"I''m not likely to forget you." Dean Bruce replied. "But you, as a high-ranking member of the branch, how could you easilye to Saint Laurent City?"


    ire Raymond sighed. "If I hadn''te, I feared you would forget me. And then, if wee across any more Relics, you wouldn''t just be eating meat—there''s a good chance I wouldn''t even get a chance to drink the broth!"


    "Since we''ve already made a contract, I won''t ignore you."


    Dean Bruce said, his tone calm. "Even if you''re not a top-tier powerhouse, you''re still a rare expert in this world. When exploring Relics, having someone like you—such a capable person—by my side is a blessing. How could I forget?"


    Dean Bruce had already nned to venture into the Golden Empire''s Relics, and he fully intended to bring ire Raymond along. The only reason the Relics expedition had been dyed was that Nichs William had temporarily returned to Notting City.


    ire Raymond smiled slightly before shifting the topic. "So, do you have any ns to explore Relics soon?"


    "Not for now," Dean Bruce shook his head. "I need to teach for a while at Saint Laurent Advanced Magic Academy. I won''t be exploring any Relics for the time being. But when I return to Notting City, you can join me."


    "..." ire Raymond sighed. "Indeed, there are Relics in the ck Dragon Mountains. But they''ve been searching for a long time and found nothing!"


    Dean Bruce had already heard about the Nine Provinces Alliance and some other organizations exploring Relics in the ck Dragon Mountains. He had been worried that those three special Relics would be discovered.


    Upon hearing that they hadn''t found anything yet, Dean Bruce couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    This meant there was no immediate need to rush back.


    Looking up at ire Raymond, Dean Bruce''s mind began to turn.


    Wouldn''t it be easier to have her deal with Elvis?


    Noticing the strange glint in Dean Bruce''s eyes, ire Raymond didn''t retreat. Instead, she stood tall, meeting his gaze with confidence, and said, "I''m curious. You have quite impressive strength and some mysterious abilities. Why are you content to be just a simple teacher?"


    "To be honest, I was shocked when I learned you were willing to lead an expedition to the Flowing Sand Secret Realm," she continued.


    "You should be busy exploring unknown Relics, focusing on your cultivation. Why waste your time on things that seem so... meaningless?"


    Dean Bruce''s expression remained calm as he replied, "That is my cultivation."


    After a pause, he added, "In time, when there are Relics to explore, I will send word to you. Do you have any other matters?"


    "No," ire Raymond shook her head. "There''s no need toplicate things. I''ve been reassigned to the headquarters, so you can send messages to me anytime without the need for magic scrolls."


    "From now on, wherever you go, I will follow behind you," ire Raymond said in a leisurely tone. "As long as there are Relics, I won''t miss them!"


    Without responding to her words, Dean Bruce turned and left the elders'' residence area, walking further and further away from ire Raymond, who stood still, watching him go.


    Upon arriving at the gates of the Magic Guild, Lucy Michelle and Prolo Hawthorne were already waiting. As soon as they spotted Dean Bruce, they quickly walked over to greet him.


    Before they could speak, Dean Bruce''s voice, heavy with disappointment, rang out: "You''ve really let me down. Five whole days inside the Secret Realm, and yet you couldn''t manage toprehend the magic!"


    The moment his words fell, both of them turned bright red, their faces burning with shame.


    There was no excuse. In their eyes, Dean Bruce had been generous enough to teach them high-level and ultra-high-level spells. He had practically treated them like his own children, providing them with opportunities they could never have dreamed of.


    If they hadn''t been able to grasp the magic, it was entirely their fault.


    "Ugh." Dean Bruce sighed deeply. "I''ll give you another five days. If you still can''t seed by then..."


    He shook his head, walking past the two of them, causing their expressions to change drastically.


    Lucy Michelle quickly hurried to follow Dean Bruce, her mind racing through the spells he had taught her.


    When they returned to his mansion, Dean Bruce was relieved not to see Nemesis Bruce on the streets.


    "Master!"


    As soon as Dean Bruce approached the gates, the guards came to meet him.


    But it was the butler, Hakenny, who was kneeling in the courtyard, waiting for him.


    Dean Bruce casually removed his magical robe as he entered the courtyard and asked, "Has anything happened around here in thest few days?"


    "Master, everything has been normal," Hakenny replied respectfully. "However, there''s something strange with the young master''s courtyard. Whenever anyone enters, we get trapped in an illusion and fall unconscious. Only the young master himself can walk out."


    "Mm?"


    Upon hearing this, Dean Bruce''s eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately summoned his system panel to check for any relevant notifications.


    Unfortunately, there was no news of Nemesis Bruce sessfullyprehending magic.


    [Any anomaly suggests that the magic has almost been understood. Why hasn''t it seeded yet?]


