Red Mist
Emergency sirens were blaring throughout Dolon City.
Leylin, Fendix, and the others floated across to the front of the city, watching the scene outside.
Ten years where life and resources were constantly lost had visibly reduced the numbers of the horde of darkness creatures. The newest reports suggested that the beast emperors had already made plans to withdraw their troops and end the war.
If not for the fall of the north and interference of the dwarves and gnomes, the war was on track to end in a few years. The current situation was different, however. The humans of the subterranean world were now facing the possibility of extinction.
"Underground Winter Spider knights! And they're elites!"
Leylin looked up. Three regiments of Underground Winter Spider knights
Huge spider legs trod the ground silently, their dark elf riders wreathed in exquisite thin armor that looked ornamental. The surface of the armors was composed of intricate patterns. Matched with the handsome faces and lances, they seemed like a royal parade to Leylin.
Although these knights seemed extravagant and pretentious, the searing bloodlust they emanated was tangible. This was something only battle-hardened elites with fearless hearts could have.
"These are the dark elven royal family's knights. I didn't expect them to be sent out!" Fendix looked grim.
"Elite Underground Winter Spider knights are slightly more powerful than our Grand Knights. Those at the level of vice-captain and above are even as powerful as official Magi. Three formations of a thousand each, there are three thousand here!" The female Magus inhaled sharply.
"They're planning to conquer Dolon City in one go!!"
Leylin sighed lightly, "Do we need to act?"
"There's no other way!" Fendix smiled wryly, "But their matriarchs are sure to obstruct as well, and we have no guarantee that we can win against them. I can already feel the power of the abyss emanating from their bodies…"
Cities were usually watched over by rank 2 Magi. The opposing camp had three matriarchs whose mission was to tie down the rank 2 Magi of the defending city. If they could not, the three rank 2 Magi would cooperate to cast a few large-scaled magic spells which would decimate these troops.
"There's no choice. Let's use 'it'." Leylin suddenly exclaimed.
"Hm?" Fendix chanced a glance at Leylin. "That's our trump card that we're planning to use in the final battle…"
"This is already the final battle!" the female rank 2 Magus interrupted before Leylin could answer, "I agree!"
"Alright, I'll agree too!" Fendix glanced at the large dark elven army and laughed wryly, "This truly might be the final battle."
With the three Magi cooperating, a unique order was sent down using secret imprints, and under the lead of the Magi, the troops on the ground shifted some special items onto the city walls.
They were numerous giant casks. They were like the wooden barrels found in bars to store beer, with firm iron hoops on either side keeping them steady. There were also letters of the Twilight Zone written on them in blood red, indicating danger.
"Now, let us wait and see!"
The three Magi exchanged glances, and then fixed their attention on the fighting.
"Attack!" With the signal from the dark elves at the other side, a large wave of darkness creatures charged towards them.
"Engage the third layer of defense!"
Fluorescent light exploded at the walls, revealing unending defensive runes. Large amounts of energy particles brought with them a terrifying destructive power, launching outwards.
The darkness creatures charging over were injured by energy particles of multiple elements, covering their bodies with wounds. It resulted in a rain of flesh and blood.
A few of the more powerful ones dodged the attack. They climbed up on the carcasses of their comrades and clashed with the soldiers and Magi on the walls.
In a moment, blood and fire exploded!
The Magi and knights on the walls bellowed, and all sorts of spells and energy fluctuations were released. Numerous darkness creatures fell from the walls.
This scene had repeated often in the past, and each time the dark elves would end up retreating, which ended the fight. Now, however, things seemed to have changed. The horde continued to charge with reddened eyes, unfearing of death.
*Tak tak tak!* Regular explosions sounded. The elite Underground Winter Spider knights seemed to have received an order, as they began to advance..
Although they were merely 3000 strong, they were like a surge of steel flooding over when they acted together.
