Chapter 67: Lathel vs Lucien (9)

"Lucien, I never expected you to collude with the Demon Clan. Even if it costs me my life, I won’t let you harm anyone." Inside a large chamber, a round table stood at the center, surrounded by around ten people seated in a circle. Among them were Lyra and Morlan. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on a floating orb of water suspended in midair. The orb displayed a live image of the sixth floor. In truth, they had only just activated this magic to observe what was happening on the sixth floor. Initially, Morlan had cast a tracking spell on Lucien. The moment he sensed that Lucien had reached the fifth floor of the Trial Tower, he immediately summoned high-ranking Professors from the Academy to witness the scene. Of course, he claimed it was to evaluate whether any exceptional talents had emerged in this trial phase of the Tower. But in reality, he just wanted everyone to witness that his judgment in choosing Lucien had been correct. Additionally, he tried to bring Lyra along in hopes she’d recognize Lucien’s immense potential, so she might more easily put aside her grudges and accept him. However, just as the water orb began displaying the interior of the sixth floor, Lathel’s voice rang out—leaving everyone present utterly confused. Why was Lathel also on the sixth floor? And what the hell was he talking about? Morlan scratched his head, trying to explain: "Hahaha... just a misunderstanding. Maybe Lathel misinterpreted something, that’s why he’s spouting nonsense." "Misunderstanding?" Lyra frowned, her tone sharp and full of irritation. "Vice Principal, do you think we’re all blind? Even an idiot could tell Lathel wasn’t wrong." The others all turned to look at Morlan, their eyes filled with doubt. Inside the orb, Lucien’s left arm had grotesquely transformed—monstrous and inhuman. His expression was that of a raging beast. If someone claimed he was a monster, everyone here would believe it without hesitation. Worse yet, a strange black mist swirled around his body—emanating a sinister, dark aura. "This..." Morlan wanted to explain, but he had no idea how. Gritting his teeth, he offered a clumsy excuse: "Maybe that’s just Lucien’s innate talent. As you all know, talents come in countless forms, right?" "Then how do you explain his current state?" Lyra asked coldly, her frown deepening. At her question, Morlan genuinely wanted to slap that pretty face of hers. ’Damn it! Can’t you just stop asking so many questions?’ he cursed inwardly. Unrelenting, Lyra continued: "Anyone can see he’s been infused with demonic energy." "To my knowledge, he used to be just an ordinary person—yet suddenly gained a talent, awakened, and became an Awakened One." "Given everything that’s happening, I believe it’s safe to assume that he colluded with the Demon Clan in order to become an Awakened One." The Academy’s professors nodded in agreement upon hearing this, finding it a reasonable conclusion. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for ordinary people to make pacts with Demons in exchange for power akin to that of Awakened Ones. On the contrary, it happened quite often. Most regular people, driven by greed, longed to become Awakened Ones. Lyra’s explanation made perfect sense, and paired with the visual evidence currently playing before their eyes, her argument seemed airtight. Morlan gritted his teeth and frowned. "We shouldn’t jump to conclusions based on a few nonsense words and some images we’ve seen," he said. "I believe... it’s best if we continue watching. What if all of this is simply a misunderstanding?" "Misunderstanding?" Lyra scowled, shouting angrily, "Can’t you see my disciple is in there with Lucien? If anything happens to her, who’s going to take responsibility?" Morlan was angry too, but as if recalling something, he let out a scornful laugh. "Hahaha... Professor Lyra, if Lathel made it to the sixth floor, that means he’s no weakling." "So let them fight. I’d like to see just how talented he is to make you take such an interest and even accept him as your personal disciple." Lyra’s expression darkened, and the murderous aura she emitted was so intense that even the other professors and Morlan could feel it. "Morlan, do you think I’m an idiot?" "You want Lucien to kill Lathel, erase any evidence of his ties to the Demon Clan, and silence the professors here with your dirty tricks, don’t you?" BAM! Morlan slammed the table, shouting furiously, "Professor Lyra, that’s enough. You’re accusing Lucien of consorting with Demons? Where’s your proof?" "Are you blind?" Lyra said coldly, her gaze filled with contempt. "Hmph!" Morlan snorted, disdainful. "I believe it’s just Lucien’s talent. Because he awakened late, he’s struggling to control it." "That strange state he’s in is nothing unusual. If you want to prove he’s working with Demons, then let him finish the trial in the Tower first." "Morlan, are you really pushing me to the edge?" Lyra growled. The atmosphere suddenly turned cold like an ice chamber, and thickened like a massive swamp. Morlan wasn’t afraid of Lyra. His eyes were equally resolute as he raised his voice. "I’ve already said this: I am the Vice Principal. While the Principal is away, my word is law." "You—" Lyra ground her teeth. "That’s enough! I agree with the Vice Principal," one of the professors suddenly spoke. "Let’s observe the situation a little longer before making any decisions." "I feel the same," said another professor. "Anyone who reaches the sixth floor is a genius. If we act too hastily, we might miss out on a true talent." "I agree as well." "So do I." "You all..." Lyra clenched her fists so tightly that her