Return Trip

'Assassinating everyone who had any relevant knowledge on my operations has been taken care of. What's left is just to erase any potentially incriminating evidence.' -Leylin decided as he cleaned his bloodied hand on Anna's skirt.

He then tossed a vial filled with an explosive potion at the long dinner table. Every object in the vicinity, including some dead Knights, was blasted away.

Leylin was not fazed by this, and as the fire created by the elixir began to spread across the mansion's dining hall and lobby, he flickered away at great speed in the direction of his manor's cellar.

This was the most forbidden area that he had demarcated. When they were still alive, no member of Leylin's retinue would dare to go down there without his explicit authorization.

Under the dim light from a torch, Leylin withdrew a white round crystal from his satchel. An old person's figure could be seen within it. His expression was crazed and even had terror in it.

"Well met, dear prisoner. Missed me?" -Leylin mockingly bowed as he gave his salutations. However, in the ghost's eyes, this man's gesture was more harrowing than one from a devil.

"Don't... Don't, don't, don't! LEAVE ME ALONE AND JUST KILL ME ALREADY!" -The ghost's expression twisted, and he fearfully backed up to the walls of the crystal ball behind him.

"Let me tell you a piece of good news and a piece of bad news..." -Leylin discreetly placed many complex tools on a metal table close to him, as the spirit body let out ear-piercing screams in anticipation of the pain that he believed was to come.

"The good news is that my experimentation with you is done. You are just too used up. No additional insight would be gained even if I continued our sessions." -Leylin all but whispered.

Yet, before the ghost had any response, Leylin smiled and said: "The bad news is that I am preparing to go on a trip. And you will be going along with me."

"Oh, no! No! I beg of you… Have mercy on this poor soul, my Lord..." -The ghost cried.

Leylin paused for a second as if he were pondering the alternatives.

"Cut the whining. I'll finish you off quickly and put an end to your misery. But only if tell me everything of value you know. Every piece of information you shared with Alfonse, and especially that which you did not."

Since the moment he had captured him in the underground hideout, Leylin had not interrogated the spirit body about anything. He did not even speak to him. It was all torturing and experimenting. This was done on purpose given how Leylin knew that when the time came to extract the information he wanted, the formerly cunning ghost would already be broken inside.

At present, the spirit's will could be easily manipulated into coughing up the intel without the risk of being deceived.

One hour later, the anguished narration of the spirit had concluded. The villa was nearly consumed by the fire.

"Surprisingly, the information you have provided me with does meet my standards. Therefore, I will proceed to erase your soul with a basic Light element spell. Considering the passage of time within the spirit crystal is dilated, to you, it will probably feel like days before your arcane core gives in and your being disperses into the ether... By all means, enjoy your slow and painful final death." -Leylin told with a warm smile.

"What?! That doesn't make any sense! You should be keeping your end of the bargain and killing me swiftly!" -The ghost exclaimed with a distinct lack of potency in his voice.

"Yes, I agree with your point. We did have a deal... However, I simply do not care. Like I said, enjoy your unhurried death while trapped inside my crystal."

Following Leylin's statement, many hair-raising screams filled the lab, only for eerie tranquility to settle in moments afterward. It had resembled the howls of a person right before their death.

After the act of 'questioning' was finalized, Leylin went towards the other underground rooms of his dungeon.

In here, various blood-stained torture instruments were hung along the walls. On the floor, there were even a few corpses with wounds littered across their bodies, causing them to be almost indiscernible as a human body.

[The targets' physical bodies have undergone countless torments, and their souls are fractured. Here, the surrounding Negative Energy density is higher than the rest of the lab by 34.5%, which satisfies the most basic condition for a spirit body's existence.] -Dutifully reported Aralis once she had scanned the corpses and analyzed the figures.

'Yes, I am aware of this... Compared to the one-thousandth chance of a spirit body forming naturally, the proportion I created using my guinea pigs can be viewed as massive.'

Leylin crossed his arms. 'Damn those geezers at the academy. If I were to be given more time, I would definitely be able to induce the appearance of an artificial spirit body.'

The most efficient way to do research on souls was through the use of spirit bodies. This established theory was publicly accepted by all Dark Magi.