"Go!" Underground Winter Spiders with barbs on their legs easily climbed up the city wall like monkeys.
For darkness creatures, the city wall was lofty and difficult to reach, but for these Underground Winter Spider Knights, they were like a level road.
"Attack!" One of them rushed towards the wall, brandishing the black lance in his hand.
Multiple snowy-white pointed javelins were sent thrusting like blooming flowers, and a few soldiers in leather armour collapsed, blood splattering everywhere. Amongst them, there was even a knight in heavy armour!
In front of the elite Underground Winter Spider Knights, regular soldiers and knights could not take on even a single blow, and only Grand Knights had a chance to win.
"Secondary Energy Fireball!"
"Vine Winding!"
"Icy Pearl!" The magicians waiting on top of the city walls immediately acted,and the knights who had just rushed up the walls were drowned in the colourful rays of magic spells.
Their powerful bodies and mounts that they had always been proud of were torn into pieces by various spells.
However, the surviving Underground Winter Spider Knights still charged on fearlessly, and many captains and vice-captains launched forth with spells of their own, clashing with the Magi on the walls.
"Hands of Corrosion!" A knight in gleaming armour, riding a larger spider than its peers, called out loudly. Numerous black palms extended from the air and advanced towards the opposing Magi.
"Ah!" A level 3 acolyte's face was caught by one of the black hands and immediately wasted away, blood and flesh wearing away.
"Be careful! He's a vice-captain and has the strength of an official Magus!"
A middle-aged Magus with white air spoke in a low voice, his innate defensive spell formation flickering.
"The situation doesn't look good," Leylin commented, watching the scene below.
At this moment, the three Magi felt a few bursts of spiritual force aimed at them that equalled their own strengths being released from the enemy camp. If they dared intervene, they would be faced with a terrifying attack by the matriarchs.
In a situation where the higher-ranked forces were level, whoever first made the first move would be at a disadvantage.
Thankfully, Leylin and the others were not planning on doing so.
From the looks of it, though, only rank 2 Magi could change the outcome.
"Let's begin!" Leylin spoke lightly, the apathy in his eyes becoming more evident.
"The command has been sent down. I only hope the matriarchs won't go crazy and fight with us!" The ring on Fendix's finger flashed red as he smiled wryly.
At this moment, it looked like the official Magi on the city walls had received the command.
"Begin! Activate!" They shouted, and all sorts of spells were aimed at the casks, causing them to explode into fragments.
*Rumble!*
The wooden boards exploded open, and the red liquid within spilled to the ground.
This red liquid was very muddy and looked to be some red wine that had yet to settle. After reaching the ground, it became volatile and created a red mist.
In that moment, the top of the city wall was wrapped in red mist.
"Be careful of the toxic attack! Activate your defensive runes!"
A dark elf in golden armour ordered.
*Weng Weng!* In the twinkling of an eye, multi-coloured rays rose from the dark elven knights' armours.
After being wrapped within this layer of light, the knights charged towards their enemies once again, undaunted.
They were very confident in the durability of their bodies, since they were members of a high-energy race. Dark elves might have lower reproductive abilities, but the durability of their bodies far surpassed that of humans. This racial ability extended to the immunity to many toxins.
It wasn't as if the humans hadn't considered using poison, but most poisons that were deadly to humans only left dark elves feeling slightly giddy, or gave them a nosebleed.
Using poison would only hurt them more, and lead to more city guards dying. Thus, after a few attempts, the humans had given up on this method.
Now, however, the situation was slightly different.
"Hm?"
An Underground Winter Spider knight rushed up the city wall and sent a Grand Knight flying. Just as he was about to stab his lance into his opponent's heart, he suddenly lost his grip, and the lance fell to the ground.
Recalling the short burst of weakness, the knight wondered, 'What's going on? How did these toxins paralyse me? Didn't I already activate the runes that defend against this?'
The sudden realisation that the red mist had passed through the defensive layer without obstruction alarmed him. It was as if these runes were fake.
