Read Novel Full Vol 9. Chapter 72: No Way Back
Vol 9. Chapter 72: No Way Back
Following the Magic Eye’s guidance, Tucker made his way to Saint Heath Academy’s special prison.
As an absolutely neutral faction among the dragon race, the academy not only actively dispatched Adult Dragon Division members to hunt down dangerous criminals, it also detained them in the academy’s dedicated special prison.
Back then, when Constantine was controlled by Black Dragon Scales and wreaked havoc at the academy, he had been locked up here as well.
Tucker bypassed the guards and went straight to a particular cell entrance.
After a quick look, he realized the design of this cell was unusual.
There were two keyholes on the cell door, which meant that to open it, two keys had to be used at the same time.
So far, Tucker had never seen any special prisoner given this kind of treatment.
“You finally came.”
The hoarse voice cut off Tucker’s thoughts.
He steadied himself and looked at the cell, solid as a fortress.
“So you’re locked in here?”
“That’s right.”
The Magic Eye’s voice still came from inside Tucker’s head, which meant it could not physically cross the boundary of this cell.
“You weren’t seen on the way here, were you?” the Magic Eye asked.
“No. I’ve been here many times while executing missions. I’m familiar with the layout, so avoiding the guards wasn’t difficult.”
Tucker spoke, then asked, “So how are you going to give me the power to surpass Noa?”
The moment he finished, a cold snort sounded in his mind.
“That can wait. You have to let me out first.”
Tucker’s heart lurched, and regret rose with it.
He pressed his lips together and said in a low voice:
“What if you break your promise after you get out? Give me a reason to trust you.”
“A reason?” The Magic Eye laughed. “The reason is that you have no other way to obtain the power to defeat Noa except trusting me. Isn’t that right?”
When the Magic Eye negotiated with Tucker, it never allowed itself to be on the back foot. It always controlled this inexperienced dragon boy and held absolute leverage.
Hearing that, Tucker clenched his fists instinctively. That urgent emotion surged again.
After a brief struggle, he grit his teeth.
“Fine. How do I open this cell?”
“To open this cell, you need two keys,” the Magic Eye said.
“And those two keys are held by the academy’s two principals. All you need to do is steal them from their hands. Simple, right?”
Tucker froze.
“What part of that is simple? Headmaster Wilson might be manageable, but Vice Headmaster Claudia is extremely cautious. If I get anywhere near her, she’ll notice me.”
After a pause, Tucker added:
“And tonight is the Adult Dragon Division’s annual awards ceremony. Both of them will be there. That gives me even less of a chance.”
“That’s your problem. Don’t ask me,” the Magic Eye said coldly. “If you can’t even handle two keys, you don’t deserve stronger power.”
“You!”
Tucker was about to explode, but in this situation he was the one asking for help. He could only force the anger down and speak through clenched teeth.
“I’ll find a way.”
“Hmph. Fine. Since you’re being cooperative, I’ll help you with something small. Hold your hand out. Press it against the door.”
Tucker raised a brow. “For what?”
“To give you a gift.”
A gift…
Tucker extended his hand, stared at his palm, hesitated for a moment, then slowly pressed it against the door in front of him.
The next instant, a dim violet aura seeped out from behind the door and poured into his palm.
Tucker’s heart jolted. He yanked his hand back and shook it hard.
But the violet aura condensed into the pattern of an eyeball in the center of his palm. No matter how he rubbed at it, it would not come off.
“What the hell is this!”
“A very remarkable kind of power.”
The Magic Eye’s voice sounded again. “Through a cell with sealing properties like this, I can’t share much. But it’s still enough to corrode a Samaelian soul in a short time.”
Tucker’s vertical pupils trembled.
“Corrode… a soul?”
As if it realized something, the Magic Eye immediately added:
“Oh, don’t worry. No one will die. It’s only soul corrosion. If you want power strong enough, paying for it with a little wrongdoing is not such a big deal for you, is it, dragon boy?”
However, anyone who had fought the Magic Eye knew the truth.
Once a soul was corroded by its chaotic power, if it was not expelled in time, the final outcome would be—certain death.
The Magic Eye knew Tucker’s resolve had not fully hardened yet. If human lives entered the equation, he would hesitate.
So it lied at once, telling him that soul corrosion would not kill anyone.
Tucker half-believed it. He lowered his hand.
“Fine. I’ll go find a way to get the keys. You’d better keep your word too.”
“Everyone knows I keep my promises best.”
(Should people believe it, or should they believe General Leon can split the continent of Samael in a single slash?)
Tucker did not waste more words. After receiving that so-called gift of soul-corroding power, he hurriedly left the academy prison to avoid being discovered by the guards.
By the time he reached the field outside, it was already early evening.
Students who had finished dinner were heading toward the auditorium in groups, preparing to attend or watch tonight’s Adult Dragon Division awards ceremony.
Tucker moved against the flow of the crowd, walking quickly toward the academy administration building.
Since the keys were held by the two principals, the first place he thought to search was their offices.
He entered the building, ran straight to the vice headmaster’s office, raised a hand, and knocked.
“Vice Headmaster, I have a last-minute task report for you.”
No one answered.
“Looks like the vice headmaster already went to the auditorium to prepare.”
After confirming no one was inside, Tucker pushed the door open and went in.
But the moment he stepped over the threshold, a strange sound came from behind the door, startling him.
