The Wizard: From Zero-Ring Wizard to Almighty Lord.

Chapter 246 The Death of Layton
Chapter 246

Viscount Layton wore a heavy trench coat with the hood hanging low, obscuring most of his face, and his figure disappeared into the shadows of dusk.

He walked slowly through the forest path outside the castle walls, his fingertips lightly touching the Violet King totem on his chest, feeling the faint yet clear spiritual fluctuations—a signal from Klaus.

His face looked extremely pale.

The mentor he once regarded as his guide, who had given him guidance and enlightenment in his youth, is now the enemy who almost pushed him into the abyss of death.

If it weren't for his grandfather's timely help, he would probably be lying dead in the wilderness by now.

Now, this mentor has made no attempt to conceal his presence and brazenly summoned him through the totem inheritance of the Violet King.

A cold smile appeared on Layton's lips, and a flash of murderous intent disappeared in his eyes.

"Heh... Klaus, I'd like to see what tricks you're planning to pull this time..."

His trench coat fluttered in the forest, but his steps became increasingly swift. A faint purple light emanated from his body, appearing and disappearing in the night, revealing the power of the Violet King Totem after it was activated.

Amidst the flowing purple light, he moved swiftly through the forest like a ghost, heading towards a dense grove of trees located outside the territory.

At the same time, he gently stroked the worn-out pocket watch in his pocket.

That was the place where the spiritual avatar of "Grandfather" resided, and Layton almost instinctively wanted to draw a sense of security from it.

Of course, Layton was not a reckless man.

The moment he left the castle, a pale-winged carrier pigeon took flight, soaring through the clouds and snow, hurtling toward a secret contact point.

……

Deep in the dense forest, a clearing naturally enclosed by trees is as silent as a tomb.

At this moment, three figures were already standing there, seemingly waiting for something.

The leader was an elderly man with gray hair and beard, his back slightly hunched, as if the weight of time had bent his spine.

He wore a simple dark gray robe, his hands behind his back, looking frail and as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

But his eyes stood out from the rest of his body; they were clear, sharp, and even so intense that one dared not look directly into them.

He was Klaus, Viscount Layton's former mentor.

Behind him stood a young brother and sister.

The two had very similar features, both with black hair and dark eyes, and both possessed a cool and slightly wary demeanor.

The boy was about fifteen or sixteen years old, his face still showing some childishness, but his eyes held a fierceness and determination beyond his years, like a wild beast that had been trapped for too long, ready to pounce.

The girl was a few years younger, but she already looked like a future beauty.

Her large, clear eyes were filled with deep unease. She gripped her brother's hand tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white, as if she were trying to suppress the fear in her heart.

Her body trembled slightly, but she bit her lip and didn't say a word.

Just then, Klaus slowly closed his eyes, sensing the faint fluctuations emanating from the mental link.

After a moment, he spoke softly, his tone calm and deep:
“My beloved disciple has arrived.”

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a clap of thunder rolling through the night wind, slowly spreading through the depths of the dense forest.

The next moment, a rustling sound came from deep in the forest, like fallen leaves being quietly trodden underfoot, or like a shadow moving through the woods.

A few rays of sunlight pierced through the branches and leaves, falling on a figure.

Viscount Layton, hooded and wrapped in a dark robe, slowly emerged from the woods. He was tall and composed, yet exuded a suppressed sharpness.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the young couple before landing on Klaus, who was standing at the very front.

His eyes were cold, yet a faint smile played on his lips.

"Teacher, it's been... a long time!"

Layton's lips curled up, his tone carrying an ambiguous sense of disdain.

Klaus seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in his words, simply smiling calmly, his expression remaining composed.
“Layton, back then you were just a little kid sitting next to me listening to my explanations, and now you’re a fully-fledged brass alchemist. As your mentor, I haven’t had a chance to properly congratulate you yet.”

However, this seemingly warm greeting completely ignited the anger in Layton's heart.

He suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter, a laugh laced with hatred and sarcasm:
"Hahaha! What a great teacher! He deliberately led the Feathered Serpent Society's pursuers towards me—what an unforgettable 'lesson'!"

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

However, Klaus remained calm, even sporting a meaningful smile, and said lightly:

"But under the pressure of death, didn't you finally break through the shackles and step into the realm of the Bronze Alchemist? This is part of growth, my child."

"Shut up, you damned old bastard!"

Layton's anger finally broke free. His voice suddenly rose, his eyes turned bloodshot, and he almost roared.

"You kept claiming it was a bond between master and disciple, but behind my back you plotted to kill me! If I hadn't been lucky enough to successfully break through to the Bronze Alchemist level, I probably would have been killed by you, you old bastard!"

Klaus remained completely unmoved, as if he had already anticipated what was about to happen.

But the boy behind him suddenly stepped forward, his eyes flashing with cold light.

"How dare you insult a teacher? You're asking for it!"

His aura suddenly hardened, and a youthful yet extremely murderous power suddenly spread out, as if he was about to make a move at any moment.

Layton's gaze darkened, and he sneered, "Oh? You little brat, you've got quite the nerve. Looks like you're lacking in proper upbringing."

Before he finished speaking, a sudden flash appeared on his body, and a faint purple light emanated from within him. A huge and beautiful violet flower quietly bloomed behind him.

The petals are layered upon layered, their color as alluring as blood, while a faint purple, slightly poisonous ripple emanates from the stamen, exuding a captivating and mysterious aura.

The Violet King Totem has appeared!

Almost simultaneously, the violet flower trembled slightly and suddenly spewed out a swirling, turbulent purple poisonous mist, carrying a strong corrosive aura, heading straight for Poker and his two companions!

"Layton! Stop! I'm not here to be your enemy!"

Klaus frowned slightly, but finally made his move.

He waved his hand, and suddenly a swarm of tiny bee shadows appeared in the air.

Hundreds upon hundreds of nimble witchcraft bees instantly materialized, the swarm swirling and dancing like an impenetrable wall, intercepting, devouring, and breaking down the poisonous mist, blocking the three of them.

"You didn't come here to fight?"

Layton sneered, flicked his sleeves, and the purple aura lingered, hinting at another attack.

"Then what are you here for? To tell me if your new apprentice is obedient? Or to see if your 'failure' from back then has died in the hunt you arranged?"

Klaus was silent for a moment, then looked up at Layton, finally suppressing his smile, and spoke in a low but meaningful tone:
“Layton, if I really wanted you dead, you wouldn’t be standing here right now. But today, I do have something to discuss with you.”

After Klaus finished speaking, before Layton could continue, he spoke first, his tone suddenly becoming low but powerful, as if he were reading a declaration that had been buried deep in his heart for a long time.

"this world……"

"It has been rotten, numb, and terminally ill for far too long."

"Whether for the sake of this world itself, or for all the lives still struggling to survive, or for the alchemists who toil day after day under oppression, this filthy and silent order must be broken!"

Klaus slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the dense forest foliage, looking towards the unseen sky.

“Those high thrones… once looked down upon the world like gods. But times have changed.”

"Even the Golden Throne... is not necessarily unshakeable, nor is it necessarily immune to fall."

As he said this, his tone suddenly changed, and he said in a low voice as if dropping a bombshell:
“Layton, I can tell you that the Golden Throne of the Feathered Serpent Society, indeed, we failed and did not manage to kill him completely.”

"But, besides him, there is another true golden throne in this world that has fallen into our hands."

Layton's pupils contracted.

Although he did not utter a word, he was deeply shaken.

Klaus, merely a bronze alchemist, was able to participate in the assassination of the Golden Throne?

This shows that the forces behind him are far from ordinary!

And judging from his tone, this wasn't the first time he'd achieved such success...

"Layton".

