Published at 6th of February 2026 10:58 am

Chapter 1480 Sealed Fate

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

While Kenny was being interrogated in a safe house far away from Springdale, a quiet storm was brewing in a section of the Brotherhood's headquarters.

"What do you mean he just disappeared?!" an elderly Warden screamed at Lebu.

"I… I don't know how it happened," Lebu said, completely baffled. "One moment he was right behind me, talking to me, and the next… he simply vanished."

It had been more than an hour since Kenny had disappeared.

Lebu had informed his direct superior — the elderly warden screaming at him — about what Kenny had divulged to him. As a result, his superior had gathered several other Wardens from the Preservationists faction and gathered in a secret chamber within the headquarters.

But when Lebu arrived, they all realized that the person carrying critical intel on the spies wasn't with him. That was why all of them were so enraged.

Suddenly, the doors of the chamber opened, and a group of Agents rushed in.

"Reporting, my lord! We couldn't find any signs of Kenny's disappearance on the main floor in our recording instruments."

"We've scoured the River Ward and the Trade Ward, but still found no signs of him."

"Same here, my lord. He's not in the High Ward or the Forge Ward."

"We've thoroughly checked the Low Ward. Kenny isn't there either!"

"Damn it all!" The elderly Warden screamed in fury. "They must've got to him! No, they definitely have!"

Hearing those words, Lebu couldn't help but fear for Kenny's life. Although he never showed it on the surface, he deeply cared for the boy as well as all the other Agents he had raised within the Brotherhood.

"This… this is all my fault!" He clutched his forehead.

"At ease, Lebu." Another Warden stepped forward. "If the boy vanished from your protection, it means a Mana Vortex Magus must have made a move on him."

"I believe so, too," said another elderly man. "But for that to even happen in the first place…"

Lebu finished the words for him. "It means Kenny must have already been found out while he was spying on the Baron. And for a Mana Vortex Magus to kidnap him, it must mean that the boy truly did have valuable intel."

A grim silence settled within the room.

"What did the boy tell you, Lebu?" One of the Wardens asked. "Tell us everything in detail."

"But…" Lebu hesitated. "Shouldn't we be searching for Kenny? The more time passes, the less his chances of—"

He was interrupted.

"Think practically. Our enemies have already captured him more than an hour ago. He's probably several miles away by now, being interrogated in a secret location."

"We could at least try to divine his whereabouts!" Lebu protested.

The Warden smiled wryly. "Do you think those rats wouldn't have placed anti-divination methods in place?"

Lebu gritted his teeth, lowering his head in rage and melancholy.

"The boy's fate is sealed. If you want to honor him, please share everything he has told you. This way, we can at least not let his hard work and sacrifice go to waste."

All the Wardens and even the few Agents in the room agreed. There truly was nothing they could do about the current situation.

After all, unlike the other factions in the Brotherhood, they did not have a Mana Core Magus to lead them. The Preservationists were currently the weakest of all the factions and were barely hanging by a thread.

Lebu inhaled deeply, suppressing the raging emotions in his heart. He scanned the faces of all the Wardens and solemnly nodded.

Then, he began:

"Kenny claimed that trafficking underage girls was only a front. Their true motive has always been to transport talented young children north of the border…"

***

At the same time, in another hidden area of the headquarters.

An elderly man sat cross-legged on the floor, hands resting on his knees as he practiced mindfulness. The room was quiet, his breathing was slow and steady, and his eyes were closed as he focused inward.

Gathering mana and absorbing it into the core became much harder when someone reached the Mana Core Rank. It felt as if an unseen hand was holding the Magus back, blocking further progress.

Of course, those who didn't understand the laws of the universe naturally assumed they had reached the pinnacle of arcane strength.

But little did they know, this was only the peak in their world.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

The elderly man's eyes snapped open, a dark look appearing on his aged face. His pupils were sharp and alert, colder than blades.

Before he could even speak a word, his attendant, a Mana Vortex Magus named Meechum, opened the door and barged in.

"My Lord! There's an emergency! Please forgive my intrusion!"

The elderly man's frown was instantly replaced with solemnity. Meechum had been his attendant for centuries, yet he'd never seen the man act so frantic.

"What is it?" he asked.

The Warden knelt beside the elderly Magus and said in a shaky voice, "There has been a leak! Someone has found out about our plans with the Cult!"

"What?" The elderly Magus's brows knit together into a tight knot.

"That's not all!" Meechum quickly said. "There's an even more troubling matter."

"Out with it!" The elderly Magus snapped.

The Warden gulped nervously. Then, said in a shaky voice:

"This person, he… he found out about Lord Benton's presence in Springdale!"

The elderly Magus's eyes widened, his pupils gleaming with shock and… apprehension.

"Take me to him this instance!"

He rose to his feet and stormed out of his room, his attendant hurrying after him.

For Meechum, a Warden of the Brotherhood and a Mana Vortex Magus, to prostrate himself and act so humbly before the elderly man could only mean one thing.

The elderly man was a Mana Core Magus.

A Councilor.

The leader of the Shadowblades faction.

He was none other than Nyle Damon — the very person who had assassinated Vulwian Preskian, the former leader of the Wildwatchers.

***

Back in the interrogation room, the atmosphere had quickly turned dark and brutal.

The moment Kenny revealed that he knew about a high-ranking Cultist hidden in the city, Devon and the rest of the traitors shed all pretense. They began torturing him, trying to force out everything he knew.

Devon and the other Mana Liquefaction Magus — the one who had kidnapped him in the warehouse — did the dirty work, while two Mana Vortex Magi stood at the edge of the room, watching with dark expressions.

The third Mana Vortex Magi — Meechum — was nowhere to be seen, as he had left earlier to inform Nyle Damon.

And it wouldn't be long before he led the Councilor straight into the Dark King's trap...

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