Chapter 26: "It Was You!". "No It Was You."

"Enough!" Celine's voice resounded throughout the stadium.

Suddenly, a deafening magic fluctuation spread over the place. All arrays, including the defensive array of the Mercenary Hall, froze.

Even the black hole stopped expanding, barely missing Dante, who had fallen on his knees. His heart was beating furiously in his chest and he was sweating profusely. He felt like he had been doused with cold water as he stared at the edge of the black hole that was only two feet away from him.

'Just what kind of magic is it?' Dante wondered. That feeling of looking at a deep abyss left a big impression on him. Even now as he stared at the black hole, he felt that it was only a matter of time that he would be sucked into it.

'Here it comes,' Kyran thought as his brows creased. When Celine had spoken, he actually timed it and made his magic stop expanding. Although because of it, his physical strength was constantly being drained, it was better to let her believe that she had control over the situation. Else it would be hard for him to escape once he revealed his face.

The magic barrier from the gallery where Celine stood was removed and the magic fluctuation around seemed to hum as she flew down. She took out a token and a pill and went to Dante.

"Take it," Celine told Dante and gave him the pill.

Dante did not stand on ceremony and immediately took the pill. He saw that it was a high-grade spirit restoring pill. By taking the pill, his almost depleted spirit reserve would be restored to at least 70%.

"Thank you, Hall Master."

[Don't thank me yet. I need you to get ready. This man is not simple. I am not sure what his real purpose in coming here, but if he made any suspicious move, I want you to lead these mercenaries and provide support. I will take the lead to take him down.]

Celine's voice came into Dante's mind.

Dante gave a small nod in response.

Celine broke the token in her hand and disappeared.

Kyran's eyes narrowed as he felt magic fluctuation stir behind him. His newly found void form also stirred inside his body as if wishing to be let out.

"Who are you really? What is your purpose in coming here? If I find your answer unsatisfactory, I will not hesitate and open up a hole from your back," Celine suddenly appeared and spoke behind Kyran. She had one hand placed on his back where his heart should be.

"I already told you. I never lied about who I am," Kyran calmly replied.

"Humph. You still dare to lie!" Celine's voice turned cold. Her reddish-brown eyes turned bright red as the magic fluctuation around her intensified.

Kyran felt Celine's hand on his back started to turn cold. However, even though his life was being threatened right now, he was not afraid. He knew his magic would protect him with just a single thought.

"I've shown proof of my identity. Are you going to doubt your own people who confirmed it?"

Celine immediately stopped. As Hall Master, she knew all personnel inside the Mercenary Hall. She personally selected some of them. And Marley was one of them. Aside from that, she was particularly close to her.

Still...

"Although the insignia you carried is real, you as the person holding it may not be the real one," Celine pointed. "Besides, this magic is clearly not possessed by a Regis family member."

"You're right. But like I said. I never lied. If you doubt my identity so much, why don't you go ask someone high up in the Royal Army who issued the raid at the Regis Estate just to take me."

This exchange was heard by everyone present in the stadium. The moment Kyran said these words, everyone drew in a cold breath.

The Royal Army raided the Regis Estate? Someone high up in the ladder issued it?

Celine also frowned, "What did you say?"

"I'm surprised the Mercenary Hall took on such an extravagant bounty without even knowing who the client behind it was. You did not even confirm what reason that bounty target was being hunted." Kyran said these words only for Celine to hear.

"You mean that bounty...?" Celine's eyes grew wide.

Kyran felt her hand on his back trembled slightly.

'Now!'

Kyran released the huge black hole and turned while simultaneously activating his purple dragon scales.

"You–!" Celine was caught off guard. But she regained her composure almost instantly and reached out to touch Kyran again. Her arms surging with a terrible magic fluctuation.

Kyran however, did not fear the red glow forming in her outstretched arm. His purple dragon scales decreased in size and wrapped both his hands up to his forearms as he grabbed Celine's arm with his left hand and pulled her forward.