Klaus's tone suddenly softened, yet became even more ardent, like flames licking dry wood.

“You are no longer the apprentice you once were. As a brass alchemist, you are now qualified to enter ‘that door’.”

"As your teacher, I now formally invite you to join us and become one of the creators of the new world."

"We will use our own hands to shatter the rotten throne and forge the most beautiful tomorrow."

"A new world of true freedom and true justice, no longer dominated by corruption!"

In the end, Klaus's previously hunched figure seemed to straighten up a bit, and his aged eyes shone with a fervor completely out of character for his age. It was an almost fanatical faith, a fervent brilliance of being willing to die for an ideal.

He wasn't persuading; he was preaching.

It was as if he truly believed that the corpse of the golden throne was the ladder to a new world.

But Layton just sneered.

He was certainly not one of those inexperienced alchemy apprentices who would be fired up and kneel down to pledge allegiance after hearing a few passionate speeches.

He saw it very clearly:

This is not about building a "Brave New World," but rather a few disgraced thugs fleeing in panic after a failed attack.

At this moment, they are not facing "ideals," but the overwhelming killing intent of the Feathered Serpent Society.

More importantly, he and Klaus still have a blood debt between them!
The next moment, Layton's gaze narrowed slightly as he sensed that his "allies" lying in ambush in the distance were already in position.

He suppressed his laughter, but then suddenly threw his head back and burst into loud laughter, his voice so high it almost shook the branches and leaves in the forest:
"Hahaha... Klaus, you really are... as eloquent as ever."

His gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed intently on the other person, his tone icy:
"Hahaha! Don't give me that crap, Klaus. To me, the so-called Brave New World means watching you die right in front of me! Members of the Feathered Serpent Order, the Klaus you're hunting is right here, show yourself!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a dense rustling sound immediately came from all directions through the dense forest.

Leaves fluttered, branches trembled, and swift, stealthy figures were rapidly approaching.

Those were the Feathered Serpent Order's pursuers—they had received the carrier pigeon message sent by Layton and were closing in at an alarming speed!

The wind howled faster, and the murderous intent grew stronger.

The expressions of the boy and girl standing behind Klaus changed drastically in an instant. The girl's bright eyes were filled with fear, her body trembled slightly, and she subconsciously gripped her brother's hand tightly.

The boy suddenly turned around, glaring fiercely at Layton with eyes full of boundless hatred, as if he were about to pounce on him and tear the "informant" to pieces.

Klaus, on the other hand, remained as calm as ever, standing at the very front.

He showed no panic whatsoever, nor did he display the slightest anger at Layton's "betrayal."

Klaus slowly raised his head, looked at Layton, a faint hint of regret appearing in his eyes, and whispered:

"Oh... my child, I really feel sorry for you."

"You could have been one of the architects of reshaping the world order, but you chose this path, going with the tide of decay and associating with depravity."

His tone was low and sorrowful, but there was not a trace of tenderness in his emotions.

"Since you are willing to ally with the Feathered Serpent Society, since you have chosen to become a part of this old world... then, for the future of the new world, as your teacher, I have no choice but to personally eliminate this rotten pawn."

"Pah! Stop playing tricks!"

Viscount Layton roared angrily, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

"We're both brass alchemists, so who lives and who dies is decided after the fight! Today, I'll see just how long you, my 'teacher,' can keep up your arrogance!"

He suddenly waved his hand, and the huge violet king behind him suddenly let out a low hum, its petals blooming layer by layer, its purple light dazzling, and its poisonous aura overflowing!

The Violet King totem swayed violently, as if it wanted to swallow everything in the forest into this poisonous fog.

Under its protection, Layton moved like lightning, his body shimmering with purple light—the combat enhancement bestowed by the totem.

In battles between alchemists, totems are everything.

As long as the totem remains intact, the alchemist will be difficult to truly kill.

Now, Layton no longer hesitates; he will use his own power to destroy his former mentor!

