Rivers of the Night

This time, the hesitation in their actions was much less. They made it to the cage instantly and had already pressed a hand against it.

In all the blinding lights, Theron couldn't see or sense what they were doing. But what he did know was that the subtle sound of something hitting the cage this time wasn't a palm or hand any longer. It was something harder, more solid.

It clinked delicately—so light it wouldn't have been perceptible at all if Theron wasn't specifically looking out for it.

And then Theron sensed a shift in the Light Mana.

'I see.'

This person wasn't a Light Mancer, then. Either that, or they were trying to hide their true origins by utilizing an external tool to activate Light Mana instead.

This either meant that it wasn't Scholar McIntyre, who was obviously from a Clan of Light Mancers, or he was trying to hide his true identity. Whatever the truth was, Theron couldn't quite make a decision yet.

What had him hesitating was… would it really have taken Scholar McIntyre an entire hour to figure out the trick of the cage? It had taken Theron a single walk around and one touch. And that was under the condition that his Third Eye wasn't working at full capacity and his cultivation was sealed.

Theron's gaze flickered the moment he sensed the cage shift. At that moment, he pushed against the Mandate Mark, making just the slightest bit of room.

If the Mandate Mark was like a pair of handcuffs holding his wrists in position, Theron had just lengthened the chains between them and loosened their grip. It was just enough that he could slip out, but comforting enough for him to pull on his Mana.

There was no way that Theron could battle in such a state. But what he could do was control a small stream of Water Mana and his Law of Reflection and Density to refract some of the light flooding into the cage.

While the figure was focusing on opening the cage, Theron triggered something else entirely.

The entire prison trembled, blaring warning noises filling the air. The Light Mana in the region became more intense—so much so that Theron truly couldn't keep his eyes open and almost felt as though his skin was being singed off.

Without a choice, he could only divert the remaining small slivers of Mana he could control to coat his skin, refracting the light just enough to lower the intensity.

The figure froze in place, shocked. They felt it was impossible. They had calculated again and again; they couldn't have made a mistake.

Could it be?

They looked to Theron. Or, rather, they tried to. But in this place, not only was eyesight impossible to rely on, but the intense Light Mana made even the most powerful Third Eyes crumble.

Dense Mana was the bane of all Third Eyes. This place was simply the perfect prison. The fact they had been able to sneak in here in the first place was already its own shocking feat.

The figure hesitated again, knowing they didn't have much time.

"I know it was you," they hissed beneath their breath.

Theron could hardly catch the words beneath the blaring noise, but he felt that it was enough.

Scholar McIntyre.

Theron reacted as though he hadn't heard anything, but it seemed like the Scholar didn't have time to play his games. Successfully taking Theron out of here now would be impossible—not unless he used his full strength.

And if he had wanted to reveal that, he wouldn't have wasted an hour skulking around, pretending not to understand things in the first place.

However, while this half of his plan wouldn't work out, he could still do the other.

With a flash in his step, Scholar McIntyre vanished like the wind. All the while, Theron just seemed to be looking around in confusion, huddling in a corner to try and protect himself from the searing Light Mana all around him.

A heavy pain was leaching at his skin, peeling layers off. It seemed like more of a punishment for him than the actual person who tried to break him out. But hoping that one could use Light Mana to harm Scholar McIntyre was its own foolish endeavor.

The sound of rushing footsteps and vast cultivations quickly followed, and Theron found his cage instantly surrounded.

He just remained there, still huddled in his cage until the lights finally dimmed somewhat.

Then he collapsed, sweating out beads that carried small hints of crimson from his bloodstream.

It was a truly gruesome prison.

The Ancestor Veil stood above Theron, his eyes narrowed. At Theron's cultivation, he should be dead right now with the alarm activating.

The only way he wouldn't be was if…

"You used Mana?"

Theron was too busy shivering in pain to reply. But the Ancestor Veil didn't need one. He could sense the faint traces of Water Mana in the air.

In this region, there should be nothing but Light Mana at all. The presence of another didn't make any sense.

The Ancestor Veil's eyes shone brightly.

"The plaque—how far have you made it?"

The Ancestor Veil pulled Theron up, forced his mouth open, and made him down a healing elixir. He pressed a palm against Theron's dantian, sensing things while Theron circulated it with what slivers of Mana he could control.

This made the Ancestor Veil's eyes sharpen all the more. It was exactly as they wanted. Theron was loosening the Mandate Mark day by day.

"I've learned… two more Laws…" Theron said somewhat weakly.

"Good, good."

"But…"

"But?" The Ancestor Veil frowned.

"The plaque… they took it."

The Ancestor Veil blinked. That was right—he hadn't really considered why the alarm triggered and just assumed it was Theron doing something foolish.

Just as he was having this thought, an Elder Veil rushed in.

"Your Excellency Ancestor Veil, it's the Daggers of the Night! We found traces of them and are giving chase now."

Suddenly, the Ancestor Veil "understood." The Daggers of the Night was an organization as ancient as their Mandate Guild. They must have had tabs on Theron too.

Realizing they couldn't take him tonight, they must have noticed that Theron was on the verge of breaking the mark and chose the best option to slow him down.

The Ancestor Veil's eyes narrowed. "Increase security! And get me the best Water Mancy Mandate Plaques we have. Quickly!"