Gravity Mage with Level-Up System Chapter 1823: Part 1: Scott’s raid

Crystal City, Business District

Magic Lord Scott had no intention of squandering precious time. His singular objective was to locate the illicit artifact and catch the proprietor, Frank, in the act.

Procrastination would only serve to needlessly complicate his proceedings.

Expanding his mental perception, he observed that a crowd of local residents had amassed, accompanied by various members of the media.

His initial instincts were confirmed; he maintained full faith in the intelligence provided by the Green Elemental Tower. Since they were all allies, he found it impossible to believe they would fabricate such critical information.

Swoosh!

In the blink of an eye, he materialized directly before Frank. This sudden maneuver startled the spectators. Magic Lord Blake and Old Man Rock reacted instantly, their stances shifting into a state of high alert.

The surrounding civilians and store personnel grew apprehensive, fearing an imminent confrontation. If violence erupted, Frank would be left without a clear defender.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“You are acting against the Silver Tower for no justifiable reason,” Blake remarked with a stern expression.

Magic Lord Scott lacked jurisdiction in this quadrant, as Crystal City fell under the protection of the Silver Tower. Blake was determined to ensure Frank remained unharmed, lest he face the wrath of his own superiors.

A cold spike of adrenaline surged within me. If I were forced to retaliate in full view of the public, the repercussions would be catastrophic.

Gasp!

The nearby wizards recoiled, their faces pallid with dread. The atmosphere descended into chaos. Hank, Patrick, and Otto hovered in a state of agitation, paralyzed by the uncertainty of the situation.

Fortunately, the individual who had originally brought the forbidden item had already departed. For the moment, our establishment remained beyond reproach.

Unfazed, Scott declared, “I have obtained intelligence regarding a banned item originating from SunHaven City. It is concealed within your shop. I intend to conduct a thorough search,” he stated, moving resolutely toward the mansion.

Swoosh!

With a blur of movement, he glided past us into the residence. I knew I couldn't stop him. I flashed a warning gesture to Old Man Rock to remain calm. Recognizing the signal, Old Man Rock stifled his instincts and stood his ground.

Elder Blake appeared visibly rattled. He met my gaze and asked, “How are we to proceed?”

“Follow him. I cannot risk him planting evidence inside,” I instructed.

Blake grasped the implication immediately, ushering the remaining officials into the building. Within seconds, they converged on the gallery room.

Inside, they witnessed Magic Lord Scott aggressively probing the surroundings. Hank, Patrick, and Otto watched, paralyzed with fear; they were aware of the sensitivity of the situation, and although nothing illegal existed in the room, Scott’s stubborn persistence baffled them.

Scott unleashed his mental power, methodically scanning every corner of the vast mansion.

Yet, he located nothing. His frustration mounted; he could not afford to suffer another public failure. A sudden realization sparked in his mind.

“The contraband must be concealed within their storage bracelets,” he barked.

His gaze shifted sharply toward my staff. As his eyes landed on the three Supreme Wizards, they gleamed with malice. He teleported directly into their midst.

“Present your storage bracelets for inspection,” he commanded.

Patrick, Otto, and Hank were taken aback. Elder Blake and the officials arrived just in time to intervene.

“This is unacceptable, Scott. You require explicit authorization from the Mage Union,” Blake warned, his voice dripping with menace.

At that moment, hearing the commotion, I entered with Old Man Rock. Everyone’s attention shifted to us. Scott turned to face me, his eyes burning with rage.

He was intent on searching every bracelet. Should we resist, he would not hesitate to launch an assault. With no aid present except for those associated with the Flame Elemental Tower, we were in a precarious position.

“I am convinced you possess banned items within your storage. No one leaves this premises until I have inspected everyone,” Scott insisted forcefully.

Unexpectedly, Magic Lord Edmund from the Wizard Association arrived. His presence was formidable. He glanced at Magic Lord Scott, and his demeanor soured immediately.

“Do you require assistance?” Edmund inquired.

Magic Lord Scott’s agitation deepened. He had not anticipated encountering another Magic Lord. Facing three of them at once was a tactical nightmare.

I offered a polite greeting to Magic Lord Edmund before turning my attention back to Scott.

“Magic Lord Scott, I cannot permit a search of our personal storage. You lack the mandatory authorization.”

“If you persist in creating this disturbance, I shall invite our media associates standing outside the complex. I am sure they would be quite eager for an exclusive look inside,” I proposed.

At those words, Scott’s expression darkened. The higher-ups in the Green Elemental Tower had insisted the items were near the entrance, yet his search yielded nothing.

