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However, her final words before death had clearly unsettled Prani Joy and the others, leaving them with concerned expressions.

After a long moment of hesitation, as the anti-magic field dissipated around them, Prani Joy finally turned to Dean Bruce, an apologetic look on his face. "Mr. Dean, I have a rather difficult request. I\'m not sure if I should ask."

"If it\'s a difficult request, then there\'s no need to ask," Dean Bruce replied bluntly. He had already accomplished his objective and had no intention of staying in this cursed place any longer.

There were still plenty of tasks waiting for him.

Prani Joy\'s face flushed red in embarrassment as Dean shut him down.

Apollon Joy suddenly spoke up, "Dean, over the past few days, how do you think I performed? I\'m genuinely eager to become your disciple and would be honored if you\'d accept me as your student!"

"There\'s no issue in accepting you as my disciple," Dean Bruce said, casting a glance at Apollon Joy before agreeing.

Taking on a student wasn\'t a big deal. He could teach Apollon whatever magic spell he desired, all without much effort. On top of that, Dean Bruce knew he would likely gain various benefits, including rewards from his system. Why would he ever turn down such an easy opportunity?

Seeing that Dean Bruce had agreed, both Prani Joy and Apollon Joy beamed with joy.

Though for entirely different reasons.

Dean Bruce then stood up and casually summoned a fireball, setting the woman\'s corpse ablaze. As the flames consumed her body, he said, "Let\'s finish this quickly. Return everyone\'s souls to their bodies, and this whole ordeal will finally be over."

No one paid any further attention to the woman, nor did they even bother to ask about her true identity.

Once the flames had reduced her to ashes, Dean Bruce and his group headed back to the courtyard, where Rulda Chel began casting spells, carefully guiding each soul back into its corresponding body.

With little else to do, Dean Bruce struck up a conversation with Nicholas William. After all, it was time for Nicholas to return to the Magic Academy.

Dean Bruce\'s talents lay in high-level and Ultra-High-Level spells, and he was best at tricking others into mastering them. However, for Nicholas William to train properly and progress, he needed to study the basics of cultivation under a regular instructor.

Moreover, as Dean Bruce found himself embroiled in increasingly dangerous situations, keeping Nicholas around would only complicate matters, potentially becoming a burden.

Time slowly passed, and the missing nobles gradually regained consciousness. However, due to their souls being separated from their bodies for so long, they had all fallen into a deep sleep upon their return.

Nicholas William helped Linda Quirell and her family members return to the general\'s estate. Just as Dean Bruce was about to leave, Apollon Joy stepped in to stop him.

"Master, since I\'m officially becoming your disciple, shouldn\'t I offer you a proper gift? Please, would you stay in the palace tonight?"

There was genuine sincerity in Apollon Joy\'s words.

Dean Bruce\'s actions over the past two days had left a deep impression on him, making him earnestly desire to learn magic under Dean\'s tutelage.

With an apprenticeship gift on the table, Dean Bruce certainly had no reason to refuse and agreed to stay at Apollon Joy\'s palace.

Though he said he\'d rest for the night, the series of battles had already stretched the time to dawn.

Apollon Joy personally arranged a lavish breakfast, with only himself and Prani Joy present—there were no servants or attendants in sight.

Apollon Joy poured a glass of red wine for Dean Bruce, handed it to him, and then respectfully presented a ring. "Master, this ring contains one hundred Tier 5 beast crystal cores and three million gold coins!"

"As for other gifts, I know with your strength you likely lack for nothing, so I won\'t insult you with anything unnecessary."

"..."

Hearing this, Dean Bruce couldn\'t help but twitch the corners of his mouth. Sure, he might not need anything, but having more resources was always useful. There would always be a time when it would come in handy.

Still, given his status, it didn\'t feel appropriate to ask for more, so he simply nodded and said, "You\'ve been thoughtful."

Accepting the Storage Ring, Dean Bruce downed the glass of wine, signifying that he had officially accepted Apollon as his disciple.

Prani Joy then spoke up, "Dean, I mentioned before that I\'d offer Miranda\'s hand to the one who could save the Empire of Lane Cloud. Would you be interested?"

"Though I may not favor her greatly, she\'s obedient, talented, and quite beautiful…"

As Prani Joy began singing Miranda\'s praises, Dean Bruce quickly waved him off. "Your Majesty, that won\'t be necessary. I came to the Empire of Lane Cloud with one goal: to rescue the Quirell family. I expect no other reward."

