A dazzling white light shot skyward, its grandeur rippling through the air, illuminating the heavens.

Under this violent force, the academy was utterly demolished, even the last quartz slab reduced to dust.

Throughout the capital, people sensed something amiss, instinctively looking towards the distant academy.

An astonishing pillar of light pierced through the clouds like divine radiance.

This nuclear-like blast left the mages present utterly shocked.

Despite Viktor's preemptive sealing of the academy with crystals, the leaked energy still instantly devastated the entire institution.

Fortunately, the affected area was contained; otherwise, the group at the academy would have perished.

Had the barrier been breached, the damage would have likely destroyed half the capital's districts.

However, some individuals too close to the spell suffered significant injuries from the blast.

As the light faded, a terrifying, deep crater appeared on the ground.

The pit was tens of meters deep, with an extraordinarily wide circumference.

The surrounding buildings were unrecognizable; an entire academy had vanished from the capital in an instant.

The demon, too, had disappeared.

The numerous mages, their bodies weak, trembled as they gazed at the scene before them.

"What... what the hell..."

"Where's the school!?"

"Did the school just get blown up!?"

They were bewildered, yet the overwhelming weakness in their bodies served as a stark reminder that everything they witnessed was real.

In the end, Viktor had drained the magical power from all the surrounding mages to unleash this spell powerful enough to threaten the capital.

A human-form war magic... In their minds, Viktor gained yet another title.

Viktor stood in the deep crater, cradling the unconscious Henie in his arms.

Henie wore a hood, concealing her appearance from view.

Many noticed Viktor in the crater, all wearing confused expressions.

Viktor was holding another woman in his arms!?

Everyone's attention was focused on Viktor; no one noticed the ugly toad hopping about in the pit.

Covered in ink, it struggled to crawl, step by step, towards a charred body.

It was Devin Reiser.

Remarkably, Devin Reiser had survived that terrifying spell.

In its final moments before injury, Yem had swallowed Devin Reiser.

All the damage had been inflicted upon the demon instead.

Yem knew that if it wanted to continue existing, Devin Reiser couldn't die.

The toad crawled onto Devin's body, transforming into a black ink that entwined around Devin Reiser.

Devin Reiser stood up like a reanimated corpse.

His bones crackled throughout his body, the loose joints now restored.

With bloodshot eyes, he stared intently at the students before him, foul-smelling saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth.

As if he had lost all reason, he emitted threatening grunts, tilting his head like a wild beast.

"Isn't that Professor Reiser!? He's not dead!"

"Yes! It's Professor Reiser!"

"Wait, something's off about Professor Reiser!"

One person, noticing Devin's strange behavior, couldn't help but voice their confusion.

Soon, others began to notice Devin's odd state.

"Devin Reiser was indeed suspicious!"

"Look at him! Has he been possessed by the demon!?"

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As the title of "Professor" was stripped from people's lips, Devin naturally became the villain possessed by the demon after being used.

The truth behind all the conspiracies seemed to surface.

Devin Reiser was that filthy demon!

The mages slowly raised their arms, ready to unleash their remaining magic upon Devin Reiser.

However, to everyone's surprise, Devin Reiser merely twisted his head viciously and left a threatening message for Viktor:

"I! Will remember all of you."

Suddenly, a wave of black ink appeared beneath his feet, swallowing Devin Reiser into darkness before he vanished.

The mages shuddered upon hearing Devin's words, feeling as if a long iron spear had pierced their hearts at the thought of being remembered by a demon.

Their gazes all turned to Viktor, for it was he who had defeated the demon. If they were to nip this in the bud, it seemed only Viktor could do it.

But at this moment, no one dared to command Viktor.

Duke Levi jumped over the rubble and approached Viktor, glancing down at Henie in his arms.

"This is......"

"My teaching assistant. Devin Reiser stole her knowledge to create the barrier array earlier."

Duke Levi's eyes couldn't help but show surprise.

Although he hadn't been inside the array, he had certainly heard about it.

More than half of the third-tier mages in the capital had come to assist, but no one could comprehend the intricacy of that array, let alone break it.

It was Viktor who led a few mages to break it from within.

"Your assistant is an unparalleled genius."

Viktor turned his head away, ignoring Duke Levi's words of praise.

After this battle with the demon, Duke Levi's hostility towards Viktor had diminished significantly.

Regardless, he had once again acted to protect the capital.

During the first volcanic eruption, no one knew what Viktor had done, and most mages even became suspicious of him.

But this time, the capital's mages had witnessed it with their own eyes.

They admired Viktor immensely, and no one would ever doubt his abilities as a fourth-tier mage again.

