Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

"My lord, I’ve come to—"

The voice cut off abruptly.

The two people in the room turned their heads almost simultaneously.

The eyes of the man in formal attire glowed with an abyssal black light, while the pitch-black pupils of the beautiful Maid beside him flickered with an uncanny, emerald starlight.

Margaret gasped in surprise. "It’s someone from Ghostly Touch..."

Murphy said grimly, "Maggie!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, he shot toward the door like an arrow loosed from a bow.

BOOM!

Heavy footsteps suddenly echoed from the hallway, shaking the entire castle.

Dust trickled down from the stone walls, and the torches on the walls swayed violently, casting chaotic shadows.

In the castle’s guest area, Old Allen and Arthur, who were praying, were startled by the sudden tremor and opened their eyes.

Old Allen’s prayer gesture froze in mid-air, while Arthur instinctively reached for his waist.

"What’s going on?" Jack asked in alarm, steadying a swaying table.

Celeste’s face turned deathly pale. She heard the continuous rumbling behind her, as if some colossal beast was approaching.

She immediately realized her mission was compromised, and worse, the enemy had a Grand Knight Level combatant.

This was completely beyond her expectations. Logically, the Royal Family and the Church Court should have already withdrawn their people. The only Great Knight here, Richard, was supposed to be away from the castle at this moment.

Aurora had already grown wary when she heard the unfamiliar Maid’s voice.

When she looked up and saw the Maid’s face suddenly change, then heard the thunderous booms from within the castle, she instantly understood what was happening and quickly rose to take cover.

However, Celeste could no longer spare her a thought.

’I must retreat immediately...’

Celeste thought, cold sweat trickling down her temples.

’If the Church Court discovers Ghostly Touch’s plan, we can forget about ever going to the New Realm.’

The rumbling within the castle grew louder. A guest cried out, "What’s that on the floor above us!"

Someone else shouted in a panic, "It’s an earthquake!"

The words had barely been spoken before the guest area descended into chaos, with people scrambling for cover.

Old Allen took cover with Jack’s help, his murky eyes filled with worry.

Only Arthur exclaimed in surprise, "A Great Knight!"

Celeste sprinted through the castle corridor.

Sprinting toward the northern window!

The northern window wasn’t her only escape route, of course, but it was the closest and fastest path to safety, away from the Church Court’s sphere of influence.

Otherwise, couldn’t she have just jumped out of the window in Aurora’s room?

BOOM!

The rumbling behind her grew closer.

’Just a Great Knight...’ She gritted her teeth, a flash of annoyance in her eyes.

’As long as it wasn’t a sneak attack, a Third-Class Wizard Apprentice is fully capable of dealing with this kind of brutish Warrior.’

But right now, every second was precious.

This was a Law of survival she had learned in Ghostly Touch, a lesson paid for with the blood of countless Wizard Apprentices in the Shepherd Headquarter District.

She couldn’t resist glancing back.

The black-haired man in a dark blue velvet coat was in hot pursuit. He radiated a powerful life force, confirming he was a Great Knight, yet he showed no sign of the spiritual fluctuations that a Wizard Apprentice would have from resonating with the Source Sea.

’Perhaps...’

’I can use his momentum?’

The thought had barely crossed her mind when a sharp, whistling sound reached her ear.

Celeste cast [Mage Armor] without hesitation. An invisible Force Field materialized instantly, part of her plan to use the force of the Great Knight’s sword strike to propel herself toward the northern window.

The instant the Knight’s Sword struck the Force Field, she thought:

’Now!’

RIIIP!

Completely contrary to Celeste’s expectations, the Knight’s Sword wasn’t deflected. Instead, it tore through the invisible Force Field as easily as a hot knife through butter.

Its momentum unchecked, the blade slashed across her neck, separating her head from her body.

A look of bewilderment was still on her face, as if she couldn’t comprehend why her Protective Magic was so fragile.

Murphy didn’t spare a glance at the lifeless body of the Wizard Apprentice dressed as a Maid on the floor.

He closed his eyes and unleashed his Spiritual Power at full strength, his perception spreading out in all directions like a tidal wave.

This full-power spiritual scan consumed a massive amount of energy, something he would never use so lightly under normal circumstances, but he couldn’t afford to hold back now.

"Five to the north, fleeing in four different directions." Murphy opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. He thought, ’Margaret, don’t disappoint me.’

...

Damn it!

Damn it! How could there be a Great Knight!

Victor raced through the woods, his cloak whipping in the wind.

He was fleeing at full speed toward the Northern Shepherd Chief District. He would be safe as long as he reached it.

The Church Court’s influence might not extend to the Shepherd Headquarter District, and besides, his own territory and power base were there.

’If it weren’t for my fear of the Church Court’s pursuers...’ he thought, gritting his teeth as a vicious glint flashed in his eyes.

’Does he really think I’m afraid of a Great Knight?’

’If I weren’t worried about the slightest delay, I’d definitely show this overconfident fool the power of a Wizard.’

The composed expression on Victor’s face froze the moment he sensed the Spiritual Power of the first companion being extinguished.

He forced himself to calm down. ’Perhaps it’s some kind of trump card left behind by the Church Court...’

But as he sensed the Spiritual Powers behind him being extinguished one after another, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Damn it!

What kind of monster is he?

He clearly emits the life force of a Great Knight, yet he lacks the spiritual fluctuations of a Wizard Apprentice who resonates with the Source Sea.

Even more terrifying, those Third-Class Wizard Apprentices were utterly powerless against him!

Of course, Ghostly Touch had more than seven members, but only seven Third-Class Wizard Apprentices had the privilege of going to the New Realm and enjoying the distribution of Wandering Souls.

No, originally there were eight.

He thought of that lecherous, foolish Saren.

He died in the Duval Territory—now the Monte Territory—because of his lust for beautiful women.

Were they going to suffer the same fate today?

What the hell is this damn Duval Territory!

As the Spiritual Powers vanished one by one, Victor couldn’t help but feel thankful for the rule he’d established: when in danger, members must scatter and flee.

As a former Lord, he had learned a truth from countless hunts.

When facing a predator, you don’t need to be the fastest—you just need to be faster than your companions.

’As long as they can hold that monster off for a little while longer...’ Victor calculated inwardly. Hearing the rumbling of the pursuer grow fainter behind him, a triumphant look couldn’t help but appear on his face.

He was finally going to escape with his life!

’So what if I don’t get the Wandering Souls? I already accumulated plenty during the border wars anyway.’

’Starting out in the New Realm might be a bit harder, but it’s better than losing my life here.’

Just as Victor thought he was safe, he screeched to a halt.

A black-haired man in a dark blue velvet coat had appeared before him at some unknown point, a Knight’s Sword still dripping with blood in his hand.

’When did he—!’

The thought had barely flashed through Victor’s mind when he instinctively activated [Mage Armor].

But with a flash of cold light, the invisible Force Field was torn apart as if it were tissue paper.

Victor didn’t even have time for a second reaction before he completely lost consciousness.