Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives-Chapter 266: A Rare Animal In A Cage

Warlock Ch 266. A Rare Animal In A Cage

Damian barely kept himself from sighing in relief.

Cassius inclined his head. "Thank you."

The officials gave a final, lingering glance at Damian before dismissing them. As they left the chamber, stepping back into the hallways of the Sanctum, Damian exhaled loudly.

"Well, that was fun," he muttered.

Cassius shot him a look. "You got off easy."

"Sure, if ’easy’ means being stared at like a rare animal in a cage."

Cassius smirked. "Congratulations, apprentice. You’re officially a Rank A warlock."

Damian huffed. "Great."

Cassius raised an eyebrow. "That doesn’t sound like someone who just got a promotion."

Damian ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. "Yeah, well… I’m not exactly thrilled about this place."

Cassius gave him a knowing look. "I figured. You’ve been glancing around like you expect someone to stab you in the back."

Damian crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. "I mean, wouldn’t be the first time."

Cassius’ smirk faded slightly. He knew exactly what Damian meant. The last time he—Kaelan—stood in this place, the mages nearly ripped him apart trying to dissect his power. Back then, he had nothing to hide behind. No amulet masking his warlock nature. No artifacts shielding the raw force of the demon king within him. They had seen everything, and they feared it.

Now? Now he had layers of protection. The artifact caged the demon king’s essence deep inside his mana core, and the amulet masked his true strength. To them, he was just another rising warlock. Strong, yes. Talented, absolutely. But not a threat. Not yet.

Cassius sighed. "Still, you made it through."

"Yeah, yeah. But don’t think I’ve forgotten the part where I have to do it again."

Cassius smirked again. "Glad you remember." He clapped a hand on Damian’s shoulder. "Because we’re registering you for the S-rank exam. Right now."

Damian stopped dead in his tracks, staring at him. He wanted to say "You’re joking." But yeah, it was the plan.

Cassius kept walking. "Do you want to say something?"

Damian exhaled a long breath to calm himself. "No," he answered.

Cassius glanced at him, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You want to develop, don’t you?"

Damian hesitated. That was the problem. He did. As much as he hated this place, as much as he wanted to put as much distance between himself and the Sanctum as possible, he knew that stagnation wasn’t an option. He wasn’t just trying to survive—he was trying to become something more.

Cassius waited, studying him.

Damian sighed, glancing around the towering halls of the Sanctum, the cold runes glowing faintly along the walls. The air here felt sterile, but beneath it, he could still feel the weight of the past pressing down on him. He didn’t like this place. He never did.

But he wasn’t the same person he was back then. And he wasn’t going to let this place decide his fate again.

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"Yes," he finally said. "Let’s do it."

Cassius gave him a sidelong look. "You don’t sound happy."

Damian scoffed. "Oh, gee, I wonder why."

Cassius smirked, but there was a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "You’ll be fine."

Damian muttered under his breath, "Says the guy who’s not the one being poked and prodded."

Cassius ignored him, leading him deeper into the Sanctum.

As they passed through the halls, Damian couldn’t help but feel like the walls were watching him. He knew it was just the enchantments—magical wards woven into every inch of the building to detect anomalies. But still, a part of him couldn’t shake the feeling that this place remembered him.

They stopped at a large set of double doors adorned with intricate magical carvings. Cassius placed a hand on them, and with a soft hum, the doors opened, revealing a wide chamber. Inside, several figures were seated, their robes marking them as high-ranking members of the mage council.

Damian’s shoulders stiffened. ’Here we go again.’

A man with sharp, bird-like features adjusted his glasses and glanced at Cassius. "Master Cassius. I assume you’ve come to finalize the S-rank exam registration?"

Cassius nodded. "Correct. Damian Blackthorn will be taking the trial."

Damian felt all eyes shift to him.

The man—who Damian instantly decided to mentally nickname Owl-Face—studied him with a calculating gaze. "Damian Blackthorn. You’ve only just been confirmed as Rank A. And now you seek S-rank so soon?"

Damian forced a polite smile. "I like a challenge."

A few murmurs passed through the council members. Some looked amused, others skeptical.

Owl-Face narrowed his eyes. "You do realize that the S-rank trial is not something to be taken lightly? You could die."

Cassius spoke before Damian could. "He knows."

Damian nodded. "Yeah, I get it. But I’m ready."

Owl-Face studied him for a long moment before leaning back in his chair. "Very well. The official registration will be processed, and you will receive your trial details within the next two days."

Damian exhaled, trying to mask his relief. "Sounds good."

Another council member, an older woman with piercing gray eyes, leaned forward. "One more thing, Mr. Blackthorn. The trial will test not only your power but your adaptability. You will be facing unpredictable conditions."

Damian smirked. "Sounds like my usual day."

The woman didn’t react to his attempt at humor. "We shall see."

Cassius inclined his head. "We appreciate your time."

The council members dismissed them, and as they walked out of the chamber, Damian finally let out a breath.

"I hate them," he muttered.

Cassius shot him a look. "You’re not done yet."

Damian groaned. "I know, I know."

They walked in silence for a moment before Cassius spoke again. "You’re handling this better than I expected."

Damian raised an eyebrow. "Were you expecting me to throw a fit?"

Cassius smirked. "Not a fit. But I figured you’d at least try to find a loophole."

Damian chuckled. "Trust me, I thought about it."

They reached the exit of the Sanctum, and Damian took in the fresh air as they stepped outside.

Cassius glanced at him. "You ready?"

Damian rolled his shoulders. "I guess I have to be."

Cassius nodded. "Then let’s get you prepared."