All the officers in Jax’s team moved.
The tent was suddenly filled with different color arrays as they roused their magic.
A few of them took out their staffs, while the others took out swords, spears, or crossbows. All of them aimed their weapons at Cade.
Jax, on the other hand, did not move and only glared at Cade.
Similarly, Cade was not bothered by all the weapons aimed at him. His eyes were fixed only at Jax.
As the next Regis Patriarch, he obviously knew who Jax was. He was also aware of what type of magic he had and his level. And to be honest, Cade would just be bullying them if he made a move. He did not want to do that.
He requested to handle the situation because he sensed Jax had purposely let them know the army’s movement. If this was true, then there was room for negotiation. The other elders would be able to handle it; however, in their current situation, if they wanted to negotiate, the talk must be between two representatives with authority to decide.
“What gave it away?” Jax finally asked.
“Hm?” Cade raised his brows at Jax’s questions.
His question and attitude were a little puzzling.
Did Jax really believe Cade would not be able to recognize the array they planned to counter their defensive array?
Cade was the creator of the Regis Inner Wall defensive array. To strengthen the array, he researched many counteroffensive arrays that might be used against it. Aside from this, he created it with Kyran’s safety in mind. His goal was to create a defensive array that even a Magus could not destroy. This way, even if Kyran’s magic were exposed, they would be able to protect him within the Regis’s Inner Walls.
Unfortunately, before Cade could complete the defensive array, the Royal Army raided their estate.
“Major Jax, right?” Cade started without answering Jax’s question. “Let’s be sensible. I don’t want to hurt your young officers.”
He looked at each of Jax’s team members.
“I also don’t hold a grudge from the time your men raided our estate,” he continued. “I understand that you are just taking orders. So I would ask you and your men to leave now and let us be.”
Jax sneered, “You sounded as if we attack your estate indiscriminately. Lord Cade, we both know why we ‘came’ that night.”
Cade nodded, “True. The Royal Family was very adamant in apprehending anyone who practices forbidden magic. They don’t tolerate forbidden magic users. But let me ask you Major Jax. Do you have evidence that my son used his magic before your men raided us that night? Did it not occur to you that while it seems like we are protecting him; hiding him even, we actually just want to keep his magic under control?”
Jax did not reply.
Even the officers with him looked at each other uneasily.
The army found about Kyran because his magic signature leaked, and they detected it. However, his magic signature remained inside the Regis Estate. It never left. They were also aware that the Regis had sealed it since he was a child. And his magic signature was too weak compared to when they fought him in the forest.
Sensing the officers, being swayed by Cade’s words, Jax’s face turned sour.
“Don’t make it sound like your clan was doing the empire a favor,” he said. “If you have reported him the moment he manifested his magic this would not happened.”
Cade smiled, but his smile was no longer friendly. Magic fluctuations started to rise around him.
If Jax showed even a sliver of hesitation after he said his piece, he would’ve started the negotiation. But it would seem, Jax was just another Royal Army compatriot. Men like him would be hard to talk to.
‘Then let’s not waste time,’ he thought as his silver eyes glinted malevolently.
“What you just said sound to me like it was wrong not turn in my six-year-old son to the army so they can deal with him. And what would the army do? Experiment on him? Execute him in public? Or…”
His magic pressure burst, and the magic arrays of every officer inside started to fluctuate.
Jax was the only one who was still able to withstand Cade’s pressure. However, he suddenly had a bad feeling about what Cade’s next words would be, and if the officers with him hear it, the Grand Marshal would surely order to eliminate all of them.
“Give him to the Royal Family and let them ens-“
‘Not good!’ Jax did not think twice and immediately used the Summoning Token.
A powerful whirlwind burst out from Jax and immediately ransacked the whole tent.
“Aahh!”
Some of the officers were blown away by the fierce wind.
Jax was able to withstand the wind because he was the one who used the token, so he had a certain immunity to it.
Cade’s eyes narrowed as the whirlwind assaulted him in all directions. However, with him being a Master Abjurer, the wind’s attack would not be enough to put a scratch on him.
Suddenly.
“Rawrgh!”
A deafening roar echoed within the whirlwind.
Cade’s brow creased as he sensed a new presence appearing within the whirlwind.
‘Don’t tell me!’ His eyes widened as he realized what Jax did. ‘A Summoning Token!’
Within the whirlwind, two enormous flaming fists appeared and aimed at Cade’s head.
Cade immediately jumped back to evade. He roused his magic while still in midair, and two silver arrays circled his lower arms.
Pieces of dark obsidian rocks appeared within the array, forming huge gauntlets. It covered both his arms just in time as the enormous fists that missed him hit the ground where he was just at.
The whole ground caved in, and smashed earth circulated within the whirlwind.
Cade immediately used his arms to cover his upper body as the whirlwind, now with pieces of earth, assaulted him.
“Rawrgh!” The voice inside the whirlwind roared in annoyance and finally stepped out of the whirlwind to grab Cade.
It was a huge five-meter tall flaming red-skinned minotaur.
