When A Mage Revolts

When Benjamin was prepared to return to the palace, the System suddenly spoke, "Wait… some shady characters seemed to have entered the city again. Why don’t you go clear them out?"

"..."

Although the System’s tone irritated Benjamin, nevertheless if some spies were to infiltrate Regina, it would certainly present itself as a threat. As such, he didn’t retort against the System and instead he enquired as to the coordinates of these people.

Eliminating undercover spies was something that wouldn’t sit well with him to leave it to someone else; it would be best to handle it himself.

The System detected five people, scattered all around the city of Regina. As the inner city at the moment was as chaotic as ever, it became easier for outsiders to blend in, it’s no surprise for the Church to send out spies.

Soon enough, however, Benjamin realized that among the "shady characters" the System detected, not all of them were from the Church.

"The first one, second one… based on the letters on them, the first four are undeniably spies, but the fifth one, he’s definitely not a member of the Church."

Eliminating the Church’s informants one by one, he then arrived at a small alleyway, observing the old man further back who was walking down the rugged path, he commented as such.

"I never said that he’s from the Church." The System said nonchalantly, "I said they were shady characters after all. This must be a psychic from those worshippers from across the sea, its spiritual energy signature is obvious."

"What’s a worshipper from across the sea doing here at this time?"

"Who knows."

Benjamin rubbed his chin. These were sensitive times as any unusual traces could hide a terrifying ulterior motive. He didn’t dare to take it lightly either. Sensing him from afar, he felt the spiritual energy of this old man was on par with that of the flamen in Carretas.

…Was he a flamen as well?

"You can go end him now, but be careful, he could complicate things by turning into a spirit," the System said in a joking manner.

"What’s to fear from a spirit, I’ve seen enough of them," Benjamin shrugged, and said, "I just think, that the timing of this bastard’s appearance was a little odd."

In the grand scale of things, Icor’s main forces were shifting from Regina to Rock City, its core defenses weren’t exactly solid. As such, he felt that perhaps the worshippers from across the sea managed to hear something about it, and they’re here to take advantage of the chaotic circumstances.

It would be best for him to figure out what he’s up to…

Observing from afar, once Benjamin confirmed that the old man wasn’t leaving anytime soon, he returned to the palace, to search for the siblings.

"I may have found one of your island’s people, no clue on why he appeared in the city," Upon arriving at the small house where the old man hid, Benjamin asked softly, "Do you guys know what’s going on?"

"Well…" The sibling looked at each other and replied doubtfully, "To come here from the island is no straightforward journey, each boat between travels was costly on its own. Although the sea beasts grew tougher to deal with over the years, the elders had always been quite familiar with things in the mainlands. But we believe that they wouldn’t send out men on such a short notice."

Benjamin listened, nodded, then said, "If that’s the case, could this person have arrived alongside the two of you?"

"Possibly, but there were many who reached here with us. Even with our identities, there was no conceivable way to know each other's missions."

After so much that had been said, it still meant that they had no idea...

Benjamin scratched his head.

"Whatever, we’ll see how it goes after I eliminated him," Before the grand battle, he was rather lazy from putting in effort, and said after a big slap in his thigh, "You two give me support, if he plans to use psychic powers to conjure illusions, you guys eliminate him with psychic powers."

"Oh, alright…"

The siblings wore blank expressions then shook their heads vigorously after. Except that, when they finally reacted, nodding in response, Benjamin had already flown away.

As he was swept away in a whirlpool-like water elemental, Benjamin soared above the small house, icicles formed by layers at the ready. In an instant, the entire house was sealed tight, no way out whatsoever, at the same time, sounds were isolated from within.

Since psychic powers could pull off bizarre tricks that couldn't be guaranteed able to be defended against, he was left with this method to utterly block off the guy from every chance of escape.

Soon after, he spoke from the skies above the small house, "My friend from across the sea, since you came to Regina, why do you need to hide from plain sight? Introduce yourself to everyone why don’t you?"

The brief silence passed, a creak later, the tightly locked door slowly pushed open.

A grumpy old man stepped out from it.

"So it was you who killed flamen Ross," He first glanced at Benjamin soaring above the skies, then looked at the siblings beyond the icicle pillars, "And then there are these two rascals who betrayed the Goddess, do you know the consequences that will befall on you two?"

Cutthroat gazes pierced through the layers of ice, the siblings couldn’t help but shrink in response.

"For you to waltz into Regina, do you know the consequences of that then?" Benjamin huffed coldly, suddenly waved his hand, shot a few icicles towards the old man.

Upon seeing this, the old man quickly channeled his psychic powers. Under the diversion of his spiritual energy, the icicles’ course deviated, in the end… it merely scratched his forehead.

However, his gaze towards Benjamin grew somber.

"Damn mage, don’t think you’ve won just yet, all of you will be punished by the Goddess," As he said so, he suddenly clasped both hands together, shut his eyes, and massive spiritual energy pressure befell upon everyone’s minds, wave after wave of spiritual energy was released like river streams, surging violently from his body.

Benjamin observed what unfolded before him, and couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows.

Yet another illusion?

Psychic powers… were truly a hassle to deal with!

In that instant, he suddenly closed his eyes, while simultaneously retract all of his senses, and began casting like a blind man. A layer of bubble automatically shielded him, enveloping him, protecting him from enemy sneak attacks. At the same time, roars of surging water streams were conjured by him, a waterfall crashes from the skies above!

"Hmph, you won’t hit me."

The stream was a few meters away from the old man, crashing onto to floor, hitting nothing. The old man was disdained as he said so.

However, since Benjamin isolated all manner of sound from within, none of the old man’s words reached his ears.

In truth, to prevent any instances of illusions, he had already concealed all of his core senses, whether it be his sight or hearing, none of it could receive any signals, as soon as anything was picked up, it must have been the spiritual energy workings of psychic powers.

The stream, however… wasn’t conjured for a direct hit to its target.

Following the accumulation of its volume, the old man quickly understood what Benjamin had in store for him.

"You… you plan to drown me here? You can’t just kill me off, I am the great flamen which worships the Goddess, killing me, will end with your punishment! You…"

Benjamin couldn’t hear anything, however, an odd scenery had already appeared before his eyes. Figures of dancing light, fifty Grants flew about in the skies, hundreds of beams of light rushed towards him… a terrifying image, on a massive scale it triggered his inner fears.

Except that there were all illusions. He maintained the spells he cast, unfazed by the illusion, and this allowed the water to continue accumulating in this ice-sealed space.

Outside the layers of ice, however, the siblings’ expressions, followed the old man’s gradually defeated look, became more and more panicked.