Chapter 77: The Ritual

“…!”

Graxios couldn’t hide his shock at Gaon’s words. “The Ritual of Sacrifice is set up in the tower?”

“Yes, Baos named five locations,” Gaon replied.

“I’m sorry,” Graxios said, guilt in his voice.

“No need to apologize. It’s not a formation easily detected,” Gaon reassured him.

The Ritual of Sacrifice wasn’t something one could spot just by knowing of its existence.

“May I ask your plan?” Graxios inquired.

“I’ll check and destroy all the locations Baos mentioned. Any betrayers guarding them will be killed on sight,” Gaon stated.

“You mean… right there?” Graxios’s voice wavered with concern.

Gaon understood his worry. Baos’s earlier defeat had caused a stir, quickly subdued by the situation’s gravity.

But killing betrayers within the tower?

That could spark major chaos. Graxios was clearly concerned about the fallout.

“I’ll do it discreetly. There won’t be much disruption,” Gaon assured.

Relief washed over Graxios. “What should I do, then?”

“Keep Sterun in check so he doesn’t pull anything. If you can gather top figures like Balversa or Sdrin, that’d be ideal.”

“I’ll gather as many as I can,” Graxios promised.

“Do you have an identity plaque?” Gaon asked. He planned to move separately from Graxios once inside Gardion.

Without proper identification, he might face restrictions in certain areas, at least initially.

“Yes, I brought one just in case. It should grant access to most places,” Graxios said, pulling a jade-green rectangular plaque from his robe.

“Never seen this before. What is it?” Gaon asked.

“A special inspection plaque, created thirty years ago. It allows entry even to Level 1 secure areas.”

“So, it opens nearly every door,” Gaon noted, nodding as he accepted the plaque.

They soon reached the city gate and descended to the ground.

Gardion enforced a no-flight rule, backed by a magical barrier—one Gaon himself had set up long ago.

It posed no obstacle to him, but he chose not to fly.

Drawing attention now would hinder his mission to quietly dismantle the Ritual of Sacrifice.

“Greetings, Vice Tower Master!” a mage and a guard at the gate exclaimed, recognizing Graxios.

“Well done,” Graxios replied, passing through with Gaon.

As they entered, Graxios sent a message spell to Gaon. [My apologies for not greeting you properly—too many eyes.]

[We’ll talk later,] Gaon responded, then veered off, moving as if they weren’t together.

Parting from Graxios, Gaon headed straight for the closest of Baos’s five locations: Training Hall 6. He scanned everyone he passed. Fortunately, no one bore the Abyss’s seal.

How many are hiding here?

Gaon wondered how many Abyss operatives lurked in Gardion.

And another thought: How do I weed out those tied to other factions?

The demonic faction wasn’t just Abyss.

Seven traitorous nations, magic towers, mercenary bands, and demons from the Demon Realm likely had spies here too.

Abyss operatives were identifiable by their seals, but the others? It’d be nice if they used seals too.

Arriving at Training Hall 6, Gaon approached the counter.

“How can I—” The staff member froze upon seeing the inspection plaque Gaon presented. “Oh!”

“Is the director here?” Gaon asked.

“Yes! I’ll guide you—”

“No need. Bring them here.”

“Yes, please wait!” The staff rushed off, returning shortly with a middle-aged man.

Gaon’s brow furrowed slightly. The man’s mind and heart bore the Abyss’s seal.

I figured someone guarding the formation would be nearby, but the director himself?

The man, eyeing Gaon cautiously, spoke. “I’m Etronel, director of Training Hall 6. What brings the Special Inspection Bureau here…?”

“There’s a report of an issue with a mana circle,” Gaon said.

“…!”

Etronel’s expression shifted briefly. “An issue with a mana circle?” he asked, feigning confusion.

“Yes. I’ll check all the circles here, so lead the way.”

“…Understood,” Etronel said, starting to walk.

“Um…” Etronel spoke as they moved. “May I ask what kind of issue? I haven’t noticed anything wrong.”

“Someone did something nasty to the circle,” Gaon replied, smiling faintly.

What’s this? Gaon already knew the circle’s location—he’d sensed it upon arrival.

Yet Etronel was leading him in the wrong direction, toward a secluded area with no circle.

Gaon knew what he was planning but said nothing. It was exactly what he wanted.

Etronel stopped. “On second thought, I need details about this issue.”

