Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Elven People?
The murmurs around her kept rising, and Nemesis Bruce, with her sharp hearing, could clearly make out every word. Yet, in her mind, she silently chanted a spell.
"The whispers of the people have nothing to do with me! I must continue my training!"
"Follow my footsteps... Who is this 'me'? Is it my teacher? Could it be that I must follow my teacher while training? No! This 'me' must represent magic and truth!
It tells me to ignore what others say about me and focus entirely on my training."
"I must strengthen my resolve, never giving up on my training for any reason. The storm—it's not just about a rainstorm, but everything that could interfere with my practice!"
As her concentration deepened, the voices of the crowd around Nemesis Bruce gradually faded from her ears. Even though she stood in the middle of a busy street, it felt as if the whole world had fallen into silence.
An immense amount of magical energy rapidly gathered, swirling around her like a storm, rushing into Nemesis Bruce's body.
Of course, Dean Bruce was unaware of all this. After all, she had not yet fully comprehended that particular spell, and there was no system prompt. He had been away for a while, making it even harder for him to sense the changes happening to Nemesis Bruce.
When Dean Bruce arrived at the Magic Guild, he happened to see Prolo Hawthorne parading around with his gang of sycophants.
Feeling Dean Bruce's gaze, Prolo Hawthorne was about to shout out something crude, but upon seeing who it was, his expression immediately shifted to one of obsequiousness. Before any of his followers could react, he ran up to Dean Bruce and respectfully said, "Teacher, you're here! Is there something you need? Just tell me, I'll handle it for you!"
Witnessing this scene, the passersby were stunned. Only those familiar with the Magic Guild recognized Dean Bruce and were not too surprised. Yet, they still felt a secret satisfaction—finally, someone who could put this tyrant in his place.
Unfortunately, they also knew that Dean Bruce was far too enigmatic and wouldn't linger long in the Magic Guild.
"I haven't even agreed to anything yet," Dean Bruce said with a faint smile. "What? I'm here to talk with the Guildmaster. Can you handle that?"
At his words, Prolo Hawthorne momentarily held his breath. After all, his grandfather was merely the vice guildmaster—how could he compare to the guildmaster?
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His eyes darted around quickly, and with a sheepish grin, Prolo Hawthorne responded, "I can at least guide you, Master!"
Hearing this, Dean Bruce didn't refuse and gave a slight nod, signaling Prolo Hawthorne to lead the way.
There wasn't much choice—he had only been to the Magic Guild headquarters two or three times, and that was primarily for the teleportation magic arrays. He wasn't familiar with much else around here.
With Prolo Hawthorne guiding him, Dean Bruce soon arrived at a secluded area. A few houses came into view, along with shimmering spatial rifts flickering in the air.
Prolo Hawthorne introduced, "Teacher, this is where the elders and key figures reside. As for the Guildmaster, she lives in the treehouse at the very back."
After saying this, Prolo Hawthorne looked around to make sure no one was nearby before whispering, "Teacher, when you're talking to the Guildmaster, be cautious. She..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a surge of magic erupted, and a brilliant green light burst forth, sending Prolo Hawthorne flying. His clothes were torn apart, and he landed draped over a nearby tree, startling the passersby.
Dean Bruce frowned slightly but quickly understood. It must have been the Guildmaster's doing, and a sense of seriousness settled within him.
For her to be able to hear Prolo Hawthorne from such a distance, her power was clearly formidable.
Without further hesitation, Dean Bruce continued deeper into the area, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Before long, he spotted a massive tree, and nestled among its branches was a house.
He climbed up along the trunk. The higher he went, the more expansive the view became. The treehouse's door stood wide open, and inside, neatly arranged furniture was visible, along with the figure of a young woman in a light green dress.
As Dean Bruce stepped inside, the girl turned to face him, her gaze traveling up and down, examining him closely, with growing astonishment in her eyes.
Dean Bruce, too, was quite surprised. He hadn't expected the Guildmaster of the Magic Guild to be so young!
The girl was strikingly beautiful, with smooth, flawless skin that didn't seem to show any signs of magical preservation—it was simply youthful.
As Dean Bruce sized her up, she did the same to him. After a long moment, it was the girl who spoke first. With a soft laugh, she said, "Mr. Dean, we finally meet. I remember saying last time that we should share a drink together. I hope today you'll honor that."
As she spoke, she waved her right hand, and a silver jug appeared out of thin air, settling on the table.
