Leaving the stone podium while in deep thought, Faxul walked towards the curtain of water and exited it, all while being stared at by a pair of rabid eyes from the inner parts of the cave.

After he pa.s.sed through the waterfall, he saw that the Protector Raven was basking in the sun with its ma.s.sive body, while idly munching on some animal it seemed to have picked up as a snack.

"What happened? Did you obtain it?", it asked, which made Faxul frown slightly.

"How did you know about this place?"

On being asked this question, the Protector Raven hesitated, and Faxul could tell through the bond he shared with it that it was deciding whether or not to answer.

Finally, it seemed to have decided to tell him what he wanted to know.

"I only know of this due to the memories that are pa.s.sed down from Protector Raven to Protector Raven. According to them, the stone podium inside was once in our Kingdom. At that time, the most talented King of that time managed to pa.s.s the stringent conditions of the podium and attained unbelievable techniques."

After pausing to prune it's glossy, black feathers, the Protector Raven continued.

"At the time, the King managed to shoot forward in power, but the Big 4 intervened. In my memory, the Protector Raven of that time only saw the King trying to protect the podium at all costs, while those from the Big 4 besieged him from all sides. The wondrous thing was that even if he was outnumbered, he still managed to kill many of his opponents, and even managed to escape. However, the King told my ancestor that the Big 4 had interrupted and ruined a very important process that would have seen him become one of the strongest beings on the continent. After faking his death and hiding the podium, he made the Protector Raven swear that this matter would be kept a purpose. At the same time, a bond was formed between the podium and the Protector Raven, which was pa.s.sed down to me. I felt that bond calling to me, when I saw you pus.h.i.+ng yourself so much to gain power. We both know war is coming. The Big 4 must be preoccupied with that, unlike then. So, I decided to heed that call and bring you here, at least to see whether the podium finds you worthy. My King, whatever you obtained in there, I strongly suggest that you keep it to yourself. Wars have been fought over even less valuable things."

The Protector Raven almost seemed as if it had prepared this speech the moment Faxul had walked out, as if it knew that he would have this question.

He had read about an ancient Black Raven King who had been persecuted by the Big 4, but in the records, the reason was unknown.

It did make sense now.

Faxul knew clearly that such a magical technique would definitely garner attention from the highest echelons of this world.

However, why would his best friend, who had only helped him till now without even expecting much in return, covet it?

Again, like clockwork, answers appeared in his mind which refuted this.

Everyone could change according to the situation, his inner voice said.

So, it was probably best not to take a chance.

Besides, the technique might not even work. Why not try it first?

In this way, Faxul's thought to contact Daneel was postponed yet again.

Getting on the Protector Raven, he prepared to go back to the Palace, but he couldn't shake the thought that something was wrong.

…

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Lanthanor.

The guard that had been posted 24/7 in the Library in the Academy that the present King had studied in had just been about to get off his s.h.i.+ft.

He only had one duty, and it was pretty boring: sitting in the hidden and forbidden highest floor of the library, he had to keep watch over a door and notify the Grand Court Mage if there was any change.

For months now, there had been nothing, and this had become one of the shortest straws that could be drawn by those who were a.s.signed for general guard duty.

However, today, it seemed that things were going to be different.

A red light started to s.h.i.+ne from under the gap of the only door in the corridor, and it grew in intensity until it became so bright that the guard had to blink in order to see anything.

Shocked by the sudden event, he even fell on the ground, as he had been in the middle of the process of getting up to walk around before his replacement arrived.

Hurriedly, he took out a communication trinket and contacted the Grand Court Mage.

Receiving the message, Kellor immediately contacted the King, but he received no reply.

The King had instructed them that this red light was of the utmost priority, and that he should definitely be intimated if it appeared.

Yet, the King had been in complete closed door training for weeks!

Wondering what the heck he was supposed to do, Kellor started pacing around, while repeatedly sending messages through the communication trinket of the King and the oathstone, hoping that whatever the significance of that red light, it could wait until the King received the message about it.

….

Meanwhile, Daneel had just been on the way to his dormitory so that he could plan exactly how he was going to plant evidence.

Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of the Central Walkway due to a message from the system.

[One of the alarms set down using the system has been tripped. Unable to ascertain exact alarm due to interference from Sect Formation. Please exit the formation if host wishes to identify which alarm it is.]

As his heart started to beat faster, Daneel realized that something must definitely be wrong outside.

The 'alarms' he had placed were all highly important: they ranged from the one he had set up to identify trespa.s.sers in the Withering Leaf Sect, to the one he had placed in Eldinor, near the core of the formation, to try and find out who might have taken away the items.

There were many more which were equally crucial, so Daneel knew that whatever it was, it needed his immediate attention.

But how was he supposed to go out?

Gritting his teeth, Daneel decided that it was time to take dire measures.

Walking to the mission office, he saw that there were missions to the outside which were under the supervision of an Exalted Warrior.

Looking for the shortest one, he saw that it was one week long, and the mission was to travel to all of the 'no-trespasing' and forbidden regions on the continent to check whether the formations that had been placed there were secure.

It was monotonous work, so there were not many people interested.

However, Daneel signed up without hesitation.

A few hours later, he set off with 3 others, and the moment he exited the sect, he was inundated by messages from Kellor that the Empire Spirit in Lanthanor was s.h.i.+ning red, indicating that something had happened to it.

The last time that had happened, he had 'unlocked' one of its levels.

This was already shocking in itself, but the message from the system that sounded in his head made the rest of his thoughts disappear.

As he stopped in the air with his eyes wide open, he hoped that he was dreaming.

[Alarm placed inside target 'Faxul's' mind to identify interference from secondary consciousness has been triggered. The alarm has been wiped away. However, from the information received, system has been able to identify the source. Target 'Faxul' has come under the effect of a Hero-level Mind Control Spell, which is directing his thoughts subtly.]