“Mewm. Mewm!”
Tucker flinched and turned sharply toward the sound.
In the corner behind the door sat a pet cage, and inside was a deep-blue slime.
“It’s you?”
Tucker remembered Umm. It was the one they had encountered back in Cold Mist Forest.
He had not expected Helena to actually keep it, and to leave it in Claudia’s office.
At first, Umm seemed to think Tucker was just an ordinary student and was about to greet him in a friendly way.
But the next second, it seemed to sense something. Its big blue eyes locked onto Tucker’s palm, as if something terrifying was there.
“Umm! Umm!!”
It slammed its body against the cage, looking angry.
Tucker ignored it. Claudia or her assistant, Samantha, could return at any moment. He had to find the key fast.
He immediately started searching the office.
Drawers, cabinets, windowsill, even every hidden corner—he searched them all, but he did not see any key.
“Don’t tell me… the vice headmaster keeps the key on her?”
…
As he was thinking, the sound of high heels suddenly approached from outside the door, accompanied by Claudia’s muttering.
“Ah, I almost forgot to feed the little one.”
Tucker’s heart jumped. He quickly slipped into the office restroom and left the door open just a crack to watch outside.
A few seconds later, Claudia pushed the door open and walked in.
“Umm! Umm umm umm!!”
The moment she entered, Umm started urgently babbling at her from inside the cage.
“Okay, okay, I know I forgot to feed you. I’ll make it up to you right now.”
As Claudia spoke, she rummaged under her desk and pulled out the slime’s food.
“Umm!!”
The little one was so frantic it was almost speaking human language.
Claudia carried the food to the cage and poured it into the pet bowl.
“Seriously. Why did Helena insist on leaving you with me for now? She said there’s nowhere to keep you in the dorms.”
“Umm! Umm!!”
Umm kept calling out while headbutting the cage.
Claudia noticed something was off. She frowned.
“What’s wrong? Did something scare you…?”
Before she could finish, a faint ripple in the air came from behind her.
Claudia reacted instantly and spun around to block—but she was a step too late.
Tucker’s hand-chop struck, slamming hard into the back of Claudia’s neck.
Claudia’s vision went black. The food spilled across the floor as she collapsed.
“T-Tucker? …Why are you here? What are you trying to do?”
Claudia was close to Dragon King level. She did not lose consciousness immediately from a single ambush.
And she recognized the one who attacked her.
Tucker froze and took two steps back on instinct.
“Vice Headmaster…”
Claudia forced her mind to stay awake and slowly pushed herself up from the floor.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but attacking an academy principal is a serious crime… Tucker...”
As she spoke, Claudia forcibly gathered her magic.
Even after being ambushed, given the difference in strength between Claudia and Tucker, she could still slam him to the ground with ease.
“Surrender. No matter what you think you’re doing, it’s over.”
Claudia dragged her heavy body forward, step by step, closing in on Tucker.
Tucker stared at her, fully aware of what would happen if he was caught on the spot.
If he was thrown into the academy prison too, he would never have another chance to surpass Noa.
He could not fail like this.
He absolutely… could not!!
In panic, Tucker swung his right hand and released the mysterious power the Magic Eye had given him.
The moment that violet blaze erupted from his palm, Claudia instantly realized what it was—
“Chaotic power? How could you...”
She stopped halfway through the sentence, then pieced together Tucker’s purpose. She stared at him in disbelief.
She knew he was impulsive, quick-tempered, fiercely competitive, and jealous. Young dragons like that were not rare.
But Claudia never imagined he would actually fall under the Magic Eye’s influence.
“I’m sorry, Vice Headmaster… I… I don’t have a choice!”
With that, chaotic power surged and poured into Claudia’s body.
In an instant, bone-deep cold spread through her.
She collapsed to the floor. Her vertical pupils constricted sharply, and her whole body curled inward.
“Tucker… you! You can’t do this… Don’t believe the Magic Eye. It will… it will ruin you…”
“I’m sorry, Vice Headmaster. I’m sorry…”
Tucker’s eyes were bloodshot. Watching Claudia convulse on the floor under the torment of chaos, his body started trembling too.
He had once had limitless potential for the future, but he chose a different path—a path where, once you stepped onto it, there was no turning back.
Claudia’s awareness blurred. Her struggling grew weaker and weaker.
But she still tried to stop him with everything she had.
“Don’t do something you’ll regret for the rest of your life… Tucker…”
…
Tucker’s breathing turned ragged. His mind was a mess.
He forced the storm of emotions down and said hoarsely:
“I… I don’t have the right to regret anymore.”
He bent down, fumbled in Claudia’s jacket pocket, and found the specially made key.
Then he straightened up and fled, as if escaping.
No… Tucker… you can’t let the Magic Eye out…
“Umm! Umm!!”
“Tucker… Tucker!”
Claudia felt her eyelids growing heavier, her body growing colder.
She knew exactly what awaited anyone corroded by chaotic power—the soul extinguished, condemned beyond recovery.
She lay on the floor as the last light of sunset outside the window slowly disappeared.
Her breathing weakened. Her vision blurred.
All she could hear was Umm crying out and the sound of it slamming into the cage.
“Umm… don’t be afraid… don’t… be afraid…”
In the final moment before she lost consciousness completely, Claudia seemed to see the little one ram the cage open and struggle toward her with all its strength.