the question away. Jake asked a few more times about having his professor’s name on the book, but in the end, he knew it was truly a losing battle.
So the book was sent to the publisher and eventually released. It was a massive success-one of the first of its kind. Wind Magic users praised it regardless of their star level.
It allowed them to open their eyes and explore new possibilities, and because of it, Jake Dove became quite famous as an author.
He earned a good amount of money for himself and his family. Seeing Jake’s success warmed Raze’s heart.
Once again, the two met, half a year later, at the same coffee shop. They had met a few times before, but so much had changed in Jake’s life.
“I have you to thank for everything, you know,” Jake said. “You don’t understand-my family and I get to live extremely happy lives because of your help, and you got nothing-not even credit for it.”
“I promise, if there’s anything you need, I’ll help you out. Even if you want fifty percent of the book earnings-heck, seventy percent.”
Raze shook his head.
“I don’t need the money. It’s of no use to me.”
Jake’s head sank into his chest. He hated that he couldn’t help Raze, because despite how many times they had met, there was still a dreadful feeling lingering in the air above him.
“I want to help you, Raze. I want to make you happy, like you did for me. I’d be a pretty lousy friend if I didn’t at least do that.”
Getting up, Jake was determined to find out the truth, while Raze remained unaware of what Jake had set in motion.
Chapter 1028: Getting Too Involved
When Jake had asked Raze the question-what was the darkness that loomed over his head, what was it that stuck so closely to him that he wouldn’t let go-he wanted to tell him.
For a long time, he had wanted to tell someone. He wanted to shout and share his anger and the thoughts that repeated in his head. Some days, he went mad keeping it in.
Yet, no one would believe him even if he told the truth. The Grand Magus had conspired to take his position as principal of the Central Academy. Then what happened? His wife was murdered by Trubin, the most powerful mage. Why? Because they discovered Idore was working with Gizin to sell illegal substances.
He sounded like one of those crazy conspiracy theorists, and with his reputation already in shambles, people might think he was just seeking attention.
Besides, even if Jake believed him, even if there was a way for them to work together, he wouldn’t involve him.
Raze had made up his mind about that long ago. Sabrina had gotten involved simply due to her relation to him, and in the end, she paid the price.
Now, someone he considered a friend and vice versa-Jake-would not get caught in any trouble because of him.
The Grand Magus are a problem I need to deal with myself.
Jake arrived home at his luxurious apartment by the river. It was located at the very top, with glass corner views that allowed him to look out over the entire area.
Currently, he was sitting in his grand office, placed at the center of the room, with a bookshelf behind him.
Placing his palm on the table, he injected some magic, and a screen appeared before him.
Jake had been reluctant to look into news about his professor, but now he was determined to repay Raze’s kindness.
If there’s anything I can do, even something small, I’ll try my best to help.
Jake’s search yielded strange findings. It started with the loss of Raze’s job and the odd events surrounding that time.
There wasn’t much information, but he remembered when Ibarin became principal.
After digging further, Jake found small articles mentioning a particular person’s death. Upon deeper investigation, he realized it was Raze’s wife.
Lying back in his floating chair, Jake couldn’t believe it. It was no wonder his professor was devastated. Regardless, he continued reading.
There’s something else about him now. It doesn’t just feel like sadness. Is it anger? Jake thought.
As he read on, he noticed where Sabrina used to work-Green Magic Pharma, which belonged to Gizin.
The article states she was murdered, but they never found the culprit. But if I reference this with older articles, wasn’t she a 7-star Light mage? And Raze himself—he’s an 8-star mage.
I don’t know many who could do such a thing-or would even dare to get on their bad side.
It was a thin string, but Jake considered connecting the dots.
Someone set Raze up back at the academy. At the time, who stood to gain the most? Ibarin, right? One of the Grand Magus. And Raze’s wife, who worked for another Grand Magus, also happened to perish. The thought seemed absurd. Surely there were powerful mages everywhere, and just because Sabrina worked for the company didn’t mean she would have met the owner.
Even with Jake’s current status, he couldn’t easily secure a meeting with Gizin. Regardless, he tried but received no reply.
