Chapter 150: Outwitting Brita Kuusk

Kenneth stood atop one of the academy’s observatory towers, arms crossed, staring down at the chaotic battlefield below with a thoughtful expression. The vantage point from here was perfect—he could see the full scope of the battle, the struggling faculty members, the defensive magic circles flickering as they strained to hold against the overwhelming tide of demons, and even the panicked students attempting to flee to safer locations.

His noble clique stood behind him, still unsettled from their earlier realization that they might have been the cause of this disaster. Kenneth, on the other hand, was feeling rather pleased with himself.

’It’s amazing how quickly people turn into a bunch of frightened rabbits when things get out of hand,’ he mused, smirking slightly.

But while Kenneth was busy analyzing the battlefield from above, completely unaware of the existence of the Alchemy Tower Crisis, his greatest rival, Noah, was trapped inside that very tower with his own group of students. And unlike Kenneth, Noah and his companions were not standing around watching.

They were fighting.

Noah wiped the sweat off his brow as he surveyed the battlefield within the corridors of the Alchemy Tower. Unlike the other buildings of Verdant Dawn Academy, which were built with open courtyards and towering spires, the Alchemy Tower was a sprawling labyrinth of laboratories, storerooms, and dangerous experiment chambers.

It was here that some of the brightest minds of the academy—alchemists, artificers, and craftsmen—honed their skills. But right now, it was also one of the most dangerous places to be.

Demons had breached the lower floors, and unlike other students who had fled, Noah and his group had dug in their heels and started hunting these creatures instead.

Noah’s Ultimate Alchemist System was working overtime, revealing a flood of new alchemy formulas as he fought. Each slain demon dropped strange, corrupted materials—dark crystalline shards, writhing demonic tendrils, and eerie glowing cores that pulsed with an unnatural energy.

’The system wasn’t joking when it said these creatures are resources waiting to be harvested,’ Noah thought, his golden eyes gleaming with opportunity.

Naturally, he wasn’t about to tell his comrades about this. That would be stupid.

Instead, he had simply turned to them with his usual righteous expression and said, “Our teachers are fighting for us! The least we can do is help instead of running away!”

His group, inspired by his heroic words, had agreed without hesitation.

But while Noah’s system made his path to power clear, the rest of his group had to rely on their own unique combat styles.

Since his team was mostly composed of alchemists, artificers, and craftsmen, they fought in entirely different ways compared to the usual mages and warriors.

While a typical mage might launch fireballs and lightning bolts, Noah’s team was hurling explosive concoctions and activating dangerous enchanted weapons they had built themselves.

Noah took the lead, reaching into his pouch and pulling out several vials filled with a shimmering, venomous green liquid.

“This,” he said, holding one up dramatically, “is my Reaper’s Kiss poison. Highly experimental, untested, and incredibly deadly. Side effects may include spontaneous combustion, internal organ failure, and turning into a gelatinous mess. So, y’know, don’t let it touch you.”

One of the artificers in the back gulped. “Uh… then how exactly do we use it?”

Noah grinned. “Oh, don’t worry.” He turned and hurled the vials toward the incoming demons.

The glass shattered upon impact, releasing thick clouds of sickly green smoke. The demons screeched as the poison ate through their flesh, dissolving their skin and muscles like acid. The ones that inhaled it convulsed violently before collapsing, blackened veins spreading rapidly across their bodies.

The rest of the group took advantage of this moment of chaos.

The artificers immediately activated their enchanted weapons—each one a bizarre, intricate creation of gears, glowing runes, and unpredictable effects.

One artificer, a red-haired girl with goggles pushed up onto her forehead, swung up a cannon-like contraption. “Say hello to my Magical Overcharge Railgun!” she announced proudly, aiming the bulky weapon at the nearest demon.

A high-pitched whine filled the air as the weapon charged, the runes on its barrel glowing brighter and brighter—

BOOM!

A massive arc of blue energy disintegrated a demon instantly, leaving behind only a smoking crater where it had once stood.

