Foreboding Storm - Chapter 146

Crown Prince Lail stepped out of the portal and lifted his head, the three moons of the Mistland Academy entering his sight. Due to his gruesome mask, none of the females dared to approach him, opting to steer clear instead.

“It’s a wonder how she didn’t disdain or find me hideous.” His mind flashed back to Laila and he couldn’t help but marvel at how her gaze never displayed a trace of contempt at his appearance.

He walked through the academy to the Missions Hall, his steps firm and unshakeable even under the numerous stares of the academy apprentices.

He wasn’t concerned with them. Now that his goal of acquiring the necessary training had been achieved, the Crown Prince was looking forward to departing from the academy.

“I’m here to submit my mission for the Magical Kilin Mission.”

“Oh? You completed the Magical Kilin Mission?” The elder behind the counter looked up with surprise. The Magical Kilin Mission was one of the hardest missions in the academy. It required the assistance and collaboration of the apprentices from the other academies to complete it.

For the kid to return alone meant that he’d gone alone. For him to go alone could only mean he had full faith and belief in himself and his abilities.

Crown Prince Lail handed over the Magical Kilin thigh bone swirling with profound elemental energy.

The elder infused his elemental energy into the bone and the ferocious roar of the beast echoed out. Unconcerned with the commotion the scene was garnering, the elder rang for assistance to verify the authenticity of the material.

“I want to begin my withdrawal from the academy, elder.” The elder raised his head with another look of surprise but quickly returned to his senses when he saw the growing crowd.

“Give me a moment. I’ll inform the dean and great elders.” Picking a wand from the side, he waved a few times and a bright flare shot out and raced out of the hall towards the Main Hall.

“Look, someone fulfilled the Magical Kilin Mission!” A shout rang and instantly attracted the attention of apprentices.

“Completed the Magical Kilin Mission? How is that possible? The Magical Kilin mission is the most difficult of all missions? Who is the monstrous genius that is able to achieve such a feat?”

“He’s the one wearing the hideous mask!”

The apprentices went in an uproar as they looked at the hideous-looking man with disbelief and shock.

“This man…does he seem a bit familiar?”

“You think so too? I just feel the aura he’s giving off is too similar to a certain individual.”

“I was thinking the same thing!”

The boys scanned the masked man from head to toe, the sense of familiarity they perceived heightening whenever his voice rang out.

The females on the other hand were too disgusted by his mask to look. Hence, they kept away and observed the scene from a distance.

Within three breaths of time, the kindly-looking dean entered the Missions Hall with seven elders and glanced at Crown Prince Lail in confusion.

“Little friend, you’ve completed the Magical Kilin Mission and want to withdraw from the academy?”

“Yes, dean!”

“That’s fine, but the Seven Academies competition is about to begin. Is it possible for you to withdraw after the end of the competition? I’ll sign your withdrawal form right now.” The dean didn’t want to lose such a talented individual before the start of the seven academies competition.

But if the apprentice desired to leave and didn’t want to wait until the seven academies competition, then he had no way of stopping him. He’d completed the Magical Kilin Mission and hence, was free to go at any time.

Crown Prince Lail nodded complacently, making the dean excited with joy.

“Great! Great! Worthy of being a student of our academy. Elder, bring his departure form. I’ll sign it right now.”

“Yes, dean.” The elder picked up a white plaque with graduation on the front and Magical Kilin Mission on the back and handed it over to the dean.

The dean excitedly received the plaque and injected his elemental energy, placing his signature on the bottom of the graduation side.

“Elders, place your seal as well. Since Little Friend had accomplished the mission, there’s no reason for us not to sign his form. He’s willing to stay in the academy until the end of the Seven Academies Competition. That’s already a great contribution worthy of praise.”

The elders exchanged glances and stepped forth, releasing their own elemental magic and infusing it into the white plaque. On the Magical Kilin Mission side, all seven elders’ signatures were imprinted.

Finally getting the permission to freely withdraw from the academy, Crown Prince Lail’s heart relaxed and a relieved smile spread across his face under the mask.

“Qamari, after we meet at the seven academies competition, I’ll never leave your side again, and neither will I allow you to leave mine. From here on, our journey together will begin.”

“Little Friend, did something happen to your face on a mission? Is that why you’re wearing a mask? If not, and if it’s not invading your privacy, the elders and I would like to see the appearance of the apprentice that’d accomplished the Magical Kilin Mission.” The dean hesitantly looked at the masked youth and spoke.

He wanted to see the appearance of the young man because this was the first time the Magical Kilin Mission had been successfully completed in a hundred years.

Crown Prince Lail looked at the dean and the gathered elders. Now that he had the white plaque that was akin to successfully graduating from the Mistland Academy, he could leave anytime he wanted. He wouldn’t have to bear and endure the unwanted affection of the females.

Since he had no reason to keep the mask on anymore, the Crown prince nodded and raised his hands to remove it.

The moment the spectating apprentices saw the masked man removing his facial mask, they looked at the man with ridicule and mocking sneers.

“Hmph! Even if he isn’t as hideous as the mask he’s wearing, I’m sure his real face isn’t any less hideous.”