It was entirely possible that we had already cleared the items. He found it hard to fathom that the Green Elemental Tower could commit such an amateur blunder.

He realized that if I had already discarded the items, auditing the bracelets would be a futile waste of time.

Gathering his composure, he chose to withdraw. Though resistant, his intellect dictated a tactical retreat.

Further escalation would certainly invite the Silver Tower to respond in force. He threw a lingering, icy glare at us before exiting the premises.

Upon stepping outside, he retreated to his hovering vehicle. Once secured inside, he initiated a communication with his contacts at the Green Elemental Tower.

He was hesitant to relinquish the matter without further confirmation.

The leadership was stunned to hear the items had not been discovered. They, too, suspected that Frank had managed to conceal them.

However, without Mage Union approval, a total search risked a retaliatory strike from the Silver Tower. They had never intended for Scott to act with such premature aggression.

Scott admitted to himself he had been reckless. He should have secured the paperwork first. He terminated the call in a fit of pique.

Nevertheless, he remained in the area, consulting with other associates to weigh his options.

Everyone provided the same cautious feedback. Scott was livid; he searched for a way out of this trap, yet found none.

Buzz!

Suddenly, his communication terminal chirped, displaying an incoming call from Forbidden Wizard Callum. Upon seeing the name, he dropped all other matters and answered immediately.

“My Lord,” he breathed.

“What is the situation at your location?” Callum queried.

Scott was paralyzed with shock. He hadn’t realized Lord Callum had recovered.

He proceeded to explain the situation to Lord Callum, detailing his inability to locate the banned goods within the estate.

Callum perceived the situation in its entirety. He decided to grant authorization after posing a few critical questions.

Moments later, Callum issued a direct order: Scott was to search everyone and secure that forbidden artifact at all costs. Once the item was retrieved, he promised, no one would escape justice.

“I am obtaining approval from the Mage Union. You are to proceed with the search,” Callum decreed.

The connection was broken. Scott felt a surge of renewed confidence.

Elsewhere, I emerged from the building with my team. We looked up to see the flying vehicles still suspended in the air.

My expression shifted significantly. What was happening? The group exchanged confused glances.

“He hasn’t departed. He must be securing authorization,” Blake muttered.

At this revelation, the faces of my team went pale. They had presumed Magic Lord Scott would have retreated in disgrace.

It appeared he was far from finished.

“Care to explain what all this entails?”

“It seems this has nothing to do with the Tulip Auction House,” Edmund interjected.

Elder Blake provided a summary of the situation. As Edmund learned of the SunHaven Forbidden Item, he was visibly shaken. His eyes widened in absolute shock.

“That is a grave accusation. You must tell me the truth. If it is accurate, then no one can protect shop owner Frank,” Edmund said solemnly.

I felt the weight of Edmund’s focused gaze.

“It is merely another fabricated accusation,” I replied.

“We shall not know until I have conducted a thorough search of your storage bracelets,” Scott said, reappearing outside.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Elder Blake countered, “You lack legal authority. I have already notified Manager Lara.”

Scott smiled thinly. “She is powerless to stop this. Lord Callum himself has commanded the search. He is securing the necessary paperwork from the Mage Union as we speak.”

“Shop owner Frank, I shall start with you. Present your bracelet.” He took a resolute step forward.

Tension spiked among the onlookers. The media delegates caught wind of the situation; they possessed scouts with unique sensory magic.

They began to uncover the truth. The forbidden item was an taboo topic, a subject no one dared mention. The mere naming of the SunHaven item sent a wave of terror through the reporters.

They began to broadcast the story. Throughout the metropolis, headlines concerning the SunHaven banned item flooded every news outlet.

The populace was paralyzed with horror. Many veterans of the old world recognized the history and trembled. Such artifacts held the potential to annihilate millions.

Now, they were being told one was in their midst. The locals had firmly believed such items were under the absolute security of the Mage Union.

They had never heard of an item manifesting in public hands. The news went viral, spreading across borders in what became the ultimate breaking story.

...

Silver Tower

Manager Lara had already departed the Silver Tower. She was en route to Crystal City when the breaking news alerts flooded her screen.

She felt a chill to her core. Her anxiety spiked; this was clearly another conspiracy designed to trap Vincent. She wondered if Vincent Carey was even aware of the developing disaster.

If the Flame Elemental Tower had dispatched Magic Lord Scott for this, there had to be some foundation for their claims. Even Vincent might have missed a subtle setup.

If this was a trap, it was perfectly executed. Rescuing Vincent Carey would become an impossible struggle. Driven by this fear, she pushed her vehicle toward Crystal City at maximum velocity.