In his brief life, Wolf had seen plenty of bandit dens and freed too many imprisoned women. However, those experiences were useless now.
Wolf opened the door so forcefully, he directly snapped it from the frame. He was so out of it; he didn’t even notice throwing it out of the bedroom. Wolf didn’t hear the crash when the heavy wood slammed into the overturned dining table, shattering it.
His eyes first went wide, then his pupils narrowed as he took in the sight before him. The scene of brutality was forever etched into his soul, becoming a vile and integral part of him. The only scene which shook him more was the world-spanning tree of lightning which covered the heavens and scorched the earth.
Before him, Mandy lay on the bed. The woman was unconscious, her body broken to the point that even Wolf shuddered. He’d never seen such savagery.
Even the most sadistic bandits paled in comparison with the beasts who committed this atrocity.
Mandy’s body was bloody and exposed. The woman shivered and spasmed while breathing shallowly.
At least she’s alive. Wolf clenched his fists.
That thought was the only reason Wolf didn’t start rampaging right then and there. There were more important things to do than vent anger at that moment.
Wolf retrieved the highest tier healing potion he had unstoppered it and poured the tonic into Mandy’s swollen mouth.
Drinking a potion made it focus on internal injuries, while spreading the effect. Since Wolf was afraid to move or inspect Mandy’s injuries, he used the safest approach.
The healing solvent took effect immediately, its effect extraordinary. This was the potion Wolf kept in his stash, in case someone from his party got mortally wounded. It could even heal his injuries, as long as they weren’t critical.
In mere moments, Mandy’s flesh mended, and her swellings disappeared. With popping sounds, broken bones in her limbs moved back into place, then knitted back together. In just a few seconds, the potion mended all that could be fixed.
Mandy’s life was no longer in danger and her breathing stabilized. The only physical damage the potion couldn’t fix were her broken teeth, which were scattered around the room.
“Don’t— please— save me— Wolf—” Mandy muttered in her sleep, shivering more violently now that her body was better.
Wolf covered her up. Then, dreading what he was about to see, he cast Reforge Mind.
In the next moment, Mandy’s whole life was laid before Wolf’s eyes. He saw everything. Experiencing what Mandy had from her own perspective. Wolf clearly saw even the long forgotten details, giving him insight into Mandy’s state of mind.
Ever since Wolf had left, Mandy kept eating the same damn raspberry jam toast every morning. Daydreaming and hoping against hope, a knock would come. And on this particular morning, a knock did come from the door.
Mandy’s eyes snapped open. She thought she’d imagined it. But then, a second, more forceful knock came.
The woman rushed to the door, and then her nightmare began.
Under Wolf’s careful manipulation, these memories disappeared from Mandy’s soul. The young Mage felt hatred and memorized the faces of the bastards assaulting Mandy. Most of them were older than him, the leader in his mid-forties.
However, Wolf recognized one of them. It was the classmate who got kicked out of the elite class after the first semestral exam.
Wolf went through Mandy’s pain, despair and humiliation first hand. However, the only thing he could do was take those memories from her and carry that burden for the rest of his life. Deep inside, Wolf cursed whoever created this evil spell which seemed to collect everyone’s thoughts and experiences into one person.
Finally, the spell ended as Mandy blacked out. Wolf had missed the beasts by two hours. If he had arrived earlier, he would’ve beheaded them on the spot, dyeing Mandy’s flat crimson.
Wolf wanted to tuck in the sleeping woman, but the state of her body and bed were absolutely disgusting.
He cleaned her with a simple spell, then stored the bed into his Ring of Holding.
I’ll disintegrate this later, Wolf thought, then took out the bed he and Anna used when cuddling in the folded space.
Unaware of the irony, he placed the sleeping woman on the bed, gently tucking her in.
She looks like nothing had happened, Wolf thought, looking at Mandy’s peacefully sleeping form.
The only thing missing are her teeth. Healing potions can’t solve that, but Regeneration potions can regrow bones and teeth. I’ll get one and then settle the score with those monsters. Wolf cast a Wall of Soul Force to replace the broken door before rushing downstairs.
