Chapter 495: Real Intention
As soon as Clyde triggered the Reality Shift Spell, the air around him shimmered and distorted as the Spell took effect.
This Spell allowed Clyde to manipulate the fabric of reality itself, bending it to his will.
As the Reality Shift unfolded, the boundaries of the plaza seemed to blur, and a mysterious Arcane Energy filled the air. Reality itself trembled under the influence of Clyde's Spell, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and unpredictability.
Then, Clyde's eyes gleamed with purple light as he prepared to intervene in the battle... As soon as he noticed that Vale was about to deal a final blow to the Failed Vessel, Clyde released the Spell.
Whom~
In an instant, the Failed Vessel vanished, replaced by another unsuspecting child who had been observing the battle from the sidelines.
"W-what's going on?"
Confusion and shock washed over Vale as he quickly ordered Yvaine to cease her assault, canceling his own Spectral Hands Spell.
"How did you get here?" Vale asked the child, who suddenly started to cry. He also searched the surrounding area for traces of the Failed Vessel but he couldn't find them.
Then, Vale heard the father of the child desperately searching for his son amidst the commotion.
As Vale processed the situation, he realized the sinister nature of the switch that had taken place. The Failed Vessel had been replaced by an innocent person, someone he had nearly killed!
Since no one knew who had switched the position of the child and the Failed Vessel, and the onlookers cast wary glances in his direction, their suspicions evident.
They even started whispering as they questioned whether it was deliberate or not.
Feeling the weight of their judgment, Vale knew he had no choice but to swiftly depart from the plaza. Though he also wanted to get some answers, he recognized the urgency of the situation and chose to delay his investigations for the time being.
"What a day... If not for my shadow being returned, I'll probably consider this as the worst day ever." Vale muttered to himself.
Originally intending to visit a shop for item appraisal, Vale's desire had waned, and he instead returned to his hotel room.
However, awaiting him was a member of the Order of the Evanescent Vessel. He had blond hair and quite a remarkably tall figure.
He was a familiar face as he recalled him being together on the airship he boarded to arrive at this city.
"Vale! You're finally back! I've been waiting for you. Do you have the creation ring? Headmaster Jean should've returned your shadow by now. You can give the Ring to me, and I'll send it to the Headmaster."
The man appeared amiable and carefree, but despite the seemingly innocuous nature of their encounter, Vale couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
His instincts told him to proceed with caution, urging him to delve deeper into the true intentions of this member of the Order. With his Advanced Realm ESP Spell, there was no way he would ignore this feeling.
Vale's smile faltered as he heard the Vessel's words. "I did feel a sense of completeness in my body. That should confirm that my shadow had returned, as the Headmaster informed me..." He replied.
The man nodded in understanding. "That's good to hear. I had suspected as much when my technique failed to detect a person with a missing shadow. Now, I must retrieve the Creation Ring. The Headmaster has just departed, I may still be able to catch up with him and deliver it."
Vale took a seat and began rummaging through his small bag. "Please give me a moment to find it. In the meantime, can you shed some light on what transpired at the Academy? Why did the Headmaster leave us behind?" He inquired.
"It appears that, once again, someone attempted to rob the Academy. Most likely, it was the Secret Organization that has shown great interest in our Armory as of late... They probably brought a lot of people this time." The man replied.
Vale simply nodded at this, as he believed that the Academy could handle such a problem. He then handed over the Creation Ring to the Vessel.
The man's eyes sparkled with excitement upon seeing the Ring, and he immediately utilized his inspection spells to confirm its authenticity and power.
After a brief moment of inspection, the man spoke. "Indeed, this is the very Creation Ring that the Headmaster has been searching for. Since you have been cooperative, allow me to give you a warning. Anyone who does not have their shadow marked or taken by the Headmaster or the Vice-Headmaster will no longer be able to return to the Academy. This means that you are no longer considered part of the Academy."
Vale narrowed his eyes as he absorbed this revelation. His composure didn't falter as he confronted the man.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" He questioned.
In response, the man let out a sinister laugh, his true intentions becoming evident. He seemed to have gained the confidence he needed as soon as he got the Ring.
"It means that you are no longer necessary. We are on the verge of acquiring more practitioners from the Malefic Branch, and your help here has proven their usefulness... We'll probably see a lot of them enrolling in the next Academic Year."
Before Vale could react, four figures emerged from the shadows, revealing themselves to be allies of the man.
"Are you smiling?" The blond man suddenly questioned, surprised to see Vale wearing a smile despite the dire situation.
Although the others also found it peculiar, none of them hesitated in their intent to kill him.
Their primary objective was to eliminate Vale to ensure the demise of the Creation Ring's owner. They suspected that the Ring may have become bound to Vale after being entrusted to him by the Tower Master.
Their previous plan was to bail out Wilfred and kill Vale after. Once they do that, they will simply put all the blame on Wilfred, who has gone missing.
However, their plan hit a snag when Wilfred mysteriously vanished from their sight, seemingly saved by an unknown individual.
"Heart Grasp"
The four assailants unleashed their collective power, invoking the Tier 2 Dark Spell.