After resting for a while, Roy condensed a Transmutation Circle, and Edwin's soul transformed into a ball of white light, settling into his palm.
He then reached out, and several rings from the headless corpse's fingers flew into his grasp.
As expected, one of them was a Spatial Ring.
But its grade was astonishingly higher than the one he currently used!
A faint glimmer appeared in Roy's eyes as he activated the [Eye of Hermes]...
"This is a top-tier first-grade spatial equipment, unlike the entry-level one I've been using...
There might be war supplies, potions, materials prepared for subordinates, and various rewards inside!"
Without hesitation, Roy pocketed this treasure first before examining the other rings.
"Gem of Wisdom Ring...
Is this similar to the Attribute Gem equipment I crafted myself? It looks quite exquisite.
And this one...
A Flash Ring—used earlier to escape!"
A hint of delight flashed in his eyes.
These were all valuable items.
Unfortunately, they were all bound with Arcane Mark Locks, tied to their original user.
He would have to take them back and deal with them slowly.
Aside from these, the corpse was adorned with an array of magical equipment, all shimmering with a green glow.
This guy's wealth was impressive—likely due to his noble background and the fact that he was several decades older than Roy, a seasoned 3rd-circle Mage, equivalent to a top-tier first-grade existence.
"Too bad the more valuable robe was ruined when I stabbed through it. And that circlet-like equipment on his head? Also shattered by my punch...
The staff seems to be stored inside the Spatial Ring. I wonder if I can retrieve it smoothly..."
After a moment's thought, he quickly dismissed his concerns.
"Perfect. I'll use this as practice for cracking the lock, a rehearsal for dealing with Melina's ring later!"
Although this Mage's Spellcaster level far surpassed Melina's, and his Spatial Ring was of higher quality, Roy's expectations for Melina's remains were much higher.
The reason?
Chalkland.
So, he was more than willing to use this man's ring as a training tool.
...
"The sounds of battle outside seem to have stopped!"
"Earlier, there was an unusual surge of energy—something doesn't feel right!"
Inside the bunker, Stedson pressed his ear against the wall, listening intently.
Suddenly, Celine's mental voice transmitted through the Mithril wires embedded in the walls:
"The enemy Mage has fled. You can come out now...
But be cautious of lingering poison gas, remnants of the Black Mist Spell, and Mercury Vapor..."
The group was both shocked and relieved. They immediately began evacuating along the safe route they remembered, moving through an inner corridor.
"Let's head to the Alchemy Room first!" Olinda suggested.
The others agreed.
The top priority now was to regroup with Roy to guard against any unforeseen dangers.
However, halfway there, they suddenly spotted a furtive figure.
"Who's there?"
"Dressed so flamboyantly—it's a Dark Elf!"
"Stop right there!"
After a brief pause, they snapped into action, charging forward as one.
It was Planche, who had slipped away earlier while Roy was focused on Edwin. She had deliberately avoided dangerous areas, searching for a safe path.
But she hadn't expected to run into the group, who also knew the layout and were moving along the same secure route.
Andov and the others vented all their pent-up frustration and bitterness on this lone enemy.
Even with Planche's exceptional skills, she was quickly overwhelmed and had no choice but to surrender.
"Don't kill her yet. Take her to Lord Roy for judgment."
Olinda stopped Andov and Sam, who were about to deliver the killing blow, and reminded them.
...
When Roy returned and saw the devastation of his residence, he felt a slight headache.
"My hard-built base!"
Though he hadn't invested much money or emotion into this place, it had still been his home for several years.
Seeing it reduced to ruins was deeply regrettable.
So many Golems had been destroyed, and even his proud masterpiece, Bloodhoof Kairon, was nearly crippled.
This left him furious.
"On top of that, the existence of the Humanoid Angel might pose a risk of exposure..."
It wasn't that he was paranoid—this Automata, bordering on demigod-level, was of immense significance.
Fortunately, those who needed to be captured were captured, those who needed to be silenced were silenced, and those who needed their souls extracted had been dealt with.
The Silver Battle Armor he had used as a disguise, including the Mage, had never revealed its true form. It was unlikely anyone would connect it to a demigod-level Automata.
They weren't omniscient, nor could they obtain the "correct answer" from a god's perspective.
If push came to shove, he could always blame it on the "Armor Stacking Spell" and the Aequus Stone...
As he pondered, the others approached: "We've captured a dark elf!"
Roy was secretly pleased—he hadn't had time to deal with this one earlier.
He walked up to Planche and asked, "Who are you? Do you know the origins of the Mage who just attacked me?"
Planche sneered, looking down at the boy who barely reached her chest.
But soon, her smirk vanished.
Because she saw the headless corpse tossed aside like a dead dog.
"Th-this…
How is this possible?"
Shocked, Planche gasped in disbelief.
She couldn't fathom that Edwin had fallen here.
Hadn't he escaped?
Her thoughts were a chaotic mess.
Olinda pinched her long, pointed ear and yanked hard: "Speak!"
"I'll talk, I'll talk! He was one of the graduates of the 83rd class of the Luranze Magic Academy…
Edwin, a 3rd-circle Evocation Mage!" Planche winced in pain as she confessed.
"The Magic Academy of the Arcane Empire is different from our Wizard Tower…
Only official Mages can graduate—the others merely complete their studies or drop out!
From the sound of it, he must have been a young Mage in his sixties.
Reaching the 3rd-circle at that age is equivalent to a seasoned first-rank Wizard. His talent was indeed impressive."
Roy transmitted his thoughts silently.
The others exchanged glances.
In their eyes, Roy had only become a full-fledged Wizard a few years ago, yet he had already managed to drive off his opponent—an astonishing feat in itself.
But now, he had outright killed him.
A short while later, when they discovered the bodies of the warriors who had died violently in the nearby ruins, they were almost numb to the shock.
"Those are the two warriors from earlier!"
"They were both at the official rank, with physiques far surpassing Grand Knights…"
Everyone turned to Roy, who had switched to a new body, eager to learn what had truly happened.
But Roy wouldn't divulge too many of his secrets, so his explanation was brief and evasive.
He then sent them off to clean up the mess while continuing to interrogate the dark elf Planche.
It was then that Roy learned that the so-called "Edwin O. Wak Rennes" was a member of the Rennes family, one of the renowned noble houses of the Arcane Empire.
Indeed, he was a noble mage and had once been a student of Archmage Gem, who led the assault on Netherlands.
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