Chapter 239

245. Chapter 245: Second-Level Wizard? That's Exactly Who I'm Fighting

Damn it!

Lin Ke rarely cursed.

Selinn Wushi would not speak nonsense about this matter.

So, he had previously gone around eliminating the Lucias, which was like throwing flirtatious glances at a blind man—completely wasted effort.

If he had received the news earlier, he would not be in this predicament now.

Wait, Lin Ke suddenly realized.

It wasn't that the Selinn Wushi's message was delayed, but that the team competition had inexplicably started early.

Calculating the time, if the team competition had not started early, Lin Ke could have brought this message and entered the competition just in time.

By a twist of fate, the Lucias who were originally destined to die at Lin Ke's hands actually survived.

Sigh...

After forcefully exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, Lin Ke stopped dwelling on the regret of not killing the Lucias and instead considered the impact of the Paro Sage Legion being besieged by the Abyssal Demon on himself.

The first issue to face is rescue.

Selinn Wushi will surely push the academy to organize one or several legions to rescue the Paro Sage Legion.

This requires substantial manpower, material resources, and financial resources.

In this matter, Lin Ke must inevitably contribute; there is no other choice.

How to contribute and how much to contribute is the key.

The second issue to face is development.

With the backing of the Paro Sage, supported by Selinn Wushi and Cody Wizard, Lin Ke can firmly establish himself in the East District of Riverside City, open and operate a potion shop.

Currently, Cody Wizard is in the Transformation Period, with combat power not increasing but decreasing;

Selinn Wushi will absolutely focus all efforts on preparing for the rescue of the Paro Sage, with no leisure to attend to Lin Ke and the Grand Potion Shop.

The wind and rain they originally blocked will now directly strike Lin Ke himself, forcing him to bear it alone.

He must face the suppression and malicious competition from other potion shop owners eyeing the Grand Potion Shop's business, as well as the forces behind those shops.

This is an inevitable situation, based on a businessman's intuition.

The final issue to face is how to handle the inevitable solicitations.

Given Lin Ke's combat power demonstrated today, many individuals and forces will definitely extend olive branches, wanting to recruit him under their banners.

Even against someone like Sandra of the Fourth Generation, Lin Ke cannot firmly refuse.

If someone with higher status and position intervenes, what should Lin Ke do?

Previously, if he really couldn't handle it, he could still pull out the Paro Sage as a shield, claiming he had already joined the Paro Sage's command.

Now, the Paro Sage themselves are in a precarious situation, barely surviving.

What's wrong?

Mo Li, sitting beside him, keenly sensed Lin Ke's emotional change and immediately leaned in to ask.

"You look yourself."

Lin Ke opened the message received on his Smart Brain and showed it to Mo Li.

"Ah?"

Mo Li let out an exclamation, "How could this happen? Has the Lucia Family gone mad?"

"I don't know either."

Lin Ke was equally bewildered, sighing softly, "Maybe they really went mad, or maybe there's some hidden truth—who knows."

"Then what should we do?"

With lightning-fast thoughts, in the blink of an eye, Mo Li thought of the new situation Lin Ke and "Do Whatever Is Free" would soon face.

"Take one step at a time."

The situation is unclear, information unknown, Lin Ke temporarily does not want to make blind decisions.

Everything will wait until this competition ends, then return to thoroughly understand the full story before making plans.

However, for now, if the upcoming individual competition brings another encounter with the Lucias, then kill them first and talk later.

After all, that leading Lucia is single-mindedly seeking death, wanting to make a sacrifice.

Then let him have his wish.

Thinking of this, Lin Ke silently summoned Flandre, letting her embody the Wind Elf, to monitor the Lucias' movements.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles.

Lin Ke must confirm whether the Lucias will come up with some tricky maneuvers again.

In the spectator room.

When faced with sudden changes, Sandra did not panic.

Her first reaction was to take out her Portable Smart Brain to verify the truth with her family and the academy, while also reporting Linke Grand's combat power exceeding limits and the joint pressure from the four wizard organizations.

Just as this message was sent out, she received replies from her mother and third uncle respectively.

Lisandra's words were somewhat vague.

She did not directly give advice, but told Sandra that when making decisions, her gaze should be longer-term, and her view of problems deeper.

The Dean's words were easier to understand; necessary sacrifices are completely acceptable.

After reading the two messages, Sandra's thoughts were subtle, and she quickly began analyzing the situation.

Based on her understanding of her mother and third uncle, the Lucia Family's defection is certainly not that simple.

Whether it's really a spy within a spy within a spy, it certainly cannot be hastily concluded.

Even though Mesopotamia University is gradually showing signs of decline, its management is not foolish; it is impossible to simply accept the Lucia Family's defection from the allied Riverside Academy.

This matter has a huge impact.

Moreover, as it develops, it may not necessarily hurt anyone.

Something must have happened that she doesn't know about.

