Along the edge of the spectator stands where gusts of wind swept past, the bloody stench of a slaughterhouse lingered in the air.
"..."
Viscount Laiwen Chinston kept his gaze fixed intently on the arena below.
His heart was filled with confusion, bewilderment, and panic.
...Was this truly the gentle, kind youth he had met just three days ago?
The insoluble riddle was clearly tied to the young man and woman beside him.
Viscount Laiwen Chinston glanced sidelong at Lanqi and Side.
Lanqi was still stroking the little black cat in his hands, a smile resting at the corners of his lips, seemingly deeply gratified by his protégé's transformation.
Side, meanwhile, remained casually leaning against the back of her chair, lightly propping her cheek with one hand.
The viscount's throat twitched slightly, but in the end, he merely swallowed hard.
He had initially intended to ask whether the horrifying fate suffered by the Spectre Party over the past few days had anything to do with them, but he held his tongue instinctively.
Their utter composure and disregard for human life filled Viscount Chinston with a primal dread.
It felt as if the figures sitting beside him were not human at all.
Looking from afar at Xiaya covered in blood, seemingly on the brink of death at any second, Viscount Laiwen Chinston felt as though every single blade was slashing into his own flesh.
Suddenly, the clamor of the arena surged back into his ears, pulling him back to reality, and a wave of dizziness forced him back into his seat.
"May I ask you two, what on earth happened to Xiaya? Why has he turned out like this?!"
Out of an elder's sense of duty, Viscount Laiwen Chinston still gathered his resolve and questioned the pair in a low, firm voice.
No matter what, he treated Xiaya as his own flesh and blood.
Back at the manor, when he invited Xiaya for a walk and talk, he had shared the truth of his old friendship with Xiaya's late father, the past encounters between Xiaya and Lilith in the Imperial Capital during their childhood, the turmoil currently unfolding in Snowfield Province, and how meeting Xiaya had changed Lilith as well as the efforts she had put in over the years because of him.
He had known Xiaya would be inspired and perhaps awaken something within himself, but certainly not turn into this!
At his question, Lanqi turned his head slightly with a faint smile.
"In accordance with our academy's most orthodox educational methods, I provided him with one-on-one guidance and special training. And he didn't disappoint me—he successfully obtained the power to protect the one he loves," Lanqi answered.
The course material was bandit eradication; a man seeking to inherit a fief also had to shoulder the responsibility of protecting his subjects.
Love and justice went hand in hand. Not only had he met his educational objectives, but he had also accrued abundant merit and done plenty of good deeds.
Once Hyperion found out, she would surely praise him, too.
"The Protos Royal Magic Academy...?"
Viscount Laiwen Chinston was astonished.
Though rumors had always painted that academy as harsh, would it truly train someone into this?
The boy looked practically like an elite officer of the demon race!
"That school... he no longer needs to attend." Lanqi smiled again. "Though, if he wishes to go to Herrom with Lilith, I will write him a recommendation letter."
"..."
Viscount Laiwen Chinston pressed a hand to his forehead, thoroughly at a loss.
He knew Xiaya had previously failed the special admission entrance exam. And as for the recommendation route, even senior professors at the academy only received one or two fixed slots every three years; those were usually reserved for top-tier students. No one would promote Xiaya merely as a personal favor.
He shook his head.
"...But if this continues, Xiaya will truly die. How is he supposed to win?"
Viscount Laiwen Chinston could put everything else out of mind; right now, he cared only about Xiaya's safety.
"Could his heart's image have changed as well? Is that his trump card?"
So far, Xiaya hadn't used that umbrella in combat; it seemed it would only hinder him in fierce melee. Although the umbrella showed no visible difference, perhaps it possessed some sort of second phase!
"No, I haven't altered Xiaya's original intentions or his heart," Lanqi said, shaking his head.
Whether in the past or present, he had never changed anyone's fundamental nature. He merely fulfilled their wishes and desires, helping them find true happiness.
"...?!"
This caused Viscount Laiwen Chinston to turn trembling toward the arena in disbelief.
Xiaya had undergone such a drastic change, yet his weapon remained untouched...
That meant his heart's image had truly not shifted from beginning to end...
If he had stayed completely true to himself and yet ended up like this, just what kind of pure, eerie, wicked existence had he become?
Down on the arena stage,
flashes of blades and splatters of blood continued to fly. The battle proceeded at a breakneck pace, and a victor would likely emerge before long.
For now, the clearly stronger Viscount's son Dean held the upper hand.
When an assassin traded blows and health with a warrior, the outcome was obvious!
"Get ready to die!"
Dean was seeing red, blinding radiance erupting from both hands gripping his sword as lightning and sword qi cleaved viciously toward Xiaya's body.
This trash actually dared to clash head-on with him and subject him to such pain!
Never since childhood had he been so disheveled, never had he suffered like this!
He was certain that even without his father's reassurance, he would kill this bastard named Xiaya today.
The saving grace was that after fighting this long, although he had suffered some injuries himself, Xiaya was visibly the one about to collapse first. Even if Xiaya dodged this blow, Dean could easily wear him down to death in no time.
As the blade was about to strike Xiaya, leaving him no room to evade, Dean laughed unrestrainedly!
No matter how agonizing the process had just been, the moment the fight ended, victory was claimed, and his opponent slain, he would experience unimaginable euphoria!!
The next instant,
accompanied by a thunderous clang, the sword felt as if it had struck an impenetrable bulwark. The recoil numbed Dean's hands, preventing the blade from pressing down even a fraction of an inch further.
Xiaya's expression had regained its calm. He regarded Dean with a cool sideways glance, blocking the assault with the transparent barrier umbrella.
Then, completely ignoring Dean, Xiaya produced several [Flawed Slow Heal]-type Purple Rare magic cards and began casting continuous healing magic on himself.
"!!"
Seeing the frenzied Xiaya suddenly enter an out-of-combat state with extreme composure, Dean immediately realized the gravity of the situation.
Healing spells with long casting times could usually only be comfortably cast on frontline fighters by backline healers who had plenty of space. Purple Rare healing spells already had extremely high multipliers, and when accompanied by negative side effects, their healing efficacy would be pushed to an even higher level.
Xiaya's mana attributes were by no means poor; as a tier-2 assassin, he had even managed to learn a tier-1 Pink Sacred spell, possessing a magical talent bordering on elven absurdity.
Dean, who had thought victory was within grasp, watched in shock as Xiaya, protected by a barrier that even tier-4 attacks could hardly shatter, proceeded right in front of his face to heal his nearly depleted health pool all the way back to full!
Dean's eyes widened, bloodshot, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
In a remote place like Chinston City, it was impossible to buy so many high-grade, twisted cards like [Flawed Slow Heal].
Someone must have given them to Xiaya.
Who was it?!!
Instantly, Dean's gaze locked onto the spectator stands, zeroing in on Lanqi, who was watching the match from afar with a gentle smile.
They had crossed paths once before. Back then, that guy had given off the impression of being a healing mage. After all, the woman beside him was a warrior; the only one who could be carrying such sinister magic cards had to be him!
Yet facing Dean's glare, Lanqi merely gave him a thoroughly wholesome thumbs-up, encouraging him to keep up the good work.
All at once,
watching Lanqi mock him from afar while being completely helpless against Xiaya, Dean felt ready to cough up a mouthful of blood.
Standing in the center of the arena, he seemed to forget the pain as his sanity began to unravel.
"Whether I kill Xiaya today or not, I'm going to fucking kill you!!!"
Dean roared hysterically toward the spectator stands, his shrill voice threatening to tear the sky apart.
Chapter 318