Large numbers of yellow pustules and blisters erupted all over his skin, bursting as quickly as they had formed. The knight screamed out, miserably.
"Attack!" A ray of light flashed, and the Grand Knight that had been sent flying grasped this opportunity and brandished the giant steel sword in his hands, slashing it at this dark elf's neck.
A line appeared, which soon turned into a fountain of blood.
This dark elf's delicate, pale neck was severed, its skull rolling on the ground.
Alicia
Similar events occurred all along the city walls. Even the Underground Winter Spiders weren't spared. Their eight legs crumbled down and their eyes dimmed, following which they were overrun by stampeding troops…
This frightening effectiveness in battle managed to surprise even Fendix who was hovering in the air. "This toxin is truly very strong! If we manage to produce it in large quantities…"
His eyes beamed with excitement.
"It isn't as simple as you'd think!" Leylin smiled bitterly, "I specifically concocted this using plant concentrate based on the anatomy of dark elves. On its own, it isn't a toxin, which is why it can pass through their defensive runes. Once it enters their bodies and begins circulation, it begins to react with their endocrine system. In a matter of moments, the benign gas transforms into neural poison.
"This is just a petty trick that makes use of a gap in their defenses. Once this battle ends, the dark elves will change their runes to protect against this method of attack, which will render it useless in the end!"
In fact, Leylin based this poison off his own rank 2 spell—Toxic Bile. With the help of Nature's Alliance's research, he managed to get the approval of the joint conference, which only helped him improve upon it.
"Even so, Sir Leylin's research on dark elves has far surpassed ours." The female Magus showed admiration at Leylin's accomplishment despite him downplaying it. That alone showed the level of Leylin's ability in alchemy and the depth of his research on dark elves.
"After this, I'm afraid that even I will have to pay a visit to the joint conference to learn from Sir Leylin's works," she said as she broke into a smile.
"I would gladly welcome any discussion with you, what's more, any fresh thoughts you may have on the subject," Leylin said humbly.
"This isn't the right time to speak about this, the matriarchs are about to act!" She pointed at the dark elves' camp across them where the spiritual force was climbing to its peak.
"They seem to have become anxious now, and might leap into action at any moment. We should prepare." Fendix took out a short black gentleman's cane. A sparkling diamond, as large as an egg, was embedded into the top.
Leylin smiled without saying a word.
Nearly three thousand of their elite Underground Winter Spider knights were fighting in this battle, half of their entire force. It was only to be expected that the turn of the situation had made them anxious.
At this moment, darkness energy particles gathered together, and a strong wave from a spell arose from the opposite side.
"Black Torrential Rain!!"
A sweet female voice was accompanied by a large amount of water vapour condensing above Dolon city. This was followed by a storm of endless black raindrops descending upon the city.
When the black raindrops and red mist came into contact, an explosion sounded out. They fused into a charred-black liquid that dropped to the floor, revealing the Underground Winter Spider knights who were lying on the ground, on the verge of death.
Leylin's poison was only powerful against the elite Underground Winter Spider Knights. A rank 1 Magus could use the energy in their body to resist it. As for matriarchs who were rank 2 existences? It could not affect them in the slightest.
"Peng! Peng! Peng! Peng!"
The ground cracked apart, and numerous strands of black hair emerged from the depths. These snake-like hairs wound around those knights who were still alive and pulled them back.
In just a moment, the hairs had managed to pull back a dozen miles, bringing the knights to safety.
Still, half of the Underground Winter Spider knights had already perished.
"You…!!!" A few rage-filled voices emerged from the sky above the enemy camp. The black vapors dissipated, revealing the appearances of the three dark elf matriarchs.
Leylin examined them.
These matriarchs all possessed the ravishing beauty intrinsic to dark elves. The revealing clothing made of a leather-like material displayed their voluptuous bodies and their hands were adorned with thorn whips.