To the extent that Mesopotamia University would rather damage its relationship with Riverside Academy than refrain from making such a heinous decision.

However, since neither her mother nor her third uncle told her, overthinking is useless; it's better to focus on the present matters.

What she needs to do now is properly respond to the pressure exerted by the four wizard organizations and decide whether or not to let Linke Grand participate in the individual competition.

After clearing her thoughts, Sandra sneered: "Since you want to forfeit and withdraw from the competition, then forfeit and withdraw. As long as the individual competition continues to be held, Linke Grand will inevitably participate. We will absolutely not compromise."

Saying this, Sandra looked at the Mesopotamia University team leader: "As for the matter between our two sides, I am insignificant and lack detailed knowledge, so I won't say more—just a reminder: only do what your elders tell you to do, and don't go overboard."

Lanny let out a soft sigh.

It's good that Sandra didn't fall for it.

From any perspective, Linke Grand participating in the individual competition is entirely justified.

The competitors were already confirmed long ago by the five wizard organizations; the procedure is reasonable and flawless.

Unless he himself proposes to withdraw, no one can make the decision for him.

Not even Sandra, as the team leader.

The four wizard organizations threaten to forfeit and withdraw, but they can be completely ignored.

If they want to forfeit and withdraw, then let them do so.

It would be effortless to just take the individual competition.

Appeal?

The grounds don't hold up; appealing to the possibly biased Michelle Great Sage Tower would be useless.

Even if the Michelle Great Sage Tower's ruling is unfavorable to Riverside Academy, what then!

Having already fallen out, Riverside Academy can similarly appeal upward, all the way to the Supreme Council.

Stir up the situation—let's see who ends up losing face in the end!

"Hmph!"

Three-Point Wizard Vina, seeing Sandra neither yield to soft nor hard tactics, first lost her composure and then grew sullen.

After the family defection incident, Sandra remains remarkably calm—truly infuriating.

"Withdraw."

The Mesopotamia University team leader is indeed stubborn.

One spit, one nail—saying one thing and meaning it.

Having issued the threat to withdraw, failing to achieve the goal of stopping Linke Grand from participating in the individual competition, they actually followed through without hesitation.

"We're leaving." The team leader decisively led his entourage out of the viewing room.

Heading toward the adjacent arena-style building.

"What do you say?"

The Shadow City team leader, a gloomy man, inquired of the White Tower Alliance "Scholar."

"Withdraw, what else can we say?"

The "Scholar" rose, hands clasped behind his back holding a large book, demeanor solemn: "Anyway, as long as Linke Grand participates, whether we compete or not makes no difference—Riverside Academy will win the individual competition either way; better to just withdraw."

As his words fell, the "Scholar" also left with his entourage.

"Tsk..."

The Shadow City team leader, a gloomy man, thought for a moment, then stood up as well: "Congratulations, Sandra—you've won again."

After consideration, he likewise decided to withdraw.

He now has a new diversion—the Lucia family defection; he's eager to learn the full story, to gossip.

Who still has the mind to pay attention to the individual competition that's destined to lose?

"You got off easy."

Three-Point Wizard Vina, seeing the tide had turned and feeling isolated, reluctantly followed suit in withdrawing.

Sandra would not indulge Vina, immediately saying coldly: "Don't forget to record the video and post it on the major forums in the Michelle District."

"No need for you to remind me—I remember myself."

Three-Point Wizard Vina left the room with a very unpleasant expression.

Only Sandra and Lanny remained in the room.

After sitting in silence for a while, Sandra took out her portable smart brain and notified the four teams to assemble.

Then she led Lanny out of the opera-house-style building and arrived at the adjacent arena-style building.

The arena building had already become noisy.

The two sides were facing off outside the arena gates.

One side was the four teams from Mesopotamia University; the other, the three teams from Riverside Academy.

The Level 1 Wizards from the remaining three wizard organizations were scattered in three positions, observing from afar under their respective team leaders' guidance, watching this ally-splitting drama.

A team composed of five Lucia members, three peripheral members, and two passerby wizards had already been tightly bound, unable to move.

"What's going on?"

Sandra knew full well what was happening, yet upon arriving at the scene, she still asked this question.

Tiffany Colonna immediately replied: "The Lucia family defected; the Mesopotamia University team leader came to take away several Lucia members. Linke intervened, stopped them, and captured several Lucia members."

"You did that?"

Upon hearing this, Sandra looked at Linke: "Well done—you didn't embarrass our academy."

"Hmm."

Lin Ke responded indifferently.

A few minutes ago, Lin Ke was pondering what to do when he suddenly received a reminder from Flandre:

"Master, master, they're arguing. That Hawk says he'd rather die than follow anyone from Mesopotada University."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ke immediately stood up, opened the wooden door, and came to the hall.

Indeed, he heard a fierce argument erupting in the room behind a wooden door.

Hawk Lucia's voice was extremely loud, his attitude extremely indignant.

