Chapter 14 Chapter 14: The Return of the Arcane Heir

Chapter 14: The Return of the Arcane Heir

"You've made a terrible mistake."

The Headmaster's voice sounded loud across the ruined training grounds.

Silence followed immediately, even the wind seemed to stop.

The dark mages froze, scorpions yellow eyes narrowed. Cedric's smile disappeared.

Lucas unconsciously took a step backward. The Headmaster slowly walked forward.

Silver robes fluttered behind him. The ground under his feet glowed with ancient runes.

Mana poured from his body like an endless ocean.

I felt something close to hope. The Headmaster wasn't simply powerful.

He was one of the strongest sorcerers in the Empire. Perhaps even stronger than Cedric.

The dark mages felt it too, fear appeared in their eyes.

The Headmaster's gaze moved toward Mira. His expression softened slightly.

"Are you hurt?" Mira shook her head while tears ran down her face.

"N-No..." The Headmaster nodded. Then his eyes landed on me.

Blood covered my clothes. The suppression chains wrapped around my body.

Several ribs were broken. My face was swollen from Lucas's attacks.

For a moment, pure rage flashed through the Headmaster's eyes.

Then he looked toward Cedric. "Family Head Cedric Ashford."

His voice became ice cold. "You dare attack one of my students?"

Cedric smiled. "You misunderstand." "No." The Headmaster interrupted him.

"I understand perfectly." The temperature dropped instantly.

Silver mana exploded outward. BOOOOOOM! The ruined training field shook violently.

Several dark mages stumbled backward, even Scorpion instantly frowned.

The Headmaster raised one hand. A gigantic silver magic circle appeared above the battlefield.

Ancient runes rotated endlessly.The amount of mana inside the spell was terrifying.

Scorpion immediately shouted. "Attack!" The dark mages moved.

More than twenty spells erupted simultaneously, it was filled with dark fire, shadow spears, death curses and poison clouds.

Enough magic to destroy a city block.The Headmaster didn't move.He simply looked at them.

Then closed his hand. CRACK! Every spell shattered. Just like glass.

Several dark mages stared in disbelief, the Headmaster raised his other hand.

Silver lightning exploded from the sky. BOOOOOOM!

Three dark mages vanished instantly, the remaining attackers panicked, another spell appeared.

Silver chains descended from above, five more dark mages were captured before they could react.

The Headmaster advanced, step by step. Like an unstoppable force. The dark mages attacked desperately.

Yet nothing worked, every spell was destroyed, all the attacks instantly failed.

For several minutes, the Headmaster dominated the battlefield, hope began spreading through my chest.

Maybe we could win, maybe—Then Cedric smiled. My stomach dropped, something felt wrong.

The Headmaster noticed it too, his eyes narrowed.

"Cedric." The family head laughed softly. "You were always too arrogant."

Suddenly—A black dagger appeared inside Cedric's hand.

The weapon looked ancient, corrupted and completely wrong.The moment it appeared, the surrounding mana trembled.

The Headmaster's expression changed instantly he was filled with shock, genuine shock. "Impossible..."

Cedric grinned. "The Crimson Monarch sends his regards." Then he vanished.

WHOOSH! The Headmaster reacted immediately, silver barriers appeared around him.

Too late, the black dagger pierced straight through his chest.

CRACK. The silver barriers shattered. The Headmaster froze.

Everyone suddenly froze, even Scorpion looked surprised. Blood dripped from the Headmaster's mouth.

His eyes widened. The dagger wasn't normal, it ignored mana. Ignored barriers and defenses.

Cedric twisted the blade. The Headmaster staggered.

Pain crossed his face. For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody breathed.

Then Mira screamed. "HEADMASTER!" The old sorcerer slowly looked toward us.

His expression became calm, almost peaceful. He knew. He was dying.

Cedric stepped backward, blood covered the dagger.

Lucas stared with excitement, pure excitement, as if watching a dream come true.

The sight made me sick, the Headmaster coughed blood.

Then suddenly his eyes locked onto mine. "Rowan."

My throat tightened. "Sir..." His voice became weak.

Yet every word remained clear. "Listen carefully." The dark mages hesitated.Nobody interrupted him.

The Headmaster smiled faintly. "Protect them." I froze.

"Protect the students, blood flowed from his lips, Protect Mira." Another cough. "And survive."

My vision blurred. "No..." The Headmaster shook his head.

"You are not allowed to die yet." The old sorcerer slowly turned toward the dark mages.

Then raised both hands. The entire battlefield trembled. Mana exploded from every direction.

The sky darkened. Ancient runes illuminated the academy.

The Headmaster's final spell. His last act. Cedric's smile vanished.

Scorpion's eyes widened. "Move!" It was tpo late.

BOOOOOOOOOOM! A pillar of silver light erupted into the heavens. The explosion consumed everything.

Dark mages screamed, while the ground cracked, several attackers vanished instantly.

Others were thrown across the battlefield. The suppression chains binding me shattered.

CRACK! The moment they broke—The Headmaster smiled.

Then collapsed. The silver light vanished. The Headmaster of Imperial Arcane Academy was dead.