'Yup! They definitely resemble the dominatrixes from my previous world!' Leylin thought as he rolled his eyes.
At this moment, the opposing three matriarchs were already on the verge of exploding into anger, powerful spells taking form in their hands.
"You guys dared to go against the agreement and take action!" Fendix touched the short cane which he was holding and remained stoic.
"Humans! How dare you use such despicable means to bring harm upon my brave soldiers, I will behead the lot of you and gift them to Her Majesty!" The matriarch at the center lashed out in the dark elven language, paying no heed to Fendix's accusation. She wore the most revealing outfit of the three, and the two golden rings at her bosom gave off a sensual vibe.
"Hehe! Since when did the dark elves that are renowned for being sinister and cunning start accusing others of using despicable means?" The female Magus said with a sneer before Leylin had a chance to speak.
"Speaking anymore is useless! Take action!!" Leylin exclaimed.
Large amounts of black mist appeared, forming a gigantic black snake whose back was filled with patterns. It sucked one of the matriarchs into it.
Leylin had grown bored of remaining in this place in spite of the minimal danger and occasional respites. He wanted to end this once and for all so he could head back and further his plans.
"Begin the counterattack!" Fendix sent out via secret imprint as he sneered.
"Retaliate! Retaliate! Retaliate!"
A sea of voices flooded out from within the city walls. The door which had been closed for a long time started to creak open. Numerous knights and magicians rushed out, heading for the dark elves' camp.
After the previous battle and Leylin's poison, the dark elves had suffered a devastating blow that had forced a retreat. It looked like the humans had taken hold of the advantage now.
Leylin did not pay much attention to the situation below. After some probing attacks, he had begun to lure one of the matriarchs to a suitable battlefield.
A dark elf matriarch had strength comparable to a rank 2 Magus, and Leylin could not afford to let his guard down against such a strong opponent. In addition, both the extent and range of destruction brought down by a rank 2 spell far surpassed that of one at rank 1. Thus, his opponent willingly followed him so that they could avoid unnecessary casualties.
After all, the two armies were in a melee, and any attack would definitely harm both parties. Considering their already low population, the loss would hurt the dark elves more than it hurt the humans.
In actual fact, looking at the two sides engaged in battle, the matriarch was pain-stricken by the loss.
Dark elves took 300 years just to reach adulthood. This made it much more difficult to recoup the loss of their soldiers, and every single member of their army was irreplaceable. On the other hand, humans with their high fertility and short life cycles had no such problems.
One-third of the elves on this battlefield belonged to this matriarch's army, and among them were her own descendants.
"Here should be fine!"
Leylin brought the matriarch to a plain which was not far from Dolon City
There were a few cities near this plane, but they had all been evacuated long ago. The roads leading to the plain were already covered with weeds, and unnecessary casualties were unlikely to occur here.
"I am known as Alicia, you are worthy of knowing my name!"
This matriarch had completely calmed down, as she had to face an existence whose power rivaled her own.
Looking at this elf who was dressed in revealing leather, Leyin flashed a smile. "I am Leylin!"
*Kacha!*
As he said that, he suddenly shot backwards, dodging a shadow spider.
This floating shadow spider had ominous green eyes, and the mouth which had just tried to bite Leylin was now producing a crunching noise.
"Do all you matriarchs act this shamelessly?" Leylin had been stumped by her actions.
"There is no use for face when up against someone of a different race! Surrender and defect to our side; I'll gift you with my family's bloodline and bestow unimaginable rewards upon you!"
The matriarch licked her sexy lips and flaunted her voluptuous body, hinting at him subtly.
"Hehe… this kind of seductive energy once again!" Leylin shook his head.
A large amount of spiritual force chased the energy out.
"Scorching Touch!" He scattered a red powder just as he was chanting the spell, and red rays started ripping across the sky and immediately appeared in front of Alicia. The might of the two forces from the ray made her pale.
