Chapter 277: Origin

The iron wall became scrap metal, shattered fragments flying like bullets toward Wilson.

This newly promoted seventh-rank mage of Bahadur had no intention of being killed by his own spell fragments, and immediately activated his second magic ring.

【Sapphire Ward】.

The fragments embedded into the square barrier, narrowly sparing him from death.

And as he watched the bronze dragon spirit rapidly contract before him, he recognized it instantly as the Land Naga's signature technique.

His lips twitched.

"When did the Land Naga start sharing this spiritual art?"

But now was clearly not the time to ponder that.

For Wilson realized this sixth-rank peak man could truly kill him.

What was the training motto of Bahadur Magic Academy?

Know when to flee.

Survival is the only rule.

"Wait! Friend! We have no conflict of interest, do we?!"

He immediately shouted the academy's classic phrase.

Luo De ignored him.

While the effect of 【Heart Flame Affix】 still lingered, he swung another blade like a flaming crescent moon.

The 【Sapphire Ward】 shattered again under the terrifying force.

No!

Why is his strength so immense?!?!

"Where are your spells? Keep casting! Why is your incantation so slow?"

Another defense spell was torn apart by dragon-like power.

"Don't rely on magic rings—use your own strength! Cast!"

Luo De urged impatiently.

Wilson retreated while gritting his teeth, eyes bulging with rage.

One magic ring turned to dust.

【Amber Coffin】 materialized out of thin air.

Then ten lightning-fast sword shadows blurred his vision, and the newly formed elements shattered into countless fragments.

This cycle repeated endlessly.

Most defense spells could barely withstand Luo De's overwhelming force.

By the end, 【Sacrificial Body Sword】 had even dulled its edge.

Luo De simply retracted it.

Using Shi Laimu's 【Ultra-Fast Split】, 【Multiple Transformation】, and 【Form Solidification】, he forged countless identical black longswords as disposable weapons.

Fortunately, Shi Laimu's body was a durable fluid metal.

Its sharpness couldn't match 【Sacrificial Body Sword】, but it didn't mind being consumed.

Break one, make another—repeat endlessly.

"Is that all you've got?"

Luo De couldn't help but feel disappointed.

He hadn't even tried to kill him—every strike had targeted only the defense spells.

Yet Wilson had clearly exhausted all his options, reduced to passive defense.

Even teleportation spells were swiftly caught up by Luo De.

"This slash is for your neck."

He spoke softly, eyes fixed on Wilson's throat like Death's own gaze.

He said this to test whether Wilson still had any hidden tricks.

The black metal blade drew level beside his body.

A white airstream sliced through the air.

Wilson's forehead was drenched in sweat, his entire body soaked through.

Seeing Luo De's killing intent as tangible as steel, every hair on his skin stood on end.

He will die!

That was his only thought.

So Wilson activated one last magic ring.

【Teleport Trick】.

The target: one of the distant female students.

This was his escape plan—he'd deliberately kept distance from the two students before casting the teleport, hoping to put as much space as possible between himself and this killing god.

As for Luo De.

He had noticed too, and deliberately refrained from using 【Maintain Domain】 to lock Wilson's position.

Whoosh—

The man before him suddenly became a stunned girl.

But he showed no mercy.

Thwack!

Her head flew skyward, blood spurting like a fountain.

Immediately afterward, he calculated the trajectory, his throat glowing like molten steel, and unleashed a thick, straight 【Dragon's Breath】 backward.

Wilson's entire torso was melted away by the dragon breath, leaving a hole the size of a face.

His body went limp, falling to the ground like a severed kite.

【Malice +300】

"Is that it? He's dead?"

Luo De shook his head.

The gap between him and Ameier is too wide.

The female student beside Wilson's corpse knew escape was impossible.

She dropped to her knees instantly, pleading for mercy, leveraging her femininity to weep pitifully, tear-streaked and fragile.

Luo De glanced at the bald Anduru, locked in battle with Sharon.

He thought for a moment.

He had no intention of helping—he trusted Sharon could handle it.

But a seventh-rank mage was still a seventh-rank mage; it was hard to say whether she'd hold back.

He'd keep this little student alive for questioning—kill her afterward if needed.

So Luo De smiled.

"Don't be silly, little sister—I don't kill women. We'll ask you a few questions, and if you're innocent, you can go."

The student either truly believed him or pretended to.

She had just watched him kill two women face-to-face, yet she thought his expression sincere, his smile gentle, his eyes brimming with deep affection.

No mistake.

He must be in love with me—that's why he's making this chance to speak to me.

What if he confesses to me later?

Should I accept right away, or pretend to resist first?

My husband back home, who supported my education at Bahadur Magic Academy, will surely forgive me for finding true love.

Unaware, 【White Ox's Charm】's bonus attraction toward married women was at work.

He paid it no mind.

About ten minutes passed.

Sharon descended gracefully, levitating on a flight spell.

Her Mage Hand gripped the bloodied, mangled body of the bald Anduru like a stray cat or dog.

His arms and legs had been cleanly severed at the elbows and knees, his eyes vacant, blood oozing slowly through his swollen lips.

"Dead?"

Luo De asked.

"Of course not. I know you too well—you've picked up that Brotherhood of Justice obsession with evidence, investigations, and making sure you never wrong an innocent."

"Brotherhood of Justice obsession?"

"Those guys care more about evidence than the authorities themselves—collecting proof, solving cases, insisting they never wrong anyone."

Sharon caught her breath.

Then she winced, rubbing her rounded buttocks.

Damn it!

That 【Painful Whipping】 buff had hurt like hell—but now it just tingles, even feels kinda nice?

Luo De remembered the nights he'd spent with the halfling Lily in Emerald City.

A nostalgic expression crossed his face.

I do know a friend from the Hero Alliance.

The two did not discuss it in detail.

They called over the timid arachnid elf Yuna to join the questioning.

Here, another advantage of Bahadur Magic Academy students appeared.

They did not deny anything—not even after they began asking—already spilling the full story.

Added to that, Yuna's supplementary account.

Luo De and the others could now piece it together.

It was simple.

The student group of five had accidentally discovered a treasure in the botanical garden, then tried to divert attention by offering aid to the Spiderweb Ruins.

But they hadn't expected the dark elves to kill the messenger after the task was done—once inside, no one was allowed to leave.

Wilson had inadvertently stumbled upon Yuna scouting routes, and so he threatened her life, secretly contacting his four comrades outside the ruins to coordinate an escape from within.

And then—

The student group never regarded non-human races as people; even gratitude didn't stop them from turning you into spell components, at most doing it with gentler methods.

(End of Chapter)