She picked up the jug, filled two cups, and handed one to Dean Bruce before continuing, "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Tia Nars. You can call me Tia."
Dean Bruce smiled as he accepted the cup, then asked, "So, what brings you to call me here today, Guildmaster Tia?"
"Nothing of great importance," Tia Nars replied softly, her voice gentle. "As the Guildmaster, is it not permissible for me to get acquainted with an honorary elder?"
Hearing her response, Dean Bruce couldn't help but feel a moment of breathlessness. Not only that, but ever since he had entered the treehouse and met Tia Nars, he felt as if every cell in his body had come alive, pulsing with energy.
Tia Nars laughed again, "Mr. Dean, you've had quite the eventful life. I can sense not only the Water of Life from the Elven people within you but also traces of Dwarven technology and craftsmanship. And if I'm not mistaken, I even detect the aura of the Thunder God!"
Dean Bruce instantly tensed up, narrowing his eyes and locking his gaze on Tia Nars. He was already prepared to use a teleportation scroll if necessary.
Tia Nars continued with a soft chuckle, "I'm curious about one thing. The Elves and Dwarves have long cut off contact with the mortal world, and as for the Thunder God, he was a deity who perished over ten thousand years ago. So how, pray tell, did you come into possession of these things?"
With those words, Dean Bruce suddenly realized the identity of the blind old man's master—it was the Thunder God!
It all became clear in that moment. No wonder the old man had lived for so long and been able to travel across continents—he was a servant of a god!
Gathering his thoughts, Dean Bruce looked back at Tia Nars, trying to read her expression, to understand her intentions. Was she an ally or a foe?
His mind raced, thinking about the changes in his own body and Tia Nars' extensive knowledge. Dean Bruce finally spoke, "And you—an Elf—why are you walking among humans? Not to mention serving as the Guildmaster of the Magic Guild?"
Tia Nars' expression remained unchanged. She replied softly, "I would like to return, but unfortunately, the passage has been sealed. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't go back. As for why I walk among humans? The Elves and humans have always had a close relationship. Isn't it perfectly natural for me to stay here?"
She then paused, her eyes narrowing slightly before she added, "But what about you? How have you, in these turbulent times, managed to come into contact with both the Elves and the Dwarves?"
As she finished, her gaze once again settled intently on Dean Bruce.
Hearing her openly talk about these matters, Dean Bruce, though unsure of the truth, knew he couldn't stay silent. He replied, "I've never had direct dealings with the Elves. I just happened to come across some Spring of Life by chance."
"As for the treasures of the Dwarves and the aura of the Thunder God, those were relics I found in ancient ruins."
Dean Bruce wasn't foolish enough to tell the whole truth. Tia Nars smiled slightly, clearly not believing him either, and chuckled softly, "Well, then you're certainly very lucky."
With that, Tia Nars lifted her cup and drained it in one gulp. "Have a sip," she said gently. "This is elemental wine, something I brought from the Elven lands. It contains multiple elements and greatly enhances magical power. I haven't shared it with anyone in years—you're the first to try it."
Seeing Tia Nars drink it herself, Dean Bruce didn't hesitate and took a small sip.
As the wine slid down his throat and into his stomach, he felt an immediate surge of intense energy. The magic from different elements spread rapidly, coursing through his body.
Ding!
"System Notification: Congratulations to the host for successfully drinking elemental wine. Magic power increased by 10 points!"
"System Notification: Congratulations to the host for successfully drinking elemental wine. Magic power increased by 10 points!"
"…"
With the continuous system notifications, Dean Bruce's magic power kept increasing. Shocked by the effect, he asked, "Guildmaster, you invited me here and gave me such a rare drink—what is it that you want from me?"
"If you don't explain, I'll feel too indebted to stay. I may have to take my leave," he added, making a slight motion as if to stand.
Tia Nars smiled and said, "Mr. Dean, you're quite straightforward. I only asked you here for one thing."
She paused, her expression becoming serious. "In six months, the Magic Guild will hold an election for the new Guildmaster. As an honorary elder, you hold one vote. I hope you will cast that vote for me."
"Hmm?"
Dean Bruce was visibly surprised, his mind full of questions.
This was a world where strength ruled all—why would the position of Guildmaster be decided by an election? Shouldn't the strongest simply take the role?
In that moment, Dean Bruce's gaze locked firmly on Tia Nars, trying to understand her intentions.