"Aldershkry!" Alicia started to chant and a white shield started to hover in front of her. On the surface of the shield was the image of a spider web and flowers.
*Peng! Peng!*
The scorching rays attacked the shield one by one, and screeching sounded out.
Cracks started to emerge on the surface of the shield
*Kacha!* Under Alicia's stunned gaze, the white shield shattered to pieces and fragments flew in all directions.
"This shield was smelted from the ore of the mine guarded by the Underground Winter Spider Emperor! You shattered it!" Alicia's gaze at Leylin was now filled with dread.
"Could you consider my proposal? You can have all the females in my clan, including me…"
"Sorry! I can't see any sincerity in your words!" Silver spiritual force continuously shot out with Leylin's detached reply.
He was not a lecher, and the price of betrayal was far too steep when compared to the profits he would obtain.
Defeat And Assistance
Anyone who betrayed their community for profit would immediately be labelled as unreliable. How, then, would they do well in the opposing camp?
Furthermore, Leylin was confident in the humans' ability to defend. Even if the protector of the eastern Twilight Zone were to perish, and the entirety of it fell into enemy hands, he still believed the humans in the subterranean world were not weak enough to go extinct.
As a result, matriarch Alicia's temptations did not affect Leylin in the slightest.
On the contrary, Leylin was eager to fight this rank 2 matriarch.
"Perfect. The template of a rank 2 Magus, as well as the rank 2 spell models the A.I. Chip deduced, can now be tested."
Leylin's eyes flashed, which caused Alicia who was opposite him to feel cold within her heart. She had a bad premonition.
But Leylin would not give the other party a chance, and he swiftly made the first move. "Shadow Flames!" Dark red flames poured into the sky, forming a pillar of raging fire.
[Shadow Flames: rank 2 spell. Elements: darkness, fire. Might: 120 degrees (Elemental essence conversion added)]
These were the A.I. Chip's stats on the spell which had been evolved from the Latent Fireball that he had previously made.
Over the last ten years, Leylin had obtained the spell model of a powerful rank 2 spell from Nature's Alliance. The guilds that they had consumed had also net him quite a few such models as well. Of course the Alliance, as a medium-scale guild, had possessed the most outstanding model.
Thereafter, during his stay in Dolon, he had exchanged for many more rank 2 models. By luck, he had even managed to collect two damaged rank 3 models, which he had treated like gems and diligently copied down. The A.I. Chip had been tasked with restoring these two models.
The power of these dark red flames had clearly surpassed that of Scorching Touch from before.
Matriarch Alicia had a solemn face. Suddenly, she took out her whip and cracked it in the air.
*Pa!* The cracking of the whip had compressed the air, producing a sonic boom.
"Come out!" Complex black patterns emerged on Alicia's face, covering the right side of it like a mask.
"As you wish, My Lady!" Space seemingly split apart, and a cute spider as white as jade materialised out of thin air. The blood red lines across its carapace only served to make it look cuter.
*Hiss* The matriarch let out a hiss, similar to the sound of a spider stridulating.
That white jade spider immediately targeted Leylin, its back shooting out large amounts of thread that emitted cold air.
The densely packed threads tangled together, forming a white cocoon that surrounded the elf and beast.
The A.I chip made his vision flash blue, and the details of the white jade spider surfaced immediately.
[Underground Frost Spider, a mutation of the Underground Winter Spider. Has an extremely strong ability to mutate!
Strength: 35; Agility: 16; Vitality: 46.9; Spiritual force : 27; Special abilities: 1; Thread defense: the Underground Frost Spider's threads have the ability of ice, and is the bane of many rank 2 fire-type magi; Stealth: the Underground Frost Spider's shell has abilities to reflect light, allowing it to be concealed with the surroundings.]
Leylin had never slacked off on feeding the A.I. Chip's database with information after entering Twilight Zone. By now, a large portion of Twilight Zone's special items were already recorded within it.
