"I see. So this ring hides every magical aura within a ten-meter range of it, no matter how strong it may be. Was this what the Spectre used to get inside undetected? But if that's the case, why would it leave it for me? Is he truly trying to help me? Or something else?"

Even though Gabriel didn't understand why this Numen would be given to him, he still wore her ring since he had made sure that the ring was safe. 

In essence, the ring worked in a similar concept to something he had seen before. Just like Lambard hid his aura before Elora such that even the Holy Priest of Water couldn't sense his dark aura despite standing merely a few meters away from him, this ring also did. 

The only difference was that this ring didn't just hide his own aura. It hid any aura within ten meters range of him from others. 

With him getting strong, his aura had also gotten stronger. However, at the same time, he also worked on ways to improve his ability to control his aura and didn't feel like he needed the ring, but now that he had it, it was better to just use it. 

After wearing the ring, he turned his attention back to the Academy. 

"Did he come here this time just to give me that ring?" 

In the absence of the Spectre, Gabriel had many questions. Unfortunately, the person who could answer him was already gone. 

The Head Council Member had also left the place, going straight for the exit of the Academy, thinking they were going to find Gabriel there. 

If he wanted, he could've also gone there to continue his battle from before. However, he decided against it. For him, it was no more than a waste of time and effort to fight the Head Council Members. This city was still the supposed home of the Holy Priest of Light, after all. 

"Wings of Flight." 

Two beautiful wings came out of his back, helping his body rise in the air. 

****

The Head Council Teachers reached the exit. Strangely enough, there were no signs of battle. The guards that were protecting the entrance were still perfectly fine. 

Eliana asked the guards if they saw Gabriel coming here, to which the guards could only say no. 

"If he didn't come here, then where...?" Rem frowned, wondering about the whereabouts of Gabriel. He could feel that Gabriel was still inside the Academy. 

Even Eliana was confused. However, it was also at that time she noticed the space sealing Barrier flicker. 

"The Barrier!" she exclaimed as if she finally understood everything. She hastily flew back inside the academy. 

****

Inside the Academy, other than the buildings that were shown to the students during their first day, there were a few more buildings, and one of the main ones at that was one that stored the core of the Space Sealing Formation. 

Not only did the building house the Space Sealing Formation's core, but it was also the place where the Academy stored all their Spirit Crystals. 

There was heavy security around the Storage Hall, but all the security personnel were lying on the ground, unconscious. It was as if someone had placed them into a deep slumber. 

The main door was also open, revealing that someone had already entered the building. 

Gabriel stood inside the massive hall which stored all the Spirit Crystals of the Academy, which wasn't just used to keep the Space Sealing Formation running but was also used for everything else in the Academy. 

Gabriel was in the middle of the hall, observing the massive treasure trove. Unlike a Numen was a treasure that increased a person's strength without making him intrinsically stronger, the Spirit Crystals were treasures that made a Mage stronger internally, helping them increase their magical strength. 

,m ****

Eliana's face went pale as soon as she saw all the guards unconscious. She rushed inside the hall without wasting a single second. 

As soon as she reached the central hall, which was supposed to store all their Spirit Crystals, she dropped to her knees. The massive hall... It was all empty now. All their Spirit Crystals were stolen, leaving no Spirit Crystals there. 

Eliana gathered her breath before screaming at the top of her lungs. "Gabriel, you thief!!!"

Not only did Gabriel steal all their Numens, but he also took all their Spirit Crystals and the Soul Sealing Formation's core. 

Eliana's rageful roar echoed in the entire academy. Unfortunately, the person she was screaming for was already out of the academy by now. 

Gabriel was already out of the Academy and inside the Lumen City, walking on the crowded street. He had stolen so many things from the academy that if wealth was a criterion, that he was probably the third richest person in the entire Lumen Kingdom, only after the King and the Holy Priest of Light. 

It was already night, and the moon hung high in the sky. The night looked almost identical to the night when he had arrived in the city. He remembered the night where he had promised himself that he was going to achieve his goal. 

Even he didn't realize how his goals were going to change in such a short time, but he believed he had more or less achieved all his goals. 

"I wonder when the city is going to be unsealed." Even as he walked on the streets, he couldn't help but overhear the conversation of the people that were walking ahead of him. 

"I wonder the same. Ever since the Academy was attacked a few weeks ago, the entire city has been sealed. No one is allowed to enter the city or leave. We are effectively trapped here, waiting."

"I think it has more to do than just the attack on the Academy. Don't forget that almost half the Holy Priests of the Church of Light have gone to a war. I'm sure sealing the city was just an extra safety mechanism since the Holy Church of Light is running at half force."

The group of people kept discussing about the war and when they thought the city was going to be unsealed. Still, the only thing which caught Gabriel's attention was the war. Just who was the Holy Church of Light at a war with?

"War, huh."

Unfortunately, it appeared as if even they didn't know who the Holy Church of Light was at war with. 

Another interesting piece of news was that the Church of Light was at half force currently. That meant it was at the weakest it was ever going to be. 

A thought crossed his head, to which he soon wondered if it was worth it…