143 Chapter 143: Coincidental Encounter (1/2)
”What do you mean, they were wiped out before they reached the Northern Fortress?!”
Frank Franklin slammed his fist onto his desk with such force that the entire right side disintegrated in a shower of splinters. The hooded mage who reported to him cowered, staring nervously at the ominous aura that now emanated from the supposed swordsman.
”…it seemed that someone from the military cast a Strategic-scale spell and annihilated all three thousand monsters before they could reach the fortress.”
”How is that possible!? There is no one in the Northern Fortress capable of casting a Strategic-scale spell!”
Frank was practically frothing at his mouth from fury as he bellowed. The hooded mage merely shook his head.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
”I don't know, my lord. I am merely reporting to you as things are. Our…contacts from inside the military should be able to provide some information soon.”
”Soon?” Frank repeated menacingly. ”I want the intelligence right away! Tell them that if they don't get back to me by tonight, I'll rip off their heads myself.”
”Yes, sir.” The hooded mage bowed and hastily left, relieved that he no longer had to bear the brunt of Frank's anger.
”Well, looks like this time the plan is a failure.”
Lounging on a couch in his father's office, Fred commented dryly.
”So much for ninety percent chance of success, huh?”
”You shut up!” Frank snapped at his son, in no mood to hear his taunts. ”How could this be? Even the most powerful mage at the Northern Fortress, General Jiang Jun, shouldn't be capable of casting a Strategic-scale spell! There's just no way…!”
”Perhaps it wasn't General Jiang who cast it?” Fred suggested. Frank stopped and glared at him threateningly.
”Do you know something I don't, Fred?”
”Not at all, Father.” Fred sat up and raised both his hands in surrender. ”I'm just stating a possibility, that's all.”
”Maybe I should put you in charge of the investigation.” Frank knitted his hands together as he thought things over. ”It's better than leaving everything to those imbeciles.”
”As you wish, Father.” Fred rose to his feet and did a short bow. ”I'll begin immediately.”
Frank watched his son leave his office, his brow still furrowed deeply. As soon as Fred vanished, he let out a snort.
”Don't think I don't know what you're planning, Son,” he growled under his breath. ”Be very careful. You'll find that it won't be easy for you to take my place.”
He let out a bitter smile.
”After all, the Dark Church already has several replacements lined up the moment I fall…and they have no intention of considering you among them.”
*
”EH!?”
Both Alicia and Kureha gaped at Vincent Violet.
”Really?! The three thousand monsters have already been wiped out?!”
”Yes. I just received a report regarding the Northern Fortress. The horde of monsters were destroyed before the soldiers in the base could engage them in combat.”
”…how?” Kureha gasped. ”It's three thousand monsters!? What could have annihilated them so quickly?”
”Apparently someone cast a Strategic-scale spell to obliterate them in one fell swoop,” Vincent replied, his expression disbelieving. ”But General Jiang shouldn't have such capabilities. None of the soldiers under his command do.”
”Strategic-scale spell…” Alicia repeated, blinking. Then she brightened up as she exchanged a glance with Kureha, for whom the pieces were gradually falling in place. ”Richard!”
”That's not surprising,” Kureha agreed. ”He literally nuked an entire mountain range into oblivion with his Strategic-scale spell.”
”Richard? You mean Richard Huang?” Vincent frowned in bewilderment. ”Ah, yes…I seem to recall that he does indeed have a Strategic-scale spell, which he used to destroy those three rank B Crastrates. But what is he doing in the Northern Fortress?”
”Uh…long story…” Alicia muttered. ”And to be honest, I don't know the details.”
”It's my fault.” Kureha raised her hand. ”I hired him for a mission, and he got hurt. We ended up bringing him to the medical center in the northern military camp, and he has been resting there ever since.”