hands turned white. Her eyes burned with fury as she glared at the professors around her. Of course, she understood... these professors all sided with Morlan. Naturally, they would support him no matter what. Morlan sneered. "Huh! Professor Lyra, you heard them. You might as well sit down and calmly wait to see what happens. We shouldn’t rush into any decisions." Lyra took a deep breath and slowly relaxed her fists. The image of Lathel’s warm smile flashed through her mind, stoking the flames of her anger even more. But she knew that confronting Morlan head-on right now gave her little to no chance of winning. She slowly sat down, her gaze fixed on the floating water orb in the center of the table. Morlan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He had been somewhat worried—after all, Lyra was a unique existence, someone not even the Headmaster dared to force. That was why he understood that going head-to-head with Lyra at this moment would be unwise. He also slowly sat down, muttering to himself: Lucien, you’d better kill that useless prince. Otherwise, I won’t be able to keep your secret safe. ... Back on the sixth floor of the Tower of Trials. Lucien stared at Lathel in confusion and shouted, "What the hell are you talking about?!" Lathel’s expression didn’t change. His face was resolute, eyes sharp, one hand gripping a golden sword as if he feared nothing—not even death. "You think I’m blind? You’re using demonic energy, transforming your body into a monster. That alone is enough proof that you’ve made a pact with the Demon Clan," Lathel’s righteous voice rang out. Lucien had no idea how to respond. Lathel’s sudden shift in attitude left him completely bewildered. "Lucien, don’t listen to his nonsense," Lilith’s voice echoed in his mind. "Run! He’s not someone you can defeat right now." Hearing her tell him to run ignited Lucien’s pride. He refused to allow himself to flee—especially not in front of the person he hated most. "Master, I’ve come this far. What’s the point of running now?" Lucien replied in his heart. "Even if I die, I’ll drag him down with me." "AGHHH!!!" With a wild and crazed scream, Lucien raised his massive sword with his left arm and swung it effortlessly. Dark and green auras coiled around the blade like swirling smoke, making the greatsword look even more menacing. Lathel wore an expression of fear, yet he held his sword tightly without retreating a single step. "I won’t back down in front of a monster like you!" Lathel shouted. Suddenly, his sword erupted in a blinding golden light. Countless magical runes shimmered along the blade, giving it an aura of divine radiance. Whoosh! Lathel showed no hesitation—he swung his sword and charged head-on at Lucien without dodging. CLANG! The two swords clashed, the shrill sound of metal ringing out sharply. A shockwave exploded outward, sweeping the surroundings like a raging storm. "Ack!" Lathel couldn’t withstand Lucien’s overwhelming strength and was blown backward. But he quickly regained his balance, feet firmly planted on the ground. "GAHH!!" Lucien leapt high into the air, his left hand swinging the greatsword down with a crazed, monstrous expression on his face. Lathel gritted his teeth and narrowly dodged to the side. Using the agility of his blade, he fought back against Lucien. Though Lucien was strong, he fought purely on instinct, with no formal close-combat technique. Lathel, on the other hand, had clearly honed close-quarters combat skills, continuously dodging and blocking attacks. At times, he even used his sword’s agility to counterattack. Inside the observation chamber, Lyra watched the battle unfold with astonishment. She had assumed Lathel had only made it to the sixth floor by sheer luck, but after seeing him fight, she realized... she had been wrong. Perhaps Lathel possesses a support-type innate talent that enhances physical capabilities, Lyra thought as she observed his movements. Lathel... he’s truly brave. To stand his ground against such a monster without backing down... Her interest in Lathel grew. Her gaze on his image in the water orb grew more intent, carrying emotions absent before—no longer indifferent. Everyone else in the room was equally surprised by Lathel’s combat potential. They had always thought of him as nothing more than a kindhearted but useless prince. Yet what they now witnessed completely overturned their perception of him. "I didn’t expect Prince Lathel to be not only kind but also courageous." The professors began to murmur among themselves. "Indeed. He’s also incredibly strong. Maybe his innate talent is support-type—something that boosts physical power or something along those lines." "Though he may not be as powerful as Lucien, he’s been thoroughly trained in combat techniques, using close-quarters skills to bridge the gap in raw strength." "Ah! Looks like the prince isn’t as useless as we thought." Morlan listened to their remarks, a storm of irritation brewing in his chest. He had brought the professors here to witness Lucien’s brilliance—yet it was turning into a disaster. His face flushed red with fury. If Lucien were to lose, not only would Morlan’s prestige be trampled, but Lucien’s suspicious circumstances might be thoroughly investigated. This won’t do! I have to act now, Morlan thought bitterly, gritting his teeth as he discreetly activated a spell. In that instant, Lucien’s power surged—his strength and speed doubled in a heartbeat. And then... "AGH!!" A cry of agony burst from Lathel’s mouth, making Lyra jolt in shock. Her eyes widened as she saw Lucien’s sword slash downward, carving a deep wound across Lathel’s chest. Blood sprayed through the air. "No!"