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Boom!

A dull thud echoed as the sword energy struck the barrier, but instead of breaking through, it was absorbed entirely, leaving no trace behind.

Seeing this, Xerath Cade, who was wielding the slender sword, paled in shock and exclaimed, "How is this possible? How can you cast spells instantly? That\'s a skill reserved for archmages!"

"Could it be... you\'ve been hiding your true power all along?"

Xerath Cade\'s eyes widened with fear as the realization struck him. Panic took hold, and he immediately turned to flee from Dean Bruce.

But he didn\'t get far. Without any further action from Dean Bruce, The Compassion of Heaven and Earth continued to operate on its own. The green grass spread rapidly, and within two breaths, it had climbed up Xerath Cade\'s legs, binding him firmly in place.

By the time Dean Bruce fully comprehended what had happened, Xerath Cade was already completely entangled in the grass, unable to move, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.

Dean Bruce\'s own lips twitched as he tried to process what had just occurred. He could hardly believe that he had not only managed to cast The Compassion of Heaven and Earth instantly, but had also immobilized Xerath Cade—the so-called genius mentioned by Principal André—in mere moments.

Joan Michelle, who had just risen to her feet, was equally stunned, her mouth agape in amazement. Her thoughts raced wildly: "Instant casting! Only those who reach the level of archmage can achieve instant casting! And he did it with a high-level spell!"

"I wasn\'t wrong—Dean Bruce is undoubtedly a powerful mage. He\'s been hiding his true strength all along, out of humility! I must seize this opportunity and convince him to take me as his disciple! Only then can I change the course of my life!"

"From this day forward, no matter what Dean Bruce asks of me, I\'ll give it everything I have to fulfill it!"

As she recalled how she had needed to chant incantations, channel mana, and even shout to cast The Compassion of Heaven and Earth, Joan Michelle\'s admiration for Dean Bruce grew even deeper.

The gap between them was like heaven and earth—an insurmountable difference.

At this moment, Joan Michelle would likely do anything Dean Bruce asked without hesitation.

What she didn\'t know was that Dean Bruce\'s deep understanding of The Compassion of Heaven and Earth was entirely due to the system\'s reward—a tenfold increase in comprehension and power—granted after she successfully mastered the spell.

Sensing the intensity in Joan Michelle\'s gaze, Dean Bruce quickly suppressed his surprise and ensured his expression remained calm.

A true master would never appear flustered.

He needed to maintain this facade if he was to continue fooling Joan Michelle and, in turn, manipulate the students to his advantage for future plans.

Sure enough, Dean Bruce\'s composed demeanor, the way his magical robe billowed gently despite the lack of wind, and the green glow emanating from his staff, all captivated the students who had finally processed what had just happened.

"He\'s so powerful! This is the first time I\'ve seen instant casting with my own eyes!"

"I had no idea our academy had such an incredible instructor. As soon as we get back, I\'m enrolling in his class!"

"Me too! If I could learn just one or two spells from Instructor Dean, I\'m sure I\'d quickly become a true mage!"

"It\'s unbelievable! Instructor Dean looks so young, not much older than us, yet he\'s so far ahead of us in his mastery of magic!"

The students\' exclamations came one after another, each voice filled with admiration and hope. Their eyes sparkled with awe as they looked at Dean Bruce.

But Dean Bruce didn\'t acknowledge the students\' chatter, nor did he pay any attention to Joan Michelle, still kneeling nearby. Instead, he fixed his calm gaze on Xerath Cade.

Earlier, he had wondered how a group of beasts, including first and second-tier monsters with no intelligence, could have coordinated to surround and attack them.

The situation had been too chaotic to think about it then, but after Xerath Cade\'s attempt to assassinate him, Dean Bruce had come to a conclusion.

It was all part of Xerath Cade\'s scheme.

The only thing that puzzled Dean Bruce was why Xerath Cade would target him when there was no apparent grudge between them.