What Leylin had to do now was to gradually simulate the conditions of the outside world where the vengeful and evil ghosts appear, therefore creating the ideal environment for the birth of an artificial spirit body.

If his real intentions regarding his studies were to leak out, Leylin's prestige would be entirely associated with savagery and ruthlessness, which would be bad for his future developments.

'Reputation is also a very important kind of asset. I may not be particularly concerned with how people regard me, but the vast majority of Magi exclusively wish to have dealings with those who have good standings. The opposite is true for individuals with a dredged reputation.'

Leylin sucked in a lungful of air and splashed his patented acidic compound all around his lab and dungeon.

With hissing sounds, the carcasses, test tubes, and many other items turned into yellow pus after corroding. Very soon, they had disappeared.

'Even though I was forced to prematurely stop my investigations, which is quite regrettable, it's not like I haven't obtained any good results in these past years. Regarding the Elven magic artifact's final stage, I have already obtained sufficient data for its full completion at 100% effectiveness. Likewise, I have made a lot of progress in the research of souls. As for the other ancient potion formula, Tears of Mary, I still have not found any clues regarding it... Yet.'

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Within Extreme Night City, there was something very unanticipated that had happened recently, and it had turned all aspects of the city on its head. This was a conversation topic being discussed by commoners and nobles alike.

The proud Baron Leylin Farlier, a mighty and dreadful lord who had basically ruled the region for almost three years, had suddenly renounced his titles and vanished from Extreme Night City in the middle of the night.

Based on the utter destruction of the Farlier estate and the presumed deaths of every one of Leylin's top underlings, it was being speculated by the newly appointed Viscount Ulisses Jackson that Leylin had been the victim of a coordinated attack. Probably orchestrated by his father's remaining loyalists or some bitter enemy of the strongest and richest Baron in the city's entire history.

The Viscount had sent parties of beastmen trackers to try and identify the cadavers in case Leylin himself had died, but the only relevant thing they had found buried in the rubble was a charred piece of his left arm.

Everyone thought the worst and believed that Leylin had decided to abandon his titles and properties since he was being hunted by a dark faction. That he wanted to protect the city and its inhabitants from his own enemies.

In the face of such honorability and selflessness, the new Viscount did not sit idly. He commanded all of the City Guard, most of whom used to be working directly under Leylin, to capture and punish those responsible for the attack by all methods known to them.

Nevertheless, in the end, no additional clues of either the criminals or Leylin's whereabouts were ever found. The Farlier heir was thus presumed dead.

Leylin would go on to become a local legend. He was both revered and feared among Extreme Night City's townsfolk.

However, all of these things had nothing to do with a particular brown-haired youngster. At this moment, he had long since put that city and its troubles behind him.

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Half a month later. In someplace south of the Poolfield Kingdom.

The sky turned dark, and bean-sized drops of rain fell on the ground, initiating countless splashes.

A couple of gorgeous bay steeds dashed along a mountain road, and the scenery on both sides hurriedly retreated. Rainwater fell onto the bodies of the mounting Knights but was thwarted by their coats.

By the time it was midnight, the downpour intensified, and the Knights decided to abandon the road and find shelter in a tiny cave.

After some 10-odd minutes, a bright flame illuminated the grotto. An iron pot hung above the bonfire, and a white mushroom broth with a fragrant smell boiled. From time to time, a few cuts of reddish meat floated to the surface.

The Knights had taken off their coats to reveal two young men, each with a pair of blue eyes. One of them was strong and bulky, and the other was more on the lean and dexterous side.

They were about to ingest a bit of their food, when suddenly...

"Kaliweir and Raynor. I knew it was you guys when I noticed those horses running past my tent an hour ago." -A mysterious voice talked, startling the individuals resting by the campfire.

"Who the hell are you?!" -The broad and strong figure immediately jumped forward and brandished a greatsword with both hands. The one with the thinner body mimicked this action and unsheathed two daggers from his back.

"My bad. It's been a while since I took off the disguise." -The enigmatic person cast a spell, and his face changed instantly into a pale young man with dark brown hair and eyes the color of emeralds.

"Le-Leylin...? My friend, it is you!" -The other acolyte ran over and gave Leylin a bear hug, all the while still holding his weapon.

