The magic array protecting Winterkeep Citadel had been designed from the outset to repel powerful adversaries.
Its strength was immense.
For ordinary practitioners attempting to enter Winterkeep Citadel from the air, there was only one likely outcome: instant obliteration by the magic array.
To safely enter Winterkeep Citadel, one either had to walk in from the ground or possess a special permit allowing aerial passage.
Otherwise… death was almost certain.
“No need to worry,” the small bear said, holding a permit. “I have a token that allows passage. With it, we can safely traverse the magic array and enter Winterkeep Citadel.”
Pausing for a moment, it mumbled to itself,
“Though… this time I didn’t bring anyone back with me. I wonder if they’ll say something…”
However, Daniel had no patience to wait.
Standing on the back of the snow eagle, he gazed at the massive magic array ahead.
With a surge of mind power, he tore a gap open in the array, allowing the snow eagle to carry the group over Winterkeep Citadel.
This act of brute force triggered an immediate alert within the array.
…
In the royal court of Winterrealm, the Grand Duke of Winterrealm was busy attending to state affairs when he received the alert:
An unauthorized individual had forcibly breached the magic array.
“Impossible!”
The Grand Duke’s first reaction was disbelief.
How could anyone accomplish such a feat?
The array’s defenses were so powerful that any attempt to breach it would normally result in the intruder being obliterated by its automatic countermeasures.
But this time…
The array had not launched a single attack.
Instead, the alert was merely notifying the Grand Duke of an intrusion.
If the intruder was moving quickly, they were likely already nearing Winterkeep Citadel.
The Grand Duke immediately refocused his attention.
This was no ordinary trespasser!
For someone to bypass the array’s attacks, they either possessed an artifact specifically designed to counter the array or had somehow learned its inner workings.
Either way, the Grand Duke knew one thing:
Winterkeep Citadel was under threat. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Without delay, the Grand Duke activated a crystal orb to take direct control of the magic array while heading out of the royal court.
He boarded a warship and ascended to the skies above Winterkeep Citadel.
“Who dares trespass on Winterkeep Citadel!”
His voice boomed across the area enclosed by the magic array.
The Grand Duke used the imposing presence of his warship to intimidate the intruder, whoever they might be.
He hoped this display would cause the trespasser to hesitate, buying him time to assess the situation.
Moreover, by maintaining a vantage point in the air, the Grand Duke could respond instantly if the intruder made any sudden moves.
He also had another plan in motion:
He had discreetly sent for the bear clan’s powerful warriors from their secret realm.
Bound by an ancient agreement, the bear clan was sworn to assist the Winterrealm royal family in times of dire need.
For now, the Grand Duke aimed to draw the intruder’s attention and keep them occupied.
…
Below, the people of Winterkeep Citadel began to notice the commotion in the skies.
At some point, a warship had risen above the city, with none other than the Grand Duke of Winterrealm standing at its prow.
“Is that… the Grand Duke himself?”
“It must be! Only the Grand Duke wears those ceremonial robes.”
“What could be happening? Why was the Grand Duke so furious earlier?”
“Could it be that someone is attacking Winterkeep Citadel?”
“I hope not…”
The residents speculated, some retreating to their homes, while others stood watching the skies, eager to see what would unfold next.
It didn’t take long for their questions to be answered.
The Grand Duke spotted a figure appearing directly in front of him.
“Who are you, and why have you trespassed into Winterkeep Citadel?” the Grand Duke demanded, his voice heavy with authority.
“Bring out the true ruler of Winterkeep Citadel. I need to speak with them,” Daniel replied coldly, his tone dismissive.
He had no intention of wasting time.
His objective was clear: to find the one behind the ambush he had encountered in the Sacred Time River.
Daniel had no interest in dealing with minor figures.
To him, the Grand Duke of Winterrealm, while reasonably powerful, was clearly not the kind of figure capable of orchestrating such a scheme.
That meant someone else was involved, possibly someone connected to the so-called god realm.
“I am the true ruler of Winterkeep Citadel!”
The Grand Duke’s voice dripped with fury.
He was the ruler of both Winterkeep Citadel and the entire Winterrealm, yet this outsider treated him as a mere nobody, ignoring the might of the city’s magic array and dismissing his authority outright.
“Outsider, you’re far too arrogant!”
The Grand Duke raised the crystal orb in his hand, activating the magic array.
Mana surged around Winterkeep Citadel as the array began preparing its full arsenal of attacks.
“Outsider, I will make you understand that the dignity of the Grand Duke of Winterrealm is not to be insulted!”
Daniel remained unfazed, his mind power scanning the surroundings.
Yet he found no trace of the figure he was seeking.
Could he have been wrong?
As the Grand Duke prepared to launch his attack, the mana within the array reached a critical mass, ready to unleash destruction upon Daniel.
But in the very next moment, the mana dispersed.
The array fell silent.
The Grand Duke of Winterrealm stared in disbelief.
Why wasn’t the array functioning?
The attacks had been seconds away from completion—why had they suddenly stopped?
He couldn’t comprehend it.
But one thing was certain: this phenomenon was tied to the man standing before him.
Panicking, the Grand Duke attempted to re-engage the array using his crystal orb.
To his horror, he realized something shocking:
The magic array’s control had been wrested from him!
No matter how hard he tried, the crystal orb no longer responded.
It was as if the array had completely severed its connection to him.
“What… what have you done?”
The Grand Duke looked at Daniel in terror, his voice trembling.
His primary means of defense had been rendered useless.
The Grand Duke’s confidence began to waver, and fear crept into his heart.
Daniel had directly seized control of the magic array.
Using his mind power, he had overridden the system, transferring control from the Grand Duke’s crystal orb to himself.
Now, Daniel was the true master of the array.
The Grand Duke stumbled back a few steps, his legs weak.
“What… what do you want?”
He no longer dared to address Daniel disrespectfully, switching to a deferential tone.
Daniel didn’t respond. His gaze shifted to a distant point.
A young man was hurrying toward them.
“Your Excellency, please forgive this man,” the newcomer said, bowing respectfully.
“My mentor is waiting for you not far from here.”