Chapter 1222 – A Plan Within A Plan

The reaction of the A-grades present in the auction halls was swift as they all exploded with power and rushed the stage. Two massive explosions of poison gas from the father and daughter pair obscured the stage, and when a mid-tier A-grade blew away the poison cloud with a powerful skill, it was revealed that the Eye of the Magus was gone.

These two explosions had caught many of those in the first few rows in the blast, sending them flying back into walls, with several of the weaker ones already dead before they even hit it. The entire hall was in absolute pandemonium, which only helped the Viper, who was currently lying face down with a decaying corpse on top of him.

After the second explosion, he had quickly taken the Eye of the Magus before using the poison cloud to disguise himself among the dead. The roughly dozen A-grades who’d gone down to the stage looked around before one of them said something to the others. A few of them looked to disagree with whatever the man said, but seeing as the one originally speaking was the strongest among them, Jake reckoned he didn’t listen.

In the next moment, all the other A-grades teleported away, leaving just the one powerful A-grade behind. He looked around the room as his voice echoed.

“I assume the culprit is still here… so let us check.”

Jake saw the Viper’s eyes open wide for a moment as the A-grade summoned a ball of pure white flames. In the very next instant, it exploded, consuming the whole hall and the entire city district in an instant.

The Malefic Viper didn’t seem to have any other good choice as he clicked his tongue right before scales covered his entire body, warding off the flames. When the flames subsided, all that remained were two figures floating over a massive pit with glass walls created from the intense heat.

“So it was you,” the mid-tier A-grade said as he looked at the Malefic Viper. He was a mage wearing a white robe and with a bushy beard extending down to his stomach, with his power naturally speaking for itself. “I did think something was off about you, but I didn’t expect this.”

“You also struck me as the cunning sort,” the Viper said, peeling off a few overly-damaged scales. “Though I must say, I didn’t see the City Lord burning down his own city.”

The City Lord shook his head and briefly glanced below him. “Did you expect me to move and save the citizens?”

“Well, I figured there was a chance you would,” the Malefic Viper shrugged. “If you had, we both could have saved a lot of effort and wouldn’t have had to take unnecessary risks.”

“How long have we known each other, Jabaliah? Though of course, I now doubt that’s truly your name,” the City Lord asked.

“We’ve never known each other, oh dear City Lord,” the Malefic Viper merely smiled.

“How about that woman of yours? Didn’t you spend over a decade with her? Was it truly all just a ruse for this day?” the City Lord said, looking exhausted at the notion.

“No, no, you misunderstand; that was just part of the cover story,” the Malefic Viper said, shaking his head. “I decided on this place due to the availability of resources. You so-called enlightened love your trade, and I must admit I also find myself a fan. I had planned on staying here for another few decades more, but after becoming aware of the Eye of the Magus, the temptation to burn this life was simply too much to bear. My choice of the Golden Road Emporium’s director was originally chosen because it would give me easier access to the merchants, but proved highly valuable indeed.”

The City Lord looked at the Viper with disgust. “Referring to enlightened like that… a monster disguising itself as one of us, huh?”

“I was one of you for a little time,” the Viper shook his head. “I can be an exemplary citizen when I need to be, as long as you don’t tempt me to give up that life. Because when I’m tempted, then yes, it’s back to being a monster once more.”

“Lies, you would never have left willingly without leaving anything but destruction in your wake,” the City Lord scoffed. “It’s not my first time dealing with a beast like you.”

“Now that’s just you being prejudiced and hurtful,” the Viper said, acting all hurt. “Also, I’m wondering here… I know why I’m doing it, but why are you keeping this conversation going to buy time?”

The City Lord didn’t even look surprised as he smiled. “To make sure you wouldn’t get away.”

Right as he said this, large pillars of energy erupted in all the cardinal directions. Screens of light quickly formed between them before a massive spherical barrier surrounded this entire piece of the planet.

The Viper looked surprised for a second as he looked at the mage. “You-“

“Also happen to be the World Leader,” the mage’s smile deepened. “And I had fully expected something to happen during this auction. I heard rumors that someone was aiming for the Eye of the Magus, and the trap was truthfully prepared for them, but I guess catching you instead isn’t all too bad.”

“See, that makes a lot of sense,” the Viper slowly nodded as he glanced around. “Certainly explains things.”

As he said this, more A-grades teleported in, having likely been the ones to set up the formation initially. There were thirteen others at the A-grade level, with two additional individuals besides the City Lord at the mid-tier A-grade level.

They all surrounded the Malefic Viper, seemingly giving him no way to escape. Jake, who was experiencing all of this, had numerous thoughts about the events that had unfolded so far. Villy’s betrayal of the beastkin woman and her father was something he would address later, but looking at the situation, it seemed almost too sloppy.

Sure, the Viper would likely just use his version of Wings and use its escape function to exit the barrier and get away with the Eye of the Magus, but if that was the plan, why even allow them to set up the barrier in the first place?

No… Jake guessed there was more to the Viper’s plan than this.

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The City Lord didn’t look interested in speaking anymore as he summoned a staff to his hand and pointed it towards the Viper. “I would ask you for the Eye of the Magus back… but I can just take it off your corpse.”

His staff exploded with magic as the sky above the planet was consumed in flames. All the other A-grades also made their move, forcing the Viper to do the same as he unleashed his own aura, finally also revealing to Jake how powerful the Malefic Viper was at this stage in his life.