Raynor only clicked his tongue slightly and went back to eating. He was not happy to see that person again since he considered him his strongest rival after Jayden.

"You definitely grew taller, haha! And look at that build! You've been working out! Following in my footsteps, I see." -Kaliweir continued gabbing with his old buddy, as he stared at Leylin's eyes to look for any signs of advancement into level 3 acolyte. He was quite disheartened when he noticed their change in color as well as their ethereal glow.

"So, are you going to invite me over to your fire? Or should I go back outside and freeze in the rain?" -Told Leylin smilingly as a joke, earning a chuckle from his stronger friend. Raynor merely rolled his eyes in vexation.

"Haha! Sorry, sorry! Please, step into our humble refuge for the night. Raynor's been cooking the game we hunted in the morning. Deer hotpot; you know it's his specialty!" -Kaliweir seemed very enthusiastic about reuniting with Leylin, as he put the sword away.

"Sound delicious. Hand me a bowl, would you." -Leylin continued with his kind disposition. He even tapped Kaliweir's shoulder as he sat down on a rock.

"Here you go..." -Raynor poured a bit of stew on a wooden bowl and gave it to his rival. Then, he looked like he wanted to say something else.

At this, Leylin just sighed. "It's making me uneasy how you keep opening and closing your mouth but no words come out. Ask away." -He remarked with a sarcastic tone.

"Well... first of all... Did you also get the recall order from the academy?" -Raynor inquired with a raised brow.

"Yes... And also, yes. I am now a level 3 acolyte." -Raynor was not allowed to ask the next question when Leylin had already replied.

'These idiots are obviously still level 2 acolytes. Which is not a surprise considering their limited intellect and resources, as well as that inter-academy war. Furthermore, I do not think they have been out here spending their time as nobles in a luxurious estate like myself. Since they have fourth-grade arcane talent, they must've managed to get a low-income quest card that allowed them to leave the academy right before the war started and the premises were put on lockdown...'

"That's awesome, my friend! I was sure you would be able to catch up with us acolytes with higher aptitudes. Perhaps you could even tutor us so we can improve our cultivation." -Kaliweir said with a dumb smile. He was feeling somewhat jealous inside.

"Friend, huh... It's funny hearing you call me that." -Leylin commented while staring blankly at the flames.

"I... I don't get what you mean, Leylin..." -After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Kaliweir voiced apprehensively. Raynor frowned and just thought that Leylin was being his annoyingly proud self again.

However, at that moment, several green thorny vines sprouted from the ground and coiled around Kaliweir and Raynor's neck, ankles, and wrists.

"Fuck!" -Shouted the acolytes in unison.

"Have you so easily forgotten? How you left me behind to fare for myself against that Violent Hilly Bear in the forest during our mission as a team? I came too close to perishing that time." -Leylin angrily raised his tone and stood up.

"That... I had thought that you forgot the matter long ago!" -Kaliweir exclaimed in confusion.

"You thought wrong... I always keep tabs on the people who cross me. And this is the perfect chance to exact my revenge on you." -Leylin said menacingly, as he prepared a purple ball of fire in his right hand.

"Wait, stop! I am sure we can work this out, we're comrades after all! We've got hundreds of magic crystals hidden outside this cave! If you let us go, we'll bequeath them to you!" -Kaliweir pleaded for his and Raynor's life, as the vines tightened their grasp on their limbs.

"Speak for yourself, Kaliweir! I am not giving anything to this bastard...! Leylin, you want to kill us out of something we had already settled before?! Then go ahead if you have the guts to do it!" -Raynor challenged with fake bravado.

Just then, something outside both acolytes' expectations happened. Leylin began to laugh wholeheartedly to the point where he dispelled the magic from his hand.

"Ah, I wanted to play the resentful avenger with you all the way to the end, but I simply cannot. You are just too stupid, and it is extremely amusing to see your absolute bewilderment and fear blend together in that shared expression of yours." -Leylin's attitude changed completely, and now he no longer seemed angry. Rather, he was jovial.

Kaliweir reacted by chuckling nervously as he began to sweat profusely. "You mean this was all a prank in bad taste, correct? Please, tell me it is so!" -He asked with a shaky tone.

