I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Chapter 158 - 158: Threads of Ambition

As the duo stepped out of the Gate and set foot in the peaceful college, Shepard's eyes bulged in shock as an icy shiver ran down his spine. He swiftly unpowered the Gate, worrying The Beast Emperor would emerge behind them and slap him to death.

Then, he asked, disbelief painted on his face, 'How are you alive?' He couldn't bring himself to believe he succeeded. After all, The Emperor was a renowned madman who killed at the slightest sign of disrespect.

He even heard that twelve years ago, he almost started a war against another powerful country after a mage laughed at him during a meeting. Who in his right mind would do that?

"I don't know... My brain can't follow anymore..." Julius tiredly answered. The only thing he wanted right now was to return to his room and relax in a hot bath after the stressful meeting. After all, despite his maturity, he was only twelve and, as an honest and straightforward boy, couldn't follow the rapidly changing events.

"I succeeded. He will lend me his sigil in six months. By the way, he is a nice man. Why are you scared of him, and when will you give me the spell book?" Adam answered, grinning. Why did they all doubt the result so much? He also didn't forget about the promised spell book, happy to get a freebie.

Shepard gazed at him, doubting his understanding of the world for a minute before roaring in laughter. "Hahaha. I should have known that only a madman could get along with another." He said in amusement. The Beast Emperor? A nice man? So many people were killed under his rule that it was impossible to count them!

Julius nodded vigorously in agreement, remembering the terrifying transformation and life force of the man and his big brother's many weird ideas, while Adam's face turned unsightly.

'Since when am I a madman?' He thought, feeling hurt by Julius' swift nod. Despite this, he considered the emperor to be fair, always adhering to the rules.

Moreover, he understood something during the meeting. The emperor's transformation didn't rely on transmutations but on spells. With his understanding of Elena's legacy, he was sure about it. So, what was the difference since he didn't need to cast either?

As he pondered the limitations of spells at the archmage tier, Shepard said, walking towards his tower. "Follow me. You can pick a spell book from my collection. I'll only ask you to return it before graduating."

As they followed behind him, admiring the peaceful academy, Shepard finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. "By the way, what ritual are you trying to conduct?"

The ghost gazed at him with a conflicted expression before answering, "A ritual to transform minerals." He couldn't share or even mention Kwame's ritual.

His re

Shepard gazed at the duo with a smile, unwilling to interrupt them. Yet, within, his mind raced as he imagined Adam possessing his own body. With it, and since he was now his official disciple, he could use his protege's talent to dominate the other academies during their decennial contest.

Just thinking about the wealth he could obtain by plundering the other arcanists' possessions during their betting session caused his eyes to burn with ambition.

As they arrived before his living quarters, he finally asked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Can you complete the ritual before two years?"

"I don't know. It's complicated." Adam answered with a frown, wondering why two years particularly.

"If you lack materials or need help to conduct the ritual, remember, I can help," Shepard said with a wide grin, planning to invest in the project if needed. After all, his returns would be nothing short of staggering if Adam really participated and defeated all the other arcanists' disciples.

"Ah? Thank you." Adam answered, a bit astonished by the sudden offer, as Shepard opened the doors, revealing an interior stacked with magic devices, alchemical tools, and research papers.

"Welcome to my home. You can come here instead of going to classes if you have questions related to your progression or to read books. By the way, be sure to come tomorrow. I'll introduce you to my other disciples." He said with a wide smile as he guided the duo to the second floor.