Chapter 478 – Kirk Weilen's Retreat

By this stage, the conversation between Punk and Kirk Weilen had essentially reached an impasse. Generally speaking, if it were a hot-tempered mage hearing such blunt sarcasm from Punk, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to erupt in fury and strike—especially those spellcasters of strong moral compass in the good alignment. Most powerful figures of the Lawful Good alignment could not tolerate someone like Punk, who acted with reckless “evil” and still defended himself with fervent arguments.

In fact, after hearing Punk’s response, Kirk Weilen’s expression immediately turned extremely grim. This intuitively sharp mage had already vaguely guessed the cause of Ben Lajie’s death. Now, seeing the emotionless pupils in Punk’s eyes, Kirk Weilen’s suspicions no longer needed verification. As for what Punk had actually done during this mission, it wasn’t hard to infer. Undoubtedly, regardless of Punk’s excuses, in Kirk Weilen’s mind, the figure standing before him was nothing but a brazen, evil madman!

But… was there anything this helpless branch head could do about it?

The answer was—no.

Perhaps if it were the Kirk Weilen of his youth—the solitary spellcaster who traveled far and wide to punish evil and uphold justice—he might have erupted in anger and fought to the death with that cold-eyed mage before him. Not for any gain or principle, but purely to pursue the justice in his heart, much like Ovakain resolutely charging at the demon’s secondary Projection giant hand.

But the present Kirk Weilen would not do this, nor did he have any reason to.

Kirk Weilen was now over five hundred years old. He had aged; he was no longer that young mage who would rush to the front lines, shouting and killing over a fit of rage. Now, he was merely an old man in the twilight of his years, guarding this Thought of Truth Branch while waiting for his lifespan to run out. He had far too many attachments—a family he couldn’t bear to part with, apprentices surrounding him, and the responsibilities entrusted to this small branch… He couldn’t afford to turn against a Senior Mentor and engage in battle, nor could he risk destroying all his peace for the sake of his so-called justice.

Moreover…

Kirk Weilen took a deep look at the Magical Raven Vector, which had been constantly turning its head to observe its surroundings. Finally, his gaze slowly shifted back to Punk’s icy face… Only this time, the trace of anger in Kirk Weilen’s eyes had been replaced by profound helplessness and sorrow.

The Punk before him was no longer the level sixteen mage who had just joined the Thought of Truth. Now, Kirk Weilen could no longer see through the “young mage” standing in front of him.

“Ah… Cyan, do you know?”

Standing in a sliver of dim yellow sunlight filtering through the window, Kirk Weilen’s figure appeared like a frail, weathered old man. His slightly disheveled, pale hair drifted gently in the breeze. It was only in such serious, solemn moments that this old man, who disliked unnecessary pretense, would calmly reveal his aged and decrepit side…

Finally, raising his head earnestly, Kirk Weilen spoke to Punk in a low, grave voice:”Cyan, this small branch is not just a college for mages, it is also my—Kirk Weilen’s—home. I consider every mentor here as my family. Even if they make some mistakes, they are merely children who have lost their way unintentionally. So… do not shatter an old man’s hard-won peace in his twilight years. Sometimes, maintaining a bit of reverence is not a bad thing!”

At this moment, Kirk Weilen’s tone carried both a warning and a hint of pleading. It was clear that the old man’s words were sincere.

The underlying message in Kirk Weilen’s words was quite explicit—he wished to spend his remaining years peacefully in this Thought of Truth Branch. As long as no one disturbed him, he was willing to make some concessions in his principles. But if anyone insisted on disrupting an old man’s fleeting tranquility… then Kirk Weilen was not someone to be trifled with!

However, Punk’s response to Kirk Weilen’s compromise and threat was noncommittal.

He was not like Kane, a madman who delighted in causing destruction for fun. Without any benefit, Punk had no desire to confront Kirk Weilen, especially since this powerful level nineteen mage was nominally the highest authority in this Thought of Truth Branch. The Thought of Truth, a Lawful Legendary organization, did not permit internal conflicts among its members!

But if there were sufficient incentives… Punk could make no guarantees—he was a mage with an adventurous spirit. His numerous ventures had fully demonstrated the rich rewards of “risk-taking.” When the time came, whether it involved the righteous or the wicked, anyone who stood in his way… Punk never bothered with so-called personal connections!

Ignoring Kirk Weilen’s increasingly cold gaze, Punk impatiently muttered gloomily:

“Alright, Mr. Kirk Weilen, did you wait here today just to spout meaningless nonsense? If that’s the case, I think you can leave. I have an important research project to attend to…”

“You and I are different, old man. You have plenty of lifespan to squander, while I don’t have many days left. Even I can spare some time to handle matters concerning you. What does a young man like you have to complain about?”

Interrupting Punk’s impatient remarks, Kirk Weilen fell silent for a moment, giving Punk one last look before slowly turning and walking toward the Mission Hall entrance as he said:

“Follow me. A little guest has been waiting for you for over three months. Don’t keep them waiting any longer…”

“What is this about?”

Frowning, Punk stared at Kirk Weilen’s retreating figure.

But Kirk Weilen did not stop. He continued walking out the door, his voice low as he replied:

“It’s nothing significant, just a formality.” After all, the Dragon Roar Kingdom and the Maple Leaf Kingdom are merely insignificant little kingdoms. Who cares about the lives of a few million people? But some ceremonial ‘appearances’ are still necessary, even if such things hold no real meaning…”After calmly delivering a series of indifferent remarks, Kirk Weilen led the way across the threshold of the Mission Hall. However, just as he stepped through the doorway, the attentive Old Mage suddenly paused and gently picked up a frost-white object scattered on the steps.

He remembered it was an asset exchanged by that Apprentice. For an Apprentice-Level mage, a piece of Frost White Stone was quite valuable. Kirk Weilen didn’t mind temporarily holding onto it to return to the Apprentice when the opportunity arose.

Not even a Master-Level expert could change their heart and stance over mere words, and Kirk Weilen knew he couldn’t persuade Punk. From then on, all he needed to do was simply fulfill his duties as the “branch head.” As for anything else related to Punk… to this disappointed Old Mage, it probably mattered less than returning this Frost White Stone to the Apprentice.

(End of Chapter)