On the ground floor, he saw the elderly doorwoman quivering in the corner. Everyone in the building heard the sound of overturned furniture, herself included. This was a conflict of people with higher standing, and even the aftershock was likely to ruin her and possibly even get her killed.
The woman did everything in her power to make herself invisible, but it was nowhere near enough.
“You,” Wolf roared, pointing a finger at her. “Who came here this morning? Why did you let them in?”
The woman didn’t know what to do for a moment. Then she kowtowed, violently slamming her head against the ground.
“Lord Mage,” she wailed. “I am just a doorman! A senile old woman nobody cares about! I know nothing!”
“What the hell do you mean, you know nothing? Didn’t you hear those screams? Doesn’t anyone live here! What the fuck were you disgusting little people doing while they violated someone in front of your eyes!” Wolf shouted in fury.
He wasn’t shouting at this old woman. He shouted at the tenants, the entirety of humanity, and at the whole damn world.
“Lord Mage, spare me,” the old woman cried out, shaking like a leaf. “Things like this just happen! We are simple commoners and avoid causing trouble! In the battles of you, noble lords, it is us who end up hurt!”
Wolf was stunned.
What do you mean, these things happen? They happen here? Why the hell was I out there killing bandits left and right? Aren’t we taking missions to save people and prevent further violence? Then how can shit like this happen in the middle of a Mage Academy? And this old lady’s acting as if it’s normal. Should I start a slaughter here?
Wolf suddenly realized that the old woman wasn’t the problem. The rot had spread from a much higher position and from people with infinitely more power. Not wanting to waste time arguing with another victim of this system, Wolf sprinted out of the building at his top speed. Then he realized there wasn’t enough time before curfew to finish everything he wanted to do.
He cast Merge With Wind and disappeared.
A couple of minutes later, the young Mage materialized in front of the Alchemists’ Guild store, startling the guards.
Wolf ignored the two men completely and ran into the shop.
“Good day Lord Mage, how may—” the nearest assistant began, but Wolf didn’t let the handsome man finish.
“I need a potion of Regeneration now,” Wolf shouted. “Hurry!”
The clerk became flustered, then his eyes sparkled with excitement. Potion of Regeneration was one of the most expensive items in their stock. While they really were desirable, the price tag of five thousand gold coins was a major barrier for most people.
“Yes, Lord Mage.” The man hurriedly nodded, turning around to fetch the potion from the vault.
“Stop,” a familiar voice shouted, resounding through the store. The sudden yell startled clerks and customers alike.
The clerk froze and looked to the side. One of the two venerable guests from the central headquarters hurriedly walked towards him, with the store manager in tow.
The general manager stared at Wolf with confusion, but didn’t dare contradict the senior Alchemist.
“You won’t sell anything to him,” Tommy declared loudly, his lips drawn into an evil grin.
Wolf frowned. The last time the two had met, Wolf broke the fat man’s leg and nose. To a commoner, those were debilitating injuries. But for someone as rich as Tommy, they were just a bit of pain and a wasted potion.
Wolf was about to ask the Alchemist whether he wants another beating, but swallowed his words. He stood in the Alchemists’ Guild building, and he needed to buy a potion. If they threw him out, he’d be the one regretting it.
“I wish to buy a potion,” Wolf said as politely as he could manage, fighting hard not to gnash his teeth.
“Will you sell, or not?” Wolf asked the branch manager, acting as if Tommy wasn’t in the room.
The man stared back at Wolf, nervously rubbing his hands. Regeneration potion was always a profitable sale, but that bit of commission was not worth offending a VIP from the headquarters.
He glanced at Tommy and was about to refuse Wolf when Tommy suddenly raised his hand.
“The Alchemists’ Guild will not sell you the potion. But I will,” the Alchemist said slowly.
“As for the price,” he intentionally paused for a moment. “Forty-thousand gold coins sounds like a fair price.”
The man looked at Wolf with a dark expression, and the youth naturally knew where that price came from.