    With a quick thought, Dean Bruce didn''t waste any more time thinking about it. He made his way straight to Nemesis Bruce''s small courtyard.


    Lucy Michelle, Hakenny, and the others followed closely behind.


    Buzz—


    The moment Dean Bruce pushed open the courtyard gate, a strange magical wave immediately enveloped him.


    It was peculiar, but very faint.


    With Dean Bruce''s soul strength, he could have shattered the force instantly if he wanted to.


    But he quickly realized that the wave was likely linked to Nemesis Bruce''sprehension of new magic. There was no way he would destroy it. Instead, he immersed himself, allowing his mind to integrate with the energy.


    Swish—


    A sh of light flickered, and when Dean Bruce opened his eyes again, he found himself in a massive castle or pce, surrounded by dazzling golden walls. The walls were covered with countless marks and patterns.


    But to Dean Bruce''s surprise, the air itself, as well as the walls, were filled with bodies—not dead, but people undergoing horrific tortures!


    The agonizing, blood-curdling screams echoed from their mouths, reverberating through the air, assaulting Dean Bruce''s senses.


    Looking down, the scene grew even more bizarre.


    The ground beneath him was not solid earth but an abyss!


    In the abyss, countless figures writhed in torment. Some were engulfed in mes, others were being torn apart by violent winds, and some were struck repeatedly by thunderous bolts of lightning...


    Anyone whoid eyes on such a scene, even if their mind stirred for the briefest of moments, would be deeply affected by it!


    [The City of Pain, the Abyss, the suffering souls… It perfectly mirrors the magic in those incantations!]


    Dean Bruce muttered to himself. "The power contained here is considerable; this is already close to being a magic. Why hasn''t it seeded yet?"


    "Or do I need to approve of it? But that wasn''t the case before…"


    His brow furrowed. This was apletely new situation for him, and even he found himself a bit confused.


    However, on the surface, Dean Bruce remained calm. He knew that, while Nemesis Bruce''s eyes might be blind, his sensory abilities were still quite remarkable. Without hesitation, he spoke: "Put everything into it. Let me see how far you''vee inprehending the magic of The Eternal City of Pain!"


    As soon as his words fell, the atmosphere in the space seemed to freeze. Almost immediately, those suspended in the air, those enduring tortures, slowly raised their heads. They turned their eyes toward Dean Bruce, their expressions twisted with terror and malevolence.


    Blood-red light flickered in their eyes, exuding a sense of crushing pressure so intense it could almost suffocate.


    In the next moment, the figures surged toward Dean Bruce like vengeful spirits, as though they intended to drag him down into hell!


    Ding!


    "System notification: Congrattions, host! You have sessfully taught Nemesis·Bruce toprehend the magic—The Eternal City of Pain. You have received a reward of 100 Supreme Mage points! You have received an additional reward of ten times theprehension and power of The Eternal City of Pain!"


    "System notification: Since The Eternal City of Pain has been ssified as an Ultra-High-Level spell, the host has earned an additional 300 Supreme Mage points! You have also received an extra reward: The Prayer of the Sufferers!"


    "Huh?!"


    With the two system notifications ringing in his ears, Dean Bruce couldn''t help but feel a surge of joy.


    The rewards were finally in his hands, and now he possessed an Ultra-High-Level spell!


    Not only that, but he had also gained a special treasure!


    However, this was not the time to examine the treasure''s effects. Dean Bruce focused instead on absorbing the tenfoldprehension and power of The Eternal City of Pain, feeling the magical energy flowing and circting through his body.


    Vroom—


    Just as the figures were about to reach him, Dean Bruce merely focused his thoughts, and suddenly, a crisp sound echoed from the walls surrounding him.


    In the next instant, countless shadowy figures surged forth from the walls, arriving ahead of the attacking spirits. They immediately wrapped themselves around the figures, binding them tightly.


    Bang—


    The sound of shattering ss rang out as Nemesis·Bruce, already low on magical energy, saw his attack shattered. The magic copsed entirely.


    All the visions vanished, and Dean Bruce found himself back in the courtyard of his home.


    In the corner, Nemesis·Bruce trembled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.


    "To be able toprehend an Ultra-High-Level spell in just a week, that''s already quite impressive."


    Dean Bruce encouraged. "Keep it up. If you don''t understand anything, juste ask me."


    Upon hearing this, Lucy·Michelle, who stood outside the door, couldn''t help but feel a flicker of hope in her eyes. There was even a hint of envy—and jealousy—rising in her heart.


    But as she recalled how both she and Nemesis·Bruce had received the new spell at the same time, yet she hadn''t made any progress, the jealousy quickly dissipated.


    "Training requires bnce, you know..." Dean Bruce''s words trailed off as he sensed a magical fluctuation. He lifted his gaze toward the main courtyard.