The God of Jesters
Chapter 441 - 7.14.1 Its time.

Chapter 441: 7.14.1 Its time.

Everyone feared death, and the same was true for The Blue Beast Mage of the Tower of Contracts, who was horrified to witness the explosions that lit up the sky over Durum.

Although he was a distance away, he could see it clearly from his height, an innate fear had arisen in him, along with the realization that the war was not going to be so simple at all.

But worst of all, just like many other mages, his family was in Durum. And that scene was etched in his mind, making him wonder, what would have happened if the magic dome that protected the city were to break down.

Such horrific realizations turned him a tad bit paranoid, he wished to go back and check over his family’s health, but the warnings from his superiors made him stop in his tracks, the most he could do was sit at his post along with many other soldiers, whose job was not to deal with the ghouls, but to watch over the border.

It was also then that he noticed something.

Being from the Tower of Contracts, the Blue beast mage was capable of summoning spirits from the other world and putting the lower lifeforms under his control. Which he did on the battlefield, controlling countless nocturnal birds under his command and sending them out as sentry.

It was through his, he was able to detect the oddities that were not visible by normal sight. "These bastards came so close." Whether it was being driven by anger or fear for the life of his family, he rushed out without even explaining to the soldiers that there were intruders on the border.

Not like he needed to do that anyway. As his actions told enough of what had transpired, making them jump from their seat and look with their binoculars over what was happening.

"There really are intruders." They were surprised by their realization, if not for the Mage Blue Beast standing over them, it would have been harder to detect their position. "Three hundred meters, impossible to shoot." The sniper of the group said, barely able to make up the figures under the starlight.

But it’s not like they had to do anything at all to begin with, for there was a powerful Master Ranked mage hovering above the enemy head.

*****

"Run." Henkle was calm even in a situation where he came face to face with a being that was almost like a god to him. So unlike his four companions, he was able to give an order clearly while shooting what looked like a flair toward the mage’s face.

Who seemed to mistake it for a gun, appearing a bit startled, but the flair just hit the magic shield on his body, while exploding with light, before it was deflected into a corner, exposing the figures of the group more clearly to the soldiers aiming for their life.

But Henkle never worried about the snipers, he just feared the mage and by turning him blind for a second with a simple light, he was able to buy a few seconds of time for our group.

And we did just that, running away at the chance that Henkle had bought us.

Well, we tried anyway.

*boom

With a resounding shot, I felt something hit my back. Whether it was due to the distance of the bag, or the armor under my clothes, the bullet never reached my skin, what it did do was push me to the ground, giving my back a concussion.

’What a fate.’ I was the first to be shot at, and I can be considered lucky, as two wolves rose out of the air, nabbing two of my companions by their necks, but never killing them at all. ’Summons.’

This was an overkill on Cynark’s part, we were mere mortal soldiers, so why should they worry with us so much, wouldn’t it be better for them to give this job to some other mortal soldiers? Only then would this conflict be considered fair. So why is a powerful mage stomping us so hard?

’These cowards.’ First, it was that old arch mage that tried to annihilate us, and now this. "Forget about them, we have to leave." Henkle also noticed the fate of his men, but he could only ignore them and urge the remaining group that was left with only three people.

Or so we thought, as there were multiple gunshots followed soon after, among which, some of the bullets hit the other member in his skull.

Although a part of his skull was protected with a helmet, unluckily, he got hit right under his nape, turning paralyzed right that instant and falling like a corpse on the ground.

One more was gone, leaving just the two of us.

Of course, that was not going to be the case for long as Henkle suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the mage, who was staring at us like some beast. "You... go. I will hold him off." Arrogance and a hint of patriotism awoke in Henkle’s face.

I can see why he made such a choice.

For the mage of master rank, it would have been easier for him to kill us instantly, but he didn’t. His intentions were clear from this point alone.

He wanted to know what we were doing here, and how big was the scope of our operation.

It’s why he nabbed the two before, and currently, he seemed to be doing something while holding the two of my compatriots by their faces.

A mage from the Tower of Contracts, they were a lot more annoying than one might think.

They were master of souls, capable of enslaving them or even reading minds. It’s why they were such good partners of the Tower of Phantasm, as in a particular way, both towers had a hand in soul and mind.

This mage was trying to find information on our operation along with his prior question and the only reason he left us three alive, now two considering one had been shot by his men, was all because there was a chance the two he captured before might not know everything.

Which he was correct about.

Ignorance was a big part of the mission, we were unaware of what those cylinders did, well my team members were, but not me specifically, as I was the one to ask for this mission in the first place.

"These ignorant fools, cylinders. Whatever your game is, I will ruin it today on my own." Of course, this didn’t stop the mage from finding part of it from the objectives we were given to begin with.

"Men, relay this information... there are cylind" Before he could finish his words, a volley of shots hit his shield, but none could harm them at all.

"As I expected, you were just death squad." He suddenly laughed at the feeble bullets, finding it all a bit amusing.

The only reason the first time he was flinched by the shots earlier was because he thought it was one of those specialized bullets made to deal with mages, and generally for people doing our job, that should be proper equipment for us to begin with.

But sadly, that was not the case. We were considered dead men the moment we left for this mission, there was no reason to waste resources on men who would die soon anyway.

"But you seem to be the leader, so come to me, let’s see what you have in your mind." With those words, a wolf materialized from the air and nabbed Henkle from his ankle dragging him across the floor and bringing him to the mage, who laughed at the scene. "This face... I like it."

He had made a somewhat similar face before when he found that Durum was under attack, but now looking at a similar face on Henkle, he seem to treat it as nothing, he even enjoyed the misery and a hint of fear that Henkle was feeling at the moment.

But that was the thing, even with such fear, Henkle still kept staring at the mage with defiant eyes, followed by words. "I will be avenged." Those were the last words of Henkle, who soon became food for the mind reading of Mage Blue Beast.

"Oh, so you really were the leader... then that young man." He then turned to look at my distant figure that had created some distance for about now, making even the bullets turn useless at the distance.

"There is no need to keep you." At those words, countless wolves with blue fur emerged right out of thin air around me, lunging at me, trying to tear me apart. "Haha... This is... This is what it’s all about."

This was all such an enjoyable experience.

This kind of misery.

Such hopelessness.

I loved it.

I could feel it from the bug I put in Henkle’s brain.

I could see what he was feeling.

It was a wonderful feeling.

"Family, friends, your neighbors... and me." During his last moments, there was no fear of death in his eyes, it was only the faces of his family that he hadn’t seen in months. He worries for is daughter and the care for his older son who seemed to be getting married pretty recently.

Even with so much to lose, the man still put his life on the line for his country, lacking any selfishness.

Many such stories existed in this world, such passion, such emotions, even those that died around me, whose names I could barely recall must hold similar stories in their life.

The same kind of stories that the man behind me must hold.

"Guess, it’s time to end this act." As the beast tried to rip me apart, I just smiled, slowly exposing an aura that belonged to not that of an Adept, but Master ranked Knight.

"Ho?"

And as one knows, with reaching Master rank, the true talent of bloodline awakens.

"I have been itching to give this a try."