However, just before the Violet King was about to launch his attack.

Klaus gently shook his head, as if he were facing not a battle, but a child who had gone astray.

He sighed softly, his tone devoid of even a trace of anger, only a cold pity:
"Sigh... Layton."

"I told you..."

"As your teacher, if I really wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be able to stop me."

"Since you insist on taking this wrong step, then I have no choice but to clean house."

Before the Violet King's attack could even begin, the next instant...

Suddenly, Klaus closed his eyes and whispered something in a low voice, as if he were resonating with some ancient and mysterious being.

Just at this moment.

hum!
The Violet King's petals, which should have been in full bloom, suddenly trembled, as if frozen in mid-air by an unseen force, like a solidified statue.

"Um?!"

Layton's expression changed drastically, and a strong sense of unease welled up inside him.

He subconsciously took a half step back, but instantly felt the familiar violet totem protective power outside his body dissipate silently like smoke!

boom!
Just then, a whooshing sound suddenly came from the air!
A bee the size of a fingernail, with a chilling penetrating power, shot straight toward Layton's forehead like a precise bullet!

"Do not--!"

Layton's eyes widened, his face contorted in pain, as he desperately channeled the remaining power of the Violet King.

Just as the bee was about to hit its target.

A faint purple light appeared on his forehead, barely blocking the fatal blow.

"what?"

Klaus was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting that Layton could hold on even after losing the protection of the totem.

However, he did not delay.

The dense forest behind him rustled, and the Feathered Serpent Society's pursuers were closing in aggressively. He had no time to investigate further.

"Buzzing..."

With a flick of his sleeve, several more bees flew out from his sleeve, suddenly splitting and spreading in the air, turning into small swarms, like bullets shooting away!

Layton roared repeatedly, frantically calling for the Violet King, but the totem did not return, the protection dissipated, and he was nothing more than a naked mortal.

"puff……!"

A bee pierced his chest with deadly precision, like a sharp arrow.

Purple blood splattered as Layton fell backward, his body crashing heavily onto the soil covered by fallen leaves. His eyes were wide open, and his breath was rapidly weakening.

Klaus didn't turn around, but simply whispered:
"Pity……"

They then turned and disappeared into the forest with the boy and girl, their figures swallowed up by the thick, dense woods, leaving only a faint buzzing sound echoing in the air.

After a few breaths.

The Feathered Serpent Order pursuers finally broke through the forest and arrived. They glanced at Layton, who was lying on the ground, covered in blood, and did not stop for a moment.

"He's crippled, keep chasing! The target hasn't left the dense forest yet!"

"Don't let Klaus get away!"

Several dark figures swept through the forest, continuing their pursuit ahead.

……

Within the worn pocket watch, a faint golden spiritual light gently rippled, and Lynn's spiritual clone floated silently within, taking in the entire unfolding drama.

"The Violet King totem has indeed been tampered with... No wonder I had a vague feeling that something was wrong before."

Lynn's voice was calm, but his gaze darkened slightly.

"Fortunately, I had made arrangements in advance. The evolution path of the Layton Totem had been modified under my guidance; otherwise, if that attack had hit his brain directly, even I wouldn't have been able to save him."

He glanced at Layton's fallen body, his expression unchanged:
"He died from massive bleeding, his nerves were not completely severed, and his spirit remained... which saved me a lot of trouble."

He slowly stretched out his hand and made a grasping motion in the air.

"Died so quickly..."

"That's a good deal, it's perfect for me."

The next moment, Lynn's spiritual clone slowly rose from the pocket watch, as light as morning mist, yet carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.

His gaze fell on the still-burning spiritual flame between Layton's brows, and he said softly:

"Layton, I've come to borrow something. Your body is mine for now..."

With a flick of his finger, a ray of spiritual light seeped into the depths of Layton's consciousness.

Lynn is entering his spiritual realm.

(End of this chapter)