“…Okay, that was cool,” one of the other artificers admitted.

The red-haired girl grinned. “Yeah, but it takes a minute to recharge, so cover me!”

Meanwhile, another craftsman—a bespectacled young man wearing a leather apron—was operating an automated turret he had hastily deployed on the battlefield. The turret, covered in intricate magic circles, rotated rapidly and began spitting out a volley of razor-sharp enchanted daggers at the demons.

One of the demons lunged at him, but another alchemist beside him casually threw a flask labeled “Liquid Napalm” onto the creature’s face.

The demon’s head immediately burst into flames.

“NOAH!” one of the students called out, dodging a clawed attack. “We can’t keep this up forever! The tower is crawling with these things! Even with our weapons, we’re burning through our resources fast!”

Noah clicked his tongue. He knew they couldn’t stay here forever.

’Alright, System. Show me what I can craft with what I’ve collected so far.’

[

[SYSTEM ALERT]

New Alchemical Recipe Available!

Demonic Resistance Potion → Temporarily boosts resistance to demonic corruption and enhances physical recovery.

Infernal Bomb → An explosive infused with demonic energy. Highly unstable. Causes massive AOE destruction.

Bloodforge Elixir → Temporarily enhances the physical capabilities of the user at the cost of consuming a portion of their lifeforce.

]

Noah’s eyes lit up.

’Oh-ho… now this is interesting.’

Without missing a beat, he quickly began mixing some of the ingredients in his pouch, his hands moving expertly as he crushed, ground, and combined various materials using his portable alchemy kit.

Within moments, he had produced several Demonic Resistance Potions.

He tossed them toward his team. “Drink these! They’ll keep the demonic corruption at bay and boost your stamina!”

They didn’t question him—they simply drank, and within seconds, they felt a noticeable difference. Their exhaustion faded, and their bodies felt stronger, as if their very blood had been reinforced against the demons’ corrupting presence.

Noah grinned. “Now let’s really fight back.”

With newfound vigor, his group continued their assault.

The Infernal Bombs were especially useful.

Noah threw one directly at a group of demons, and the resulting explosion tore through the hallway, sending body parts flying in every direction. The sheer force of the detonation even collapsed a section of the ceiling, cutting off reinforcements from another wave of creatures.

Bit by bit, they began pushing back.

And while they didn’t know it, their efforts were indirectly helping the faculty outside by reducing the number of demons reinforcing the battlefield.

Noah smirked as he prepared another batch of potions.

’I can grow quickly by killing these creatures. By the time this is over, I’ll be far ahead of not just Kenneth but maybe even Alaric Steele!’

And with that thought, Noah hurled another Infernal Bomb and watched as the battlefield exploded in a fiery display of alchemy-fueled destruction.

~~

The forest was quiet as the last golden rays of the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a deep, darkening blue sky. Crickets had begun to chirp in the distance, and the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind was the only sound that filled the cool evening air. A small river nearby shimmered under the fading light, and amidst all this peacefulness, Alaric, Brita, and Natasha had finally stopped to rest after their long flight away from Verdant Dawn Academy.

Alaric stretched his arms and let out a tired sigh. “Alright, we need to set up camp for the night. I’ll go get some water from the river,” he announced, running a hand through his golden hair before glancing at the two women. “Brita, why don’t you get some fruits from the nearby forest?”

Brita’s green eyes flickered slightly, but she merely nodded without a word.

“And Natasha,” Alaric continued, giving her a confident smirk, “since you’re the most practical one here, you can set up the campfire and gather some wood.”

Natasha, standing with her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so I’m the practical one? Not the incredibly talented and beautiful one?”

Alaric chuckled. “Well, I thought that went without saying.”

Natasha rolled her purple eyes but smirked as she turned to begin her task. “Fine, fine. I’ll take care of setting up the fire. Just make sure you two don’t get eaten by wild beasts or demons.”

With that, the three of them parted ways—or so Natasha believed.

