Chapter 331: It's Up to You
Outside a room shrouded in multiple layers of protective barriers in the basement of the Magic Association.
Serie leaned impatiently against the cold stone wall, her arms crossed tightly. She had just finished assigning various tasks to her good-for-nothing disciples and rushed over immediately.
Still, she didn't expect that Kurtz's interrogation was not over yet, so she could only wait outside restlessly.
Finally, the door opened slowly, and Kurtz stepped out. She immediately stood up straight and went to greet him directly.
"So, did you get any useful answers?"
Serie knew that Kurtz possessed a unique form of mental magic that could guide the target's subconscious without permanently harming their soul, making them unconsciously reveal the truth, the best method of interrogation available.
However, the drawbacks are also quite obvious: interference during the interrogation process can easily cause the subject to lose their memory completely, and in severe cases, they may even become an idiot entirely.
"Haaa~" Kurtz let out a soft breath and nodded his head. "We've gotten a lot of valuable information, but the clues are limited, unfortunately."
As he walked out alongside Serie closely, he briefly recounted the interrogation results: "According to the testimonies of the ringleader and the other attackers captured, there is indeed an organization behind them targeting us specifically."
"Oh?" Serie raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Since we returned to the Magic Association earlier, they have already sent a large number of people to lie in wait around the association for a long time to monitor it continuously."
He paused momentarily. "Furthermore, to minimize the chances of being detected by our detection magic completely, the observers they chose were mostly ordinary people without any magical fluctuations whatsoever, or low-level magic apprentices."
Serie instantly understood the situation: "No wonder! I've been maintaining a basic alert barrier constantly, and Kurtz, you've been using detection magic the whole time carefully, but we haven't detected anything obvious. So they were just a group of ordinary people...."
For influential individuals at their level, accustomed to sensing the constant fluctuations of powerful energy around them, it is easy to overlook ordinary individuals with average strength.
This is indeed a blind spot in their thinking.
After all, even if these people suddenly launched an attack directly, they wouldn't be able to break through their defenses easily, so naturally they wouldn't care about them much.
"That's right," Kurtz agreed. "These people have been following us ever since we left the association this afternoon. They're very patient, waiting for the perfect moment to strike decisively, and they've been changing the people following us now and then to avoid being discovered accidentally."
Serie immediately connected the dots with the earlier street conflict quickly. "So, when we encountered Evan and his group arguing with those adventurers loudly, it was also a deliberate disturbance they created to distract us?"
Kurtz shook his head firmly. "No, that's not it exactly. The conflict was purely coincidental, not something they planned intentionally. However, the leader of that adventurer team was indeed one of them secretly, which is why he couldn't help but attack when he saw such a good opportunity. His ordinary team members were unaware of this completely."
Serie's face darkened visibly. "It seems quite a few disgusting individuals are hiding within this capital city."
Kurtz continued speaking, "Based on these people's testimonies, I obtained some names of those targeting us. Unfortunately, these are all peripheral members only, and we still don't know who the real mastermind is."
"It's alright," a sharp glint flashed in Serie's eyes dangerously. "Now that we have the list finally, let's arrest them one by one systematically! Follow the clues carefully, investigate layer by layer, and I refuse to believe we can't find the real mastermind!"
Kurtz also felt that this method was simple and direct, and currently the most effective approach.
"Sure. Anyway, as long as they still covet the so-called magic of immortality greedily, they probably won't leave the capital easily. We have plenty of time to play along with them."
After finishing their business, Kurtz turned to ask, "What did you do with those kids, Evan and his buddies?"
When her disciples were mentioned, Serie snorted in annoyance loudly. "What else can I do? A bunch of idiots who don't even have basic combat experience! I had Flamme and Ayla take them to the training ground. They need a good beating."
Just then, Serie had a sudden flash of inspiration and thought of something important.
Her eyes lit up slightly, and she reached out to take Kurtz's hand firmly. "Come with me now!"
Kurtz was a little confused, but he let her pull him along and led him to the training ground located in the middle of the association.
At that moment, magical light flashed continuously across the training ground, and explosions rose and fell one after another.
All that could be seen were five disciples, including Evan and Legolas, fleeing in a disheveled state across the training ground desperately.
Above them, Flamme and Ayla hovered in mid-air, expressionlessly unleashing various mid-level spells repeatedly, forcing them to jump around frantically.
"Stop!" Serie's cold voice rang out, as if pressing the pause button on this one-sided torment.
Upon hearing her voice, Flamme and Ayla immediately stopped, withdrew their magic quickly, and landed back on the ground.
Evan and the others, as if completely exhausted, were panting heavily and slumped on the ground, looking utterly disheveled and beaten.
To avoid the two senior sisters' attacks, everyone dodged desperately. Although taking a hit wouldn't kill them outright, it would definitely hurt...a Lot.
Serie stepped forward. "Listen carefully, I have a task for you all," she said bluntly.
A mission? The disciples looked at each other in bewilderment.
They couldn't fathom what task Ms. Serie would assign them at this time.
Serie didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "According to reliable sources, there's a group of people lurking in the capital who intend to harm Kurtz and me. Your mission is to find them quickly and then eliminate them all."
"What?!" Evan was stunned for a moment, almost thinking he had misheard. He blurted out instinctively, "Just... just us alone?"
He could guess, without even thinking, that anyone who dared to harbor ill intentions toward Teacher Serie and Lord Kurtz was definitely one of the most powerful beings on the continent.
With these rookies who can't even beat street adventurers, going looking for trouble with these people? This isn't just throwing eggs against rocks; it's practically handing themselves over to die.
The other disciples, including the older Legolas, wore expressions of disbelief.
Serie was furious at their pathetic behavior, but she suppressed the urge to scold them harshly and added, "Of course, it's not just you who is going. Flamme will also go with you."
"Me?" Flamme, standing quietly to the side, was also stunned. She had never expected to be involved in this mission.
She asked somewhat hesitantly, "Teacher, if I take them to complete the mission, what about the internal affairs of the association?"
Before she could finish speaking, Serie waved her hand impatiently, interrupting her. "Isn't Ayla still in the association? Just let her temporarily take over for you."
Flamme's gaze unconsciously shifted to Ayla, who was still unaware of what was happening.
Can Ayla do it?
She still remembered the last time the other party handled association matters and caused chaos throughout the entire association. The memory made her hesitate.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but when she saw Serie's unquestionable gaze, she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
"Yes, teacher. I understand completely." Flamme lowered her head and accepted the sudden assignment obediently.
Serie nodded in satisfaction and looked back at her disciples, who were still processing the astonishing news. "This mission will be your best practical lesson. Stay alert, don't die out there and embarrass me!"
The training ground fell silent for a moment.
Looking at Serie's serious expression and then at Kurtz's "good luck to you guys" look, Evan and the others felt a mix of emotions.
Can we really do it?
[End of Chapter]
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