Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 174 Magic Test
Louis set off the day after Leahy left.

He didn't tell anyone the reason, but led Lambert, Sif, and two of his most trusted elite knights through the woodlands on the edge of the Red Tide Territory to a deserted clearing.

The sky was clear, a cold wind rustled the withered grass, and all around was so quiet that the only sound was the flapping of crows in the distance.

Louis remained silent and calm throughout, but his pace was much faster than usual.

Only Sif, who knew him well, noticed the barely concealed excitement in his eyes.

Like a child who has finally waited for their birthday, eagerly wanting to unwrap a gift that has been sealed away for too long.

“This is it.” He stopped in front of a bare rocky area and spoke softly.

Then he raised his hand and flicked his sleeve.

"Fireball!"

There were no lengthy chants or elaborate gestures.

The air seemed to be suddenly stirred by some invisible force, and the fluctuations of magic surged out of his body like waves.

Everyone felt a tightness in their chests, and even their breathing became slightly shorter.

The next instant, a flame ignited in his palm.

It was not ordinary fire, but a crimson swirling flame condensed and compressed to its limit at high temperatures.

The fireball spun violently, as if it might break free from his grasp at any moment.

“Step back a little,” Louis said calmly.

Then he raised his hand and threw it.

boom! ! !
The fireball crashed to the ground like a meteor, accompanied by a terrifying roar, striking an old tree a dozen meters away. A burst of intense heat exploded, instantly charring and cracking the tree trunk. Thick branches groaned and snapped amidst the thick smoke before collapsing with a thud.

“…That’s…magic?” Lambert was stunned.

"And the power is just too..." Knight Thomas's mouth was half open, as if he had witnessed a miracle.

But it's not over yet.

Louis didn't turn around to look at the crowd; he simply walked forward slowly.

"Fire Blade Technique!"

With each step he took, a blazing flame extended from his arm, condensing into a fire blade nearly a meter long.

The blade was crimson red, and the heat was intense; even the air seemed to be hissing.

He raised his blade and swung it.

The flames sliced ​​through the air and struck the placed wooden target.

The three thick wooden shields were cleaved diagonally in just a few seconds, the cuts were charred black and the wood was carbonized, the cross-sections were so clean that they looked as if they had been polished by a knifesmith.

"One more! Burning Arrow Beam!"

He opened his left hand, and three scorching arrows instantly condensed at his fingertips. Combined with the beam spell that quickly spread out from his right palm, the magic was executed almost in one smooth motion.

A beam of blazing white light shot out like a laser, engulfing the rocket.

"call out--!!!"

"Bang!" "Crack!" "Boom!"

Several rock targets exploded one after another, sending rocks flying everywhere. The wooden targets in the distance were burned to charcoal, and the fragments twisted and curled in the heat before shattering upon landing.

The air was distorted, the grass was scorched, and the wind stopped, as if time had been paused for this scene.

After a series of spells were cast, Louis finally slowly withdrew his hand.

A wisp of flame still lingered on his fingertips, like the last breath of a sleeping beast.

Louis was very satisfied with the results; it was the result of his own research combining the Burning Arrow and Beam Technique. The residual heat of the flames had not yet dissipated, and the air was still filled with the acrid smell of burning.

But even more scorching than the heatwave was the look of shock in their eyes, which seemed to blaze with fire.

"You...you know magic?!" Thomas couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, as if he had seen some earth-shattering secret, covering his head in disbelief.

Green's face turned pale, and he murmured, "But...wasn't magic extinct a long time ago? Isn't that something that only exists in books!?"

"Calm down," Lambert said, his voice still steady and deep, though his fingertips lightly gripped his cuffs to conceal a barely perceptible tremor.

He knew of the existence of mages; he had the good fortune to have met one when he was in his family, and the old man who attacked Louis the last time seemed to be a mage as well.

But when did Lord Louis master magic?! And how could it be so powerful?!
Louis had grown up right under his nose, but had never learned magic, which made him question his existence.

He stared at the old tree that had been blown up, then at Louis's palm, a genuine sense of uncertainty creeping into his eyes.

Sif stood to the side without saying a word.

Unlike the others who exclaimed in surprise, she simply watched quietly.
Looking at that unmoving figure in the firelight, that face that had been so calm and almost ruthless on countless nights, there was a long-lost feeling of...exhilaration.
Yes, she understood.

In everyone's eyes, Louis was always the flawless noble lord, a tactical genius who planned calmly, was restrained, rational, and powerful.

But this time is different.

His steps were light with barely suppressed energy, and his eyes held a hidden light—the joy of freedom.

"So you've been holding it in for a while now," Sif thought to herself, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.

She was genuinely happy for him.

Louis turned around, looked at the few people still standing there, and nodded with satisfaction.

He always spent time alone with Lysir when he was learning magic, so no one else knew about it.

It feels so good to show off!
He said calmly, "This matter must not be spread."

“Understood!” Thomas and Green bowed almost simultaneously, their expressions like those of believers who had just received divine revelation.

“…I know,” Sif said softly, her gaze still fixed on him.

Lambert nodded, his expression complex. "Yes. You have your reasons, and I won't ask any further questions."

Louis smiled slightly and turned to look at the scorched clearing.

No one knew that what he had just used was only 30% of his magic power.

He's still keeping his true trump card hidden.

Louis withdrew the flame from his hand, calmly swept his gaze over the group, and then fixed his eyes on Green.

“Green.” His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority, “Come up and give it a try.”

Green was taken aback, then immediately straightened up and stepped forward.

He was a high-ranking elite knight from the family's regular army, experienced numerous battles, and had killed hundreds of enemies. He was one of the most trustworthy generals in the Crimson Tide Territory.

But facing the lord before him, he had never felt such a strange sense of oppression as he did now.

Louis is a low-level elite knight, only two levels below him.

However, in higher-level systems, that level is often a life-or-death chasm.

A duel that shouldn't have been a suspenseful affair.

However, the incredible series of magical spells just now completely disrupted Green's judgment.

He slowly drew his knight's sword, bowed, and his gaze was calm yet cautious: "This subordinate dares not underestimate the enemy... I will do my best, please show mercy, sir."

Louis nodded.

(End of this chapter)