"If you really want to thank me, just give me more gold!"

At this, Prani Joy\'s breath hitched slightly, and a bitter smile crossed his face.

If Dean Bruce had been weaker, without the powerful backing of the Magic Guild, perhaps Prani Joy would have dared to use force. But at this moment, he had no other plans in mind.

Prani Joy sighed and said, "Since that is your decision, I won\'t press the matter. Dean, a lot has happened within the empire, and I can\'t offer you much right now as a token of gratitude. Once things have fully settled and the citizens are restored, I\'ll have your reward sent to the Magic Guild headquarters. Would that be acceptable?"

Dean Bruce did not refuse. Given his role, he wasn\'t about to demand more than what was reasonable.

Besides, the apprenticeship gift Apollon Joy had just given him wasn\'t bad at all!

Especially the crystal cores—with them, Dean Bruce could now use his Bronze Golems without restraint, a significant boost to his combat power.

Prani Joy, knowing his position well, took the rejection gracefully and excused himself, leaving Dean Bruce and Apollon Joy alone.

Excited, Apollon Joy asked, "Master, the magic you used earlier that healed me so quickly—could you teach it to me?"

"..."

Dean Bruce had initially thought about teaching Apollon a new spell, something that would earn him even greater rewards from his system.

But seeing how eagerly Apollon awaited, and wanting to leave soon, he decided to pass on the spell The Compassion of Heaven and Earth instead.

Given Dean Bruce\'s mastery of the spell, he didn\'t just recite the incantation but also provided Apollon with thorough explanations of its principles.

As long as Apollon wasn\'t completely clueless, he should be able to grasp it within a few days.

After teaching Apollon Joy the spell, Dean Bruce promptly took his leave from the palace.

Just before exiting, he encountered Miranda Joy and the eldest prince.

Both of their souls had been trapped previously, and Miranda, in particular, had spent much of the ordeal in the form of a horse, trailing along throughout the entire ordeal. They immediately bowed and thanked Dean Bruce.

If Dean Bruce hadn\'t maintained his usual aloof demeanor, they might have tried to convince him to stay longer.

As Dean Bruce walked slowly toward the Quirell family estate, he began to reflect on everything that had transpired the night before.

Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn\'t had time to think deeply.

But now, as he reconsidered it all, something about that woman\'s death seemed far too simple...

Aside from that, the woman\'s methods were deeply unsettling, particularly her ability to summon thousands of ghostly shadows and the anti-magic field she had created.

If Dean Bruce hadn\'t previously acquired the Bronze Golems, he might have very well perished in that fight.

[How odd... How did a normal human possess the power to summon ghosts?]

As Dean Bruce pondered this, a thick black mist descended from the sky, suddenly enveloping the entire street around him.

There was no sign of magic or any other unusual energy fluctuations.

By the time Dean Bruce snapped out of his thoughts, he found himself standing in a drastically different environment. The ancient street had been replaced by a bustling, modern city.

"Honk, honk!"

The sound of blaring car horns echoed around him, and skyscrapers lined the streets. Dean Bruce\'s pupils contracted as shock coursed through him. He muttered in disbelief, "I... I... have I traveled back to my original world?"

"No, something\'s not right. I didn\'t do anything, and I haven\'t died. How could I have crossed worlds again?"

Dean Bruce had read enough novels to know that many illusions or magical realms are often conjured from one\'s subconscious mind.

Looking around, he noticed that, apart from the various buildings and cars, there weren\'t many people in sight. Even the signs on some buildings were vague and indistinct.

It was then that Dean Bruce realized he had been trapped in an illusion.

Looking down, he noticed that his clothing had also changed to match the modern world\'s fashion.

Taking a deep breath, Dean Bruce immediately called upon his system.

"Ding!"

"System prompt: How may I assist you, host?"

Hearing the familiar voice of the system, Dean Bruce felt a sense of relief. He understood that this illusion hadn\'t stripped him of his abilities or left him in a state of unconsciousness where he couldn\'t control his body.

Without hesitation, Dean Bruce reached for his magic compass at his waist. The next moment, a strong vibration confirmed its presence and functionality.

Narrowing his eyes, Dean Bruce retrieved an Anti-Magic Scroll from his system inventory.

This Anti-Magic Scroll was one of the rewards he had drawn during the banquet, and although he had hoped to save it for another occasion, it seemed like now was the perfect time to use it.

Buzz—

The scroll was torn open, unleashing its powerful magic-canceling energy into the surrounding area.