"Shall we go back to Luo Du now?" Outside Chaos Academy, George glanced back at the Chaos Academy, looked at Albert, and asked with a somewhat dejected tone.
"Given what has happened, we must leave immediately. If Lord Crassus is still willing to reason with us because of his past relationship with the Mage Tower, then her other master is someone who never reasones. If we don't leave now, we may never be able to leave." Albert nodded with a somewhat solemn expression, glanced at Hank who was being helped onto the carriage by his companions, and then, holding onto the carriage shaft, got into the carriage himself.
"Next time I come here, I will be stronger, and I will defeat you and repay all the humiliation I suffered today!" George thought to himself, then climbed onto the carriage. The ten carriages, bearing the marks of the Mage Tower, sped away from Chaos Academy, heading towards the North City.
The carriages passed through the gates of Chaos City. Only a day had passed since their arrival yesterday, but while they had come full of vigor, they now left with a somber and melancholic air.
After traveling for more than ten kilometers, the carriages were passing through a forest when one of the carriages behind suddenly stopped, causing a commotion.
"What's going on?" Albert asked, lifting the curtain in the first carriage.
"He…" The coachman pointed into the carriage, trying to speak.
"I'm not going back. I'd be a useless piece of trash anyway, and I don't think Master would want to see me." Hank climbed out of the carriage, but his hand slipped and he tumbled off the carriage.
"Hank!" The two boys stood up from the carriage, trying to help him.
"Leave me alone! From today onwards, I am no longer the same as you. You are the chosen ones, while I am nothing but a piece of trash who can no longer practice magic." Hank rolled on the ground, covered in dust and fallen leaves, and roared at the two boys with a heart-wrenching voice. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was full of despair and hopelessness.
The two boys stopped, looking at Hank with complicated expressions, and looked to Albert for help.
"Have you thought it through?" Albert asked Hank. As Brent's most prized disciple, a rising star among the younger generation, it would be difficult for anyone to accept such a sudden turn of events.
"Yes." Hank nodded, his eyes bloodshot, and gritted his teeth, "Don't worry, I will live on. I will find a way to regain my magic and then come back for revenge!"
Albert looked at Hank in silence for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, you can go now."
Hank took one last deep look at the boys on the carriages, gritted his teeth, and stood up, leaning against a tree. He staggered into the woods and soon disappeared from everyone's sight.
"Keep going! Speed up!" Albert called out, lowering the curtain, and the caravan continued on its way.
"If Hank leaves like this, he might encounter danger, right?" George asked Albert with some concern.
"If he doesn't leave, he might die when he returns to the Mage Tower. Some things always need to be borne by someone, and a useless person who can't cultivate magic has lost all value." Albert said calmly.
George opened his mouth, then suddenly understood Albert's meaning. He clenched his fist, remained silent for a moment, and then asked again, "Then can he find a way to practice magic again?"
"Throughout history, there has never been a case of someone being able to practice magic again after their brain has been damaged, unless they have become possessed by a demon." Albert shook his head.
"Alright." George nodded somewhat disappointedly, lifting a corner of the carriage curtain to look at the scene rushing past outside.
When they arrived, they were discussing having a good time in Chaos City for a few days after winning the challenge. Unexpectedly, they had to go back in a hurry. Hank, who was originally the most interested, was now crippled and could never practice magic again.
As for becoming possessed by a demon? This is something that no mage would despise to do. No one wants to become half-human and half-ghost, and might even lose their soul forever.
George couldn't believe Hank would do such a thing, he used to be such a proud man.
...
After the challenge ended, the students were led back to class by their teachers, but judging from their excited expressions, they probably wouldn't be able to concentrate in class today.
Amy, on the other hand, received a day off from Crassus as a reward for defeating two opponents today.
"Goodbye, Teacher Crassus." Amy waved to Crassus at the entrance of the venue.
"Goodbye, Little Amy." Crassus stood beside Norvan, smiling and waving to Amy. Watching Mai Ge lead Amy away by the hand, he then looked at Norvan and asked with a smile, "What, what are you planning to do with me here?"
"It's nothing major, just asking when you plan to fulfill your promise. I'm planning to hold a meeting with the teachers from the Magic Academy later, and I'd like you to come with me to discuss opening a melee magic course at the Magic Academy." Norvan said with a smile.
"You're striking while the iron is hot, aren't you worried that in the future, all the students in your Magic Academy will stop learning ranged magic and come to learn melee magic?" Crassus asked with a smile.
"What's there to worry about? I've always advocated respecting students' choices. Besides, today Amy demonstrated both melee and ranged magic. How they choose is their business. The school just needs to focus on teaching. If it's not suitable for them, they'll naturally learn what suits them better." Norvan said calmly.
Crassus gave Norvan a deep look, then nodded. "Alright, but I'll say it again: I can teach your students, but they won't count as my apprentices. I only have Little Amy as my apprentice."
"They'll only call you 'teacher,' they're not your apprentices, they're your students." Norvan nodded.
"Students? I quite like that title." Crassus laughed.
"But you said you'd have nothing to do with the Mage Tower from today onwards, are you serious?" Norvan looked at Crassus with some curiosity.
"Nonsense, I said it in front of so many people, do you think I can take it back?" Crassus pouted, glanced at the northern sky, and said with a slightly melancholy tone, "Besides, the Mage Tower isn't the same as it used to be. I had Arthur move everything here. If it's not related, it's not related. Richard should be happy this time."
"Chaos Academy welcomes you." Norvan smiled and extended his hand to Crassus.
Crassus looked away, narrowing his eyes slightly at Norvan, and asked with some suspicion, "You little brat, did you plan this all along to lure me into this mess?"
"Didn't I invite you twenty years ago? It's just that you refused back then. Otherwise, you should be the principal of Chaos Academy now." Norvan said frankly.
"Looks like I made a wise decision twenty years ago." Crassus grasped Norvan's hand, and the two laughed simultaneously.
...
"Young Master, didn't you say you were going to Restaurant Mai Mi for lunch today? Can we go out now?" Engelwey asked, standing outside the door with a hint of helplessness.
"Just wait half an hour. I'll change my clothes, don't rush." Bluer's lazy voice came from the room.
"It takes half an hour to change clothes... He's like a woman." Engelwey muttered to himself, walking helplessly towards the outside of the courtyard. He figured he might as well wait outside the gate, at least there would be some fresh air. Staying here would drive him crazy sooner or later.