Chapter 98 Elder Flock's Worries
Solordo scratched his head, wondering what would he do now. Although he could feel a demonic aura emanating from inside the mansion, it was weaker compared to Scarface and his band of cold-blooded brothers.
'Strange. The demonic auras of those dead brothers vanished out of nowhere.'
He stared at Scarface's dead body, then at the three others in the distance. He opened his system panel and thought.
'It is said here that I can sense demonic or divine aura due to me assimilating with that stupid flame dragon.'
'Well… maybe my strikes aren't imbued with divinity…? But that's impossible.'
'I'll find an answer to that later.'
A loud shout distracted his thoughts, turning his head to the entrance of the mansion.
"Oh, there you are, Jinmu. Where the hell have you been?"
Jinmu casually walked out while pointing at Llurrello's pale figure, "Deal with him. We'll go inside now and assist them to the best of our abilities."
"But… those guys are too weak…", Solordo hesitated, "Their demonic auras aren't comparable to those brothers earlier…", he said with a weak voice.
"Ju-, what? What did you just say?", Jinmu turned around in surprise.
"I said that their demonic auras are too weak.", Solordo waved his hands in dismissal, "I don't want to be known as a bully who only fights those weaker than me, you know."
"How can you detect demonic auras when you're not even an ascended being yet!", Jinmu was confused.
"Eh? I thought you knew that my assimilated beast is the divine flame dragon.", Solordo showed his information to Jinmu who carefully looked at its contents.
[ Name: Solordo Luchador ]
[ Age: 16 years old ]
[ Race: Half-human, half-elf ]
[ Status: Alive ]
[ Affiliation: Knights of Aludia, League of Wizardry, Heavenly Magic Academy ]
[ Magic Power: Master Wizard (Lower Ring) ]
[ Magic Root: Harmonic Duplex Magic Root (Mythical) ]
[ Magic Aptitude: 7.8/10 (Master Wizard) ]
[ Magic Affinity: Darkness, Wind, Earth, Fire ]
[ Chivalric Core Grade: SSS ]
[ Chivalric Will Power: Higher Blade – Condensation Realm ]
[ Assimilated Beast: Divine Flame Dragon ]
[ Imprinted Beast: Divine Flame Dragon ]
[ Additional Effect: Divine Assimilation, Divine Imprint ]
[ You have gained the ability to sense demonic and divine auras. You can also gather divinity as earliest as possible. ]
[ Additional Effect: Assimilation and Imprint Ability Synchronization ]
[ Due to your unnatural magic root, you have gained all the magical abilities of your assimilated and imprinted beast, including their magic affinity. ]
'Divine Flame Dragon!', Jinmu shouted in his mind, 'No wonder this muscle-brain can sense demonic auras.'
He touched his chin, contemplating his newfound knowledge.
The capabilities of a dual cultivator were just too good. One could switch their battle style depending on the situation and can adapt to any circumstances without being at a disadvantage.
The only problem was that they would have to do double the effort but for someone like Solordo, that could be drawn out.
"Hey, hey. Stop thinking about it too much!", Solordo pulled him out of his daze, "If you want to think about something, help me know why did their demonic auras vanish?"
"Their?"
Solordo pointed at the dead brothers, then he noticed that Llurrello was still there. His continued futile attacks exhausted him of his strength.
He could only glare at Jinmu and Solordo, 'How dare they look at me like that!'
"That's impossible, Solordo. You should know that anyone afflicted with demonic auras is nearly unkillable unless struck with a divined attack."
"You think I don't know that?", Solordo snorted, "That's why it is unsettling."
"Although I could sense demonic auras due to my ability, it doesn't mean that my attacks are imbued with divinity as well. That's why I was confused that they died easily rather than coming back to life like how demonic creatures are supposed to be."
"Maybe it only works on true demonic creatures and the aura returned to its source.", Jinmu answered.
"Oh!", Solordo hit his open palm with a clenched fist, "Look at this, Jinmu! This guy has some demonic aura in him. Do you feel it?"
Jinmu stared at Llurrello and realized that he was rather strange. The mana elements consciously retreated from the space where the last brother was.
'If these people were enhanced with demonic aura, shouldn't his attacks from then ruptured my magic array formation from inside out?'
'And Solordo shouldn't have an easy time fighting with them. A demonized creature's strength is roughly increased by at least 50% of its original.'
Something didn't add up according to Jinmu's deductions.
"I do feel a little uncomfortable. Solordo, is this the demonic aura you were talking about? Are you going to kill him now?"
"Uh, yeah… Ah, anyway, about that…"
"Hey, brats. Where the hell is Scarface and the rest, eh?!", Llurrello asked.
"Heh, don't worry. You will meet them now, in the afterlife.", Solordo commented, beheading Llurrello whose spurting blood drenched his mage robe in red.
