461. The Vow

461. The Vow

“This sucks…”

I groaned as I massaged my shoulders. My body still ached, even after the duel. I had lost to Clayton Skyshredder despite using the Sword of Alexander and the Boots of Alexander to help me. And if losing in front of hundreds of onlookers wasn’t bad enough, the Headmaster of Mavos Academy promptly dragged me into his tower after the battle was finished.

I trailed after him as he led me down a long hallway. He glanced back as he reached a door at the end, before shaking his head.

“You have only yourself to blame, Salvos. Your return to Mavos Academy was unexpected, and so was your challenge, but the outcome is the only logical conclusion.”

He spoke as he grabbed the door and pulled it open. Inside was a small box room. One that I’d been in before. It would lead up to the top of the tower— one that reached far above the clouds. He stepped in, gesturing at me to follow after.

“I just didn’t think you’d be so strong! I mean— sure, you’re only the highest-leveled [Mage] in the Human lands. But still…”

I crossed my arms, harrumphing. He really was strong. However, I thought I had a chance against him. After all, I had fought plenty of people above my level before, so I thought this would go the same way. As it turned out, Clayton was stronger than even Belzu.

He waited for me at the other side of the doorway, and I followed him into the room. The door slammed shut. Clayton pressed his hand against some runes, injecting it with mana. The spell activated a moment after, before we began to rapidly ascend to the top floor.

“What are we doing, anyway? If you’re not going to help out, I have to get going, you know? Unlike you, I have a war to get to.”

I spoke as I glanced out the glass panels of this lift, looking down as the rest of Mavos Academy rapidly grew smaller beneath us. Clouds eventually blotted my view, and Clayton Skyshredder answered my question.

“While I am not enthused with the disrespectful manner you have elected to visit the academy, I am glad you did. For I have something to show you.”

“Something to show me?”

I raised a brow. The room came to a sudden stop as we reached the top of the tower. I blinked, and the door swung open. He stepped out, and I was right behind him.

“What are you—”

I paused as I turned the corner. A woman stood just before us. A middle-aged lady with light orange hair wearing a long elegant dress. She was decorated in jewelry, and she looked rather familiar.

She looked happy. Almost too happy. She wore a cheerful smile on her face, even when she politely bowed her head at us.

“Welcome back, Headmaster Skyshredder. And it is good to see you again, Salvos.”

“Good to see me again? Sorry, do I know you?”

I leaned forward, narrowing my eyes. I really did think she looked familiar. But I couldn’t quite place who she was. Clayton Skyshredder cleared his throat and walked past me.

“Centina, did you prepare it?”

“I have, Headmaster Skyshredder.”

The woman raised her head, still smiling at the man. My jaw dropped.

“Wait, Centina?!”

I stared at her. She turned to me and nodded.

“Yes, Salvos. Are you surprised?”

“Huh.”

If I wasn’t mistaken, the last time I saw Centina, she was… a Centinel. An [Evolved Centinel] to be exact. Unless, somehow, she had evolved into a Human. Or maybe it’s an illusion. Kron was here too, after all.

That made more sense to me. I raised a hand, prodding Centina’s sides— ruffling her clothes. I took a step back and touched her arm. I raised it, and it felt like I was actually touching Human flesh.

The smoothness of her skin— the coldness of the touch. It felt real.

“Kron’s illusion magic must have really improved since I last saw her, huh?”

I continued poking Centina in awe. The woman coughed, pulling back her arm. She covered her mouth and shook her head.

“Actually, Salvos, this is not an illusion. This is real.”

“What?”

I froze. I slowly craned my neck to look up at Centina. She just nodded cheerfully.

“Everything you see is real. I am currently a Human.”

“But… how? That’s not possible, right?”

I looked past her, turning to Clayton Skyshredder. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy was waiting for me, but when he saw I wouldn’t budge until I got an answer, he sighed.

“It is thanks to a Potion of Transformation. I commissioned a bulk order from one of the highest-leveled [Alchemists] in the world. It works all the same as a [Druid]’s transformation, albeit temporarily.”

“He did. And I am truly grateful to you for it, Headmaster.”

Centina was by his side in an instant. Clayton quickly shrugged her off, shaking his head.

“Now if you will follow me, Salvos.”

“Right, right.”

I massaged my temples. I watched as Centina walked next to the Headmaster, still smiling as she stared intently at his face. He just looked straight ahead as he brought me down the hallway. I passed a room with a cracked doorway and stopped.

I frowned, looking in. A figure lay strewn across a couch, belly up, food lain across the bloated stomach. Kron raised her head, turning to me with a smile.

“Salvos!”

“Hey Kron! I’m glad to see that you’re still a [Krokodis]. How are you doing? ”

I pushed the door open and waved at her. The alligator-like monster smiled at me with a toothy grin. She looked almost like a Kobold, except with far rougher features. Her tail wagged behind her as she replied to me.

“Me eating! How you?”

She gestured at the food on her stomach. I nodded, pointing at myself.

“I’m still Salvos!”

“Good!”

Kron smiled at me as she munched on a chicken leg. I stepped away from the door, starting to close it.

“It was nice catching up with you, but I gotta go now! Clayton needs me for something.”

“And me continue eat!”