The branch manager’s eyes widened when he heard the price, then a moment later his jaw went completely slack.
Wolf nodded and without hesitation took out a heavy sack from his Ring of Holding. For an instant, he eyed Tommy’s legs. He wanted to break them with the heavy bag, but didn’t dare.
Instead, the bag thumped to the ground as the entire hall echoed with the sound of gold hitting marble. Before the echoes died down, three more bags hit the floor.
“Here’s the money. Bring me the potion,” Wolf said, staring murder at Tommy.
The branch manager and the clerk stood dazed, watching with gaping mouths as Wolf paid a fortune without blinking.
“Now!” Wolf roared, causing the clerk to run into the back room.
Dozens of guards hurried over when they heard the sudden shout.
Seeing the guards rushing when a wealthy man’s money was in danger, Wolf couldn’t help but think how nobody came to help Mandy. Darkness shrouded his sanity.
“Piss off,” he growled, fully unleashing his murderous aura.
He didn’t care about the gasps and the trembling of people in the shop, nor about the fact that he was causing a scene. As long as he got the potion he needed, this place could burn as far as he was concerned.
The weakest of clerks and shoppers collapsed, while the rest grew slick in sweat. The running guards stumbled, not daring to come any closer.
Even Tommy and the branch manager shuddered from fear. The latter finally realized that he might have made a mistake by allowing the Alchemist to oppress Wolf.
When he heard the echo of approaching footsteps from the back room, Wolf retracted his aura.
The entire shop was dead silent, you could hear a needle if you dropped it. The only sound was the approaching footsteps of the confused clerk, who had no idea why everyone was acting strangely.
“Here you go Lord—” Before the youth finished his words, Wolf snatched the bottle and disappeared in a puff of smoke and a gust of wind.
Branch manager and Tommy kept their cool when Wolf released his murderous aura. However seeing him use an Eighth Order spell was a completely different story.
The manager didn’t know how old Wolf was. But based on his appearance he could pass for a ten year old and was definitely no older than twenty.
The manager finally realized that he’d made a mistake. His mind immediately began racing, trying to figure out how to mend the situation, but the situation was horrible.
He was messing with a person who was in such a hurry that they didn’t mind overpaying by ten times. And they overpaid an already ridiculously expensive item.
He glanced at Tommy’s back, inwardly cursing this man and his entire lineage.
Why is my luck so rotten? Out of all the days of my life, I had to have a chat with this jinx today, the man thought, feeling like crying. And out of all the places it had to be the fancy guest room in the back!
A couple of minutes later, a gust of wind blew through the window of Mandy’s bedroom, and Wolf materialized next to the sleeping woman. Her breathing was deep and regular. She wasn’t spasming, nor shaking. In fact there was even a light smile on her face. She must have been dreaming about something nice.
Wolf cast Deep Slumber, before gently parting her lips and feeding her the potion.
He watched as Mandy’s teeth magically grew back. Relieved that Mandy was now fine, Wolf looked around the trashed room. He could make it clean; but that meant going around, storing broken furniture and haphazardly strewn teeth into his Ring of Holding.
Wolf thought about it for a couple of moments, then decided this wasn’t worth the effort. If it was morning, or even early afternoon, he would still have the time to tidy everything up and find those guys to get revenge on them.
But now he only had a couple of hours before the evening curfew and cleaning up Mandy’s flat was low on his list of priorities.
Worst case scenario, Mandy would get a bit of a scare in the morning.
As he reached this conclusion, Wolf picked up her broken teeth before leaving. He figured finding teeth would scare her more than an unknown bed and a couple of broken chairs.
He glanced at the sleeping woman’s form one more time before dissolving into mist and disappearing.
Wolf felt a splitting headache. It was as if a storm was brewing in his Mind Palace. His second Mind Hall was growing at an insane speed from the emotional overload he felt. But Wolf couldn’t be bothered to sit down and meditate. There was a singular thought in his mind right now.
It was time to make those psychopaths pay.
