Pride and Despair (Part 2)

Chapter 87: Pride and Despair (Part 2)

Dean Bartis's Fire Lizard [Phantom Crystal Armor] was fully formed, almost perfect. The armor, a layer of crimson scales, covered his entire body, including a helmet resembling a lizard's head. Sharp, gleaming spikes protruded from the joints of his limbs, and his entire being seemed to harness the power of a volcano, capable of unleashing lava-like attacks at any moment. It was so flawless that even he couldn't find any faults in it!

The final test was the armor's offensive capability. Bartis raised his arm and, using only a tenth of his strength, punched a nearby black iron pillar. With a dull thud, the pillar, weighing several thousand pounds, was dented deeply, the fist mark slightly reddened with a scorching heat. This punch was not only powerful but also carried intense flame damage. If it hit a person, even a Sky Knight would be seriously injured.

Bartis then threw a second punch, this time with double the strength. The thick iron pillar was nearly pierced through, showing signs of melting. He didn't stop and immediately delivered a third punch. This time, the entire pillar bent, molten iron splashing out. His next punch struck the wall of the magic tower. If not for the protective magic array, the tower would have been breached!

Duke Gene watched with a teasing smile, advising his old friend, "Alright, old man, we get that you're powerful now, but stop showing off, or you'll dismantle the magic tower!"

"No… I… I can't control this power…!" Bartis yelled from within the armor, his voice filled with panic and fear. "Why… why is the Phantom Crystal's power becoming more violent? Why can't I suppress it?… Something must be wrong… something must have gone wrong…!"

Everyone was shocked. Archmage Belinda urgently shouted, "Quick, remove the armor, take it off now!"

"I can't. I can't suppress this power. It's trapped me… it's continuously increasing. Why… there's nothing wrong with the carrier belt I forged… where did it go wrong…!" Bartis almost roared, his voice filled with pain. His entire body was engulfed in flames, emitting a terrifying heat that burned his flesh mercilessly.

Everyone was terrified, never expecting such a change. The dean had become a man of fire, the flames forcing everyone to retreat.

"It's over… I'm going to die. Everyone, get away from me… Zachary, open the magic tower's skylight and let me out, or I'll destroy the entire tower…!" Bartis knew he couldn't survive and urged his servant, the old beastman Zachary, to open the skylight and deactivate the defensive array, allowing him to leave the tower. The Phantom Crystal's fiery power was fully unleashed, turning him into a fire lizard emitting fierce flames.

With tears in his eyes, the old beastman opened the skylight. Bartis immediately leapt out, hovering briefly in mid-air like a burning sun. The entire Magic Academy was alarmed, and teachers and students gathered, horrified by the sight of the fiery lizard in the sky. Lady Belinda, her face full of tears, cried out in despair, "No, Bartis… you can't die… no…!" Though they had never married, they had been lifelong companions, and she was heartbroken.

The Phantom Crystal's power was fully unleashed, and even from dozens of feet away, the heat was palpable. Trees ignited, and the magic tower's defensive array activated to resist the flames. No one could get close, forced to listen to Bartis's pained screams as he was burned.

The fragile body of the mage couldn't withstand the flames for long. Within moments, Bartis was reduced to ashes, but the fiery lizard remained, its flames growing even more intense. The carrier belt, suspended in mid-air, showed signs of melting. If it were destroyed, the Phantom Crystal's power would explode with the force of a forbidden spell, devastating everything around it.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events, unable to do anything. At that moment, a phantom figure flew in from the south, with wings like a large bird but a human form. Seeing the flames in the air, the figure let out a surprised "huh," then approached the fireball, ignoring the intense heat. The figure reached in, grabbed the carrier belt, and forcibly suppressed the Phantom Crystal's power, removing it from the belt. The fiery ball dissipated instantly, leaving the air filled with a strange fire element. The figure, clearly displeased, cursed, "Damn it, the scattered Phantom Crystal aura is blocking my senses. I can't find the Hebraedon Wolf's trace anymore…!"

Padinton was a small, remote country. Only a few top officials vaguely recognized this person as a powerful Phantom Armor Warrior. Most others, filled with awe, did not know his identity. Some ignorant academy servants even mistook him for a god, nearly kneeling in worship.

Duke Gene was the first to react, quickly nudging King Kolek and giving him a look. Kolek immediately understood… Dean Bartis had failed to forge the Phantom Armor, plunging the Kingdom of Padinton into an unprecedented crisis. This mysterious Phantom Armor Warrior might be their last hope. Kolek had to seize the opportunity to curry favor, no matter the cost, to get even a little help from this man, which might make the Audria Empire reconsider their actions.

"Honorable sir, thank you for your help. Without you, the Padinton Magic Academy would have suffered a great loss. I am King Kolek of Padinton, please accept my gratitude." King Kolek placed his remaining right hand on his chest and saluted the figure.

The figure revealed himself: a slender, handsome man with long golden hair and a pale, delicate complexion. He frowned as he examined the carrier belt, noting the complex patterns on it. His face darkened with displeasure. "Hmph… Padinton… what kind of insignificant country is this? How dare you privately forge Phantom Crystal Armor? Do you think you can defy the authority of the Holy Mountain?"

King Kolek was speechless, his heart pounding. Was this person from the Enlightened Church? This was a disaster!

Even someone as ignorant as King Kolek knew about the Holy Enlightened Church, which controlled everything related to Phantom Beasts and Phantom Armors across the entire Soren Continent. The Church's edict was clear: no individual or force could forge Phantom Armor or possess Phantom Crystals without the Church's permission. Any discovered Phantom Crystals or Phantom Beast traces must be reported to the Church's temples immediately. Violators would be punished or even executed!

The power of Phantom Armor was immense. Despite the Church's strict control, worldly nations couldn't resist secretly researching and forging armors if they obtained Phantom Crystals, hoping to keep them as ultimate protective charms. The Church knew this and couldn't suppress everyone forcefully, so they ignored low-level Phantom Armors unless high-level Phantom Crystals were involved. This was why the major empires had many Phantom Armor warriors.

Had Dean Bartis succeeded and kept the armor hidden, the golden-haired man might have overlooked it, focusing on finding the Hebraedon Wolf. But now, the explosion of Phantom Crystal power had overshadowed the wolf's faint aura, leaving the man frustrated and angry.

"Are you the King of Padinton? Fine, go explain your unauthorized Phantom Armor forging to the Church and don't bother me!" The golden-haired man ignored everyone else in Padinton, scoffing as he held the carrier belt and Fire Lizard Phantom Crystal. "Making a Phantom Beast power transmission array without a control array to regulate the power increase… no wonder it went out of control. He deserved to die…."

Now it was clear! The few knowledgeable people understood, but it was too late for Dean Bartis, who had been reduced to ashes. Without him, Padinton had no one capable of forging Phantom Armor.