Chapter 1052: Strongest Sage is merely a Boy and Now Everybody is Angry
"Sage Rian..."
Thalen stared at Northern, amazed and stunned.
"You look... so different... even your presence..."
So many things had changed about the boy since their last meeting. Northern was a Sage, just as he was. They were of the same soul rank, and yet Northern felt so much stronger, so different.
Of course, being a Sage was just one of the many things that defined Thalen. He was also an elf, probably privy to devastating battle methods and strange spell arts. No one had seen him fight to tell.
Even knowing all this, he still felt so inferior, so small compared to Northern—in a very pronounced way. If he were being brutally honest, Northern’s presence threatened to terrify him.
Northern, meanwhile, smiled.
"It’s nice to meet you again, Headmaster. You look... quite the same. Are you sure you’ve been eating well?"
Thalen looked at Northern and exhaled with a smile.
"For a moment, I thought your presence alone would rip out my throat, but surprisingly, you’re still him."
Northern frowned, confused.
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
Thalen patted Northern’s hair and ruffled it.
"How have you been?"
Northern thought for a moment before responding.
"For the most part... stressed. I’m sure you know what’s going on?"
Thalen looked at him, his expression growing grave. Then he surveyed the darkness that had consumed the city.
"How could we not? Come, let’s go inside."
People flanked their left and right, all staring strangely as the Headmaster himself escorted this powerful and menacing stranger into the citadel hall.
Ilitis was waiting at the entrance. As Northern approached, he bowed ninety degrees.
"My Lord."
Northern smiled weakly, somewhat embarrassed because people were watching.
He scratched his hair.
"Uhm, yeah, I see you did the job well. Well done. I hope you’ve been good?"
Ilitis nodded, his gaze dutifully stern.
"Yes, my lord, I have been. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you."
*I swear, whatever Revant did to this guy, I’ll have to find out.*
Northern sighed as they walked inside.
Meanwhile, Thalen pulled him closer by the shoulder and whispered.
"You have a lot to tell me, buddy."
Northern was silent for barely a moment.
"...right."
They entered the building’s hall. The place was packed—drifters bustled about different tasks. Some were chatting, some were receiving treatment, some were preparing intensely for something, others were sleeping on couches and floors.
They all greeted and bowed to the Headmaster as he passed.
They crossed the hall, entered the elevator chamber, and were taken to the upper floor.
The chamber opened, revealing an even more expansive hall than the one on the first floor. There were sophisticated sofas, chairs, and beds—the place looked somewhat disheveled, as though everything had been arranged hastily.
Several people hung around, though not many.
A black-haired girl sat silently on the sofa, legs crossed. Beside her was another girl in an orange bodysuit. A radiant boy with colorful glasses slumped on the same sofa’s left end.
A silver-haired guy leaned against the wall. Beside him stood a boy with a strange hair color combination of black and white.
They all stood scattered around, staring at him as Thalen led him inside.
He looked around.
"I don’t see Ryan...?"
"Oh, Ryan... he’s currently assisting one of the elites. They’re fighting off something different."
Northern looked at him curiously.
"Something different?"
Thalen touched his shoulder and led him forward.
"I’ll fill you in later... for now, there are more pressing matters."
He looked at the people in the hall.
"These are the elites of Tharion Citadel..."
He began introducing them all to Northern, and when he was done, he looked at everyone and said:
"Everyone, this is Rian. The talent of the continent, and permit me to say—perhaps the strongest Sage who has ever existed."
They all began frowning in different ways.
Sael stepped forward.
"You do realize, Headmaster, that’s quite a bold statement."
He scrutinized Northern carefully.
"I heard briefly about him last week—heard he was a student. Even if he happens to be a Sage, which is questionable, I don’t think calling him the strongest is reasonable."
Thalen smiled and looked at Sael.
"Sir Sael, I understand where you’re coming from. It’s blasphemous to people like us who have spent decades as Sages, honing our powers. But I also have my reasons for saying what I said... and not to mention, the validity of my statement is based on the last time I knew him."
"Since then, four months have passed. I don’t know him anymore..."
He glanced at Ilitis.
"But it would be foolish of me to assume he’d remain the same."
Zeek sat upright and turned back, leaning against the sofa’s headrest.
"Headmaster, aren’t you hyping this guy too much? We’re your elites right here, and yet you don’t give us nearly as much hype. Watching you vouch so hard for him is heartbreaking, I’m not gonna lie."
Thalen wanted to speak but hesitated.
Northern smiled pleasantly, making them all frown.
A boy with spiky red hair—Rex—glared and marched forward.
"Oi, what’s funny, bozo?"
Northern didn’t particularly pay attention to him. He was still smiling.
"I’ve found the bastard’s main body... interesting. You guys did quite a number on it..."
Almost instantly, Northern frowned.
*What?! There’s more than one body?*
Northern slowly raised his head toward the man who had reached him without many people in the hall noticing.
The guy’s hair obscured his eyes, making his expression completely unreadable.
As Northern’s gaze met the man’s face, a wide grin split across it.
"Did you say you found the main body?"
Northern frowned arrogantly.
"Yes, I did."
Gourdon raised his chin, grinning even wider.
"Oh, nice! You want to fight it?"
Northern’s expression remained impassive.
"I’m already fighting it."
Everyone in the room suddenly turned. The air shifted—they stared cautiously, some with subtle indignation, others with curiosity and interest.
"Before coming here, I sent my clones to search for it. Currently, there are three main bodies. I’ll have my clones deal with all three. There’s no need for me to get involved."
Gourdon’s expression went blank for several seconds. Then he suddenly burst into laughter. He laughed for a while before stopping.
From his hair, an amber glow pierced through. He grinned and slapped Northern’s shoulder playfully.
"Ahahahahahaha! I like this one!"