"A matriarch with an Underground Frost Spider as a familiar? One that can suppress fire elemental Magi?"
Leylin's smiled lightly. "What a pity, my Shadow Flames are mainly composed not of fire, but of darkness!"
Along with the change in Leylin's intent, the dark red pillar of fire immediately transformed. The red glow at its center quickly faded, being replaced instead by a dark black which took over most of the space. In a moment, the shadow forces occupied most of the pillar.
"Ingest!" Leylin grabbed at the air with both hands, and the large pillar swept Alicia's giant white cocoon into itself.
*Sssii!* Large amounts of white gases appeared on the surface of the white cocoon, moving about in the air.
*Hiss* Leylin even heard the bloodcurdling sounds of the giant spider.
*Boom!* The large white cocoon suddenly exploded, smashing into the reddish-black flames.
From within the white fog, a silhouette surfaced.
The matriarch had connected her body directly on top of the Underground Frost Spider, forming a monster that was half-human and half spider. It reminded him of his subordinate, Skrill.
'This look is very compatible with Skrill!'
Leylin laughed mockingly, but he knew that these two parties were vastly different. Skrill had used his meditation technique to alter his physical appearance, but this matriarch had fused her body with that of her pet, maybe even her soul!
Based on strength alone, Skrill could not compare to this elf who was already rank 2 and possessed many techniques that he did not.
"Disgusting, disgusting humans!" the elf that formed the upper half of this abomination hooted on the spider's back.
*Ding! Ding!*
The elf held a spider leg that looked like white jade. The long spider leg instantly transformed into a white scimitar. Along the elegant curve of this scimitar were pretty patterns that glowed repeatedly. The blade emitted some white fog, which emanated cold rays.
"Kill!" The voice of the elf transformed into a wave of bright rays that enveloped her, which gradually disappeared into the air.
"Is she concealing herself now?" Leylin stroked his chin and smiled wryly.
Although dark elves were quite capable in open combat, they preferred more underhanded tactics. They would make use of their own bodies and beauty to tempt their opponents, or hide away in corners, to launch sneak attacks.
However, as a dark Magus, Leylin had come across many of these tactics, and employed them himself. He tilted his head and smiled, rooting himself to the spot and narrowing his eyes.
A few minutes later, a ray of cold white air quickly slashed across Leylin's body, but was met with the exterior of his body rippling. The body had been a mere phantom.
"You've fallen into my trap!" Leylin materialised in a corner, his body ringed by defensive darkness elemental particles.
"You are the one who fell into a trap!" Alicia laughed softly, as another body shot out explosively from the side, targeting him with his own tactic.
*Boom!* A large white web filled with mucus flew out and trapped Leylin. White sap fell onto him, and the sounds of corrosion rang out as it continuously seeped into his body.
"So that previous attack was fake!"
Leylin smiled gently, but his expression did not show any dejection, as if the person trapped was not him.
With a flash of white light, Alicia appeared in front of Leylin. Currently, she looked apathetic. She held a white scimitar and was about to directly chop off Leylin's head.
However, Leylin's demeanor made her feel uneasy.
*Boom!* As Leylin's head flew upwards, a strange transformation occurred in mid-air.
The head dissipated into a large number of black shadows, condensing many darkness elemental particles to form a cage that bound the matriarch.
"Rank 2 spell, Illusory Body: Second Stage!"
The surrounding space flashed as Leylin removed the darkness elemental waves concealing his body, appearing in front of Alicia.
Closer inspection revealed the sensuality of this matriarch's body; the temptation it induced was shocking.
However, Leylin's expression was as cold as ice. A black spear ringed with red flames instantly appeared in his hand.
"Rank 2 spell: Lance of corrosion!"
"Go die!" Leylin said beneath his breath, the black spear in his hand being launched forward.
The space warped where the spear passed, and a strong corrosive force continuously condensed onto its tip.