In his brief life, Wolf had seen plenty of bandit dens and freed too many imprisoned women. However, those experiences were useless now.
Wolf opened the door so forcefully, he directly snapped it from the frame. He was so out of it; he didn’t even notice throwing it out of the bedroom. Wolf didn’t hear the crash when the heavy wood slammed into the overturned dining table, shattering it.
His eyes first went wide, then his pupils narrowed as he took in the sight before him. The scene of brutality was forever etched into his soul, becoming a vile and integral part of him. The only scene which shook him more was the world-spanning tree of lightning which covered the heavens and scorched the earth.
Before him, Mandy lay on the bed. The woman was unconscious, her body broken to the point that even Wolf shuddered. He’d never seen such savagery.
Even the most sadistic bandits paled in comparison with the beasts who committed this atrocity.
Mandy’s body was bloody and exposed. The woman shivered and spasmed while breathing shallowly.
At least she’s alive. Wolf clenched his fists.
That thought was the only reason Wolf didn’t start rampaging right then and there. There were more important things to do than vent anger at that moment.
Wolf retrieved the highest tier healing potion he had unstoppered it and poured the tonic into Mandy’s swollen mouth.
Drinking a potion made it focus on internal injuries, while spreading the effect. Since Wolf was afraid to move or inspect Mandy’s injuries, he used the safest approach.
The healing solvent took effect immediately, its effect extraordinary. This was the potion Wolf kept in his stash, in case someone from his party got mortally wounded. It could even heal his injuries, as long as they weren’t critical.
In mere moments, Mandy’s flesh mended, and her swellings disappeared. With popping sounds, broken bones in her limbs moved back into place, then knitted back together. In just a few seconds, the potion mended all that could be fixed.
Mandy’s life was no longer in danger and her breathing stabilized. The only physical damage the potion couldn’t fix were her broken teeth, which were scattered around the room.
“Don’t— please— save me— Wolf—” Mandy muttered in her sleep, shivering more violently now that her body was better.
Wolf covered her up. Then, dreading what he was about to see, he cast Reforge Mind.
In the next moment, Mandy’s whole life was laid before Wolf’s eyes. He saw everything. Experiencing what Mandy had from her own perspective. Wolf clearly saw even the long forgotten details, giving him insight into Mandy’s state of mind.
Ever since Wolf had left, Mandy kept eating the same damn raspberry jam toast every morning. Daydreaming and hoping against hope, a knock would come. And on this particular morning, a knock did come from the door.
Mandy’s eyes snapped open. She thought she’d imagined it. But then, a second, more forceful knock came.
The woman rushed to the door, and then her nightmare began.
Under Wolf’s careful manipulation, these memories disappeared from Mandy’s soul. The young Mage felt hatred and memorized the faces of the bastards assaulting Mandy. Most of them were older than him, the leader in his mid-forties.
However, Wolf recognized one of them. It was the classmate who got kicked out of the elite class after the first semestral exam.
Wolf went through Mandy’s pain, despair and humiliation first hand. However, the only thing he could do was take those memories from her and carry that burden for the rest of his life. Deep inside, Wolf cursed whoever created this evil spell which seemed to collect everyone’s thoughts and experiences into one person.
Finally, the spell ended as Mandy blacked out. Wolf had missed the beasts by two hours. If he had arrived earlier, he would’ve beheaded them on the spot, dyeing Mandy’s flat crimson.
Wolf wanted to tuck in the sleeping woman, but the state of her body and bed were absolutely disgusting.
He cleaned her with a simple spell, then stored the bed into his Ring of Holding.
I’ll disintegrate this later, Wolf thought, then took out the bed he and Anna used when cuddling in the folded space.
Unaware of the irony, he placed the sleeping woman on the bed, gently tucking her in.
She looks like nothing had happened, Wolf thought, looking at Mandy’s peacefully sleeping form.
The only thing missing are her teeth. Healing potions can’t solve that, but Regeneration potions can regrow bones and teeth. I’ll get one and then settle the score with those monsters. Wolf cast a Wall of Soul Force to replace the broken door before rushing downstairs.