In reality, Alaric and Brita had no intention of fetching water or collecting fruit.

They had a different conversation to have.

Once they were far enough from Natasha, Brita suddenly stopped walking. She turned on her heel, crossing her arms tightly over her chest as she glared at Alaric with open hostility. Her emerald eyes burned with barely contained rage, and her lips curled in disgust.

“So,” she hissed, voice dripping with venom. “You’re the Masked Man.”

Alaric tilted his head, feigning surprise. “Wow, took you that long to put the pieces together? I expected better from you, Brita.”

Brita’s fingers twitched as if she wanted to strangle him. “Don’t act smug with me! You—you bastard! You defeated me, humiliated me, fondled me, and then vanished without a trace!” Her voice rose in frustration as her face turned red, either from anger or embarrassment.

Alaric couldn’t help but grin as he casually placed his hands behind his head. “Ah, you do remember that part. I was hoping you’d forgotten. Guess I left quite the impression, huh?”

Brita’s face twisted in rage. “You enjoyed making a fool out of me, didn’t you?! And then you had the audacity to act as if we’d never met when I arrived at Verdant Dawn Academy! All this time, you were just toying with me!”

Alaric let out a short laugh. “Well, let’s be honest here, Brita. You didn’t exactly approach me with pure intentions, did you? You wanted to seduce me and take advantage of me for your own gain.” He shrugged. “I just turned the situation around in my favor. Hard to blame me for that, don’t you think?”

Brita clenched her fists. “Tch… You—!”

Alaric held up a hand, cutting her off before she could say more. His red eyes gleamed in the dimming light. “So, what now? Are you going to fight me again? Let’s not forget, back then, I was just a Master Mage. Even with your dark staff and your dark magic, you still couldn’t defeat me. And now?” He smirked. “I’ve advanced to the Grand Mage rank. Your chances are even lower.”

Brita let out a low, humorless chuckle. “Oh, I know I can’t defeat you.” She lifted her chin defiantly. “But I don’t need to.”

Alaric narrowed his eyes slightly.

Brita’s lips curled into a smirk. “All I have to do is inform my master, Lord Vortan, that you are the Masked Man who ruined our plans at the auction hall. He will take care of you.”

Alaric laughed. “You’re naïve if you think I’d let you report that information to your master so easily.”

Brita remained unfazed. “And you’re naïve if you think you can stop it,” she countered. “If my master doesn’t receive my weekly updates, he’ll send someone to investigate. And when they do…” She smiled darkly. “They’ll realize the truth. You’ve already used the Azure Spirit Lion Beast Essence in front of too many people at Verdant Dawn Academy. It won’t take long before word reaches my master that the same technique the Masked Man used… is yours.”

She tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. “So tell me, Alaric, what will you do then? If you so much as touch me, my master will retaliate. And he won’t just go after you… He’ll go after your family.”

For a moment, the two of them stood in silence, locked in a battle of wills.

Then, to Brita’s surprise, Alaric suddenly started chuckling. The sound grew into full-blown laughter.

“You really are something else,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re good at faking your calmness, Brita.”

Brita stiffened slightly at his words.

Alaric’s smirk widened as he leaned in just slightly, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement and something dangerous. “I can tell that most of what you said is true. But there’s one thing you don’t seem to realize.” His voice dropped slightly. “You’re overestimating your value… and underestimating mine.”

For the first time, Brita’s arrogant expression wavered.

Alaric continued smoothly. “Even if your Lord Vortan is after me, I have plenty of ways to protect myself and my Steele family. I could offer the Phantom Assembly the production formula for the Phone Artifact, or better yet, I could personally work for them and develop new artifacts that would make it easier for them to crush the Eloriath Kingdom. Or…” He tilted his head, his voice turning almost mockingly casual. “I could even officially join the Phantom Assembly by taking a Blood Contract with them. That would make me untouchable, wouldn’t it?”

Brita’s fingers dug into her arms as her expression darkened.

