NOVEL NEXT Chapter 118: Failed
Helcurt couldn't articulate his thoughts right now. It was filled with disbelief, disappointment, anger, and also excitement because the slave he had chosen was definitely the best one!
Although he would get punished because there were several first-circle mages who died in this mission, he knew that if he was able to bring Hayden and be trained as a Sword Slave, he would still be praised for his incredible find.
"Pathetic," Helcurt finally felt convinced as he kicked one of the corpses in disgust.
'First-circle incompetents. They couldn't even handle a child. This is their fault for being so weak…'
Soon, one of the second-circle Mages arrived and immediately analyzed the deaths of their companions.
"Kill Method is close-quarters. Throat slashes, and then the heart strikes. The weapon is likely the mage's own dagger that's now missing. The time of death is less than three minutes ago. He shouldn't be too far."
Indeed, Hayden was still close, so Prince Helcurt knew that they could still find him.
"Good!"
Helcurt's jaw clenched. He wanted to scream and send every available mage after the little rat, to drag him back.
But the distant horns stopped his rage. It was a sign that he had arranged to notify them of their retreat.
'The Kingdom's battle-mages. Reinforcements were closing in.'
They had minutes, at best, before the entire operation risked exposure.
"My Prince," Magister Orhan arrived. He almost materialized beside him like a shadow.
With his third-circle senses, he had undoubtedly noted the deaths of the mages.
"Shall I dispatch hunters?"
Helcurt's eye twitched.
Yes.
No.
He wanted to peel the flesh from Hayden's bones himself, but his duty to bring back the captured talents won.
"No. We proceed as planned," Helcurt bit out. "The captured talents take priority."
Orhan inclined his head. "Then I shall track him personally. My investigative spells will—"
"No." The Prince's voice was firm. "You'll oversee the retreat. Sheena can help me track Hayden."
"You will find him with Sheena?" Orhan was shocked as he thought that the prince would retreat with him and dispatch Sheena alone.
Helcurt didn't answer as he pressed his palm to the bloodstained stone. His investigative spell immediately sensed the residual aura from the scene—Hayden's energy signature. It was faint but unmistakable.
Got you.
He stood abruptly as he found where Hayden had most likely escaped. "Let's go, Magister Sheena."
Orhan's brow furrowed. "My Prince, the risk of—"
However, Sheena gestured to Orhan that she would take care of the prince.
With that, Orhan could only frown as he decided to lead the retreat.
***
In the meantime, Prince Helcurt and Sheena moved through the arena's underpass, following Hayden's trail...
Magister Sheena moved like a wraith while in front, as her fingers could also trace any faint energy residues in the air.
"He's now heading north…" She murmured, her voice laced with amusement. "Clever boy. Not toward the busy streets or the forest—but the one place he believed he would be protected."
Helcurt nodded as he immediately had an idea where Hayden was planning to go...
"The town's Mage Tower. He's at least smart enough to know that there's no way for him to hide."
"Mage Tower, huh…" Sheen chuckled.
Well, it wasn't a true tower—not like the grand structure of the capital.
It was just a three-storey, fortified outpost where local mages dabbled in minor enchantments and potions. But it was a place of knowledge and filled with magical tools.
And Hayden, it seemed, was desperate enough to risk it.
"Fine… Let's see if those magicians could protect him." Helcurt mused.
At this time, it had also started raining, but it didn't matter anymore since they already knew where Hayden was heading.
Prince Helcurt could tell that all the stronger magicians of the town had already entered the arena and were probably dealing with the barriers, decoys, and other traps they had placed beforehand.
Because of that, the ones left in the small tower were most likely the weaker ones.
Sheena smirked. "At the very least, he made it easier for us."
Well, as a third-circle mage, Sheena was confident enough to take Hayden away once she had a glimpse of him. She knew that even if Hayden was surrounded by dozens of first-circle mages to protect him, he wouldn't be able to escape from her at all.
"Take this…" Helcurt said as she gave the Crimson Shackle to Sheena. With this mystical item, even a fifth-level Aura Knight wouldn't be able to escape.
Once Hayden was shackled, there wouldn't be any escape for him at all.
***
On the other hand, after explaining the situation to the guards, Hayden finally got through the tower's side entrance, and his stolen mage robe was even damp with rain.
'It feels empty here…'
It seemed that the attack had left the building nearly deserted—most of the magicians had probably rushed toward the arena at the first sign of disturbance.
With his Ocularis Lens, he also confirmed that there was only one elderly scribe at the front desk.
"This…"
The Mage Tower's defense was indeed too lax since aside from the two guards at the gate, there was only this old man at the entrance.
'Not good… Did they really send all to the arena? Did I make a mistake coming here?' Hayden frowned as he thought that the pursuers would at least be afraid to follow him here.
But as he thought of this, the elderly scribe looked at him and spoke.
"Looking for something, boy?"
Hayden froze for a moment, then he removed the stolen mage robe, revealing his academy uniform beneath, where the insignia of Dawnspire Academy could be seen.
"I'm a participant in the Inter-Academy Sword Competition…" He said.
"You're probably aware already… Unknown magicians attacked the arena. They're kidnapping students. I just escaped and someone might be pursuing me..."
The scribe's wrinkled face tightened. "Then why come here? The Tower's defenses are—"
It was at this point that a hand clamped around Hayden's neck from behind. Then cold fingers dug into his pulse points. Not even his Lens sensed the enemy!
"Caught you."