A man who spent his life protecting students, he was gone, just like that.

For several seconds, nobody moved, then something inside me broke, I felt a pure rage, the kind that burns everything.

Scorpion slowly stood. His robes were damaged. Blood covered his face, yet he laughed.

"Finally." Lucas laughed too. The sound sounded loud across the battlefield.

That was the moment something impossible happened. The world froze, completely froze

Time stopped immediately and the wind stopped moving, the dark mages froze.

Cedric froze, even the falling dust became motionless.Only I could move, only me, then blue light appeared.

My eyes widened, a familiar light. The light I thought I had lost forever.

The light of the system. A voice sounded through my consciousness.

Not mechanical, and emotionless but really different.

[System Reconstruction Complete.] My heartbeat stopped.

The blue light intensified. [Arcane Heir System Evolution Successful.]

[New Version Activated.] [Arcane Sovereign System Online.]

For several seconds, I couldn't breathe. It was back.

The system was back, and it felt different and more powerful.

New notifications appeared. [Emergency Protocol Completed.] [Host Death Prevented.]

[System Core Restored.] [New Features Available.]

[Authority Mode.] [Combat Prediction.] [Soul Evolution.] [Arcane Dominion.]

Power exploded through my body, every of my injury began healing, while my broken bones repaired themselves.

Torn muscles regenerated, while mana flooded through my veins.The sensation nearly brought tears to my eyes.

The system continued. [Objective Updated.] [Eliminate Threats.]

A smile slowly appeared on my face, tome resumed.

BOOM! My aura exploded outward everyone froze.

Scorpion's smile vanished. Cedric's eyes widened in shock

Lucas stumbled backward, while blue lightning covered my body, the air trembled around me.

Scorpion stared. "What..." The system flashed.

[Authority Mode Activated.].Immediately I understood.

Everything around me became clearer I could see all of it.

Scorpion attacked first. Dark mana erupted around him. His blade rushed toward my throat.

Before, nothing, but I simply moved. WHOOSH! I appeared behind him.

Scorpion froze My fist connected. BOOOOOOM!

The assassin flew across the battlefield. His body crashed through multiple walls.

The dark mages stared in horror. One charged, Then another.

Then five together. The system flashed. [Combat Prediction Active.]

Their attacks slowed, every of their movement became obvious.

I stepped forward, with punch, kicks and spells, bodies dropped everywhere, the battlefield became one-sided.

Completely one-sided, the dark mages panicked. This wasn't the injured Rowan they remembered.

This wasn't their victim anymore, this was something else, something terrifying.

Scorpion returned, Bood covered his face.Hatred filled his eyes.

"ROWAN!" He unleashed everything.

Dark magic exploded, the sky darkened, the ground cracked.

The strongest attack he possessed, I raised one hand.

Arcane Dominion activated, blue energy swallowed his spell completely

Scorpion froze. "No..." The system flashed.

[Devour.] I activated it instantly. The dark mana surrounding Scorpion rushed toward me.

His eyes widened, his strength vanished immediately His aura weakened, while fear appeared.

The assassin who terrorized countless people looked terrified, I walked toward him step by step.

Scorpion backed away. "No..." I grabbed his throat. The battlefield became silent.

The dark mages watched. Lucas watched, Cedric watched.

Everyone watched, then Scorpion broke completely. His hatred turned toward Lucas.

The people who hired him, the people who promised victory, the people who blamed him every time he failed.

something snapped inside him, scorpion began laughing.

A terrible laugh, the kind that made everyone uncomfortable.

Lucas stepped backward. "W-What are you doing?"

Scorpion's eyes locked onto him, pure madness, rage and obsession.

"You ruined everything." Lucas froze, while Scorpion moved.

WHOOSH! Lucas screamed. Scorpion grabbed him instantly.

Cedric's face changed. "Scorpion!" The assassin laughed louder.

"You wanted Rowan dead?" His yellow eyes glowed.

"Then watch your own son suffer first."

A portal opened, a familiar portal, Shadowfang Forest.

My eyes widened. Cedric's face turned pale. "No!"

Scorpion threw Lucas. Lucas disappeared into the portal.

His scream sounded loud immediately the portal closed.

Cedric stood frozen. His son was gone. Thrown into a forest filled with Shadowfang Wolves.

A place where survival was almost impossible. The proud family head collapsed to his knees.

"No..." I saw genuine despair on his face. The man who ruined Rowan's life.

The man who murdered Rowan's father, the man who caused endless suffering.

Now looked broken, completely broken. Scorpion laughed one final time.

Then vanished into the shadows, Escaping before anyone could stop him.

The remaining dark mages fled immediately, none dared stay.

None dared fight, within moments, everything became silent.

I stood there breathing heavily. The new system remained active.

Blue notifications floated before my eyes. [Battle Complete.] [Threats Eliminated.]

[Major Arc Completed.] Then one final notification appeared. The moment I read it—My blood turned cold.

[New Main Quest.] [Travel To The Crimson Realm.] [Save Lyra Valeheart.] [Time Remaining: 30 Days.]