On the ground floor, he saw the elderly doorwoman quivering in the corner. Everyone in the building heard the sound of overturned furniture, herself included. This was a conflict of people with higher standing, and even the aftershock was likely to ruin her and possibly even get her killed.
The woman did everything in her power to make herself invisible, but it was nowhere near enough.
“You,” Wolf roared, pointing a finger at her. “Who came here this morning? Why did you let them in?”
The woman didn’t know what to do for a moment. Then she kowtowed, violently slamming her head against the ground.
“Lord Mage,” she wailed. “I am just a doorman! A senile old woman nobody cares about! I know nothing!”
“What the hell do you mean, you know nothing? Didn’t you hear those screams? Doesn’t anyone live here! What the fuck were you disgusting little people doing while they violated someone in front of your eyes!” Wolf shouted in fury.
He wasn’t shouting at this old woman. He shouted at the tenants, the entirety of humanity, and at the whole damn world.
“Lord Mage, spare me,” the old woman cried out, shaking like a leaf. “Things like this just happen! We are simple commoners and avoid causing trouble! In the battles of you, noble lords, it is us who end up hurt!”
Wolf was stunned.
What do you mean, these things happen? They happen here? Why the hell was I out there killing bandits left and right? Aren’t we taking missions to save people and prevent further violence? Then how can shit like this happen in the middle of a Mage Academy? And this old lady’s acting as if it’s normal. Should I start a slaughter here?
Wolf suddenly realized that the old woman wasn’t the problem. The rot had spread from a much higher position and from people with infinitely more power. Not wanting to waste time arguing with another victim of this system, Wolf sprinted out of the building at his top speed. Then he realized there wasn’t enough time before curfew to finish everything he wanted to do.
He cast Merge With Wind and disappeared.
A couple of minutes later, the young Mage materialized in front of the Alchemists’ Guild store, startling the guards.
Wolf ignored the two men completely and ran into the shop.
“Good day Lord Mage, how may—” the nearest assistant began, but Wolf didn’t let the handsome man finish.
“I need a potion of Regeneration now,” Wolf shouted. “Hurry!”
The clerk became flustered, then his eyes sparkled with excitement. Potion of Regeneration was one of the most expensive items in their stock. While they really were desirable, the price tag of five thousand gold coins was a major barrier for most people.
“Yes, Lord Mage.” The man hurriedly nodded, turning around to fetch the potion from the vault.
“Stop,” a familiar voice shouted, resounding through the store. The sudden yell startled clerks and customers alike.
The clerk froze and looked to the side. One of the two venerable guests from the central headquarters hurriedly walked towards him, with the store manager in tow.
The general manager stared at Wolf with confusion, but didn’t dare contradict the senior Alchemist.
“You won’t sell anything to him,” Tommy declared loudly, his lips drawn into an evil grin.
Wolf frowned. The last time the two had met, Wolf broke the fat man’s leg and nose. To a commoner, those were debilitating injuries. But for someone as rich as Tommy, they were just a bit of pain and a wasted potion.
Wolf was about to ask the Alchemist whether he wants another beating, but swallowed his words. He stood in the Alchemists’ Guild building, and he needed to buy a potion. If they threw him out, he’d be the one regretting it.
“I wish to buy a potion,” Wolf said as politely as he could manage, fighting hard not to gnash his teeth.
“Will you sell, or not?” Wolf asked the branch manager, acting as if Tommy wasn’t in the room.
The man stared back at Wolf, nervously rubbing his hands. Regeneration potion was always a profitable sale, but that bit of commission was not worth offending a VIP from the headquarters.
He glanced at Tommy and was about to refuse Wolf when Tommy suddenly raised his hand.
“The Alchemists’ Guild will not sell you the potion. But I will,” the Alchemist said slowly.
“As for the price,” he intentionally paused for a moment. “Forty-thousand gold coins sounds like a fair price.”
The man looked at Wolf with a dark expression, and the youth naturally knew where that price came from.