Kron waved at me with the chicken leg as the door closed shut. I stepped away from the doorway, and turned to see both Clayton and Centina waiting at the end of the hallway.

“Salvos.”

He called for me. I hurried after him.

“I’m coming, I’m coming…”

“That was… something.”

Jonas remarked as he sat down next to Valda. The young prodigy didn’t look up at her friend. Instead, she had her hands on her knees as she stared at the ground.

“I can’t believe Salvos lost…”

The pair were sitting in the courtyard just before the Tower of Truth. Most of the crowd had scattered after the battle concluded, but there were still plenty of students lingering around. Especially after Clayton forced Salvos to follow him to his tower. They wanted to know what was going to happen with Salvos— whether she’d be punished for her challenge or let free.

“I mean, it only makes sense, doesn’t it? Headmaster Skyshredder is the highest-leveled [Mage] after all.”

Jonas shrugged, leaning back on the bench. Valda shook her head vehemently.

“But Salvos is a [Hero]!”

“Is she though?”

The boy gave Valda a flat stare. She crossed her arms, nodding.

“I know that Salvos is a [Hero]. But even if you don’t believe me, that doesn’t matter. She had the Treasures of Alexander on her. Those are Mythical Grade artifacts! She should have at least been able to put up a fight!”

The young prodigy hesitated. Lowering her head, she remembered how the fight went. The way it was resolved. And she tightly gripped the seams of her skirt.

“But Salvos was defeated so easily. Headmaster Skyshredder didn’t even break a sweat…”

“That is true.”

Jonas agreed, placing a hand on his chin. He glanced up towards the Headmaster’s tower— the tall building that reached above even the clouds.

“I didn’t expect Headmaster Skyshredder to be that strong. Honestly, he was just leagues above Salvos. And [Dispel Magic]— is there even a limit to that Skill? Can he just dispel any spell that’s cast against him? I’ve never heard of it before.”

Valda furrowed her brows, looking back up.

“I have heard about it before. I think I read it in a book once— that Melissa the Oracle of Light used [Dispel Magic] to stop the summoning ritual of a powerful Demon.”

“Seriously? That’s way too powerful. I can’t believe it.”

Jonas gasped. Valda paused. Her eyes narrowed as she looked towards the tallest tower of Mavos Academy.

“…I can’t believe it either.”

She abruptly got to her feet, starting forward. Jonas blinked and gave chase.

“Wait, where are you going, Valda?”

“Don’t you think that it’s weird that Headmaster Skyshredder, despite being that strong, is just sitting around in Mavos Academy while the rest of the Human lands are going to war?”

Valda glanced back at Jonas. He pursed his lips.

“It is a little weird. But we all knew that, didn’t we? I mean— I always thought it was odd.”

“It’s not just odd, Jonas. It’s dangerous. It’s harmful. To everyone in the world. To our friends and our family. They could die because he didn’t help save them.”

She shook her head before turning to face her friend.

“Salvos couldn’t even stand up to Headmaster Skyshredder. And she’s Salvos— maybe you don’t believe she’s a [Hero], but she’s the one who killed that Primeval Demon that razed Nixa to the ground!”

“Actually, she’s only one of the—”

Jonas started. The young prodigy just rolled her eyes in response.

“You get the point, don’t you? I’m saying that Headmaster Skyshredder could’ve dealt with that Primeval Demon before it ended up killing millions of lives.”

“...right.”

Still, the boy remained unconvinced. He shook his head as he gestured vaguely towards the Tower of Truth.

“But if Headmaster Skyshredder breaks his vow, he’ll lose his Title, won’t he? He’s supposed to be the protector of Mavos Academy. He cannot participate in any wars or conflicts that are unrelated to the safety of the school.”

“The entirety of the Mortal Realm is being threatened right now, Jonas. And Mavos Academy is part of the Mortal Realm.”

This time, it was Valda to give her friend a flat stare. She crossed her arms as she spoke.

“I’m not saying that Headmaster Skyshredder should have done it all alone. But I’m saying he could’ve done something then, just like he can do something now.”

Valda continued, turning away from her friend. He still looked apprehensive to the idea. But he was following after her as she marched across the courtyard.

“Aren’t there like dozens of other Elites participating in the war? Even Archmage Warshade is going to be there. What can Headmaster Skyshredder even do that others can’t, anyway? ”

“[Dispel Magic].”

The young prodigy snorted.

“There is a grand ritual happening in the Inoria Empire that needs some stopping, isn’t there? Even if his [Dispel Magic] cannot stop the whole thing, it would surely help with slowing it.”

Jonas paused. He stared at Valda’s back for a moment. She stopped, waiting for him. He stood there in deep thought for a second, before finally nodding.

“I think you’re right, Valda. But what are we even going to do about it?”

He gave his friend a helpless look. He gestured towards the tallest tower of Mavos Academy.

“We’re just a couple of kids. Headmaster Skyshredder isn’t going to be changing his mind just because two students said so.”

“He won’t if it’s just two students. But who says it’s just going to be the both of us?”

Valda grinned back at Jonas. He blinked. His confusion was evident. His friend sighed and stepped aside, gesturing towards a group of other students gathered at the courtyard. Finally, the implication settled in. His eyes went round in comprehension.

“Oh…”