Alaric smiled, but his eyes remained sharp and unyielding. “And in return for all these wonderful contributions… I would make just one request.”

Brita felt a chill run down her spine.

“I would ask for you,” Alaric said simply. “I’d make sure Lord Vortan gave you to me.”

Brita’s breath hitched.

Alaric’s smile widened. “Now, tell me, Brita… Do you think your value to Lord Vortan is high enough that he’d refuse such an amazing offer just for you?”

For the first time, true panic flashed in Brita’s eyes.

Because deep down, she knew the answer.

Lord Vortan wasn’t someone who let personal attachments cloud his judgment. If sacrificing her meant the Phantom Assembly would gain unprecedented power… He wouldn’t hesitate.

Despite the growing horror inside her, Brita didn’t hate Lord Vortan. No, her love and loyalty for him were absolute.

But Alaric had just thrown her into a terrible dilemma.

He knew that she was fiercely loyal to the Phantom Assembly… but he also knew that she despised the idea of being his.

He was making her choose between her loyalty and her pride.

And judging from the look on her face…

Her pride was winning.

After a long moment, Brita exhaled sharply and glared at him with barely restrained fury.

“Fine,” she spat. “I’ll hide the details about you being the Masked Man. So don’t you dare ask my master for me!”

Alaric’s smirk softened into a small, satisfied smile as he slowly nodded. “Good girl.”

~~

The river was cold and refreshing as Alaric stepped into it, the moonlight shimmering on its surface like silver threads woven into the night. He let out a sigh as he submerged his hands, splashing the cool water onto his face before raking his fingers through his damp hair. The events of the day weighed heavily on his mind, but the momentary serenity of the flowing river helped clear his thoughts. He scooped up a handful of water and poured it over his bare torso, watching as it dripped down his well-defined muscles before vanishing into the current below.

’Damn, I really needed this,’ he thought to himself. ’Too much scheming, too much running, and way too much dealing with Brita’s attitude.’

After a few more minutes of washing away the dirt and sweat, he finally filled the containers he had brought with him and began his return to camp.

Meanwhile, Brita had ventured deeper into the forest, her sharp green eyes scanning the trees for anything edible. She plucked a few ripe fruits, testing them between her fingers before stuffing them into a small pouch. The entire time, her mind was still reeling from her conversation with Alaric. The Masked Man—her hated enemy—had just threatened to buy her from Lord Vortan like she was some common slave. The very thought made her stomach churn.

’Damn him,’ she fumed, yanking a particularly stubborn fruit from a low-hanging branch. ’I can’t believe I had to beg him not to do it! That bastard, that perverted, shameless, disgusting—’

Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized she had plucked far more fruit than necessary. With an annoyed huff, she turned back toward the camp, her expression still twisted into a scowl.

By the time both she and Alaric returned, Natasha had done her part in gathering wood and setting up a small campfire. The flames crackled softly, casting flickering light onto the trio as they regrouped.

Brita, as if on instinct, immediately clung to Alaric’s arm, pressing herself against him like she always did in front of Natasha. She hooked her arm around his and rested her cheek against his shoulder, a small smirk playing at her lips.

Alaric felt the warmth of her body, but after everything that had happened between them earlier, he could only chuckle inwardly. ’Ah… back to this act, huh?’

Natasha, sitting across from them, narrowed her eyes slightly. Her lips pressed together as she watched Brita’s shameless display, and for some reason, an uncomfortable feeling settled in her chest. Jealousy? She refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she leaned forward and, in a swift motion, grabbed Alaric’s other arm, pulling herself close to him.

“Well,” she huffed, resting her head against his shoulder, “I was the one who built this entire camp, so I should get some rewards too.”

Alaric blinked in amusement. “Oh? And what kind of reward were you hoping for?”

Natasha smirked. “I dunno… Something nice?”

Brita scoffed. “Tch. Stop being so desperate, Natasha. We all know you just didn’t want to be left out.”

