Kamar-Taj.
The library.
Karl stared at the library in front of him.
What he was being asked to do was… really putting him in a difficult spot.
The library was already like this—if he fired off another one, wouldn't that be a bit much?
"Ahem… Duoze-sensei, isn't this a bad idea?"
Karl asked hesitantly.
"What's bad about it?"
"If anything happens, I'll take responsibility. I refuse to believe it."
"You're telling me you can split the library apart with an Doctor Strange-style Eldritch Whip?"
A cold sneer curled at Duoze's lips.
Utterly ridiculous.
It was as ridiculous as someone telling him you could cleave a mountain in half with a pencil sharpener.
How could that be possible?
He wasn't an idiot!
"Well, you said it."
Karl sighed helplessly.
The golden chain in his hand—like a long whip—was snapped straight out.
That golden chain, which had originally been only half a meter long, suddenly extended, instantly turning into a massive chain tens of meters in length.
Crack!
A whip-like snap rang out.
Duoze only saw this:
the library's roof—reinforced with magical runes—was sliced open like butter cut by a red-hot blade.
A cross-shaped gash appeared directly across the roof.
Most of the roof simply… melted away.
On the ground, there was even molten rock—lava—formed from melted stone.
What remained of the roof looked like it had been softened by extreme heat as well.
Crystalline melt-marks spread out, quickly congealing into glassy solidified traces.
Duoze: ???
"Holy—what the hell?!"
Duoze couldn't help blurting out a curse.
What the hell is this?
He stared at Karl, raised one trembling finger, pointed at Karl… then tremblingly pointed at the roof that had been wrecked beyond recognition.
"Th-th-th…"
"Y-y-you…"
"B-b-blah…"
Duoze couldn't even get words out.
Right now, he wanted to kill someone.
What the hell is going on?!
This is the "no talent" guy? The guy who couldn't even get started after three years?
That was an Eldritch Whip?
Don't screw with me!
"No talent" looks like this? An Eldritch Whip looks like this?
That power was damn near on par with Sacred Sword of the Vishanti!
This was the library—protected by rune-enchantments!
It was built specifically to withstand the frequent earthquakes at Kamar-Taj.
Sturdy as hell—compared to roofs made with forbidden arts, it wasn't inferior in the slightest!
Unbelievably solid!
And now it was shattered just like that?
And it was shattered by an Eldritch Whip?!
Damn it!
Who the hell told him Karl had no talent?!
No talent my ass!!
This magic's destructive power was practically approaching that of a senior sorcerer, wasn't it?!
Duoze swallowed hard.
"Heh…"
"Karl, right?"
"You little bastard… you little bastard… fine. I'll remember you."
Duoze shut his eyes in pain.
Karl had warned him.
So why didn't he believe it? Why did he insist on taking responsibility for this?
Apprentice sorcerers weren't responsible.
But he—a veteran sorcerer—was.
For the next two years, he was probably going to be eating dirt.
The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj weren't exactly wealthy!
Duoze's face was full of grief.
Who could have guessed…
this kid was this much of a monster?
He was just an apprentice sorcerer!
Duoze… shut down completely.
"Can someone tell me what, exactly, happened here?!"
At that moment, a solemn voice rang out.
Karl turned around.
A towering, burly man entered, bringing Aldrich along with him.
If Karl didn't know who this sorcerer was, he would've thought Aldrich had been kidnapped by bandits.
Guanhe-sensei was a genuine towering brute.
"Guanhe-sensei, there was a bit of an accident here."
"I was testing magic and accidentally smashed the library."
Karl spoke frankly.
He had done it—there was nothing wrong with admitting it.
At worst, he would pay compensation.
Anyway, in the future he would definitely become strong—was it possible he wouldn't be able to pay?
"You smashed the library?"
"Karl, there's no need for jokes like that."
"Did Duoze force you?"
Guanhe said sternly.
Duoze: ???
He didn't even know whether to be happy or cry.
How could he possibly have that kind of ability? Guanhe-sensei was giving him way too much credit!
"Guanhe, don't talk nonsense. I'm not that low-class—I won't dump blame onto a trainee."
"In fact, this really was done by this kid."
"He did it with that, uh… Eldritch Whip."
Duoze said with a twisted expression.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes,
he would never have believed something this absurd could exist.
But that absurd thing had happened.
"Listen to yourself. Listen."
"Are you even speaking like a human being? Isn't that exactly dumping blame?"
"Karl used an Eldritch Whip to destroy the library?"
"You're saying something that ridiculous?"
"You don't know? Three hours ago, Karl learned Portal and became a probationary sorcerer."
"So you're telling me he mastered a spell in three hours and trained it to an astonishing level…"
"…and then casually turned the library into this?"
"You're telling me something that outrageous exists in this world?"
Guanhe sneered.
What a joke.
Leaving aside whether Karl could even learn a new spell—
an Eldritch Whip could cause this kind of damage?
Did Guanhe look like an idiot?
The library was one of Kamar-Taj's sturdiest buildings, second only to the "Teleportation Sanctum"!
Even Guanhe would have to go all-out to cause damage.
There was a whole two-tier gap—Karl could break through that?
Who was he trying to fool?
"I don't want to say it either, but it's true!"
"I didn't believe it at first, either!"
Duoze looked like he was about to cry.
He hadn't believed it before, either.
And now, everything he had this year was going to be thrown into it!
"If you don't believe me, ask him."
"Have him demonstrate it for you."
Duoze's eyes shifted, and he suddenly became enthusiastic.
If one person is miserable, it's better if everyone is miserable.
…No, wait.
If one person is unlucky, it's better if everyone is unlucky together.
It was time to witness their "friendship."
Seeing how adamant Duoze was, Guanhe turned to Karl.
"Was it you?"
"Just tell the truth. Don't feel pressured."
"At Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One is here—no one dares to bully others."
Guanhe said.
Karl was a bit helpless.
"Guanhe-sensei, it really was me."
"I wasn't careful while practicing. I'll be careful in the future."
Karl said awkwardly.
"You did it?"
"I don't believe it."
Guanhe said flatly.
Opening a Portal to the Moon was already fantastical enough.
Now you're telling him Karl used an Eldritch Whip to wreck one of Kamar-Taj's toughest buildings?
What kind of joke was that?
Even novels wouldn't dare write something like this!
It didn't conform to common sense at all.
He didn't believe it.
"Since you say you did it, show me."
"Today, I refuse to believe it unless I see it."
Guanhe snorted coldly.
Karl's face was full of resignation.
"You said it."
He raised a hand, and a golden chain appeared.
At this moment, Karl felt he really wanted to keep a low profile.
He truly wanted to keep a low profile!
But his strength really wouldn't allow it.
(End of Chapter)
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