Magical Academy: Rise of the Supreme Magic Craftsman

Chalice could never forget the following event after the prominent figure showed up. 

The old man did not speak a lot but gave a few instructions for him to take care of this place.

It seems the man wasn't too interested in the site and would just like to sightsee on this island or he probably obtained already the most important thing in this place. 

"Do not get too close while unprotected or you'll be corrupted by its power source." 

It was the first instruction the old man said. After his familiar voice was heard, that deep and clear voice with the Zairusian accent, Chalice no longer doubted the identity of the old man and listened carefully.

Whatever this old man has to say, he would keep it in his heart because of the person's reputation acknowledge by the whole southern continent.

Chalice contemplated the warning and of course, he didn't understand at first what could corrupt him just by getting near the site, it sounds ridiculous for a Battle Mage like him. only later he found out about its mystery after studying the place for years.

"Where did this thing came from? Is this one of the Lost Technology you've mentioned before? Are there other sites like this?" Chalice asked questions to the old man. He didn't feel any animosity from him so he asked him a lot of questions that were in his mind. After all, it is rare to meet a reputable person especially in their poor island country that was struggling with internal strife for years. 

Unfortunately, the old man only smirked and shook his head.

'Eh? What do you mean by that? There are no other sites like this and it's not a Lost Technology? or you don't know as well? Ugh, I should've asked only one question.' Chalice thought but as soon as he was about to ask more, the old man spoke again.

"You must not destroy this place. Someday, someone will reclaim these."

It was what he said and Chalice could only nod but deep inside, he's already planning on how to plunder the place once the old man left.

'Hmph. I would agree if you plan to share the loot with me, we can go 50-50, but since you don't want the loot, I'll take it all later.'

Chalice thought as he smirked. He was already imagining what he can get within this aircraft and identify those items or artifacts lying on the ground with the human figure.

But it seems that the old man noticed his dark thought so the man gazed at him without saying a word. 

Chalice looked back at the old man which only made him even more stiffed with that cold gaze. The pressure was so heavy and scary that he would like to beg for his forgiveness. 

"I-I won't touch them, I promise!" 

Luckily, the old man seems to have acknowledged his word or he probably just found it below him to bother with a petty Battle Mage. 

'I thought he was just a nerdy engineer. Crap! Why is he so strong? I almost died from that look. Those magazines were completely wrong!' Chalice said remembering the news and reports about this person. His achievements in magic were never mentioned telling him he was just an average magician that failed to pass being a battle mage and thus, he focused on engineering instead. 

'Tsk! One day, I'll also be capable of doing that pressure just by looking at someone.' He even made an oath on that day because of how impressed and scared he was with this old man. He would definitely like to be as strong as him.

His thoughts were interrupted when the old man took out something and spoke again.

The man took out a fragment of stone or something from his inner robe pocket. After Chalice observed it using his Mana detection, he noticed that it was being covered or protected by an extremely complex Mana Shell.

'What?' The foundation was definitely created using Mana Shell as a model. But the complex structure was made so magnificently that the outcome became the strongest Mana Shell he had ever seen. 'I also want that! If my Mana Shell is as sturdy as that, no one could ever defeat me.'

Chalice's eyes were filled with greed upon seeing it the first time. It was due to his thirst for power and knowledge that he achieved his status now even with the lack of support or even money coming from his family. He was promoted to a Battle Mage using his own ability and was even recruited by a secret organization that promised him tons of benefits. 

He noticed that the old man removed the Mana Shell protecting the fragment and as soon as it happened, the aircraft lit up with a bluish glow. The light was pulsating like it was coming back alive, it only happened for five seconds but the pressure it emitted left Chalice stunned. 

"W-What was that? What happened?" Chalice asked but the old man did not answer. The man only covered the fragment with that strange Mana Shell again and put it back in his pocket.

"Remember what I told you." The old man said. As soon as he said this, his figure started vanishing bit by bit as if being erased. He couldn't understand that time the type of magic that was used but it left him a deep impression. 

"Wait! Sir Aeolia! What if someone else found the place?!"

Chalice shouted but never heard a reply.

"Oh well, I only promised that I wouldn't touch the place. So it should be alright if I let others do it for me." 

After that day, he contacted his trusted friends to plunder the site with him as he was still a bit afraid of ignoring the warning given by Aeolia. Unfortunately, all of his friends died a few days after touching the aircraft, the human figure, and the items near the human figure.

After a year of unfruitful study, that's the time he consulted the secret organization to explore the site with him. 

But he never mentioned that he was able to move or loot some scattered items on the ground that was together with the human figure. He hid it somewhere safe but still refused to touch those things personally even with the protection of his Mana Shell, only a decade later when he was able to copy that strange Mana Shell he saw today did he dared to touch those items and carefully study them.

***

"How's the current situation on the island?" Yumi asked as she walked over the clustered officers. They were currently on a small island not too far from where Wallace had gone into.

"Within these three days, we only saw an amphibious assault ship docking near the island. We have seen five people leaving the large ship and went inside the dome. Aside from that, we have noticed that the security of the place had increased to a higher level. The guards were probably resting for only three to four hours a day." One of the officers reported. They were staying at a makeshift tent where several Mana Artifacts used for concealment and detection were placed. 

"Those five people, are all of the magicians?" Yumi asked. She was curious if there are any high-ranking government officials included in their ranks.

"Yes, one of them was an Adept. We believe that he's someone you've met at the hotel, the other four were Battle Mages. Who knows maybe Mark and the other Adept were hiding within that large ship?" Replied the officer. It means that there's only a low probability for a government official coming from the large ship.

Three days had passed since Yumi felt the abnormal activity within the small island. They found an encampment of suspicious people being led by a strong individual. 

Yumi highly suspected that Wallace either infiltrated the place or was captured within the island and being held inside the dome.

They couldn't just raid the place and look for Wallace especially with the strong defense established in the area. They could only call for reinforcements and bring over several Mana Artifacts to enhance their abilities and chances of infiltrating the place.

As they were on foreign land, their superior would like to keep their identity hidden during this operation so they requested several artifacts that would enable them to do so.

All the reinforcements and Mana Artifacts arrived today and they were ready to infiltrate the place and look for Wallace.