Chapter 203: Springing The Trap

Pa!

A firm hand suddenly gripped Charles's wrist, and the enormous ball of fire in front of him twisted unnaturally as though an invisible force had seized it from within. The flames distorted violently before vanishing in an instant.

At the same time, the twin magic arrays behind Charles cracked from their centers, fractures spreading across their surfaces before both exploded into fragments of light.

A thick cloud of smoke immediately swallowed the battlefield, obscuring Charles and the figure standing beside him.

Charles barely had time to react before his body was violently lifted off the ground. A sharp snap echoed through the smoke as his wrist was twisted, and his crimson irises rolled backward until only the whites of his eyes remained visible. His entire body went limp in the air, the destructive spell he had been preparing completely forgotten.

It took several seconds for the smoke to begin clearing.

When it finally dispersed enough for the spectators to see what had happened, gasps swept across the surrounding highlands.

Pumba stood calmly in the center of the battlefield, one hand firmly gripping his son's wrist while Charles dangled helplessly from his grasp. The older Halfling's expression was cold, disappointment replacing the warmth he had shown Ka'z earlier. Charles's body hung motionless beneath him, his head lowered and his breathing ragged.

Ka'z, however, was far more disturbed by what he had witnessed.

His Dragon Eyes had followed everything.

He already knew Pumba would intervene. That was precisely why he had not bothered preparing a defense against Charles's Tier Two spell. He had warned Pumba beforehand to step in if necessary, and the older Halfling had done exactly that.

What Ka'z had not expected was how Pumba had done it.

The moment Pumba grabbed Charles's wrist, Ka'z had seen the flow of mana inside Charles's body suddenly collapse. He had severed the flow of mana feeding the spell itself, cutting off its source of power and instantly disabling it. The enormous Fire spell had simply ceased to exist because the energy sustaining it was no longer reaching it.

Ka'z had never witnessed anything like that before.

'That was insane!'

His outward expression remained composed, but internally he was shuddering. His mind immediately began replaying what he had seen, trying to understand the technique. Mana flowed through magical circuits within the body, and spells relied on that flow to maintain themselves. If someone could directly interfere with another person's mana circulation, then the implications were terrifying. A skilled practitioner could potentially interrupt a spell before it was completed, disable an ongoing technique, or even cripple an opponent's ability to fight without defeating them directly.

Pumba released Charles's wrist and let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Get him out of here and tie him up somewhere. He lacks the common sense and etiquette to be present in important meetings like this." His voice carried no anger, only the deep disappointment of a teacher who had watched one of his students throw away every opportunity he had been given.

Two Halfling soldiers immediately ran down the slope toward Charles. They took hold of him and began dragging him away while he remained unconscious from the body slam.

Once they were gone, Pumba's expression changed. The coldness disappeared, replaced by the relaxed smile he had worn earlier as he approached Ka'z.

"Junior, you really impressed me tonight. What did you call that technique again?" he asked, glancing over Ka'z's body with obvious curiosity.

"Elemental Body. It was created by my clan's former Chief Warrior, Tud'or," Ka'z answered respectfully.

Pumba rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he considered the implications of what he had just witnessed. The Elemental Body was clearly not a simple enhancement technique. It had transformed Ka'z into something capable of overwhelming a highly trained Silver Core Mana Body user with frightening ease.

For the briefest moment, a greedy flash crossed Pumba's eyes. It disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared but Ka'z noticed it.

"Alright, kid, I'm impressed. I will take you in as my student..." Pumba began.

Before he could finish, Ka'z immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"Then please share your clan's tradition with me," Ka'z said.

Pumba paused.

The older Halfling stared down at the kneeling kobold with genuine surprise. Ka'z slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. He had not forgotten why he had come here.

Without hesitation, Ka'z raised his hand and pressed one thumb against the opposite palm, deliberately breaking the skin. Three drops of blood gathered at his fingertip before falling toward the ground as he spoke with complete seriousness.

"I, Ka'z of Vaal'kor, swear my allegiance to you as my teacher. I shall honor your teachings, respect your guidance, and carry your wisdom with me. Until the day you release me from this oath, I shall walk the path you place before me."

Pumba stared at him.

For several seconds, the older Halfling simply looked at Ka'z as though he had been presented with something completely incomprehensible.

"Am I supposed to do this as well?" Pumba muttered reluctantly.

Ka'z nodded firmly.

Pumba's expression immediately became hesitant. He looked at the blood on the ground, then back at Ka'z. Why should he participate in what he considered a barbaric kobold tradition?

Halflings had their own customs and methods of forming relationships between teachers and disciples. Yet Ka'z's expression made it clear that this oath meant something serious to him.

Pumba's thoughts shifted.

'But that's the only way I can get my hands on the Prince's diary and the secret behind this Elemental Body.' His eyes narrowed slightly.

'To get what I want, it's clear I must be willing to make sacrifices. Gaining the secrets of the Elemental Body will be a major victory for the Halfling race and I will be recognized for making a major contribution.'

Pumba finally let out a resigned sigh. He raised his own hand, pressed his thumb against it, and deliberately broke the skin before holding it up for Ka'z to see. Three drops of blood gathered beneath his thumb and began descending toward the earth.

"I, Pumba, accept you as my disciple. I swear to guide you, teach you, and pass down everything I have learned. Walk with me with humility, and I shall treat you as my own. From this day forward, you are my disciple," Pumba said in a dignified tone.

Ka'z smiled.

"Thank you, Teacher!" he said passionately.

Pumba laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "You earned my attention with your talent." He paused, rubbing his chin as his eyes wandered over Ka'z's body. "In fact, I'm very curious about your Elemental Body."

"Teacher, don't worry about a thing. I plan to spend a week here. I can teach your men the principles behind the Elemental Body if you wish. I will teach your men everything I can about it," Ka'z said readily.

Pumba's face immediately brightened.

"Hahahahaha! I knew I made the right decision taking you in. You can teach Boris. He is a fast learner."

"As you wish." Ka'z gave a slight bow.

"Alright, enough chattering. Let's talk about the logistics of our mining agreement. Come with me!" Pumba said as he turned and began walking away.

Ka'z followed without hesitation, leaving the battlefield behind them as the Halflings and Gnolls slowly began dispersing. To everyone watching, the blood oath had ended with nothing more than the formation of a new master and disciple relationship.

Unknown to them, however, the three drops of blood from Pumba had never touched the ground.

They hovered barely above the earth, perfectly suspended by Ka'z's manipulation, before silently following the two of them as they walked away.