He turned, extending a hand. Swish! A ring on his finger glowed, unleashing a blast of intense cold toward Gaon.

Poof! The cold dissipated the moment it reached Gaon.

“…?”

Etronel froze, stunned. Then his body locked up, unable to move. He’d lost control.

Bind?

Etronel realized an unfamiliar energy coursed through him.

A 5th Circle high mage, he knew even a 6th Circle mage couldn’t do this. Even a 7th Circle Archmage couldn’t seize control so perfectly.

What in the world…? Etronel swallowed hard.

Gaon smiled.

“Sadly, I’m short on time.” He placed a hand on Etronel’s shoulder, not to comfort but to infuse Pacheongi.

Using a subtle Bone-Crushing Agony, he applied a seal with two triggers: leaving a 50cm radius or one hour passing.

The effect? An explosion of Pacheongi.

If not for the soul stone, I’d have killed him now. Gaon wanted to end him immediately, but the soul stone would alert others to his death, disrupting Gaon’s covert plans.

“Live better in your next life,” Gaon said, gesturing. Swish! A magic circle appeared beneath Etronel, and he vanished, concealed by an invisibility formation.

Gaon retraced his steps, checking the hall’s circles alone and dismantling the Ritual of Sacrifice. It wasn’t difficult, and he finished quickly.

Leaving Training Hall 6, he headed to the next location, wondering, Who’s guarding the park?

***

At Gardion Tower’s Elder Council, many elders gathered under Great Elder Balversa.

Not all were present—some belonged to other factions or were away on missions.

Those here were all part of Balversa’s Elder Council faction.

“I heard the Vice Tower Master went to see the Tower Master. Likely about the general assembly…”

“Will the Tower Master agree to it?”

“Why call a general assembly?”

“It must be something big…”

The elders discussed Graxios’s call for a general assembly, his meeting with Sterun, and more.

“Didn’t they leave together?”

“Why did he return alone?”

“Should we find out what he’s doing out there?”

“We should send someone.”

“But who? They’re all high mages.”

Swish. Balversa, who’d been listening silently, raised a hand. The elders fell quiet, looking to him. “Don’t you all have something bigger to discuss?” he asked.

No one spoke, only exchanging glances. As Balversa said, a massive rumor was circulating—one far weightier than their current topics.

“What do you think? Has Gaon truly returned?” Balversa asked, addressing the rumor of the first Tower Master’s return.

It was hard to believe. Gaon, presumed dead decades ago, back? Normally, they’d dismiss it as nonsense. But this wasn’t normal.

The rumor came from Baren (Rotes), Reudi’s seventh disciple and an elder, and Graxios himself. It couldn’t be ignored.

“I think it’s unlikely,” said Rakan, the council’s second-in-command. “But it’s no ordinary matter.”

Others began sharing their thoughts. “I believe it’s true. How else do you explain Baren and Graxios’s reactions?” “I agree with Elder Rakan.”

After everyone spoke, silence returned briefly.

“I see your thoughts,” Balversa said, standing. The elders looked puzzled. “We need to check what the Tower Master and Vice Tower Master are discussing. Stay if you wish, or follow me.”

He headed to the Central Tower’s grand conference hall, where Sterun and Graxios were meeting.

***

“So, you’re asking me to agree to a general assembly?” Sterun asked.

Graxios nodded. “Yes, it’s critical.”

“If it’s that important, couldn’t you have told me earlier?” Sterun said with a smile.

Graxios smiled back. “Do you really not know?”

Sterun fell silent, his gaze cooling as he studied Graxios.

What’s he planning? He knew Gaon had returned but couldn’t fathom what Graxios intended to do with him.

A mage approached Sterun, whispering. Sterun’s face darkened. Graxios’s eyes gleamed. The mage returned to their place, and Sterun glared at Graxios. “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” Graxios asked innocently, though he knew.

Whatever report Sterun received was surely about Gaon.

“Someone’s terrorizing the tower—” Sterun began, but stopped, turning to the conference hall’s entrance.

Creak. The door opened, and Balversa entered with the Elder Council elders.

Graxios smiled inwardly. I didn’t expect them to gather like this.

Gaon’s order was to assemble the tower’s leaders. Not all were here, but it was close enough.

Watching Balversa glance between him and Sterun, Graxios thought, When will he arrive?

He knew Gaon’s power and personality. The cleanup wouldn’t take long. And he was curious—what would happen when Gaon arrived?