“My thought exactly! Even if he isn’t ugly, what about it? Can he compete with us for looks?”

“Even if he manages to someone match us in looks, there’s still Brother Lail. He’ll have to be a hundred times better looking than Brother Lail to beat him in appearance and presence.”

The men scornfully mocked and gloated at the prospect of the first student to accomplish the Magical Kilin Mission making a fool of himself.

The females, on the other hand, covered their mouths and looked away, not wanting to poison their eyes with the appearance they perceived to be uglier than the mask the man was wearing.

In their minds, the man had gotten disfigured in a clash with the magical beasts and had no choice but to wear a mask to express his complex.

“We can just leave. I don’t want to see something hideous so early in the morning.” One female spoke disgustedly as she glanced at the masked man.

“You’re right. We can always leave, but I want to know who this person is. After all, he successfully completed the Magical Kilin Mission.”

“Yes, since we’re here, we might as well watch to the end.”

“Hmph!”

With that, the females managed to stay their ground and spectate with undisguised contempt and disgust in their eyes.

Crown Prince Lail unclasped his mask strings and slowly lifted the thing off. Immediately, a gust of fresh air hit his face, making him sigh in comfort and raise his head to cool off the sweat. The mask accomplished its task of warding off the females, but it had almost made him suffocate from insufficient lack of oxygen.

Huuuu!

“This…!”

“Little Lail…?”

The instant Crown Prince Lail’s mask came off, gasps of astonishment resounded. The males’ eyes widened and mouths hung open in disbelief before understanding dawned on them. The mockery and scorn on their faces disappeared, replaced with flattery and friendly smiles.

“Haha..so it was Brother Lail. I did wonder which new genius had come out to challenge your undisputed title.”

“Brother Lail, I didn’t know you had a penchant for masquerading. If you did, you should’ve let me know. We could’ve masqueraded together.”

“If not Brother Lail, who else can accomplish the Magical Kilin Mission. But since you successfully completed the mission, does it mean you plan on leaving the academy?”

The females on the other hand felt as they had been struck by lightning on a clear day. Their comical expressions depicted the tumulus waves surging in their hearts, the disbelief and shock clear in their wide eyes.

“How…how can it be Brother Lail?”

“The person we’d been mocking and ridiculing all this while was Brother Lail?”

“This…how can this be?”

Confused and lost, they stared at the man of their dream with shame and unconcealable regret. Without a doubt, he must’ve heard their words. Now, Brother Lail would probably never approach them for being so shallow and superficial.

On the other hand, the dean felt as if he were dreaming. The young man that had entered the Mistland Academy for only 9 months was already graduating from the academy. What’s more, the kid had rightfully and successfully accomplished the Magical Kilin Academy, proving his talent and ability were far beyond those of his peers.

For the Mistland Academy to gain and lose such a genius, it was a bane incurred by them. Thinking of his previous behavior towards the kid, he couldn’t help but feel deep regret.

If only he knew, he would’ve never allowed himself to get blinded by his love for his dear disciple.

“Little Lail, so it was you. I guess this means you wish to leave the academy?” He didn’t have to ask. It was obvious to everyone present. Because only if one wished to desperately leave the academy, would they dare to endanger their lives to such an extent.

“Hmm! After the Seven Academies Competition, I won’t be returning to the Mistland Academy.” Crown Prince Lail nodded without hesitation.

What was there to hesitate? He had only entered the academy for the Seven Academies Competition. If he didn’t want to meet his wife so desperately, even if he was promised a future with unlimited magic and potential, he would’ve never entered the Mistland Academy.

But according to the Speaking Ink Tree and the Great Oracle, his wife wasn’t an ordinary magician. If he wanted to stay with her for the rest of their lives, he had to take this step and make himself stronger and capable enough to stand by her side.

He had to make himself worthy of her.

“Dean, elders, thank you for your care and teachings the past few months. I wish the academy and every elder prosperity. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go and meet my Master.”

“Yes, yes! Go ahead.” The elders stepped aside and Crown Prince Lail gave a slight nod and left the Missions Hall.

The elders watched his receding back and recalled his entrance into the academy.

“He came with the plaque of the founder and entered the academy unconventionally and brought the heirloom of the Magical Kilin to left unconventionally.” The Law Elder commented with a helpless sigh.

The other elders exchanged glances and helplessly sighed as well. Seeing the dumbfounded students still staring in the direction the young man had left in, their expressions changed and the elders harrumphed coldly.

“Hmph! A student that had entered the Mistland Academy for less than 9 months acquired the heirloom of a Magical Kilin and is graduating! Look at you! How long have you been enrolled in the academy? Instead of training and working hard to surpass your peers, you’re wasting your training time gossiping and standing around!”

“Law elder, who are you reprimanding? Success is achieved through hard work and effort, not spectating. Let them be. If they have the ambition, they’ll train harder on their own without being goaded!” The dean flung his sleeve and left the Missions Hall.

The Mistland Academy had lost a genius. As the Dean of the Mistland Academy, he couldn’t help but feel depressed….