CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 278- KILL HER

Thanks to the fact that the dragon was killed, Duke Nolan was easily able to kill most of the monsters with the help of the Vermillion battalion.

The students were called out from the arena since there was no immediate danger they could see.

More than four hundred people lost their lives and four students died within the arena, including Vincent.

The Tower Masters and the high-ranking nobles were nowhere to be found.

Ruby came to the conclusion that they must have evacuated using the teleportation altar built within the venue.

They always prepare such an evacuation route. But since such a big mass couldn’t be teleportated using a few light users’ abilities, they prioritize their own safety.

"Such cowardly bastards," Aries growled, her anger evident through her voice.

Allen was also furious that those beings who were supposed to maintain peace and ensure the safety of their people abandoned them to save their own asses!

Sarah sighed upon hearing that. Truth be told, she was also told to come along with the Tower Masters. However, she said because she believed it was her failure, as one of the members who organised this event, it was her duty to ensure their safety.

On the side, Elana was standing before her father, helping him patch up his wounded arm.

In a cold voice, she said, "This was really unnecessary." She complained, "I could have protected myself."

The wound was inflicted when he jumped between her and the approaching monster. Because there was not much space and the monster was already on him, the Duke allowed the monster to bare his teeth into his flesh as his spear pierced the being’s chest.

Nolan helplessly looked at his daughter. Despite how much time passes, some things never change.

Resting his hand on her head, he said, "Even if you become the world’s strongest, I would still jump in to protect my little girl."

Elana lowered her head, but the smile didn’t go unnoticed by the man.

His eyes then landed on Adrian.

The man was currently helping the people from the arena to safely walk out and several of them had already been sent to the nearest town.

The crowd was gathering quite far from the venue since the place was surrounded by explosives.

Despite being severely injured just a few minutes ago, he was already back on his feet, helping others, and doing all with a calm demeanor.

"He is a great man. Strong, calm, and a genius." Nolan’s voice caught her off guard since Elana knew where he was looking.

Soon, the Duke looked down at his daughter and said, "I am supposed to have you engaged to a man worthy of you by the time you graduate. While your mother has already started to search for the right groom, I have left that decision solely to you."

Resting his hand on Elana’s shoulder, he added, "Make the right choice and let me know by the time you finish the academy."

Elana’s cheeks were dyed red...it was no longer a secret. Her father surely knows about her choice.

However, she didn’t try to deny it and just gave a short nod, "I will."

....

"Does it still hurt?" Olivia asked as she saw Allen clenching and unclenching his newly rebuilt hand.

Adrian healed him, and Allen was no longer handicapped.

Looking at her, he shook his head, "No...it’s better now." He told her with a nod.

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, "If not for Professor Adrian, I don’t know what would have happened to us."

Allen smiled, "We would have been dead. There is no doubt about it."

In the arena, if not for Ruby using the artifact Adrian gave her, it would have been difficult for her to deal with that old man.

Not only that, he saved Sylvie and eradicated core members of the cult, along with the dragon.

’Truly...he is an admirable man.’ Allen sighed.

[Didn’t I tell you? Stick close to him. He is the man who would lead you to greatness.]

Hearing the inner voice, Allen wanted to chuckle.

Turning his gaze toward Adrian, Allen muttered under his breath,

’Maybe I ain’t the one destined to save mankind. He is.’

....

’’This is just too simple,’ Adrian thought.

He had already sent over seven hundred people toward the town, where carriages waited for them.

Of course, so many carriages couldn’t have appeared at once. Ruby had planned ahead—preparing hundreds beforehand so the people could escape quickly, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the cursed venue.

Yet, even with such careful planning, Adrian felt no relief.

The reason was simple—Juggler.

He had vanished. Along with him, a few of the core members had yet to show themselves.

The old man Ruby had described.

Spade. Bishop.

Three in total.

But Adrian knew there should be five besides Juggler. Two more were still unaccounted for.

So... where were they hiding?

"Adrian?" Ariana’s voice broke his thoughts. He turned to her—

—when suddenly a sharp chill ran up his spine.

It wasn’t just him. Every person in the area who could feel mana snapped their head toward the same direction.

The air itself grew heavy. Malicious, suffocating.

And then—

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice rang out, almost playful.

Juggler floated in the air, his figure wrapped in eerie light. With one hand tucked neatly behind his back, he bowed as though greeting an audience at a theater. "Greetings."

Nolan didn’t hesitate. His spear flashed forward as he took his stance, his eyes locked on the floating figure. The other warriors braced themselves, their weapons drawn.

But then—

**TWINK**

Something flickered in Nolan’s vision. His instincts screamed. He twisted his body just in time.

The others weren’t so lucky.

*DHAK* *DHAK* *DHAK*

The sound cracked through the air, sharp as nails on glass.

One after another, bodies dropped.

Thirty warriors from the Vermillion family and the Tower fell where they stood. Their eyes wide, mouths frozen mid-breath.

A thin, merciless ray had cut through each skull like a needle through cloth, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.

Their lives ended in an instant.

The stench of blood hit the air. The ground darkened as it soaked in red.

Juggler called out, "Move without my permission, you are dead. Speak without my permission, you are dead. Even breathing too loudly, you are going to die. So please be very careful from here on,"

There were still more than three hundred people blocked by the Acolyte.

Adrian gritted his teeth as he noticed that the two people he was searching for were standing a little far and one of them just used light rays to kill those men.

Juggler soon continued, "I know how it must be feeling right now. Escaping one danger, then another, and then stumbling into another. It must be tough." He was having fun.

Leaning forward he asked, "But I can ensure that this would be the last danger you face today. Do you know what you have to do?"

No one spoke but many wanted to nod, wanted this nightmare to just finish.

Juggler grinned as he raised his hand and while pointing at a certain person, he said, "Kill that person, and I promise I will let you all go. I swear on my name, kill her and you will be spared."

Adrian tensed...

The finger was pointing at none other than the woman beside him.

Ariana.

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.