Chapter 250: Confrontation and Military Handling

Frozen chunks of meat were scattered across the street. Within ten feet of Shaoke, there wasn't a single living soul. The higher-tier presence he'd felt earlier just disappeared from his mental radar. At that moment, the green flames that had been surrounding him began to slowly fade into the air.

Regular folks who hadn't managed to run away yet stared at the mage in terror. The strong magical waves quickly caught the attention of high-order practitioners patrolling the capital. A squad of cavalry in crimson armor came charging down the wide street toward him, while another patrol of black-armored guards approached from the opposite direction. But before they got there, an eighth-tier mage was already floating above Shaoke.

Control Flame—a basic spell—quickly put out the fire in the tavern, leaving only charred wood emitting thick smoke.

"Mage, state your name. I want to know why you're casting spells in the imperial capital," the mage said, pointing his staff at Shaoke and questioning him sternly. If the guy weren't a mage, he'd have subdued him first without even asking.

"Honorable Mage, someone attacked me here," Shaoke replied, offering a formal salute as per protocol. He then pointed to the scattered meat and leftover arrows, explaining why he'd cast the spell. "I'm a sixth-tier wandering mage. I came to the capital on some business." He looked calmly at the eighth-tier mage.

"Come with me to the military headquarters to sort this out. I'm sure they'll make the right call," the mage said, frowning as he examined the scene. He noticed the leftover arrows were all made of a precious metal—magic-breaking arrows, with powerful magical scripts carved into the tips. But that wasn't for him to decide, since he wasn't an official investigator.

Just as Shaoke was hesitating about whether to go to the military headquarters, the cavalry showed up. The crimson-armored riders carried crimson sabers, and their horses were red too, making them look like a walking fire. After questioning Shaoke by the book, they also suggested taking him to the military headquarters for a full investigation. But their decision was quickly shot down by the black-armored warriors who showed up later.

"I think he should be executed right now. No one gets to break the rule against fighting in the capital," the lead black-armored cavalryman said coldly, staring at Shaoke and slightly shaking his spear. "No one gets a pass, especially since this mage wrecked so many people's property. He's gotta die here." He then looked at the eighth-tier mage, who just turned away without saying a word.

"You've got no right to punish this mage," the lead crimson-armored cavalryman sneered, raising his saber high and slashing it down into the air, leaving a deep gash in the stone slab. "If you could actually enforce the rules, there wouldn't have been an assassination attempt on a mage in the streets today."

"You sure someone tried to assassinate him?" the lead black-armored cavalryman replied, unfazed by the threat. He urged his horse forward a few steps and said, "What if this mage attacked others without provocation?" He glanced expressionlessly at Shaoke.

"No enforcer would ever insult a mage," Shaoke said, stepping forward to stand before the cavalryman. He sensed that the man was a seventh-tier warrior. "When a mage's life is on the line, they've got the right and the authority to defend themselves and fight back however they see fit," Shaoke added. "This right is granted by the empire, and it's even bigger than what nobles and other professions get."

"Are you threatening me?" the black-armored cavalryman said, looking down at the mage. He didn't care about Shaoke's status; he only knew that someone had released a high-tier spell in broad daylight on a busy street. Moreover, some injured people from the tavern were now stepping forward to accuse Shaoke, as his spell attack had been area-of-effect.

"Even if you threaten my life now, I can kill you right here," Shaoke said with a low laugh. "No matter who it is, if they want me dead, I'll make sure they leave this world first." He stared intently at the cavalryman, a strange redness appearing in his eyes.

"Are you really a wandering mage?" the crimson-armored cavalryman, noticing Shaoke's near-frenzied state, asked uncertainly. "Have you always been a wandering mage?" He then stopped the black-armored cavalryman from making any further moves, and after a brief hesitation, the latter abandoned his intention to attack.

"I once served in a legion and participated in the war that just ended," Shaoke replied indifferently, shifting his gaze to the black-armored cavalryman. "I recall your duty is to maintain order in the imperial capital. So why did I encounter an assassination here? Nearly ten warriors, seven or eight more, and even a seventh-tier warrior." He took a deep breath. "If not for the arrival of that honorable mage, this battle would have continued."

"Mistakes are not for you to criticize," the black-armored cavalryman said, displeased with the mage's words. If not for the crimson-armored cavalryman watching him, he would have used his spear to pierce the mage's body. "Besides, you have no right to kill anyone here, and your attack has harmed nobles and many merchants." He pointed to some unfortunate souls being treated by their guards. Some nobles who had been resting in the luxurious tavern loudly complained, claiming their status and demanding that the cavalry captain execute the mage to avenge them.

"I killed dozens of counts and seven or eight marquises from the Esuoer Empire during the war," Shaoke said dismissively, recounting his battlefield experiences. "A few low-ranking nobles dying is nothing to complain about." His words sparked heated discussions among the crowd. Some nobles shouted that the mage must be severely punished. One young noble even yelled, "If the military headquarters doesn't give us an explanation, we'll punish this mage ourselves." He glared at Shaoke; the earlier battle had torn apart his young maid with a black vortex, and if not for his guards pulling him away, he would have been shredded too. He hated the mage who had nearly taken his life.

"They aren't dead, so you need not concern yourself," the crimson-armored cavalry leader said humorously, though his smile was hidden behind his red faceplate.

"Go to the military headquarters. I believe they will handle this matter properly," the eighth-tier mage said, frowning to stop the commotion. "Since he was once a military mage, none of you have the right to punish him here, and you lack the authority." He coldly scanned the three groups and then addressed the black-armored cavalrymen: "I hope such incidents do not occur again in my jurisdiction. You should strengthen your patrols; otherwise, the military headquarters will surely impose sufficient punishment."

"Even so, you have no right to criticize us," the lead black-armored cavalryman said, shaking his spear once more. He then ordered the injured from the mage's spell to come forward as witnesses, the strongest evidence to execute the mage.

Finally, after the crimson-armored cavalrymen provided horses, Shaoke followed them to the military headquarters. They arrived at a large estate but did not enter; instead, they went to a small castle nearby.

Most of the black-armored and crimson-armored cavalrymen dispersed, leaving only a few to observe. The injured, along with the arrows and other undamaged weapons from the assassination, were brought along by the cavalry.

The room was large but simply furnished. In the center was a long table, behind which sat four or five middle-aged officers with stern expressions. Beside them were two or three scribes. Opposite were high-backed chairs for visitors.

A sixth-tier mage openly casting spells in the imperial capital was unacceptable to the military headquarters. Although a sixth-tier mage was not highly valued in the capital, casting powerful spells on a busy street in broad daylight demanded attention—such reckless spellcasting had not occurred in decades. Thus, they quickly dispatched personnel to question Shaoke about what had happened and sent experts to investigate the alleged attack site.

Following protocol, Shaoke sat in the high-backed chair provided for him, quietly waiting for the stern-looking officer to question him. Other officers were present, but they were not the primary interrogators.

"Why in the imperial capital?" the officer asked simply. Shaoke recounted the street attack in detail, while the scribe beside him continuously wrote down every word. "Didn't you know there were many people resting in that tavern? In your counterattack, three barons and two merchants died, and over twenty were injured." The officer stared directly at Shaoke.