"Explode!!!" Upon seeing the terrible force the spear contained, as if able to destroy the very earth, Alicia's face changed instantly. She resolutely chanted a few spells under her breath.
Suddenly, the Underground Frost Spider screeched irritably, the blood lines on its body enlarging and dying almost its entire body red. Moreover, weirdly, its body swelled up.
A ray of white light swiftly separated Alicia and the white spider.
*Boom!*
The spear exploded intensely at Alicia's original location.
The black chains instantly exploded, which caused the exploded flesh and blood to strike the black spear.
Two large energy forces melded and grew denser, causing large distortions to the void.
*Bam! Bam! Bam!*
When the distortions had condensed to a point, it ended off with a violent explosion.
Even though the forces collided in mid-air, the remains of the energy waves they generated headed towards the ground, blasting off layers of stone and soil. The waves swept the area, causing large-scale destruction.
Alicia's silhouette flew out of the explosion. However, things did not seem to look good for her, her lower body dripping with fresh blood. Being caught right in the middle of the explosion, she'd naturally received the brunt of the force it generated.
However, she currently did not have time to care about her injuries. Looking over herself restrainedly, she turned into a ray of blood that disappeared into the horizon.
Leylin stood where he was silently, and did not give chase.
To him, helping the humans retain their lands was just a passing favour. He did not want to kill a rank 2 existence of the opposing party, as he did not desire an animosity that could not be resolved.
Of course, some preparations had to be made to expedite the end of the war.
Leylin smiled wryly. Having roughly figured out his next course of action, he rushed towards the other two groups.
Fendix's opponent was the matriarch who wore the two rings on her bosom. This opponent's strength was tyrannical, and she had suppressed Fendix and limited his movements. Fendix ended up constantly on the defensive, which embittered him.
Death And Insanity
"Hm?" At this moment, Fendix and the dark elven matriarch looked toward the side.
"Fendix, I'm here to help!" Leylin closed in rapidly, his clothes rustling in the strong wind.
"Umbra's Hand!"
Large numbers of shadows emerged from behind him, and transformed into what looked like a giant hand which obstructed the matriarch.
"What's your situation? How much magic power do you have left?" Leylin glanced at Fendix, who was already slightly pale.
"Half, and I can release one more formidable spell. How about you?" Upon seeing Leylin's arrival, Fendix heaved a huge sigh of relief.
"I've already sent that matriarch away. All that's left is her," Leylin pointed at the matriarch across them, "I remember you still have a powerful offensive spell—Violent Thunder Chains, right? I'll keep her occupied. Quick, go and prepare it!"
"Alright!" Fendix gritted his teeth.
Though he had seen through Leylin's intentions, this matriarch was his arch-enemy! In the past, Duke Fendix, the army's commander and a member of his family, had been killed by this person's army. He could not wait to end her!
Besides, they were at war. Killing a matriarch would reward him with an enormous number of merit points!
Leylin watched the matriarch, a slight smile creeping onto his face…
Minutes later, Fendix roared. A dazzling blue light filled the region, and snakes of electricity began dancing in the air, trapping the opponent within.
Innumerable streaks of lightning fell, and a few minutes later all that was left of the matriarch was ash and charcoal falling from the air.
"The dark elves are withdrawing!" Just as Leylin and Fendix had taken care of the situation here, the other rank 2 Magus hurried to them, "The matriarch who was fighting me seemed to have received some news, and suddenly escaped. I couldn't catch up to her at all… Ah! You! You killed her…"
The female Magus clapped her hand on her mouth, unable to express her astonishment with words.
...
The dark elves that surrounded Dolon City retreated quickly. The three thousand Underground Winter Spider knights that had attacked were a very large power in the eastern region. Many of them had temporarily been transferred over from the other two armies.
Now, with Leylin's poison facilitating a counterattack, a good number of them had been lost. The siege of Dolon had ended, and their victory even led to a chain effect.