Still, as a former pupil of the academy, he could meet Principal Ibarin.
Securing a meeting was relatively easy for Jake, especially given his newfound fame. As he entered the grand principal’s office-with its high ceilings and rows upon rows of books- Ibarin offered him a seat.
“You are perhaps one of our most successful students to date-not just in terms of magic proficiency,” Ibarin said, gesturing to the seat. “It’s good to have you here. You set an example for other mages, showing the different paths they can take in this world.”
Jake smiled and nodded as he took the seat. He didn’t yet know what to say, especially since, in his mind, Ibarin was the one who had set up his dear friend and professor.
“Professor-“
“Principal,” Ibrain corrected.
“This may be out of line,” Jake continued, “but I wanted to ask you about something from a long time ago. Do you remember the incidents surrounding Professor Cromwell and what happened to him?”
“Do you believe he was set up?”
Ibarin paused, his hands frozen on the table. A few seconds later, he let out a loud laugh.
“Ah, Professor Cromwell! Yes, I remember him now. It’s been a while,” Ibarin said. “He was a talented professor, indeed. But unfortunately, it seems he was doing things he shouldn’t have been.”
“He was a dear friend of mine,” Ibarin continued, “but in the Mage’s Council, the evidence was stacked against him. He had no choice but to leave.”
“Do you believe that?” Jake asked. “Do you really believe Professor Cromwell could have done such a thing?”
“Look! I don’t want to believe it,” Ibarin replied. “But it is what it is. Every criminal has friends, a mother, a family-people who care for them and can’t believe they’d do such
things.”
“We don’t know his true nature, and at the end of the day, the evidence was there. I don’t know why you’re asking this in the first place. Is this really what you came here to talk about?” Ibarin was clearly frustrated, already rising from his seat, ready to ask Jake to leave.
“I wasn’t asking that,” Jake said. “I’m asking what you thought-not what the evidence said, not what students or eyewitnesses said. I’m asking if you believed Raze Cromwell could have done such a thing.”
“Get out!” Ibarin shouted, pointing to the door, but Jake wasn’t finished.
“Or is it that you already know the truth? Of course, he wouldn’t do such a thing-because you were the one who set him up!”
Chapter 1029: The Last Friend (Part 1)
It was a slip of the tongue for Jake. He didn’t mean to mention it, but the anger had been building inside of him.
From the very beginning, Jake had already gotten it into his head that Ibarin was the one who framed Raze.
Even though he had no proof, he trusted Raze fully, so the conversation, every action of denial, and Ibarin’s sudden anger when using simple lines of questioning, in Jake’s mind, just made him more sure of who the culprit was until he exploded on the spot.
“Because you were the one that set him up!” Jake shouted.
The two stared at each other for a moment in silence, waiting for the next person to speak.
Slowly, Ibarin lifted his finger.
“How dare you accuse me of such a thing? I am not only the principal of the Central Mage Academy, but I am also part of the Grand Magus!” Ibarin then pointed his finger towards the door. “You are to leave this place immediately, and you are banned from this academy.” “You are lucky that you have made a name for yourself. If you hadn’t, I would… I would…”
“What would you do?” Jake said, his head looking at the floor. “Tell me, great principal, what would you do if I had no fame… please, tell me.”
Ibarin pulled his hands back, and Jake braced himself for what was to happen next. However, he quickly realized that the magic that had been cast wasn’t meant for him but to swing the door open behind him.
It was his cue to leave. Jake knew that and turned around, heading to the door.
“You’re playing a very dangerous game,” Ibarin said. “You are going down the wrong path by going this way.”
Nothing else was said, and the moment Jake stepped a foot out of the door, it slammed shut behind him, causing him to flinch.
Quickly, Jake placed his hand on his chest.
“Oh… that was a close one… I thought I might have been a goner there for a second.” Jake then pulled out a device from his inner pocket.
It was circular, with a spinning fragment in the center and a small glowing orb like a marble on top.
“He didn’t say anything in the recording. It won’t be enough to incriminate him. There isn’t much I can do with this, but from his actions, I can tell something is up,” Jake thought to himself.
“I need more. I didn’t even get to the bottom of anything,” Jake thought.
