My System Just Exploded, And You Ask Me to Become a God?-Chapter 38 --Another Archmage

Amelda’s expression drastically changed.

She immediately forced herself to interrupt the incantation, despite the magical backlash.

"Advanced elite mage?!"

"You actually broke through, Simar?!"

Headmaster Simar’s face darkened.

Ever since he had been publicly humiliated by the Rogue Thief Kid in front of the entire academy, a shadow had lingered in his heart.

Fueled by that shame, he had thrown himself into deep meditation.

Now, his strength was only a step away from becoming an archmage!

Amelda’s expression turned uglier by the second.

Previously, both she and Simar had been stuck at the mid elite mage rank for twenty years.

She never expected Simar to be the first to break through!

"Looks like I’ll have to kill you all!"

At that moment, a figure emerged from the dense black mist—

an old man, hunched over, his entire body devoid of any sign of life.

"The first Duke Mington!"

"He’s still alive?!"

The crowd was visibly shocked.

"Mington, are you out of your mind? Stirring up trouble at Ilan Royal Academy—aren’t you afraid of dying here?"

Before the words even finished—

a brilliant crimson aura surged into the sky!

The original Grand Duke Ilan appeared in midair, radiating fury.

"Ilan, you’re as arrogant as ever!"

The two archmages clashed in midair,

and the terrifying magical pressure that erupted made many feel like their hearts might stop.

Joad, leaning lazily against the thigh of the Goddess of Magic statue, raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like we’ve got quite the gathering tonight."

As his mind power spread out,

he easily sensed many hidden figures lurking nearby.

The archmages attacking weren’t just Duke Mington—

it was obvious that multiple forces were involved!

...

The grand scholars and professors of Ilan Royal Academy joined the battle.

Even students who had reached official mage rank charged forward.

And amidst the thick veil of night, more and more powerful individuals entered the fray.

Inside the academy—

Leit and Harvey had already started fighting.

Ivy remained in place, anxious and helpless.

Having failed to bring back reinforcements from House Rima, she could do nothing to help.

Just then, a shadow appeared behind her.

"Who’s there?!"

The next moment, Ivy froze.

Standing before her was a treant!

The treant showed no expression, but radiated a seething hatred.

"Where is Joad?!" it growled.

Hearing that voice, Ivy’s heart sank.

It was Old Mage Peter—he was still alive!

He had fused his spirit into the treant’s body.

"What do you want?" Ivy demanded.

"I’m going to kill Joad!!"

"Joad...?"

Ivy’s eyes flickered in panic.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," she replied, while slowly tightening her grip on her wand.

A soft blue glow flickered from the wand’s tip.

"Hah! Silly girl. You think you can fool me?"

Peter’s voice oozed with mockery from the treant’s mouth.

"That little bastard Joad is definitely nearby!

Tell me where he is!"

The treant’s massive roots stomped forward, step by heavy step.

Ivy bit her lip, her body trembling.

She knew she wasn’t a match for this creature—

but she wouldn’t betray Joad.

Suddenly, she raised her wand and shouted,

"Lightning Bolt!"

A thin spark of lightning shot out and struck the treant’s body.

But the tiny bolt was no more than a tickle.

"Foolish girl!"

Peter sneered.

The treant swung a thick branch and lashed it violently at Ivy.

Bang!

She was sent flying, crashing hard to the ground.

Her wand flew from her grasp.

"Ugh..."

Ivy struggled to get up, but pain shot through her body—

something was broken.

"Die, girl!"

Peter’s voice was like a death sentence.

The treant raised its limbs for the final blow.

Ivy closed her eyes in despair.

She knew—this was the end.

But in that life-or-death moment,

a violent burst of magic erupted out of nowhere!

Boom!

A tsunami of magical energy swept up the treant in an instant.

Peter let out a scream as the treant’s body tumbled wildly through the air, hurled far away.

Ivy stared blankly at the scene, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

She rubbed her eyes, certain she wasn’t imagining it.

That terrifying treant... had been blasted away?

Who?

Who saved her?

...

Deep within the Skydome Mountains—

Peter slowly awoke from unconsciousness.

He crawled out from the treant’s body, his entire form wracked with pain.

"Damn it... who was it..."

But when he turned his head,

he froze in horror.

"J-Joad?!"

Peter’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

There, leaning against a large tree, was Joad—

idly twirling a mana stone in his fingers.

"Old Peter... I spared your life once, and you came looking to die again,"

Joad said calmly.

But his eyes were cold.

"You... why are you here?"

Peter’s voice trembled.

He couldn’t understand—

why was Joad here?

And how could he radiate such a terrifying magical presence?

Joad smiled faintly and stood.

"Old Peter, you really are an idiot of the highest order."

"You... you..."

Peter couldn’t speak.

He could feel a crushing pressure bearing down on him—

so heavy he could barely breathe.

"Then die!"

Peter suddenly roared.

He knew he had no way out.

He poured every last drop of mana into one final desperate attack.

But his strike—

was utterly pathetic in Joad’s eyes.

With just a wave of his hand,

Joad easily dispersed the attack with overwhelming mana.

"N-no... impossible..."

Peter cried out in despair.

He couldn’t believe he had been defeated so easily.

"It’s over,"

Joad said flatly, raising his hand.

An invisible force bound Peter’s body in an instant.

"You... you’re an archmage!"

Only now did Peter finally realize—

Joad’s strength had far surpassed anything he could have imagined.

"Sister... save me!"

Peter let out a final cry of despair.

But in the next instant—

a wave of devastating mana crushed him into dust!

... 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"You Ilan Royal Academy bastards... you’ve chosen death!"

A cold, wrathful voice suddenly echoed across the night sky.

"You really think Pyrothian Kingdom is so easy to trample?!"

An old crone appeared in the air, her back hunched, her face full of wrinkles, and her gaze sharp and sinister.

Powerful magical energy radiated from her frail-looking body.

"An archmage!"

Headmaster Simar exclaimed in shock.

The original Grand Duke Ilan’s face darkened drastically.

He hadn’t expected the Pyrothian Kingdom to send an archmage of their own.

And judging from her aura—she was no weakling.

He glared at the old woman and asked warily,

"What is the meaning of this? Are you planning to annihilate Ilan Royal Academy completely?"

"You’re not afraid the Pyrothian Kingdom will hold you accountable?"

The crone sneered, her eyes practically radiating killing intent.

"I know what you’re relying on—Lena becoming Duke Blazefury’s student.

But so what? If I kill everyone, no one will know I was ever here."

"You—!"

Simar’s rage surged to the extreme,

but before he could speak again—

the old crone struck first!

In the sky above,

a blinding magical light burst forth, blanketing the entire academy—

its brilliance so intense it stung the eyes.

It was a high-rank spell!

She was unleashing high-rank magic—

with enough power to wipe Ilan Royal Academy off the map!