CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 145: HUNTING PLANS

In a marble room, hidden beneath the foundations of one of Black Rock Academy’s great noble houses, the patriarchs and matriarchs of at least eight powerful lineages gathered. All shared the same concern... and the same mistake.

"Are you sure William escaped?" Larsen Vaehem asked, his gaze fixed on his wine glass. "Wasn’t he supposed to be cornered?"

"Algheron’s men said so. What I don’t understand is how, if we sent him directly from the portal, we even gave him a full battalion in case Aurus appeared and tried to rescue him," replied an old man with white hair and a peaceful expression, as if none of this concerned him.

"My daughter was present and told me he didn’t even resist. They tortured him for hours, cut the tendons in his arms and legs, even Algheron himself tortured him. My daughter was ordered to continue to the combat area, and only Algheron stayed with the brat. Do you think he let him escape on purpose?" a lady with ample curves and fiery red hair that fell to her waist said.

"And why would he do that? As far as I know, he’s the person who hates this brat the most because of his son’s death," another woman with black hair and a stern face inquired disdainfully.

"Because he wanted him to lower his guard, and attract Aurus to catch him once and for all, as was the deal with Agis?" commented Lady Siraya.

"I don’t think so, everything seems to indicate that the brat is cunning. One of my guards was present and said that the brat summoned his spiritual wolf at just the right moment, and it dragged his shattered body across the battlefield and left them all behind."

A tense silence fell over the room. The name Aurus hung in the air without needing to be spoken.

"Now Agis wants us to reveal that we have him captive, to provoke a reaction from the master," one of the lords said, pulling out a crumpled scroll. "He wants to use him as bait to lure Aurus..."

"What the hell is that idiot saying?!" Siraya shouted, pounding the table. "That’s playing with fire!"

"He’s not just any mage," Larsen added, his expression pale. "Aurus is a Level 2 mage, and although he never officially joined the alliance, we know he was one of the pioneers in the study of essence fusion. If he goes out of control, he won’t attack our strongholds..."

"...he’ll go for our children, one by one," the white-haired old man finished. "He’s the kind of person who would make a trade or at least kill everyone he can with him."

"I propose that we do not publicly support Agis’s version," Siraya finally said, her voice icy. "If the boy appears, we will eliminate him. But we are not going to expose our families to the wrath of an enraged madman."

Everyone nodded slowly. The meeting closed with an unspoken warning: do not underestimate Aurus.

Private Room, Black Rock Central Tower

In a large room lit by floating crystals, Agis stood alone with the academy’s former director, a man in a maroon robe with eyes dimmed by age... but with a voice that could still make walls tremble.

"Do you want to tell me how this happened, Agis?"

The younger man bowed humbly, but his face was contorted with anger.

"He didn’t resist, sir. At first... he endured every punishment without complaint. He seemed defeated. Enough for his captors to become overconfident. When he was about to die, I personally offered him a way out, but he refused; he’s tougher than we expected."

"And?"

"Then he summoned a silver wolf, a creature he had never shown before. It took him in its teeth and fled the camp with incredible speed. Several mages followed, but lost him in the forest. That was the report we received from the noble families; I even pursued him myself after learning about it in the forest, and we managed to intercept a signal from his necklace. However, the boy is cunning and broke all magical links by throwing his necklace away. We haven’t been able to track him since."

"And his companions?"

"They were expelled and fled immediately. I have given orders not to pursue them directly, but the noble houses have already sent squads. They won’t survive long; too many people want them dead, so I’ll let them chase them. Perhaps old Aurus will come out to help those children, and we can capture him."

The old man leaned on the table with both hands and glared at him.

"You are a fool, Agis. Do you know what you just did?"

"Sir, it was the best way to provoke Master Aurus. We need him to return."

"And you thought torturing his student without being prepared was a good idea?!" —the director’s staff thumped on the wood—. "He’s not just any mage, he’s a monster disguised as a professor!"

Agis lowered his head, sweating.

"We just need him to take the bait..."

"The bait bit you, idiot. And when he comes, he won’t go for you first. He’ll go for your friends, your family, your memories. Because that’s how someone like Aurus fights. I told you not to leave any evidence connecting us to the attack; you just had to let the nobles kill him and let Aurus pursue them."

Silence filled the room as the director turned, looking at an old mirror blackened by time.

"The Bloody Claw Alliance has issued an order; the struggle against the Spear Alliance will be bloody. All schools have mobilized all their students and professors. I have already received the order to go to the front; the real war will begin soon. This time even that old monster Flitzher will go to the front line. I even heard a rumor that the Spear Alliance plans to ask another alliance for help to destroy us; we won’t be able to afford to pursue Aurus and fight this war. Things are getting too complicated too fast."

"Do what you want with William... but remember this: if Aurus comes back... do not face him directly."