While at the academy, seeing as it would be his last time there anyway, Jake decided to visit several of the teachers who were still present.
Some had retired, but others were still there. He was able to start the conversations much more pleasantly with them before asking about the situation and seeing if they had any insight into what had happened with Raze.
He also asked the same question about whether they thought it was possible that Raze wasn’t the one behind it.
Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, none of the staff spoke poorly about Raze, and none got as huffy and defensive about it as Ibarin did.
Still, there were a few things to note. When Jake asked who they thought could have been behind it, no one was keen to answer.
In one situation, Jake even insinuated it could be Ibarin but got a particular reply back.
“I doubt that. Do you know Raze and Ibarin were the closest to each other? I think either of them would have been happy regardless of who got the role.”
Jake made sure to record everything. If this ever did go to trial, he thought the information would help, even if it was just anecdotal.
Inside the office, Ibarin paced back and forth, back and forth, until he eventually pulled out a circular device with a golden “I” on it-a communication device.
“We need to talk…” Ibarin said.
After the events at the academy, Jake didn’t stop there. Since he couldn’t go any further with Raze’s dismissal, he decided to investigate Sabrina’s death instead.
Although he couldn’t get in contact with Gizin himself, he thought for sure he would be able to get in contact with some of the staff members who had worked with her.
When having conversations with her colleagues, he found it even more bizarre. Every single one of them had nothing to say about her.
They stated that they couldn’t remember her much, nor could they even mention what she had actually done in the office.
It made no sense as Sabrina had officially obtained a high position in the company, yet no one could say a thing about her other than that they knew of her.
There was a big difference as well. Jake could tell from talking to several people that none of them seemed to be hiding anything or wary of something like the teachers back at the
academy.
It felt like they were all telling the genuine truth.
Sitting by the river, Jake was sipping his coffee, thinking about the strange madness.
“Raze, the deeper I dig, the more I want to know about you,” Jake thought.
His watch started to vibrate, and lifting his hand, he answered a call.
“Jake, where are you? You need to be here in one hour. Hurry!”
Jake had almost forgotten, as he quickly stood up and spun in the air using his Wind magic to rush off.
He didn’t need to go far and eventually arrived at the location, meeting a large cast of people who dragged him forward.
“Come on, your show is in the next five minutes. We need you on next,” the woman said with a device floating by her ear.
As for where Jake was now, it was a TV set with a live audience watching. The set was simple, with a host in the center and a guest sitting on the sofa.
At the moment, she was talking to a particular guest, and Jake would be on next, sitting right by the guest’s side.
“All right, everyone, for our next segment, we’re going to ask our guest to stay, as I would be interested in what you both have to say. And who knows? We might even be able to see a demonstration… Please welcome Jake Dove!”
The presenter called out, and magic swirled in the air off the stage. As Jake walked onto the
set, he waved to the crowd as small magical fireworks exploded beside him.
When he got to the couch, his eyes sank to the guest, and he reached his hand out to introduce
himself.
“It’s nice to meet you, Enaxx,” Jake stated.
Chapter 1030: The Last Friend (Part 2)
Due to the success of the book, Jake Dove was a man currently in very high demand. It was a book that was said to truly change the lives of mages.
It gave a fuller understanding of Wind magic and even made some think about what they wanted their magic core to be when they grew older.
Because there was now more information on Wind magic that would let one get ahead, Jake had been invited to be a guest on numerous shows. On one of these shows, he had been informed beforehand that they wanted him to meet Enaxx, one of the Grand Magus and practically the poster boy for the organization.
Where Idore had his Noble Guild and his specially crafted enchantments, Gizin had his pills and magical pharmaceuticals, Trubin was known for being the strongest fighting mage and was often sent to deal with dangerous individuals. Then there was Ibarin, head of the most prestigious mage academy in all of Alterian, the Central Academy.
Lastly, there was Enaxx, a talented nine-star mage at the peak of magic, who was the spokesperson of the Grand Magus-the person who handled public interviews and more.
He was always in the limelight, answering questions for the public, increasing his fame and the Glory Guild’s reputation.
