Gunmage
Chapter 165: Beyond Crown

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Beyond Crown

"Why are you laughing?"

Sofia asked, tilting her head.

Under the combined gazes of everyone in the room, Lyra froze mid-chuckle, caught like a thief in moonlight.

"Oh, uh... it’s nothing."

What followed was a detailed recounting of the events that had unfolded. Every moment was laid bare—no omissions, no hesitations.

From how the entire Von Heim younger generation had stood to oppose him, to the stunned reactions of the onlookers, every fragment was laid out with journalistic precision.

It made the retelling feel long, unbelievably so.

Then they reached the part where Lugh released his magical pressure.

In the Von Heim Library, Sylvera read aloud, her fingers tracing the article as her voice carried through the chamber:

What followed defied easy explanation. Lugh unleashed his magical aura. This seasoned Anchor-level correspondent can attest: the pressure was suffocating.

I, along with most others, was knocked off my feet. Only those with Crown-level magical prowess—as well as the Queen, the High Cardinal, the Royal Guards, and a single Inquisitor—remained standing.

Inexplicably, all the beastkin that infiltrated were left standing as well.

A deep silence followed, thick with disbelief.

Then—

"How is that even possible?"

Someone muttered.

"I witnessed it with my own eyes and I still can’t believe it..."

A pause.

"Well, not like I have eyes"

Enji added, with an awkward laugh.

Elizabeth coughed, trying to bring the moment back to solid ground.

"So you’re trying to tell me no one under Crown level was able to remain standing?"

"How the hell am I supposed to compete with that?"

Marcus groaned, burying his face in his hands.

The words hung in the air like a sword suspended by string.

Lirienne, ever one to stir the embers, felt a strange pride well up. She leaned forward with a gleam in her eye.

"Let’s not forget this was just his mana going wild. I don’t think even a Crown can make an Anchor fall merely from the release of their aura."

Her older sister Sela sighed, arms crossed.

"A Crown can’t make a Surge fall from just magical aura."

"Oh, so what? You’re all supporting him now?"

Marcus snapped, scowling.

"No—"

Selaphiel began, only to be swiftly cut off by Lirienne.

"We’re merely stating the facts"

She said, a poorly hidden grin playing on her lips.

Noticing the rising tension, Aunt Sylvera stepped in. Her voice was calm but firm.

"Either way, the boy is really impressive. To have surpassed the level of Crown at such a young age..."

"Surpassed the level of Crown?"

Everyone echoed, half-curious, half-shocked.

"There’s a level above Crown?"

Orla, who had remained quiet all this time, finally spoke.

"Yes"

Her mother—Sylvera—replied.

"Although we don’t know much about it. Those realms are usually reserved for races attuned to magic—like the beastkin, the elves, the sylphs, and others."

"So Lugh is as strong as the elves!"

Lirienne said, eyes wide.

"I never said that"

Sylvera corrected.

Meanwhile, in Cross Manor, Lyra tilted her head thoughtfully.

Hey, Xhi, are you there?

She asked.

Silence.

Then—

...What is it?

Confirming the link had established, she continued mentally.

Was Lugh ever that strong?

He is now,

Xhi replied.

Then, aloud, she spoke,

"Madame Cross."

The elf in the room turned her head sharply.

"Yes, Priestess?"

"What do you think about what was just said? Lugh is a human, is he not?"

The elf responded with a dismissive flick of her fingers.

"Yeah, but he’s just a human. And they aren’t exactly known for magical prowess. Ask yourself—why didn’t the beastkin fall?

A dimly-lit gem will still shine among trash. That doesn’t mean he’s strong enough to take on an elf, let alone Selaphiel."

After hearing this, Xhi tilted her head slightly, a faint smile curling at her lips.

The two sisters observed the strange tension unfolding, simultaneously gulping down their drinks.

Silence fell again.

"I—I’m continuing"

Sofia blurted, breaking it.

"Then came the truly unbelievable part. A sword seemingly fell from thin air into Lugh’s hand.

Using the Von Heim family’s signature wind magic for impossible speed, he proceeded to slaughter half of the seventeen beastkin who had infiltrated the ball... in brutal close combat, devoid of any visible magic."

Lyra choked mid-sip, coughing violently.

"What?!"

Xhi leaned back in her seat, looking thoroughly satisfied. The elf twitched slightly.

"W-Well, I guess he does have some skills,"

She admitted, strained.

"These articles are also known for exaggerating,"

She added quickly.

But Sofia wasn’t done.

But that wasn’t all. Lugh awakened.

"That’s impossible!"

Madame Cross shot to her feet, knocking her chair over with a crash.

Back at Von Heim Manor—

"What is an awakening?"

The question came quietly.

Sylvera paused, visibly pondering.

"I’ve heard of it,"

She admitted.

"But I don’t know much. Perhaps we can ask your grandmother once she’s done with... whatever it is she’s doing."

In Cross Manor—

"Teacher, what is an awakening?"

Sofia asked.

The elf scanned the room, weighing her words carefully.

"An awakening is..."

She sighed.

"Basically, it’s how all magical spells were born."

"I don’t get it,"

Lyra frowned.

"To put it simply,"

The elf explained,

"When someone awakens, they gain a unique form of mana manipulation. This allows them to use a specific magic that might not have existed before.

This is how the first mages likely came to be. Those who awakened went on to teach others how to manifest those same forms of manipulation—thus forming the foundation of all modern spells."

"Hmmm..."

Lyra pondered, eyes narrowed.

"So you’re saying the first person to awaken to fire magic taught others how to manifest it, and that’s how fire spells were created?"

"Well... sort of"

The elf admitted.

"There are other factors, but I don’t have time to explain them now. Sofia, look up what abilities Lugh displayed."

Sofia frantically shuffled through pages.

"Oh, uh—hold up. It should be... aha! Found it!"

She read:

He created a physical clone of himself. A being of enhanced strength and agility that defied human limitations.

The elf slumped into another seat, her expression blank.

"Unbelievable. He really has awakened..."

Xhi glanced over at her with a misty, unreadable gaze, then exchanged a long look with Lyra.

Lugh was many things.

Awakened was definitely not one of them...