?


    The frozen man with the power of fungus was a renowned and feared figure in thend. Not many would dare to cast a spell against him lest he be attacked by the most dangerous of poisons.


    Even Teryon would not attack him unless something far greater than his life was stated.


    The attack that Teryon made based on Vivindel''s words sparked curiosity.


    "Mage Teryon! What are you doing?!" A knight of the same kingdom approached and pulled Teryon back.


    CRACKLE!


    A powerful ice ball shot toward the knight and sent him hurling back.


    "No one, stop me!" The mage roared in anger.


    Everyone was stunned. They could see that the matter was of great importance that not even the king could interfere.


    "How audacious!" The king roared in anger.


    But at once, the Prince jumped from his lofty throne and fell before the man.


    "Prince?"


    "Forgive his audacity, King Vergos. But I know a man of such crazed conviction. I ask that you allow this to y out." Prince Alistair answered.


    The king frowned. He was startled at the appearance of Vivindel, which would have proven Emeros''s ims. No one had seen such a creature. But if Emeros was right, then they were wrong. And he could not afford it.


    But Teryon cared not of these politics as he ran back towards the frozen form of Abner.


    "I can attest to the identity of Mage Vivindel. Only he knew of my troubles. My love, Baron Jazmine Tress, was known to a few people long ago. Vivindel was one of them! And let''s see if the Vivindel I remember was as thorough in investigating matters of death as I remember him to be."


    The potion was forcibly brought down the frozen body of Abner.


    "Tell me! Did you kill Baron Jazmine Tress?!" Teryon shouted again.


    The mouth of Abner was moving, and Teryon began to defrost it.


    "Yes…" Abner answered.


    "….Why?!"


    "Orders… By Count… Hashik."


    Teryon trembled.


    "So… it was him… Yes. Yes… It makes perfect sense now…" Teryon answered as he turned around.


    His face was full of rage, and many were rmed at his expression. They knew that even though his enemy was a Count, he would show the same craziness and anger today.


    "Were you in anyways involved in any attacks against Mage Rorcast, Vivindel, Peres, and Joab?" Emeros suddenly asked.


    "I was tasked by Viscount Rion to attack Vivindel, but he fled. I was once paid by an anonymous member of the Sword Tower kingdom to deal with Peres—another one from Nogros to frame Joab. As for Rorcast, it was Count Erbon of Zarefard kingdom who ordered to hunt him down. But they all fled and vanished." Abner answered.


    Emeros smiled. He had been asking Vivindel about the many urrence and deaths. He realized through his knowledge that the highest probability of numerous murders and deaths was caused by a fungus expert!


    And with this, it was easy for them to guess who the killer was. Emeros had Rorcast''s memories and had talked to Vivindel about what he knew and had determined that this was the one who caused the four mages to flee!


    "As you can see, my lord, Vivindel is only one of four mages. Four mages have a rtively unknown status within Zarefard. Only your respective kingdoms know of their names and infamy. I even daresay that Duke Ressongraze does not know of three of the four mages. Four mages, who, for their troubles, were outcasts simr to Perment. They were rising geniuses in their own right."


    "Perment? A rising genius?" Elfordughed.


    "He is. A mage who has greatly aided me in creating Energy Conversion Circles. Can you create a defensive link like he did?" Emeros challenged.


    Elford was angered.


    "But just like Perment, these rising geniuses had to fall as they threatened those in power. And they sought refuge in a cave. Their hearts are heavy with the desire for revenge. And all of them realized that there was a legacy inside. They shared their knowledge and power and opened the seal, hoping to attain the promised power within. But to im the power, a terrifying price must be done…" Emeros narrated.


    Everyone was now captivated by this story.


    "An interesting story…" The king began to p. But his expression was dark.


    "But this is another one of your simple schemes to twist things. Half-truths are spread across this tale. You found four mages inside and bent the story when it was you who opened it! And this little ploy is merely lies!" The King roared.


    "Oh? Then perhaps the king can use Abner to ring out more details! Let''s ask what other lies Abner knows about our beloved Zarefard kingdom!"


    SLASH!


    The ice crackled as the frozen body was halved from the king''s quick sh.


    Prince Alistair was in Emeros''s way, but Abner had no guard and was quickly killed.