Jake held out his hand for a greeting, and Enaxx stood up, looked at it for a moment, and instead gestured for Jake to sit rather than taking it.
It looked natural, so it didn’t seem like Enaxx had done it on purpose, and even Jake didn’t think much of it as he sat down.
“Jake, I have to say that your book has been a big hit. We’ve heard countless professors talk about how marvelous it is, breaking down Wind magic at its very basics, allowing for more complex spells to be created as we gain a deeper understanding.
“What do you think of the possibilities of this breakthrough, and just how big are they, really?”
Jake was quite used to these interviews, but he couldn’t lie-he did find them exciting and a joy to answer.
“First, the breakdown and explanations allow users to grasp the understanding of Wind magic even more.”
“Many mages can just learn spells and formations by memorization, but understanding something is what allows one to form and create their own spells in the first place.”
“I think, since Wind magic has had this biggest type of breakthrough, that we might even see Wind mages gain an edge in combat sports because of this. Even if a Wind mage is at a lower star level, they might be able to best higher-level mages.”
Some members of the crowd cheered at that, while others sneered and laughed at the comment.
Magic cores and their rankings were highly competitive, and discussions about which cores were the best constantly came up.
“Well, we have a magic expert here with us, a nine-star mage. Although being a nine-star mage isn’t just about knowledge but talent as well, do you have any input into what Jake has said? And maybe whether there will be other books to follow?” the presenter asked.
Enaxx sat upright for a moment, opening his arms with a smug look on his face.
“I think it’s good to dream,” Enaxx answered. “But that’s all it is-a dream. The truth is, if anyone uncovered some type of secret trick or method, it would be us Grand Magus who discovered it first.”
“And if it wasn’t, I don’t know what mage would go out there and release all of this information in a book rather than keep it for themselves.”
“They would be able to join a high-ranking guild or become a celebrity in the fighting world. There are lots of avenues, and they would want to keep this within their family.”
“Besides, on top of that, theory is just theory anyway.”
If Jake was being honest, he thought what Enaxx said was true as well. The bulk of the
breakthrough information was all discovered by Raze Cromwell.
Most mages would keep such things to themselves, but not him. He had decided to share his research with the world, and it wasn’t the first time.
As a professor, he was always open to doing this for all.
“Not everyone thinks the same way as you,” Jake answered before the presenter could go on to the next question. “There are some good people in the world.”
Jake thought he had mumbled the words to himself as he thought of Raze, but he had spoken a little louder than expected, loud enough for all to hear.
“Is that a dig at me?” Enaxx asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m just not an idealist like all those out there.”
“I know a lot of people talk in theories and such, but that’s all they are. I am here in the present, as one of the strongest mages there is. I am not theory but someone who has proven themselves.”
“If the theory is so great, then they should make that theory become a reality. Otherwise, those people can’t say much… in a month or so, everyone will forget about your book
anyway.”
There was clearly some tension and heat on the stage, some of it admittedly from Jake’s side.
Enaxx was one of the Grand Magus, one of the people who, just like the others, had a high chance of being involved with a certain someone.
Even more so, every word Enaxx said felt like a dig at Raze’s hard work, to the point where Jake was unable to take it anymore.
“You’re a nine-star mage, right? So no matter what, your magic should beat mine. Do you want to put it to the test then? My useless theory as a six-star mage against your nine-star
magic?”
At the same time, as Raze entered his apartment, he tapped his circular magic device, and a screen appeared.
On the screen, it displayed the interview between Jake and Enaxx.
“Jake… what are you doing?” Raze thought.
Chapter 1031: A Demonstration Of Class
The presenter, along with the rest of the TV crew, was pleased with the way things were going. A demonstration between a famous author, who was praised for his great
understanding, and the Grand Magus was sure to attract viewers and hundreds of playbacks even after the event had ended.
In fact, they had even prepared a part of the stage to the side for the demonstration. Originally, they were only going to ask Jake to perform, as there had already been several times when Enaxx had demonstrated his abilities.
First, the camera centered on Jake. He waved his hands in the air, and wind began swirling around him. As the wind wrapped around his arms, he explained the concepts he had written about in his book.