"No! This is not a prank, you fool! He's deceived us all along! He's a perfidious son of a- "

Raynor's interjection was cut short when the vines around his body tightened with enough force that his bones were shattered, including his neck. The cracking sounds made Kaliweir recoil in shock.

Even though he was a Knight of average power, the Leeching Vines spell effect was not limited only to draining the blood of the opponent. It was also capable of exerting a fraction of the user's strength. Since Leylin was a peak Grand Knight, Raynor stood no chance against the Rank 0 spell whatsoever.

Seeing what had just transpired, Kaliweir began to cry over the brutal death of his best friend and accompanied his tears with potent sorrowful yelling.

"Dear friend, Raynor had been quite ungentlemanly towards me, so he was made to pay for his offenses. But you can still be saved if you ask for my forgiveness and tell me where the crystals are." -Leylin kindly stated, as he crouched to meet Kaliweir's teary gaze.

At this, the constrained youngster spat on Leylin's face with a furious expression.

Leylin casually wiped his face, as he stood up and began incanting his purple ball of fire yet again.

"I see that it took Raynor's death for you to wake up from your dream world. Alas, it was too late."

"Enough with your bullshit, Leylin! What does that even mean?!" -Kaliweir had shifted his grief into wrath.

Leylin offered his friend a smirk. "It means that now you die."

A Negative Energy Fireball impacted right on Kaliweir's chest. This effortlessly turned him, along with everything else inside the cave, into gory smithereens.

Leylin covered himself with an elementary barrier, so his clothes were not affected by the fountain of blood in the slightest.

[You delivered on your promise, Doctor.] -Chimed in Aralis.

'I always do. After all, the worth of a man lays in his word. Does it not?' -Inwardly responded Leylin, as he used his dark tendrils to move a heavy stone from a wall in the grotto.

He successfully retrieved the unspoiled coffer with about 300 magic crystals that Kaliweir had mentioned earlier. Thanks to Aralis' scan, Leylin already knew where they were from the beginning, so he had taken special caution with his magic so as to not destroy them unnecessarily.

Now sitting on top of a burned pile of ashes, Leylin opened his holo display and tapped on the map section.

'Seems like I have finally arrived. According to the map, I will reach the academy in just three more days. My carriage is fast, so I may even arrive before that.'

[I have to admit though... I never imagined that a third party would actually intervene and drive Abyssal Bone Forest and the other two academies to sign a ceasefire agreement.]

Recalling the news that he had acquired in the Magi gathering hubs in the past few days, Leylin merely shrugged.

According to the information, with the pincer attack from the Sage Gotham's Hut and Whitewoods Castle, Abyssal Bone Forest Academy should have been in a precarious situation. Even the academy headquarters' defensive spell formation was nearly broken.

However, in the end, it was unknown what method the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy chairman had used to prevent the defeat of his institution. He had found a method to appeal for help from the Lighthouse of the Night.

The Lighthouse of the Night was one of the finest organizations on the South Coast. Its leader was rumored to have the strength of a Rank 3 Magus, no less.

Under the forceful mediation of the Lighthouse of the Night, the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy finally managed to escape from its dangerous situation, eventually reaching a treaty between the two rival factions.

Be that as it may, Leylin did not currently have a mind for politics. Regardless of how things panned out with the war, he was confident in his ability to secure his position in whatever faction ended up victorious. A ceasefire, to him, had identical consequences to Abyssal Bone Forest being obliterated.

Once he had finished analyzing his next move, Leylin's face turned serious, and he withdrew a pink-colored potion from his satchel.

After removing the plug, he used the pink-colored elixir to draw a mysterious rune on the ground, once he had cleaned it using a water/fire spell.

Pink smoke rose into the air continuously, before finally turning into the shape of a large pink ear.

"He who has activated a communication rune with my seals, identify yourself." -Originating from the ear, Kroft's stern words were heard, carrying many other static noises as well.

"It is me, Professor. Your student, Leylin Farlier." -He spoke with clear yet pretended respect.

"These Spiritual Force waves I detect... Leylin! Have you have truly become a level 3 acolyte?" -Astonishment could be heard in Kroft's voice.