The branch manager’s eyes widened when he heard the price, then a moment later his jaw went completely slack.
Wolf nodded and without hesitation took out a heavy sack from his Ring of Holding. For an instant, he eyed Tommy’s legs. He wanted to break them with the heavy bag, but didn’t dare.
Instead, the bag thumped to the ground as the entire hall echoed with the sound of gold hitting marble. Before the echoes died down, three more bags hit the floor.
“Here’s the money. Bring me the potion,” Wolf said, staring murder at Tommy.
The branch manager and the clerk stood dazed, watching with gaping mouths as Wolf paid a fortune without blinking.
“Now!” Wolf roared, causing the clerk to run into the back room.
Dozens of guards hurried over when they heard the sudden shout.
Seeing the guards rushing when a wealthy man’s money was in danger, Wolf couldn’t help but think how nobody came to help Mandy. Darkness shrouded his sanity.
“Piss off,” he growled, fully unleashing his murderous aura.
He didn’t care about the gasps and the trembling of people in the shop, nor about the fact that he was causing a scene. As long as he got the potion he needed, this place could burn as far as he was concerned.
The weakest of clerks and shoppers collapsed, while the rest grew slick in sweat. The running guards stumbled, not daring to come any closer.
Even Tommy and the branch manager shuddered from fear. The latter finally realized that he might have made a mistake by allowing the Alchemist to oppress Wolf.
When he heard the echo of approaching footsteps from the back room, Wolf retracted his aura.
The entire shop was dead silent, you could hear a needle if you dropped it. The only sound was the approaching footsteps of the confused clerk, who had no idea why everyone was acting strangely.
“Here you go Lord—” Before the youth finished his words, Wolf snatched the bottle and disappeared in a puff of smoke and a gust of wind.
Branch manager and Tommy kept their cool when Wolf released his murderous aura. However seeing him use an Eighth Order spell was a completely different story.
The manager didn’t know how old Wolf was. But based on his appearance he could pass for a ten year old and was definitely no older than twenty.
The manager finally realized that he’d made a mistake. His mind immediately began racing, trying to figure out how to mend the situation, but the situation was horrible.
He was messing with a person who was in such a hurry that they didn’t mind overpaying by ten times. And they overpaid an already ridiculously expensive item.
He glanced at Tommy’s back, inwardly cursing this man and his entire lineage.
Why is my luck so rotten? Out of all the days of my life, I had to have a chat with this jinx today, the man thought, feeling like crying. And out of all the places it had to be the fancy guest room in the back!
A couple of minutes later, a gust of wind blew through the window of Mandy’s bedroom, and Wolf materialized next to the sleeping woman. Her breathing was deep and regular. She wasn’t spasming, nor shaking. In fact there was even a light smile on her face. She must have been dreaming about something nice.
Wolf cast Deep Slumber, before gently parting her lips and feeding her the potion.
He watched as Mandy’s teeth magically grew back. Relieved that Mandy was now fine, Wolf looked around the trashed room. He could make it clean; but that meant going around, storing broken furniture and haphazardly strewn teeth into his Ring of Holding.
Wolf thought about it for a couple of moments, then decided this wasn’t worth the effort. If it was morning, or even early afternoon, he would still have the time to tidy everything up and find those guys to get revenge on them.
But now he only had a couple of hours before the evening curfew and cleaning up Mandy’s flat was low on his list of priorities.
Worst case scenario, Mandy would get a bit of a scare in the morning.
As he reached this conclusion, Wolf picked up her broken teeth before leaving. He figured finding teeth would scare her more than an unknown bed and a couple of broken chairs.
He glanced at the sleeping woman’s form one more time before dissolving into mist and disappearing.
Wolf felt a splitting headache. It was as if a storm was brewing in his Mind Palace. His second Mind Hall was growing at an insane speed from the emotional overload he felt. But Wolf couldn’t be bothered to sit down and meditate. There was a singular thought in his mind right now.
It was time to make those psychopaths pay.