“Impressive magic, but everything you can do, I can do as well,” Enaxx claimed. Off to the side, using wind magic, he mimicked Jake’s demonstration. At the end, he swung his arms out, dispersing the wind magic. The resulting wave hit everyone in the crowd, displaying the sheer power of his abilities compared to Jake’s.
“Right, for the demonstration, I’ll ask for permission,” Jake began. “I will use six-star spells, as that is all I am capable of using with wind magic. My aim will be to hit your body.”
“You are free to use any magic you want,” he continued. “Of course, when using our spells, we should keep in mind the audience watching us.” Jake paused, then added, “But I just want to confirm that if any spells I use do hit you, you’ll be okay with that?”
A wide smile spread across Enaxx’s face as he lifted his hands.
“Please, go ahead. As I said, I want to see how well your theories hold up in the real world.”
The crowd and viewers were thrilled. They were about to witness a matchup between the two. Jake, however, wasn’t just looking to prove his own points but also the ideologies of Raze regarding the use of magic.
Moving his hand, Jake sent out a small slash of wind. Enaxx simply used his hand to break through it. It looked as though he had used no magic at all to stop the spell.
As Jake’s wind magic began to intensify, vortexes formed in both of his hands and widened as they surged toward his opponent.
Enaxx, in response, raised walls of water in front of him, blocking the tornadoes. The water began swirling around, consuming and breaking them completely. Through the wall of water, however, small traces of wind magic branched out and headed straight for Enaxx.
Before they could reach him, he moved his hand and broke them apart with wind magic. As the water fell to the ground, several balls of condensed magic appeared in the air. They looked almost solid yet constantly moved, like small tornadoes.
It was a type of wind magic that Enaxx had never seen before.
With a swing of his hand, Jake sent all the floating balls of wind toward Enaxx. Seeing this, Enaxx used his own magic to target the balls, breaking them apart. With his powerful magic, he destroyed them all at once.
However, breaking the balls of wind proved to be his downfall. As they shattered, they released several strong strands of sharp wind that all converged on Enaxx at the same time, pushing him back. In the end, Enaxx had to raise his arms, activating his enchanted blazer, which stopped the attack.
Swinging his arms out, Enaxx dispersed all of the remaining gusts of wind.
“It looks like I’ve managed to prove my point,” Jake said with a smile. “Understanding how wind magic works allows one to formulate and create new spells, using magic in innovative ways. Perhaps even enough to overcome a nine-star mage.”
Jake then added, “However, of course, if the two of us were in a real battle, I would have no chance of winning.”
After the demonstration, Jake bowed to the crowd, who stood up and gave a standing ovation. They clapped and cheered at the performance.
For many mages, bridging the gap between ranks was a meaningful concept. They felt their rank and worth were determined by their star level, so many applauded Jake’s demonstration. There were a few who stayed seated, contempt visible on their faces.
“Please thank both of our guests today! That’s all we have for this segment,” the presenter announced.
Jake glanced to his side at Enaxx, who hadn’t said a word since the demonstration. Jake had to admit, he had been worried for a moment when his attacks had hit Enaxx. He thought he had seen or sensed something, which was why he had made comments praising Enaxx immediately afterward.
At the end of the day, though, Jake believed one thing: Enaxx was at the top of the world, a large and public figure. Even if Jake had annoyed him, it wouldn’t make sense for Enaxx to act against him.
Looking back, Jake saw that Enaxx had stayed behind and was signing autographs. Even after the performance, Enaxx was still the Grand Magus-a highly respected and influential figure. With a spring in his step, Jake headed home. He was proud of himself. After failing to uncover any real information about Raze Cromwell’s situation, he was happy he had, in some way, been able to honor Raze today.
As Jake walked down the street, a strange sensation overcame him. The ground beneath his feet shifted suddenly, pulling him into a side street between two buildings. Before Jake fully realized what was happening, a wall formed, blocking the view from the main street.
“You should have taken that old man’s warning seriously,” a voice said.
Turning around, Jake’s heart raced, feeling as though it might leap out of his throat. Standing before him was none other than the person he had faced just moments ago.
“Do you think your shitty wind tricks will save you now?”
****
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