Chapter 2209: Part 2: Back at Crystal City

Crystal City

A few minutes later,

Everyone went back to their rooms. Lady Caitlin found her new room. She entered the room and began to look around. She found the new room to be clean and aesthetic.

Other members had settled down in their rooms. The two monsters went down to the basement and began living there.

I returned to my room. Lying on the bed, I began to think about the seventh member.

That person was none other than Magic Lord Duncan. He had to be in the Black Tower right now. Last time, I had given him instructions.

I told him that he should visit me if I came to the magic city. He hadn’t made his presence known so far, which meant he could be outside the city.

Gathering my thoughts, I drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile,

The people of Crystal City heard of Magic Lord Vincent. Now that he was back, their city was going to become famous. More people would visit Crystal City now.

The locals were eagerly awaiting the news of the shop’s reopening. Once the appraisal shop opened, their businesses would flourish. They were all looking forward to that day.

It didn’t take long for the news to spread across the entire city. The arrival of Magic Lord Vincent had been quiet; only influential figures knew about it at first.

The next morning,

The entire city woke up to the news of Magic Lord Vincent’s return. Local media outlets had already begun reporting on it. Field reporters tried to enter the Crystal Community.

They wanted to catch a glimpse of Wizard Vincent, as a large audience had tuned in. Countless people watched the live broadcast on their screens.

Many were watching the news online, including people from neighboring cities. Unfortunately, they could not enter the Crystal Community.

Only people associated with the residents inside the Crystal Community were allowed entry. Heavy security surrounded the area. Elder Blake had stationed guards all around the perimeter.

Wizard Vincent Carey’s status had risen, prompting Elder Blake to receive orders from the higher-ups in the Magic City to provide extra security for Magic Lord Vincent.

They did not want any trouble. Everyone knew the Red Flame Elemental Tower had tried to cause a scene last time, and they wanted to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

As time passed,

The surrounding satellite cities also learned about Wizard Vincent and followed the updates closely. Prominent figures all wanted to pay Vincent Carey a visit.

However, they were sensible enough not to visit immediately; they waited for the excitement to settle down.

...

Black Tower

A man who had just returned from a mission entered the Black Tower. He was none other than Magic Lord Duncan, back from a routine assignment.

When he submitted his mission report, he ran into other members. They were all discussing the Silver Tower in hushed tones. Duncan raised an eyebrow.

Whenever someone mentioned the Silver Tower, he immediately thought of Master Vincent. He didn’t know why, but his mana core had started aching the moment he entered the magic city.

After concluding his business, he went to find his friends to catch up. Soon, he met them-fellow Magic Lords who were also discussing the Silver Tower.

He was taken aback. He didn’t know why his friends were talking about the Silver Tower, so he asked:

"What’s going on?"

"Did the Silver Tower attack us?" Duncan asked jokingly.

"It’s worse than that. The Silver Tower produced another Magic Lord in recent months," one of his friends said.

Hearing that, Duncan’s expression shifted. This was bad news. The Silver Tower was their rival; if they produced another Magic Lord, their strength and influence would only grow.

"Who is this new Magic Lord?" Duncan asked.

"His name is Vincent Carey," his friend replied.

Duncan was shaken to the core. Now he understood why his mana core had been aching. Master Vincent was here. He recalled his orders: if Master Vincent was in the city, he was supposed to go meet him.

He had to give him his latest report. Duncan’s face tightened. He was a member of the Black Tower, but he also served Wizard Vincent. A fleeting thought of rebellion crossed his mind.

"AAAhhh!"

He suddenly let out a scream, startling his friends.

"What happened?" his friend asked.

"It’s nothing. An old injury might be flaring up," Duncan replied.

His friends believed him, knowing they fought enemies every day.

Duncan, however, realized his mistake. He had forgotten that he was bound by an oath. Violating it would cause his mana core to burst, killing him instantly.

A second later, he composed himself. He had no time to waste; he had to pay Master Vincent a visit.

"Where is he?" Duncan asked.

"Who?"

"Magic Lord Vincent."

"He returned to his residence in Crystal City," his friend answered.

Duncan was surprised.

"How do you know that?" he asked.

"Hmph, he didn’t hide his whereabouts. He flew back in that flashy aircraft of his, so everyone knows where he went," his friend said.

His peers envied the aircraft, but they couldn’t take action. The Black Tower had already warned them, and they were equally wary of the Mage Union.

Hearing this, Duncan fell quiet, choosing not to pursue the topic further.

He left the area and returned to his room. He hadn’t expected everyone to be following Master Vincent’s movements so closely. Going there openly would blow his cover.

His objective remained clear: Master Vincent wanted him to stay embedded within the Black Tower. He was an undercover agent for Master Vincent, not the Silver Tower-a thought that brought him some relief.

Master Vincent was growing stronger and would only become more powerful over time, eventually surpassing the influence of the Silver Tower.

Once his thoughts were in order, Duncan began to plan. He needed to meet Master Vincent, but it had to be done in absolute secrecy. There were wizards capable of uncovering the truth all too easily.

He had to tread carefully.