On the second day after Lei Xi'er left, Louis couldn't wait to set out.

He didn't tell anyone the reason, just brought Lambert, Sif, and two of his most trusted elite knights across the woodland at the edge of the Red Tide Territory, arriving at a deserted and uninhabited clearing.

The sky was clear, the cold wind blowing over the withered grass, and the surroundings were so quiet that only the flapping of crows' wings could be heard in the distance.

Louis was silent the whole way, his expression calm, yet his pace was much quicker than usual.

Only Sif, who knew him well, noticed the trace of undisguisable excitement in his eyes.

Like a child finally reaching their birthday, eager to unwrap the long-sealed gift.

"This is the place." He stopped in front of a bare rocky ground and spoke softly.

Then he raised his hand, flicked his sleeve.

"Fireball Technique!"

No lengthy chanting, no complicated gestures.

The air seemed to be stirred violently by some invisible force, the fluctuation of magic power surged from his body like waves.

Everyone just felt a tightness in their chests, even their breathing shortened a little.

The next moment, a ball of flame ignited in his palm.

Not an ordinary flame, but a scarlet swirling flame compressed to the extreme.

The fireball spun violently, as if it would break free from his hand at any moment.

"Step back a bit." Louis said calmly.

Then he raised his hand and threw it.

BOOM!!!

The fireball crashed down like a meteor, with a terrifying roar hitting an old tree over ten meters away. The violent wave of heat exploded, the trunk blackened and shattered in an instant, the thick branches emitting a groaning cracking sound in the thick smoke, crashing to the ground.

"...Is that... magic?" Lambert was stunned.

"And, also its power is too..." Knight Thomas half-opened his mouth, looking like he'd seen a miracle.

But it wasn't over.

Louis didn't look back at the others, just slowly walked forward.

"Fire Blade Technique!"

With his steps, a blazing flame extended from his arm, forming a nearly one-meter-long fire blade.

The blade was scarlet, with turbulent waves of heat, even the air seemed to make a slight "sizzle" sound.

He raised the blade and swung it.

The flame slashed through the air, striking the wooden targets set up in advance.

Three thick wooden shields were slanted and split open in just a few seconds, the cut blackened, the wood carbonized, with edges as neat as if polished by a master of blades.

"One more. Burning Arrow·Light Beam Technique!"

He opened his left hand, three burning arrows instantly gathered at his fingertips, seamlessly combined with the rapidly unfurled Light Beam Technique from his right hand.

A jet of blazing white light shot out like a laser, carrying the arrows within.

"Whoosh—!!!"

"Boom!" "Crack!" "Bang!"

Several rock targets exploded in succession, rubble flying. The distant wooden targets were directly burned to charcoal, pieces twisting and curling in the heat, crumbling upon hitting the ground.

The air twisted, the grass blackened, even the wind seemed to halt, as if time had paused for this scene.

After releasing a series of magic spells, Louis finally slowly withdrew his hand.

The fingertips still had a trace of flame lingering, like the last breath of a slumbering beast.

Louis was very pleased with the outcome, this was the result of his own research combining the Burning Arrow and Light Beam Technique.

The residual heat of the flames hadn't dissipated yet, the air still filled with the scorched scent post-burn.

But more scorching than the heat wave was the almost fiery shock in everyone's eyes.

"You... know magic?!" Thomas couldn't help but exclaim, as if witnessing some earth-shattering secret, clutching his head in disbelief.

Green's face was pale, muttering: "But... isn't magic supposed to have disappeared long ago? Isn't it something only found in books!?"

"Calm down." Lambert spoke, his voice still calm and low, though his fingertips lightly gripped his sleeve, concealing that barely noticeable tremor.

He knew of the mage's existence, having once had the fortune to see a mage back in his family, and the old zombie who attacked Louis last time seemed to be a mage as well.

But when did Lord Louis master magic! And with such power!

Louis grew up under his watch, never having learned magic, leaving him questioning everything he knew.

He looked at the old tree that was directly blown apart, then to Louis's hand, a genuine sense of uncertainty emerging in his eyes.

Sif stood aside, not speaking.

She didn't exclaim aloud like the others, she just quietly watched.

Watching the back that stood immovable amidst the flames, that face which had been so calm almost cold on countless nights, now showing a rare hint of... relief?

Yes, she understood.

In everyone's eyes, Louis was always the perfect noble lord, the tactical genius with composure, restraint, reason, and strength.

But this time was different.

His steps carried an irrepressible lightness, his eyes glimmered with a faint light, the joy of freedom.

"So you were holding back all along." Sif softly said in her heart, her lips curling into a barely perceptible smile.

She was genuinely happy for him.

Louis turned around, looking at the still stunned few, nodding in satisfaction.

When he was learning magic, it was always in private sessions with Lei Xi'er, so no one else knew.

Showing off, feels great!

Calmly he said: "This must not be spread."

"Understood!" Thomas and Green bowed almost simultaneously, looking like newly enlightened followers.

"...I know." Sif said softly, her gaze still not leaving him.

Lambert also nodded, his eyes complex: "Yes. You must have your reasons, I won't ask further."

Louis smiled slightly, turning to look at the charred open space.

No one knew that it was only thirty percent of his magic power just now.

His real trump card, he still had hidden.

Louis retracted the flame from his hand, calmly scanning the few people, finally fixing his gaze on Green.

"Green." His tone was calm, yet carried a hint of undeniable command, "You give it a try."

Green was stunned, then immediately straightened up, stepping forward.

He was a high-tier elite knight from the noble family's regular army, having experienced numerous battle arrays, once slaying hundreds of enemies, one of the most trusted warlords in the Red Tide Territory.

But facing the lord in front of him, he had never felt such an inexplicable sense of oppression before.

Louis was a junior elite knight, just two ranks apart.

But in the high-tier system, that one rank often marked the boundary between life and death.

There should have been no suspense in the duel.

However, the incredible string of magic just now completely disrupted Green's judgment.

He slowly unsheathed his knight's sword, bowing and with an eye of cautiousness beyond his usual calmness: "I dare not underestimate... I will do my utmost, please, my lord, go easy on me."

Louis nodded.

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