"Now, you two answer: who is the traitor who assisted the Eye of the Midnight Sun?" the Magic Emperor asked in a calm tone.
"He is Gerdo, the captain of the Orca Squad!"
Under Mushroom Head's memory magic, the captured Eye of the Midnight Sun members exposed their inside man during the royal capital invasion.
It turned out the Magic Emperor had summoned Asta to remove the magic restrictions in the enemies' minds, allowing Klaus's magic to work.
Anti-Magic is really effective!
"Impossible... they must be doing it on purpose, yes... they're framing me!" Gerdo argued.
"My memory communication magic is never wrong," Klaus explained calmly.
"I could never betray the kingdom..." Gerdo continued to argue. It seemed the power and status of a Knight Order captain forced him to make a final struggle.
"Why don't you let that Mushroom Head check your memories?" Yami interjected.
"I..." Gerdo could no longer argue and could only retreat backward.
"The crime of betraying the kingdom shall be repaid with death!" Nozel said with a grim expression.
Adam was a bit speechless. This was too drawn out. If they had just captured this ham uncle and used memory magic to investigate, wouldn't the truth have come out?
Why make it so complicated!
"I'll... tactically retreat first. Penetration Magic, no one can see me!"
Gerdo pulled out his grimoire, and a white light flashed. The guy actually disappeared in front of everyone.
"Oh no, his Penetration Magic allows him to become invisible and pass through any magic for a short time," Charlotte warned.
"Isn't that invincible!" Asta exclaimed.
Invisibility + a temporarily weakened version of intangibility, interesting!
Adam, taking advantage of everyone's inattention, quietly retreated to the side, transforming into a small butterfly, ready to follow Gerdo later.
After Captain Yami's guidance, Adam had learned to sense 'ki.' Although he couldn't see the ham uncle, he could feel him.
"I really can't count on these guys at all!"
"Invisible Soldiers!"
Gerdo summoned some invisible soldiers to block the captains' path. He took the opportunity to slip away directly. Adam flapped his wings and silently followed him.
This is truly exasperating... "How are we supposed to chase what we can't see!" Jack swung his scythe, instantly cutting down a circle of invisible soldiers.
"Don't worry, one guy has already followed... no, two!" Yami let out a sigh of relief, saying with a calm expression... "How strange. If the Magic Emperor had made a move, this suspicious ham would have been taken down long ago. Why didn't he act? Could he be observing others, or is there another mole among the captains..."
Adam felt he was close to the truth. He flew ahead to the entrance of the underground meeting room, waiting for Gerdo's arrival.
He just didn't know how long this guy's intangibility ability could last... "It's not over yet!"
Just as Gerdo was about to run out of the entrance, a roar, and a figure Adam had anticipated, chased up from below, angrily slashing the ham uncle with a sword.
"What's going on!"
Gerdo blocked Asta's attack with his hand, but his body was revealed by the Anti-Magic power.
"Ah!"
Asta didn't reply, but instead charged forward with the dormant devil's sword. He wouldn't allow a Knight Order captain he respected to be such a person.
"Invisible Soldiers!"
Gerdo was, after all, a Magic Knight captain. He summoned invisible soldiers, and with one strike, forced Asta back.
"You lowly commoner, I am..."
"Dragon Blast!"
The little butterfly was above Gerdo's head. A white light flashed, and Adam instantly transformed back.
A huge, scorching pillar of light shot from Adam's hands. Gerdo, the guy, had no time to dodge and took a full hit.
The sensation of having one's head washed by a Dragon Blast was truly unpleasant. The ham uncle had turned into a roasted sausage.
"Painting Magic, Spring of Binding."
Worthless binding magic!
Adam quickly moved away from Gerdo. Rill, this captain who was one year older than him, truly lacked common sense, directly using colorful paints to control Gerdo.
"Be careful!"
Adam felt a lingering fear; the magic almost bound him.
"What's your name? I'm Rill." Rill was like a child, still innocent-faced at 19.
"Adam!"
Adam immediately pushed Rill's hand away. He didn't have a habit of shaking hands with men.
"Damn it, we're late!"
The Knight Order captains arrived belatedly, doing nothing much but making a large hole in the wall.
Adam had no further interest in the remaining matters. When he realized the Magic Emperor was fishing and Gerdo was a decoy, Adam felt a touch of helplessness. The schemes in this big city were too deep.
"Mushroom Head, find me a place to eat. I'm hungry," Adam patted Klaus's shoulder, his stomach rumbling.
"My name is Klaus, and the Magic Emperor hasn't..."
"Klaus, take him," the Magic Emperor interrupted with a smile.
"Alright!"
...In the afternoon, in the Magic Emperor's meeting room.
Gerdo's years of corruption and exploitation finally received judgment. Becoming a traitor to the kingdom was also because the Eye of the Midnight Sun offered too high a price, causing him to violate his principles.
The truth seemed to be out, at least on the surface... Anyway, this matter wouldn't be made public, as the betrayal of a Magic Knight captain was a bit too embarrassing.
"I apologize for keeping you all here. It's truly tragic that comrades who fought together would betray us. My journey so far..."
Adam, Yami, and Asta stood opposite the Magic Emperor. The kingdom's supreme leader actually began to sigh.
The Magic Emperor's food was excellent. Adam was full and now just wanted to go back to sleep.
"Adam!"
"Present!"
Adam looked at the Magic Emperor calmly, finally about to learn why he was called.
"You did very well. Being able to fight the Three Demon Eyes to a standstill proves your true power. Could you show me your magic? I'd really like to see it!"
As he spoke, the Magic Emperor's eyes turned into stars. This guy was truly a magic enthusiast.
"Only for a moment then!"
Under everyone's gaze, Adam transformed into a butterfly, just as before.
"How amazing!"
Julius seemed to be overdoing it. Adam knew this cunning old man was not simple; he couldn't have missed it just now... "How incredible!" Asta and Yami, however, were genuinely surprised, as no one had expected Adam to catch up to Gerdo in that way.
"Your magic is very powerful, very unique, even somewhat unbelievable. It doesn't seem like magic at all. Although you've gained magic power, you seem unable to use it."
Julius's gaze scrutinized Adam, as if trying to see through him.
"I acquired the magic power last time in the Magic Palace," Adam explained.
"Relax," the Magic Emperor smiled.
"I've already spoken to Nozel. You don't have to worry about him bothering you."
Adam blinked. No wonder his brother-in-law had been a bit different lately; it turns out the Magic Emperor had intervened.
"Enough small talk. I want to assign you a mission."
...Under Adam's and Asta's surprised gazes, Captain Yami sincerely saluted the Magic Emperor, and the two immediately agreed.
They were to go to the Strong Magic Zone and obtain the magic stone from the Sea Temple before the Eye of the Midnight Sun.