    "Enough of this! You do not have proof to use me of my…!"


    FLASH!


    A bright light shone behind Alistair, and he was confused and quickly turned around.


    "I know that an unfair trial would be held for us, for we were already determined to be the traitors of thisnd so that the sins of this kingdom would be covered. I implore anyone to ask and contact the Champions guarding the mines now. They know and can attest that these things were once within the mines. Through the knowledge of that underground region and from what Rorcast and Vivindel had uncovered, behold, I have portaled the corpse of Rorcast!" Emeros stood over a dried-up corpse.


    Rorcast''s body was petrified and preserved. As such, the grotesque, humanlike form with the familiar features of Rorcast was presented.


    "Teleportation?! Through energy conversion circles with no tform and energy cements?" A mage eximed.


    "Look! They drank mana potions!" Another pointed out that each member had drank up their mana potion to teleport the corpse.


    "They im that Perment, or I, stole such magic. If true, forget about barriers allowing Captains to negate a Champions attack. Show me a portal that can warp items back and forth. Prove to me that you are the original users. We can do the very same trick you did, but even better! One thousand five hundred experience points would be the minimum!" Emeros dered.


    "Lies!" The King roared back. He wanted to attack, but Prince Alistair kept his position between the two.


    "I will not take such usation lightly! You stole from us, and that is the fact! These… abominations that you im to be the former mages are all part of your web of lies! We created these circles! You have nothing to do with it!" The king shouted.


    "Indeed! You stole from us!" Baron Elford shouted.


    "You tricked us, and you used Mage Captain Carlisto!" Mage Torman added.


    "So you im that your magic is your own?" Emeros asked.


    "Yes!" Elford answered.


    "...Alright. I guess it''s eptable." Emeros smiled.


    Elford and Torman were about to shout another line of defense.


    "You… agree?" Elford asked.


    "Sure."


    "So you admit that you stole from us?" The Duke asked.


    "Of course not. What I meant was, if I find my heritage, why can''t you find yours? Finding ck Magic forms is not that rare. If I find Holy forms of great purity, why should it be impossible for someone to find heritages from ck Magic?" Emeros chuckled.


    "ck Magic?!"


    "How dare you!"


    "Vivindel." Emeros asked.


    "It''s true. The core letter that they used is a dark magic call. A power that draws magic from a Fallen or a Fallen Spawn. We, the four mages of the apocalypse, had studied these letters and used them to empower ourselves since we were now dependent on ck magic. Master''s power that bound and defeated me is that of an ancient king."


    At the words of the ancient king, the Prince suddenly grew alert and turned to Emeros.


    Emeros noticed it and secretlymitted the reaction to memory.


    The rest reacted in anger at the usation of the nt.


    "Master. It''s easy to prove it. The light around Baron Knight Merovus has faded. Let him see if his progress in Holy energy has increased or weakened." Vivindel offered.


    "A brilliant suggestion!" Emeros smiled.


    Everyone was surprised and turned to Baron Knight Merovus.


    He was channeling his light to appear, and his expression was slowly turning uglier and uglier.


    "Duke Ressongraze! You destroyed my cultivation! My path to a Pdin has been destroyed!" Merovus suddenly exploded in anger and charged toward the Duke.


    But the Count, who was the actingmander of the Baron, stopped Merovus and bound him.


    "Stop!" The Count shouted.


    "No! He…! He….! ck magic user! Foul creature! My sword will y you! st you! st this damn kingdom that practices ck magic!" The enraged knight shouted and howled as the Count held him down.


    Duke Ressongraze! King Vergos! What is the meaning of this? This man is a blessed noble who our king favors! He is a rising genius in our kingdom! Are you enticing us all to war?!" The Count shouted.


    King Vergos and Duke Ressongraze both had horrified expressions.


    The two turned to Elford and Torman.


    "You two! Exin! What happened?!" Duke Ressongraze shouted.


    "I… I…! This…!" This! Torman didn''t know what to say.


    "It''s... it''s that man! It''s Perment! He gave us the wrong form! This was his energy conversion circle! He tricked us!"


    "My energy conversion circle? Didn''t you prove to everyone that this was your own? I don''t have anything to do with this." Permentughed.