Chapter 180: Expelled
Suddenly, the entire desert exploded like a supernova.
Everyone was caught off guard, and some were even blasted away by the pressure.
The Elders watching from afar wore completely stunned expressions.
They simply couldn’t believe what had just happened.
How could that young Mage be so reckless?!
As for the Elders of Law...
Their initial surprise was quickly replaced by smiles that were almost radiant.
Several seconds passed slowly.
As the sand gradually settled, the shocking scene was revealed.
Priam stood in the center of a small crater, blood dripping from his body.
Around him...
Scattered chunks of mangled flesh lay everywhere.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of the five traitors.
After receiving the stolen flags, the flag bearer and the members of Walhart’s faction had deliberately moved a short distance away from the traitors.
After all, no one looked favorably upon betrayal.
Keeping some distance from them was the best way to avoid staining their own reputation.
Priam’s attack had been far too fast—far beyond anyone’s expectations.
Those five would’ve never dreamed that Priam actually intended to kill them.
Standing there, Priam’s expression was completely indifferent.
Deep inside, he felt neither joy nor anger.
Only an endless emptiness, as though a dark shadow were slowly eating away at his soul.
He didn’t enjoy doing something like that.
And he probably never would.
But in the brutal world he lived in now, if he didn’t act decisively and without mercy, he’d be the one who suffered.
"In my life, I’ll never betray anyone. But I also won’t allow anyone to betray me..."
he murmured as his gaze slowly swept across every member of his faction.
Quite a few people felt a chill run down their spines.
He didn’t need to say anything else.
The message had already been delivered.
Not even the Elder of Law himself had expected Priam to be bold enough to kill people there.
But in truth, that pleased him greatly.
He held the emblem that controlled the energy of the entire area.
He could’ve easily stopped Priam from killing the five traitors.
But he hadn’t.
Instead, he’d treated it as a test...
And Priam had exceeded his expectations.
The Elder moved, appearing high above the center of the desert.
His gaze radiated a terrifying electrical aura.
"Priam, you actually dared to kill members of your own sect? With a heart as twisted as yours and such cruel methods, you’re no different from the Sorcerers!"
Looking at the Elder’s expression, Priam let out a cold snort before laughing mockingly.
"What are you laughing at?!" the Elder of Law roared.
"I’m laughing at you, you senile old fool. You’re clearly celebrating on the inside, yet you act like some righteous and moral man. Even a lying prostitute has more integrity than you," Priam replied with obvious contempt.
Every disciple in his faction froze.
Killing fellow sect members was an extremely serious crime, and they’d all been warned about it before the competition began.
That was why everyone had fought without worrying about their lives.
Now they had expected Priam to at least try to lessen his punishment somehow.
After all, his talent was extraordinary, and the rules always favored the strong.
But that insult completely destroyed every bit of hope they had.
It was the equivalent of slapping the Elder of Law across the face.
"Priam, don’t say anything foolish."
At that moment, all the ordinary Elders appeared in the sky around them.
One of them was a middle-aged man with a calm expression.
He gave Priam a meaningful look, silently telling him not to resist.
"Although I haven’t been part of this sect for very long, I know its purpose is to train disciples to eradicate the evil of the Sorcerers. In doing so, it turns an ordinary Mage into someone far greater," Priam said with a faint sigh, speaking without the slightest hesitation.
"Everyone here saw what just happened. Using your comrades’ trust to stab them in the back...
Is that something this sect approves of?"
The Elder of Law sneered.
"Idiot. That’s called strategy and intelligence. In war, anything goes. If something that obvious never crossed your mind, then you’re simply a fool."
His words were like pouring oil onto a blazing fire.
Many members of Priam’s faction were instantly enraged.
"To hell with you and your pathetic strategy! According to your so-called intelligence, should we all stop trying to get stronger and start stabbing each other in the back instead?!" Shione finally snapped.
Beside her, even Flaris couldn’t hold herself back any longer.
"How the hell are we supposed to fight alongside others and trust them when the sect allows this kind of thing? You’re so-called intelligence is just as tiny as your brain!"
The Elder of Law merely answered with a mocking smile.
Then, suddenly...
"We agree with Priam."
"That’s right. Trash will always be trash, whether it’s in small competitions inside the sect or on a battlefield where lives are on the line."
"Yeah. Priam, we’ll stand with you."
Everyone turned around in surprise to see Sallya, Daraen, and Inigo walking over with equally furious expressions.
They stopped beside Priam and stared seriously at the Elder of Law.
What Priam hadn’t expected was for even Daraen to stand by his side.
It was obvious that all three were expressing their disgust with Walhart’s despicable methods.
Daraen turned to Priam and let out a quiet sigh.
"Priam, we’ve had our conflicts before, but there was never any real malice between us. That’s all in the past now. I admire your courage... and I support what you did."
"Exactly. Your character is exactly how a man—and a leader—should be," Sallya added without the slightest hesitation.
Inigo simply gave a slight nod of approval before shifting his gaze toward Walhart in the distance, his eyes filled with contempt.
At that moment, the Elder of Law cursed inwardly as he saw three Super Geniuses openly support Priam.
Without a doubt, it was a direct challenge to his authority.
Even so, he acted as though they didn’t exist and coldly shouted,
"Priam, you slaughtered your fellow sect members. That fact is beyond dispute. No matter how you try to argue, you cannot escape your crime."
Priam let out a cold laugh.
"Escape? I take full responsibility for everything I do. I always tell the truth and never deny anything I’ve actually done. That’s a lot more than can be said for people like you... and those traitors."
"Haha, it’s good that you at least want to keep a shred of dignity. But acting tough won’t change the outcome," the Elder of Law said with a laugh. "You should be grateful that the sect’s rules favor the strong. You won’t have to pay with your life for killing other disciples. However, from this day forward, you are no longer a disciple of this sect."
"You’re expelled."
All the ordinary disciples swallowed nervously.
But...
Inigo was the first to speak.
"If that’s the sect’s decision, then I’ll be leaving the sect as well."
"What?!"
Everyone was stunned.
"I’ll leave too. A rotten place like this isn’t worth my time," Daraen said next, her expression completely resolute.
"Same here. I, Sallya, hereby announce my withdrawal from the sect."
"..."
The three of them made their declarations without the slightest hesitation.
They firmly believed that, with all of them united, the sect would never expel all four Super Geniuses of their generation.
Even if Priam had technically broken the rules, with so many people supporting his actions, the sect would have no choice but to reconsider its decision.
"So, all of you are planning a rebellion?!" the Elder of Law roared with a mocking expression.