The attitude of the leading Lucia was also extremely firm, even issuing a threat that if Hawk did not follow, he would be expelled from the clan.

As Lin Ke prepared to share Flandre's vision to see the situation inside, two people burst in.

Lin Ke immediately recognized them as the leader of Mesopotada University and his attendant.

Without needing to think, Lin Ke activated his Life-Bound Spell "Battle Armor," directly entering his strongest combat form, took a step sideways to block their path, and coldly rebuked: "No greeting, sneaking around, trespassing on the grounds of Riverside Academy—is this what a leader should do? Get out!"

The leader of Mesopotada University did not expect to encounter Lin Ke, nor did he expect Lin Ke's reaction to be so fierce, nor did he expect Lin Ke's words to be so merciless.

He actually told him to get out!

How brazen!

Does he really think he's invincible among Level 1 Wizards, daring to look down on Level 2 Wizards?

How arrogant!

The leader of Mesopotada University flew into a rage and directly attacked.

In a flash of thought, a fist-sized, dull, inconspicuous light ball shot toward Lin Ke at several times the speed of sound.

Truly deadly attack witchcraft often lacks grandeur in appearance.

As now, once Lin Ke is touched by even a single strand of hair by this dull light ball, his entire body will be directly dissolved.

This witchcraft is precisely the advanced 2nd Ring version of "Dissolving Ray," capable of instantly dissolving a person into nothing but residue—"Disintegration."

Simple and unadorned, a lethal strike.

Lin Ke had been on guard against a sneak attack ever since he spoke, so he repeated his old trick, leaving behind a lifelike illusion in his place.

His true body had already used the "Small World" as an intermediary to perform a small-range displacement, appearing out of thin air behind the leader of Mesopotada University.

Below Sage-level, it is extremely difficult to easily sense spatial fluctuations.

The leader of Mesopotada University did not notice this.

The illusion dissipated like a bubble.

The terrifying damage of "Disintegration" poured onto the stone pillar, directly dissolving it into nothing, and extending toward the ceiling and floor.

In an instant, it spread widely, hollowing out all the ceilings and floors of the living room and four rooms.

The four teams of Riverside Academy simultaneously encountered an unknown attack, each quickly levitating to avoid falling.

Seeing this, the leader of Mesopotada University realized he had been overconfident, yet still did not take Linke Grand seriously enough.

In fact, if he had not left his seat early and watched Lin Ke teasing Lucia and the others, he would not have acted so rashly.

Lin Ke would not let such a good opportunity pass.

Moreover, since you want my life, why can't I take yours?

Source Power amplified, the chest ring of the Battle Armor stored energy and fired a modified version of "Dissolving Ray."

Similarly shot at several times the speed of sound toward the rear heart of the leader of Mesopotada University.

The opponent reacted quickly and decisively.

Even if he were certain his defensive witch tools and the defensive witchcraft he deployed could barely block this strike, he still would not take the risk.

In the blink of an eye, he grabbed the attendant beside him, continuously applying various defensive witchcraft onto the attendant to use him as a meat shield to block the modified "Dissolving Ray."

"Ah!!!!!"

The attendant reacted slowly; by the time he realized what was about to happen to him, it was already too late.

Having only activated his Life-Bound Spell, the attack-and-bind "Lightning Shackles," he watched helplessly as his body, under the assault of the modified "Dissolving Ray," instantly snapped into two pieces.

One piece above the neck, one piece below the hips.

The torso in between vanished completely.

Even, the wounds at the neck and hip joints were carefully treated with cauterization to stop bleeding.

Throughout, not a single bit of flesh or bone fragment was produced, nor a drop of blood shed.

Clean and hygienic, sterile.

No wonder he's a genius witcher from the Biology and Medical College!

The leader of Mesopotada University was unharmed in the slightest, yet broke out in a cold sweat from fright.

In his plan, the attendant would block the attack, and he would dodge.

Who would have thought the attendant's Life-Bound Spell "Lightning Shackles" was actually aimed at him?

Caught off guard, the leader, despite his thick defenses, was bound for 0.1 second, not having time to fully evade the modified "Dissolving Ray."

All his defenses were shattered.

Witchcraft and witch tools were utterly useless!

If not for having a disposable life-saving witch tool tucked in his pocket, touching the edge of a 4th Ring Witch Tool, the leader would likely have met his end.

"Damn! Really freaky!"

Overcome with fear, the leader directly chose to flee in panic.

Lin Ke did not recklessly pursue.

Just taking advantage of the situation was enough; if he insisted on taking the opponent's life, who knows if a "Path Protector" might jump out?

After that, Lin Ke directly moved in, seized Lucia's team, then brought along "Do Whatever Is Free" and the other two teams, blocking the four teams of Mesopotada University.

They came to fight at the slightest disagreement, and after fighting, they just wanted to leave.

How could there be such a good thing?