The whole area was almost flattened after the explosion. Linius shook his head a couple of times before the ringing in his ear stopped and vision cleared. When he looked up, he saw a red barrier surrounding him and in front of him was Cygnus. His gaze then wandered around and what he saw made him close his eyes.
The red dome slowly disappeared as the master slumped on the ground. He used the dome to protect the two of them from the explosion then he appeared weak after it. Linius couldn't understand why the man was still acting when no one was there to see them.
"Did you know about this?" He sat down and couldn't help but ask the man. He was sure that the attack was not random and that it was planned.
"That's how greedy people end up. I just told him that consuming mana cores can extend one's life, he went ahead and consumed more than he can bear. What a stupid person." Cygnus chuckled while shaking his head.
"What do you mean?" He was once again speaking in circles and Linius couldn't understand what he was saying.
"That man was the former Magus Maximus. He did not die because he had a way of transferring his soul to a body. Actually, he had already lived a thousand years just like me. That's how he maintained his seemingly eternal life and I merely suggested that swallowing mana core would really make him immortal." The master's mocking laugh sounded in the area. It was bone chilling but Linius ignored it.
"Why didn't you kill him back then? Why did you let him roam around and kill several people?" This kind of logic was something he would never understand.
"Major," Cygnus turned his face a little enough for the major to see one side of the master's face, "letting him free and letting him experience the power were all part of the plan."
The smirk on his face made the major avoid his gaze, "I don't really understand your way of thinking."
"That's because you haven't experienced the joy of seeing your enemies dying by your own hands. Why don't you try it in the future, it is oddly satisfying especially if you play with them first before finally plunging the knife deep into their flesh as you watch their blood flow out." Cygnus laughed before grinning from ear to ear.
Linius couldn't help his body's reaction whenever he saw how cruel the master was. He was stoic in nature and he wouldn't feel fear that easily but after meeting the master, his view of the world started to change. He shook his head to remove the mental image from his mind before he finally stood up.
"If not for that damn contract, I would have reported you myself." Linius was clear that he was helping the person with his acts of murder even though he knew that no investigation can prove that the man was the instigator of everything that happened so far. He could also consider himself a criminal right now just because of that.
Cygnus suddenly became curious as to how the major would respond if he told him the truth. "What if I tell you that it was because of revenge? You see I learned something from our encounter and due to anger I tortured him by burning him alive and letting him escape later on watching him explode because of his own stupidity?"
Linius stopped on his tracks at the master's sudden words. "What kind of grudge have you been holding on to? Besides, why would you do an act of revenge against the Magus Maximus? Did you know him?"
He did not look back and just waited for the master to answer. He was afraid that once he looked back, he would believe whatever the master would say. Linius needed his mind clear if he wanted to judge the master's next words objectively.
Cygnus also stood up, "You know, I also found out something interesting, that I met that man a thousand years ago when they hunted my family down and burned them all alive."
Linius didn't move. He couldn't believe what he was saying. Why would they be hunted down and burned alive? Linius was suddenly confused.
"That's why I couldn't just let him go. I wanted him to suffer." Cygnus added as he took a step forward. "He deserved it."
Linius shuddered involuntarily before he tightly shut his eyes. After he was able to calm himself, he left without uttering a word. He did not know how to react to what the master had revealed and unintentionally, he understood one piece of information from those words and that was, the master was from this world.
If his enemies from a thousand years ago could live or have the possibility of still being alive, he was afraid that their world would soon be plunged into chaos, not only their kingdom but all the other kingdoms would surely suffer. He walked fast as he forced himself to focus on the task at hand and let the master's words be forgotten for a while.
The master silently watched as Linius walked away without saying a word. He then chuckled and went to follow the man. Several soldiers also arrived and helped them to see if there were survivors. They walked around and saw several shields in the distance.
Leif and some of the mages survived because of the timely barrier they conjured. Even Nina was also safe together with the people who were near her during the explosion. Sadly, some of the mages died and even the soldiers who were there to help them also ended up dead.
There were also civilians that were caught up with the blast. Ulysses arrived at the scene only to sigh; he then looked around. There were already tents on the place where they were treating all the wounded and that was where Linius and Cygnus were. They were both being treated for their injuries together with the other soldiers and mages.
"I heard that the person who appeared here was the mana core stealer," Ulysses stood in front of his two sons with a serious look on his face.
"Yes, he tried to take my mana core but I managed to deter him but then he suddenly went berserk. I even saw him eating several mana cores at the same time." Cygnus ignored the look that Linius was sending his way.
"If that's the case, it's good that that monster is dead. Although we have casualties, there's nothing we could do about those but to only compensate their families and offer them our condolences. The two of you rest for a while, I'll take care of the other matters." Ulysses was busy with the investigation of the tower but he couldn't let his sons handle the matter when they were clearly injured.
Linius nodded and after staying for a while, the duke finally left to attend to matters that needed his attention. The brothers were then sent home and were banned to work or do anything for the time being. Ulysses also promised them that he would take care of the king.
"What you said out there, are they the truth?" Linius finally asked after they went home. Both of them were currently resting on one of the private lounges inside the manor.
Cygnus looked him in the eye, "Yes. I would never lie about these things. I even forcefully accessed Ari's files just to remember that day."
"What are you going to do now?" He asked after a moment of silence. "Are you going to seek revenge on everyone who has done you wrong?"
"What do you think, major? Should I let them go?" Cygnus tilted his head to the side with a smile on his face. It looked like the matter didn't bother him at all even though in reality, his mood became unstable after the incident at the Mage Tower.
"I think that you are going to kill them all and perhaps include the destruction of this world."
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