As soon as Cade touched the ground, he instantaneously rolled to his left to avoid the minotaur’s flaming hand.
The minotaur missed again, but his reflex was fast even with its size, and he used his other hand to catch Cade.
Cade ducked to avoid the minotaur once again while also striking the ground with his right.
Silver array appeared on the ground where his fist landed, and sharp obsidian rocks shot up from the ground toward the minotaur.
“Rawrgh!” The minotaur roared, and the whirlwind’s range got smaller and circled him. The flames on his body ignited and formed into flaming armor.
When Cade’s attack arrived, the minotaur swiped his huge arms and instantly crushed them.
‘Strong,’ Cade thought with narrowed eyes. His magic had higher immunity with fire type magic and physical attacks. Yet the minotaur was able to crush it like it was regular stones.
A smile slowly formed at the corner of Cade’s lips. It had been some time since he last fought someone who could easily crush his magic.
A few meters away from them, Jax turned to the rest of the officers and yelled, “Retreat at once!”
This was why he did not want to use the Summoning Token. The summoned creature would only regard the one who summoned it as its ally and would destroy everything and everyone else.
This token was a product of the Royal Army’s Research Division. However, the idea was not initially theirs. One exploration team of the Royal Army that entered the Chaos Palace was able to find a Summoning Token. It was unknown if the Dark Sage created it or a product of the demons he commanded. Recently, the Royal Army’s Research Division finally succeeded in replicating the token’s ability. They also found out how to seal powerful monsters they could capture from the ruins into the tokens.
And this minotaur was one of the rare monsters the army captured.
All officers immediately retreated.
They did not even look back as they heard the minotaur roared again.
“Rawrgh!”
The minotaur dashed toward Cade, leaving a flaming trail behind him.
This time, Cade had no intention of evading. Although the minotaur was more than twice his size, it was not the first time he had dealt with huge monsters.
Silver arrays appeared around his body as his black armor formed an additional layer of thick obsidian material.
Another huge silver array appeared in front of him and a thick gigantic obsidian shield formed.
The minotaur crashed onto the shield, and Cade was pushed back in the process. The ground under him cracked, and the minotaur almost crushed him into it.
“Ngh!” Cade gritted his teeth. He felt every bone on his lower body creaked in protest from the weight of the minotaur. He immediately roused the Regis body tempering technique to alleviate the strain.
However, the minotaur’s attack was not over. He moved his huge flaming fists and bombarded the shield with punches.
Each punch from the minotaur sent a shockwave that penetrated Cade’s defences. He could also feel the heat from the minotaur’s flames, and his shield showed signs of melting.
“Rawrgh!”
This time, it was Cade’s turn to roar. His muscles bulged as he activated the Regis’s body tempering technique’s second phase.
Cade lifted the shield and used it to counter the incoming punches of the minotaur.
“Rawrgh!” The minotaur roared in anger when Cade successfully countered his punches and even forced both his arms upward, leaving his front wide open.
Cade took this chance and slammed the shield on the minotaur’s abdomen.
The minotaur was forced to step back. However, his flaming armor ignited and blasted toward Cade.
“Tsk,” Cade knew his shield would not hold any longer, judging from the heat of the minotaur’s flames. So he immediately jumped back.
However, the minotaur’s right arm moved and hurled toward Cade’s left side as soon as he jumped.
‘Ergh!’
Cade was thrown a good few meters to his right and crashed into a few trees.
The minotaur’s physical strength was really monstrous that if he did not activate the second phase of the Regis’s body tempering technique earlier, that one single attack from the minotaur would’ve broken his ribcage.
Jax’s eyes widened after witnessing the exchange between Cade and the minotaur. He was actually prepared to assist the minotaur, but now he realized it was unnecessary.
If he did, he might even hinder the minotaur’s movement.
When Cade was thrown to the side, the minotaur chased after him.
As soon as Cade hit the last tree, the minotaur jumped. His hands were clammed together as he aimed at Cade’s head.
Cade’s silver eyes glinted as three silver arrays appeared above him. Three more obsidian shields formed.
The minotaur’s fists slammed on these shields and crashed them easily.
But this delay was enough to let Cade successfully roll to the side and evade.
In this kind of situation, most mages would’ve already felt despair and would plan an escape.
However, to Cade, the more he was cornered, the more he wanted to break his opponent. He was suddenly reminded of his good friend, who would always comment how he had a terrifying temper.
The minotaur turned and glared at Cade. He did not immediately follow up an attack after failing. He snorted, clearly in annoyance, as flames shot out of his nostrils.
Cade returned the glare as he stood up. When he went here, he did not expect to start a fight. Now that it had come to this, then he better take this seriously.
He took a deep breath and smiled at the minotaur. Then he said, “Why don’t we take things up a notch?”
BOOM!
Without waiting for a reaction from the minotaur, Cade’s magic pressure suddenly erupted. Silver runes appeared all over his body. And his silver eyes glinted.
Slowly, Cade’s pupils turned into slits.