With that thought in mind, Dean Bruce asked in a calm tone, "Instructor Xerath, there\'s something I\'m curious about. Could you help clear up my confusion?"

As Dean Bruce\'s voice fell, the students immediately fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

Even though they were young, they could see clearly that Xerath Cade had just attempted to kill Dean Bruce.

The enmity between the two instructors was not something they dared to involve themselves in.

Joan Michelle, however, was not afraid of Xerath Cade. Upon hearing Dean Bruce\'s question, she widened her eyes in anger, glaring at Xerath Cade.

Xerath Cade remained silent for a long time. It wasn\'t until Dean Bruce began to show signs of impatience that Xerath Cade finally shook his head and said, "There\'s no reason."

"No reason?" Dean Bruce\'s expression grew serious, and he asked in a deep voice, "Were you acting on someone else\'s orders? Who? Who sent you to kill me?"

Seeing that Xerath Cade had fallen silent again, Dean Bruce\'s lips curled into a smile, and he spoke softly, "Instructor Xerath, although we didn\'t know each other well before, we\'re both instructors at Notting Junior Magic Academy. I\'d rather not see you suffer. I hope you\'ll cooperate and tell me who sent you."

Xerath Cade replied in a low voice, "I don\'t know the identity of the person. They communicated with me using magic."

Dean Bruce wasn\'t about to take Xerath Cade\'s words at face value. His eyes narrowed, and he clenched his right fist.

Crack—

A sharp sound followed as the green vines entwining Xerath Cade suddenly contracted, exerting immense pressure that crushed his flesh and bones. Xerath Cade\'s face turned crimson, and his breathing grew labored.

No matter how much he had trained in both magic and combat, his body could not withstand the power of a sixth-level spell. The pain surged through him like waves, relentlessly assaulting his mind.

The pressure continued for a full thirty seconds before Dean Bruce, with a calm expression, finally released his grip and ceased the spell.

It wasn\'t out of mercy; his mana was nearly depleted.

The Compassion of Heaven and Earth was classified as a sixth-level spell, so even though Dean Bruce had only utilized its binding effect, sustaining it was no easy task.

Of course, appearances had to be maintained. He couldn\'t let Joan Michelle or the others suspect anything was amiss.

Xerath Cade took the opportunity to gulp down air, desperately trying to alleviate the pain coursing through his body.

In a calm voice, Dean Bruce asked, "Now, tell me, who is the mastermind behind this?"

"I... I... I swear... I don\'t... I don\'t know!" Xerath Cade stammered between heavy breaths, his voice trembling. "I\'m just a small pawn!

No matter how much you ask, I truly don\'t know anything about those matters!"

Dean Bruce didn\'t buy Xerath Cade\'s excuses. If this were in one of the Nine Provinces Alliances or on the larger stage of the Meze Star, perhaps Xerath Cade would indeed be a minor figure.

But this was Notting City!

Who could exert such control over Xerath Cade here?

Shaking his head slightly, Dean Bruce placed his right hand behind his back and, with a mere thought, retrieved the Wind Spirit Sword scroll, tearing it open without hesitation.

In the next instant, a fierce gust of wind howled as a cerulean whirlwind coalesced into a long sword, which then materialized in Dean Bruce\'s hand.

The surge of energy was palpable, causing shock and awe among the students and even Joan Michelle, who gasped in surprise.

They hadn\'t seen the scroll, nor did they witness Dean Bruce casting any spell, leading them to believe that he had once again performed an instant spell of immense power.

"What... what are you going to do?" Xerath Cade, feeling the fierce wind tearing at the air around him, grew increasingly frantic. His body thrashed in a futile attempt to free itself from the grip of the verdant bindings.

Slash—

A sharp sound echoed as blood sprayed into the air, accompanied by a shrill scream. A deep gash appeared on Xerath Cade\'s face, the raw flesh beneath oozing with fresh blood, filling the air with a pungent, metallic scent.