"Ah!" Celine lost her balance as she fell forward.

Then Kyran lifted his right hand and hovered it a few inches away from Celine's face, while his grip on her left arm tightened.

Their position got reversed in an instant with Kyran now standing behind Celine.

"All of you stop or I'll kill her!" He shouted.

At the time when Kyran released the black hole, Dante already knew something was off. Especially when there was a pause after Celine's question and Kyran did not reply.

He immediately jumped on one of the galleries to the right and sent out a telepathic command to all mercenaries to activate their magic and aim at Kyran.

And that was the scene right now. Once the black hole was completely removed, every mercenary inside the stadium had already activated their magic arrays and had their hands directed at Kyran.

But they all stopped moving after seeing that Kyran already had Celine in his arms. However, some mercenaries actually stopped moving as soon as they saw the aftermath of the stadium once the black hole was gone.

The floor had a huge hole in it and they could actually see the floor below. The floor was at least six meters thick, how was that even possible! Because this was the stadium, the surrounding structure was specifically denser compared to the rest of the rooms in the Mercenary Hall. Just what kind of magic did this man possesses, that could make a sturdy structure vanish like this.

There were even small fissures lingering in the air from where the black hole had been. And these fissures emitted a very terrible magic fluctuation.

They were frightened out of their wits.

"You really dare act like this here?" Celine flared. Her arms glowed red as her magic erupted.

But.

"Aah!" Celine cried out in pain as her left arm that was still being held by Kyran started to sizzle.

"You should've realized what my magic can do. If you keep moving, don't blame me if you lose your arm." Kyran told her.

After seeing this scene, Dante gritted his teeth and shouted at Kyran. "Damn you, Regis! Release the Hall Master now! Or are you really going to fight against the whole Mercenary Hall?"

"I only acted to defend myself. In the first place, I only used my magic because both of you insisted that I use it. I never aimed my magic to hurt you guys," Kyran replied.

The mercenaries at the galleries all looked at each other. He did have a point.

Kyran unleashed his magic to counter Dante's attack. But as soon as they saw how strange and terrible his magic was, they all became hostile. Especially the Hall Master.

"Don't try and justify your actions!" Celine snarled. She glared at Kyran at the corner of her eyes that was still red as a ruby. "You are the one who suggested to be tested in combat, clearly you were up to something!"

"What are you talking about? It was you who asked me to suggest how to provide proof of my magic attainments. And I only answered you."

"If you had shown up here with proper proofs this would not happen in the first place!"

"I already told you. I don't have the proof of my magic attainments, with me. Besides, I showed proof for my combat attainments. It was you who did not acknowledge it."

"...."

The crowd fell silent.

Somehow... The tension was gone? No. Not exactly. There was still tension, but the reason shifted 180-degrees.

"How am I supposed to acknowledge that! You are a Platinum Badge holder!"

The crowd gasped. Platinum Badge? 'The' legendary Platinum badge? He was a legendary Platinum Badge holder?

Dante started to sweat. This explained why this guy's defense and combat power were too strong!

"You did say that but I also remember telling you 'alright then' and was ready to leave. Who was it that stopped me and end up doing this whole thing," Kyran pointed as he was starting to feel annoyed.

"That's–!" Celine was suddenly speechless.

Was she overreacting? But his magic was too much. Why would a mage with such high magic attainments come here and want to become a mercenary?

But then she remembered Kyran's words about the Royal Army, and a thought came to her.

"Then explain to me why a bounty target comes in here and wanted to be a mercenary?" Celine retorted.

As soon as her words came out, every mercenary in the stadium froze.

"Bounty target?"

"Wait, how come a platinum badge holder be a bounty target?"

"More importantly, why would he come here if he has a bounty on his head?"

Dante also frowned. 'A bounty target? I don't remember reading a bounty target with such skills,' he thought.

Celine sneered. Finally, she found the oddity of Kyran's appearance in the Mercenary Hall.