His robe lit up. The blood stains slipped out of the robe's fabric and dropped to the ground.
Jinmu and Solordo were unfazed by the sight. The two of them had killed enough to be desensitized over similar occasions.
"It should vanish any moment now, Jinmu.", Solordo reminded.
Jinmu carefully observed the flow of mana around Llurrello's dead body.
A minute later, Jinmu jolted after sensing a strong penetrating sight originating from Llurrello's body.
[ Warning: Due to your heightened mana sensory skills, the system detected a powerful surveillance technique executed nearby. Please be on guard. ]
'A powerful surveillance technique?!', Jinmu was taken aback, 'Was it because of that demonic aura from Llurrello?'
He focused his mind and saw that the mana elements from Llurrello had stabilized.
'It truly did vanish! Don't tell me that was what the system meant by surveillance technique?'
'And what did it look at? My mind? My physical appearance? Or my…'
He didn't dare to imagine that the academy's secret was seen.
'Just what are these demonic creatures up to?!'
Jinmu thought they were sent here to settle some business against the Otherworld, but he didn't expect it to run that deep.
'Is this how the two legendary factions battle it out with one another?'
"Ah, how cold! And damn unlucky! It did vanish from my senses!", Solordo complained, "Hey, Jinmu. Did you notice anything strange? It's been a minute already and the demonic aura is gone."
Jinmu was pulled out of his daze, in hesitance on what to answer.
'Should I tell him? But there's no telling if they are still glancing in this area or not, and what are they looking at. If the enemy knew that I sensed it, how would they react?'
'The system should have eluded their senses, I am sure of it.'
He eyed his system panel and sent a message to Solordo. After sending, he massaged his temples and finally answered.
"No, nothing. I felt cold too just like you."
"O-oh, i-is that so? Hehe, how disappointing then.", Solordo scratched his cheek.
"This is strange. Maybe senior brother Kai might know something about it. Regardless, this is way too difficult and we won't be finding any answer soon.", Jinmu turned around.
"We'll continue with the plan. Follow me inside the mansion."
"We don't know where the rest of the enemies are so it's best to group up.", he advised, "And don't be too overconfident. Those demonic creatures might have set something up."
Solordo shrugged at his warnings, "Whatever you say, leader.", grinning in anticipation.
"I'll take point.", Jinmu and Solordo went inside.
Meanwhile, an elderly figure gradually appeared right outside the mansion. It was Elder Flock, gently caressing his chin as he thought about Jinmu and Solordo's strengths.
"Impressive. So it was that young brat from the Luchador Family who assimilated blood of a divine being, particularly the divine flame dragon."
"No wonder that Arahon Agui has come here."
He could still remember that bright column in the night sky emerging in the direction of the dwarven mountain pass several months ago.
Many wizards, archmages, and knights were disturbed by the overwhelming power of the aura. It became an interesting incident, attracting the attention of many curious people who hurried towards that location, hoping to connect with this fortunate one, unaware that the culprit had already fled the scene.
"I wonder how that father of his will react after knowing that his exiled son assimilated and imprinted with a divine flame dragon."
Elder Flock chuckled.
"'They' will surely be taken for a surprise."
As for Jinmu, he didn't give a remark. Knowing that these youngsters were students of the Heavenly Magic Academy, they could do anything that defied the logic of the existing magical system in Aludia.
"There's no use idling here any longer. That demonic creature and his spawned demonic dragon seemed to have vanished for some reason. Did they… use another concealment technique?"
Not only did the enemies vanish, but Elder Flock couldn't find any trace of their aura either. With how domineering the rift and that final dark beam's aura was, hiding it would prove to be relatively tricky.
"And those bodies too. What's up with that strong penetrative sight I've been feeling ever since one of them has died?"
"Is this one of the ploys of the Otherworld? To incite a disturbance, and see how the Heavenly Magic Academy fares?"
He couldn't get a grip on what was happening here. The demonic creatures not only have powerful concealment techniques but powerful surveillance techniques as well.
Thinking about it drove Elder Flock mad.
'Damn, we've been idling for too long, and little progress has been made while those damn demonic creatures seem to be getting better and better each passing day.', he cursed in his heart.
'The League keeps on imposing rules, rules, and more rules, like a damn puppet under the different factions. It's time to stand up for ourselves.'
'I will ask the supreme elder and the other elders to talk with the 'duly concerned' nobles and common citizens sooner or later. These ignorant idiots need to know that restricting ourselves will only put us into perilous situations.'
He noticed Arahon and Harrtugg Naaw hunting for the demonic dragon in the distance, ignoring the mayhem below.
"Battling the enemy this time might be a little tricky. I hope that they would find whatever they are looking for before the enemies show up…"
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