Chapter 43

### The Fourth Form of the Mage's Defensive Martial Arts: Aggressive Staff Technique

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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Amidst the swirling cherry blossoms, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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Sigma stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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Sigma stood at the entrance of the classroom, took a deep breath, and tightly held the letter containing secrets given to him by his mother.

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### The Fourth Form of the Mage's Defensive Martial Arts: Aggressive Staff Technique

This is a fast-attack staff technique used for close combat against a single opponent, highly aggressive and very suitable for suppressing opponents who are not skilled in physical combat. Sigma wielded the staff with fluid movements, the portable staff being as sturdy as iron, capable of sweeping, wrapping, and striking with great force. The staff also had a poisoned blade at the end, which could slash, stab, and cut, making it almost impossible to defend against. Building on the Fourth Form of the staff technique, Sigma added the spear techniques of the Washington family. He did not engage Juventus in a direct strength contest but relied on his exquisite footwork to move around, striking unexpectedly with the spear, forcing Juventus, who had a powerful dragon's strength but was extremely weak in physical combat, to retreat step by step.

"You are weak in evasion, unskilled in physical combat, loose in footwork, and slow in reaction. Not a single move is decent! Do you think mages are still like they were decades ago, standing still as mobile artillery and live targets? Do you think the defensive martial arts developed by the major academies with countless resources and effort are just for fitness? Do you think that once you advance to the Holy Domain, these scroll and staff techniques become useless? You, an old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud who refuses to progress, actually want to fight me in close combat? Dream on!"

Sigma spun the staff, the short blade at the end of the staff swiftly retracting, slicing a bloody gash on Juventus's leg. He then pushed Juventus, causing him to stumble. Sigma then reversed the staff, the head of which burst into flames, and the explosive fireball on the staff glowed intensely red. A fireball exploded in front of Juventus, sending him flying far away, rolling down the hill.

Sigma removed the explosive fireball staff and then took out an arcane missile staff from the band on his right leg. He loaded it, pulled the safety, and fired a long burst at the rolling Juventus. Fifteen white light missiles whistled down, exploding and causing Juventus to scream in pain. Sigma then leaped down the hill, chasing after Juventus.

"Accept your fate, you have already failed." Sigma reversed the staff, pointing the dagger at the end of the staff at Juventus, and walked towards him step by step. "In these final moments, recall the beautiful things you have experienced in your life."

Juventus turned back in despair, hearing the unyielding and cold determination in Sigma's words.

No matter how just his actions were, this madman was going to kill him.

No matter how powerful the forces behind him were, this madman was going to kill him.

No matter how important his mission was, this madman was going to kill him.

He, a great scholar who had dirtied his hands for the future of all humanity and was destined to be remembered in history, was about to be killed by a mad necromancer for a group of lowly bio-weapons?

He couldn't die! He absolutely couldn't die here! He hissed, "You can't kill me! You shouldn't kill me! I have important information! You should capture me! You are the future leader of the Necromancer Academy, are you going to act on impulse and do something so reckless and brainless?"

Sigma sneered, "Capture? And then what? Hand you over to the Druids for interrogation? Not to mention what useful information those nature lovers could extract from a Holy Domain mage like you. The Temple has other pawns in Florence, whether to silence you, rescue you, or obtain the research data and production process of the half-beasts... I need to prevent these things from happening, so it's better for you to die."

Juventus, whose intentions were guessed, struggled even harder. He shouted, "Do you know what you are doing? Why are you doing this? Out of some sense of justice? The goodness of a necromancer? For a group of lowly and cheap artificial beings? Do you know the severe consequences your hypocrisy will cause in the future! Without this powerful bio-army, more humans will die, and you will have to taste the bitter fruits of your so-called justice! Is the so-called justice and freedom of outsiders more important than the lives of your own people? Wake up!"

Sigma tilted his head and smiled, "Always talking about humanity, the future, calamities, and disasters. I ask you, have you seen those terrible futures with your own eyes? Are you a prophet? Have you seen fragments of the future?"

