When A Mage Revolts

Immediately, Benjamin started trying more rune pairings.

Similar to the Damaging Rune, when he joined the runes for water with the other runes, he obtained some control of them. As he progressed with more complicated combinations, he achieved some interesting results.

He realized that the compatibility of the Damaging Rune was terrible and could not be grouped together with defense and healing at all. On the other hand, the Affinity Rune was the rune with the highest compatibility but when matched with the Damaging Rune, would cause the turbulence of the summoned elemental energy to become much scarier.

Other than this, when the Defense Rune and Healing Rune were grouped together, the effect was very odd.

The water elemental energy would cluster at a point, forming a kind of weird structure, and both the defense and healing characteristic would disappear. Benjamin hesitated for a while, then took a smiley face and tossed it there. Somehow the strange water elemental energy was all absorbed by the smiley face.

"Hey hey hey! Don’t you have any second thoughts about using me for your experiment?" The System sounded really angry.

"I have no conscience." Benjamin said without hesitation, and asked right after, "How is it? What do you feel? What is the effect of these strange structures?"

"..."

"Don’t be mad, quick, tell me how it feels."

After a moment of silence, the System’s aggrieved voice was heard from the smiley faces, "What’s the purpose of using me as an experiment? My body has such a unique structure that the results shown will not be universal."

Upon hearing this, Benjamin scratched his head.

That was true...

However, he did not have many test subjects. Who knew if it was dangerous or not? Where else could he find something immortal like the System that would be left unharmed regardless of the beating it received?

"... So, can’t you analyze a result?" Benjamin asked casually.

"I can."

Benjamin was at a loss for words and roared out, "Then why don’t you just tell me!"

The System answered, "The water elemental energy that you summoned from this rune should be able to be absorbed by a normal human body as well. It will have certain effects on the human’s body in the short term, maybe make their physique will become extra strong with invulnerability or something... But I can’t be sure with just this analysis."

Upon hearing this, Benjamin nodded as if thinking about something.

Would that make somebody physically buffer? However... As he thought about it again, that effect did seem like it was combining the healing and defense effects together.

He did not remove the runes, so the water elemental energy with unique structures were still generating continuously. If the System had analyzed it correctly, this could very well be used on a scale in the war, to huge strategic benefit.

He should test it on some enemies if he had the opportunity to in the future.

With this, Benjamin played with the existing runes and finally left the Space of consciousness to return to the real world.

"Director? Director? You... Are you thinking about something?"

Benjamin spent quite a long time there, and by the time he returned to reality, a couple of minutes had probably passed. The elderly mage was still in front of Benjamin as he watched Benjamin dazing off for a few minutes. It must have been terribly awkward.

"Nothing much, I was just conceiving those runes in my mind." Benjamin said with a poker face, "I can be really focused when I’m thinking, so please don’t be offended, Sir. The things that you have researched are very useful."

"Is that so..."

The elderly mage sounded rather puzzled, but in the end, did not question it and continued explaining to Benjamin the results of the research and difficulties that they had faced.

- While they were in the middle of the research for the runes, their spiritual energies were previously stifled started growing again, which was something worth celebrating. However, they were still at a loss about how to really employ the runes.

Benjamin felt helpless about the matter as well. As their methods of meditation were different, he could not provide any useful suggestions for them. He could only encourage them to follow up with their research and said things like the future of the mages was on their shoulders.

With this, the elderly mage finished his report and left the scene. Benjamin prepared to meditate again, but it was not long before Varys came to visit.

Benjamin opened his doors again and walked out of his house.

"What is it?"

Could it be that he was destined to not be able to meditate properly today?

"Someone from outside the academy wants to visit and said that he only wants to see you." Varys looked tired as he stood outside the door, he paused for a while before adding, "Although he covered his face, I think I recognize him."

Benjamin was surprised, "Really? Who is he?"

"Accius Fulner, the master of the Fulner family." Varys answered, "Previously when I was doing business in the Kingdom of Helius, I often contacted him. Why would he visit us alone?"

Upon hearing this, Benjamin was shocked as well.

He actually came personally?

It had been more than a month since the capture of the mages; Benjamin estimated that by now there would be news from the Fulner family. What he did not expect was Accius to show up himself.

That was... surprising.

The Kingdom of Helius was quite far from here. Without flying, the journey would probably take more than ten days. Moreover, for Accius to travel through land and water to the Mage Academy… as a great noble in Havenwright, wasn’t he afraid of attracting the attention of others, even with his face covered?

Benjamin felt really surprised. He immediately replied, "Bring him in. This matter must be kept as a secret, I will slowly explain everything to you later."

After hearing this, Varys nodded.

Five minutes later.

"You... Are you Benjamin? Or Grant?"

In the Director’s room, Accius removed the layers of scarves that were covering his face. He squinted his eyes and stared intensely at Benjamin’s face as trying to see straight into his soul.

Benjamin smiled.

"Is my identity of any importance to you?" His tone was rather insulting, "All you have to do is bring in a big legion of Paladins and Priests to the Joseph family, then drag me to the Cleansing Centre and burn me on the stake the following day, no?"

Upon hearing this, Accius suddenly let out a sigh.

"Sure enough... You’re Benjamin."

"Oh, so you realized?"

Accius nodded and said, "After the gigantic water ball in the Imperial Capital, ‘Grant’ escaped from the Kingdom of Helius, his current whereabouts unknown. In the Imperial Capital, ‘Benjamin’ from before had suddenly appeared and performed some surprising Divine Arts tricks before joining the Church to hone his skills. We are no fools, after hearing about this, we knew that the Church was pulling a trick."

Upon hearing this, Benjamin shrugged and said nothing.

After looking at Accius being so humble, he suddenly grew bored and became lazy to even converse.

The times had changed, and he was no longer the same young man that would quietly accept anything and everything that was thrown his way.

After looking at the situation, Accius had no choice but to continue speaking.

"Mage Benjamin... Sorry, Director Benjamin, you can blame this all on me, but the one really at fault is still the Church. Don’t you want to take your revenge?"

As Benjamin listened, he raised his eyebrows.

"What? Do you plan to be a rebel and leave the Kingdom of Helius, and abandon your own blossoming family?"

"Director, you must be kidding me." Accius was being extremely humble, "Regardless of to the nobles like me, or mages like you, the Church is no good. In times of trouble, it’s only rational for us to help each other, don’t you think?"

Benjamin shook his head instead.

"Help each other? So... Sending your mages you to kidnap my students, is your way of helping me?"