Viktor was terrifyingly powerful.

And he was still so young.

Duke Levi sighed.

If it weren't for Erica, perhaps he could have managed a better relationship with Viktor.

Thinking of this, the Duke shook his head. He didn't want to consider it further; his daughter was his final bottom line.

So he said to Viktor:

"After this incident, Devin Reiser's crimes will be established directly, even if he is His Majesty's nephew."

Duke Levi implied that Viktor need not worry about being charged with harming royal kin.

Even if it resulted in the destruction of the entire academy, he was still undoubtedly a hero.

If this demon hadn't been stopped, the losses would have been far greater than just one academy.

"However, His Majesty won't touch the Reiser family."

Viktor wasn't surprised at all.

The Reiser family was the royal family's money-making machine, and the Emperor's own sister was the matriarch of the Reiser household.

As long as they were willing to sacrifice Devin Reiser, the Reiser family wouldn't suffer any losses.

At most, they'd be accused of poor supervision.

Viktor understood clearly that Duke Levi was warning him.

No matter what, he had already made enemies with the Reiser family.

"Duke, I've made enough enemies."

Enemies don't weigh one down.

Viktor turned to leave, carrying Henie.

Seeing Viktor about to depart, Duke Levi reached out to stop him.

"By the way, Viktor."

"The demon didn't die but escaped. Will it..."

He was somewhat worried the demon might return, but Viktor reassured him.

"It won't die. It's a 'part' of this world."

Duke Levi was slightly taken aback. He seemed to think of something but didn't voice it.

"It's quite similar to a calamity, isn't it? Calamities are part of the world's elements, so they don't die either."

Duke Levi's face darkened as he said flatly:

"Calamity? I don't understand what you're talking about."

His reaction satisfied Viktor, as if confirming something.

Viktor looked at Duke Levi with a slight smile, the meaning gradually reaching the Duke's ears.

"I can only tell you that this demon is completely different from the ordinary demons you've encountered."

"It is the embodiment of greed."

"As long as there are intelligent beings in the world, as long as greed exists within them, that thing won't die."

"Even if you destroy one, another will quickly revive and reappear."

Duke Levi felt goosebumps rising all over his body as he listened.

"You should be grateful now that it's not dead, but merely crippled."

Leaving these words behind, Viktor teleported away from the crater, carrying Henie.

Duke Levi felt somewhat dazed. As he watched Viktor's disappearing figure, he suddenly became puzzled.

Where had that crow on Viktor's shoulder gone?

......

Outside the forest, Devin Reiser was running non-stop.

He had already fled the capital and was getting further and further away in the outskirts.

He had to keep running because he didn't want to 'disappear'.

Greed indeed wouldn't vanish, but after Yem's death, only a new Yem would appear to replace it.

Correspondingly, memories, power, and everything else would no longer belong to the current him.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

"That mage, what's his background! How did he know my name, how is it possible!"

Possessing Devin Reiser's body, Yem's speech and behavior seemed to have completely transformed into Devin Reiser's.

If it weren't for survival, how could it have possessed such a useless body?

And now it was beginning to feel grateful, grateful that it hadn't devoured this fat pig.

This fat pig also possessed enough greed, and this greed could serve as nourishment, allowing it to barely move.

Suddenly, Devin Reiser stood still.

An intense chill crept from his feet to his head, freezing him in place.

The forest was silent; only the rustling of leaves could be heard.

A black feather fell in front of him, and Devin Reiser looked ahead abruptly.

A small black crow appeared before his eyes.

It had only one eye, located on its forehead.

Devin Reiser was stunned. Somehow, he began to tremble all over, feeling afraid.

He himself was a demon!

He was the source of spreading fear, so why was he afraid of a crow, why was he afraid of such a small crow?

"Hello there, where do you think you're going?"

The crow's voice suddenly rang in his ears, and Devin Reiser's body shook violently.

"Who, who are you!?"

"Me?"

Suddenly, the crow laughed maliciously.

Its shrill laughter echoed throughout the dense forest.

It was as if darkness was about to completely engulf Devin.

Devin Reiser blinked.

Almost in the interval of that blink.

The crow's talons became enormous and sharp, its feathers more glossy and hard.

Wisps of black smoke gradually erupted from its body.

In the demon's eyes, its body was like a huge shadow covering the sky, looking down at Devin from above.

Its voice was no longer shrill, but deep and rhythmic.

A resonant sound like that from an abyss arose, shaking the trees until all their leaves fell, scattering birds in all directions.

Only its arrogant voice remained, echoing through the dense forest.

“I!

Am!

God!”