Juventus was taken aback by the question and shook his head, "No."

Sigma rolled his eyes, "Then what the hell are you talking about?"

He shrugged, "I'm really sorry, but first, I don't have much sense of belonging to this world. Second, I'm not a visionary like you, looking far into the future. I don't know what will happen in the future; I only care about the present. I hate you and consider you my enemy. I can't violate my principles because of some uncertain future you speak of. Only a fool would do that. The half-beasts have earned my respect with their bravery and willingness to sacrifice. You, the Temple, claim your cause is for the future of all humanity, yet you secretly do such desecrations of life... What a joke, why should I believe a bunch of cowards! Why should I trust your words!"

Juventus shouted, "Everything I said is true! Everything I said is true!"

"Maybe what you said is true, as researchers are often pure idealists, but can you guarantee that everyone in the Temple shares the same ideals and beliefs as you?" Sigma shook his head. "Furthermore, look at your wounds, think about the half-beasts who fearlessly challenge you for their loved ones, and think about the intense emotions that fuel their fighting spirit... Do you think you can enslave such a race? Will they obediently be driven to their deaths without resistance? You keep making predictions, saying that without this cannon fodder army, countless humans will die. I can make predictions too. If you really create this cannon fodder army, when they are oppressed to the extreme, they will rise up in rebellion, and this weakness will be exploited by enemies, turning against you. This could lead to a great defeat for humanity, even the extinction of your race! Oh, what a heavy sin, you."

"At this point, only Nolun can accept them. Only by making the half-beasts a part of the Nolun tribes and making them genuinely consider this place their home, will they be willing to take up arms and fight alongside the other tribes if such a disaster occurs. I believe that the half-beasts, fighting to protect their homes and loved ones, will achieve greater victories than those driven to the battlefield by whips... I know this sounds like nonsense, but I'm not trying to convince you. I just need to convince myself for now... You know, when I first came to the Nature Academy, the High Priest told me that animals have spirits, and desecrating life will ultimately invite the punishment of the Father God. At first, I thought it was nonsense, but now I believe it. Your research could have proceeded smoothly, perhaps even without attracting the attention of the Druids, but because I met Bifeng on a whim, I ended up getting involved in this. It wasn't me who ruined your plans; it was the choice of the fate's door—thinking this way might make you feel a bit better."

The blade ignored Juventus's pleas and accurately pierced his heart. The life of the person before him slowly drained away, and Sigma did not feel much joy, but rather a complex mix of emotions. He watched as Juventus's life force slowly faded and, almost involuntarily, whispered, "Do you have any last wishes? Out of respect for your academic achievements, I am willing to listen. If they are not too much, I will fulfill them for you."

Juventus's dimming eyes suddenly brightened, the look of a man grasping at the last straw. For a moment, the fire in his eyes seemed capable of burning the entire Maya Forest. He struggled to remove a ring from his hand, erased the mental imprint, and weakly extended it, whispering, "Research, all my research and notes, including those on the half-beasts, are here... If... if a great war comes and you cannot turn the tide, you must use it..."

Sigma was silent, looking at Juventus's pleading eyes, and took the ring.

He whispered, "Alright, you can rest easy."

Juventus seemed to have completed a significant mission. Although he no longer had the strength to speak, a hint of satisfaction appeared on his lips. Sigma was silent, unsure what to say about Juventus. The world is like this; a person cannot be simply labeled as good or bad. He still thought the secretive and cowardly Temple was not a good thing, but at least the Juventus before him, though with extreme views, was not a bad person.

"Rest in peace. I will bury you, and on your tombstone, it will read, 'A pure human scholar lies here.'"

Juventus blinked, a smile of understanding appearing in his eyes. He opened his mouth and slowly uttered his last words, "Hurry... hurry..."

As he spoke, a dull explosion sounded from underground, followed by a violent shaking of the earth...

Sigma's face instantly changed. The secret research base in the valley was about to explode.

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