Natasha shot Brita a glare. “And you’re one to talk! You’ve been clinging to him since the moment we met!”

Alaric let out a deep laugh, clearly enjoying the situation. “Ah… the struggle for my attention. It’s really heartwarming to see you two bonding over me.”

Both women turned their heads to glare at him.

Before the argument could escalate further, Natasha suddenly sighed, her expression shifting to something more serious. “Alaric… what do you think is happening back at the academy right now? Do you think… the professors are holding up against those creatures?”

At that, Alaric’s playful smirk faded. His red eyes gleamed in the firelight as he leaned back slightly, his fingers drumming against his knee. “Those creatures… demons or whatever they are… they’re far stronger than normal.”

Natasha swallowed. “That strong?”

Alaric nodded. “When I was heading to save you, I sensed it—powerful auras clashing all over the academy. The strongest of those creatures were locked in battle with our professors, and one of them…” He hesitated for a brief moment, his eyes darkening. “One of them was fighting against the principal.”

Both Brita and Natasha stiffened at his words.

Alaric exhaled slowly. “The Verdant Dawn Academy’s principal is one of the strongest mages in the entire Eloriath Kingdom. And yet… the aura of the creature she was fighting was overwhelming.” His voice lowered. “If I had faced that thing, I wouldn’t even stand a chance. I would die instantly. No resistance. No escape.”

A heavy silence settled over them.

Brita, for once, didn’t have a smug remark. Instead, she crossed her arms, deep in thought. “From what I’ve read,” she muttered, “demons are incredibly powerful… and the ones attacking the academy seem to be part of a legion. But this…” She shook her head. “This isn’t their full strength.”

Natasha furrowed her brows. “What do you mean?”

Brita glanced at her. “Think about it. The demons we’ve seen so far—what have they been relying on?”

Alaric’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Physical strength. Speed. Sheer brutality.”

Brita nodded. “Exactly. But that’s only half of their real power.” She paused, her green eyes flickering with something unsettling. “Demons possess powerful demonic magic. Unique abilities. The creatures that attacked the academy… they haven’t used any of it yet.”

Natasha’s face paled. “So you’re saying… if they regain that power…?”

Brita smirked humorlessly. “It’ll be a massacre.”

Alaric remained silent for a long moment. He thought about his friends, the students still trapped in the academy, fighting desperately against creatures they didn’t fully understand. A part of him wanted to go back, to charge into battle and help them.

But the logical part of him knew better.

Even if he returned, what could he do? Fight some of the weaker demons? Save a few students? That wouldn’t change the outcome. If the stronger demons defeated the professors, then the entire academy would fall—regardless of how many weaker demons he cut down.

Well… that was a great excuse to avoid risking his life.

Alaric exhaled and looked at both women. “We’re not going back to the academy.”

Natasha’s eyes widened. “What? But—!”

“I’m going back to my family,” Alaric interrupted. “The Steele Family. If demons have started moving, I need to set up defenses there. If this is a full-scale invasion, then the academy won’t be the only target.”

Brita stared at him thoughtfully, while Natasha bit her lip, still clearly troubled.

Alaric smirked. “And you two are coming with me.”

Natasha blinked. “Huh?”

Before she could react, Alaric’s hands moved. One slid around Natasha’s waist, pulling her closer, while the other wrapped around Brita’s midriff, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her stomach.

Natasha let out a small gasp as his hand caressed her, while Brita stiffened, her entire body going rigid.

Alaric grinned. “I can’t have you running off on your own, now can I?”

Natasha, though flustered, didn’t pull away. Instead, she pressed herself closer, resting her hand on his chest. “Mmm… I don’t really mind being held like this,” she murmured teasingly.

Brita, on the other hand, gritted her teeth in silent fury. She wanted to stab him. She wanted to shove him away. But she didn’t.

Because she knew.

If she reacted too aggressively now, Alaric would escalate it further—just to mess with her.

So she swallowed her pride. For now.

’One day, Alaric Steele… One day, I will kill you.’