What's more, the death of a rank 2 matriarch had caused Dolon City to become the heart of the battle.
However, Fendix and Leylin did not choose to rest. Instead, riding on this momentum, they led troops in to save the other two large cities.
After their formidable forces had been weakened considerably, the dark elves were pushed back step by step, and were finally chased out of the east. This gave the human race a ray of hope.
As for the merit points from killing the matriarch? Since Leylin was intentionally keeping a low-profile, all of them ended up in Fendix's hands.
He cared little for reputation, and this seemed to be very important to Fendix, as if there was a grudge involved. Hence, he was happy to do him a favour. After all, Fendix had helped him quite a bit previously, and had also promised to make it up to him in the future.
...
"We won in the east? That's great!" Aaron, who was currently in another city, heard the news.
Shockingly, he was dressed in a gray, tattered cloak, and soot covered his entire face. The ring in his hand concealed his energy fluctuations.
The whole city was now caught up in a wave of joy.
Whether it was nobles, commoners or knights, they darted to the streets the moment they received the news, exhibiting their ecstasy with no inhibitions.
The threat of the dark elves had loomed over this area for far too long. Hopes had plummeted further when the north was broken through, and the news of whole cities being slaughtered had terrified everyone. The people needed some good news to raise their spirits.
The city master's residence had been opened to the public, and he'd even ordered chefs to serve great amounts of oatmeal bread and fruit juice to the public.
"This may be good news, but it's much too distant from you right now." A white ray of light shot out from the black ring, projecting the image of a wise old man in Aaron's mind. "Leave the moment you get it! The Mambo Family that governs this city is not something you can take on easily!"
"I know!" Aaron nodded seriously, and disappeared into the crowd.
*Gu!* Minutes after he left, a small squadron surrounded the area, red flames burning. Among them was the figure of a woman in a pink gown.
"He was here not long ago. Seal the city! We can't let him escape!" the woman exclaimed grimly, and the soldiers immediately dispersed. Soon, the shrill sound of bugles resounded throughout the city.
"You actually dared to steal my family's most valuable treasure! You will pay for this in flesh and blood!!" The woman glanced at the area once again, and issued this frightful vow before travelling through the flames.
*Rumble!* A tongue of flame swept up to a height of five to six metres, and the figure of the woman completely vanished.
*Hah…*
After a few close shaves, Aaron stealthily left the city and reached a hideout he had previously prepared.
This was an underground karst cave. After doing away with all traces of the entrance and activating a defensive spell formation, Aaron finally heaved a sigh of relief and sat on the ground.
"That was too dangerous! It was only one item, did they have to chase after me so fervently?" Aaron complained, and then glared at Merlin in his mind. "Let me make this clear. If it will still be this dangerous to gather materials for the Meteor Sword in the future, I might have to give up on it. The sword may be a precious high-grade artifact, but it isn't as precious as my life."
"Hehe, don't worry. This Teardrop Gemstone was the most difficult material to obtain. As long as you have your predictions, the rest are relatively easier to get our hands on."
Immediately after, the old geezer looked stern. "The Teardrop Gemstone is a precious treasure of the Mambo Family, and it's only natural that it was guarded so tightly. The weakening curses cast on your body are a pain, and I'll need to spend some time analysing them. For these next two months, your strength will be restricted to that of an acolyte."
"Sigh… But it can't be helped!" Aaron sighed, and then thought back to the female Magus in the pink gown, his facial muscles twitching.
"I'm still far too weak. Grandpa Merlin, is there any method to advance in Sacred Flame quickly?"
"Of course!" Merlin stroked his white beard.
"Although most high-grade meditation techniques become harder to train in the further you train in them, and require many otherworldly materials to allow one to advance, my Sacred Flame is different!"
Merlin's voice carried a hint of pride as he delved into his memories.
"Not only does my Sacred Flame give you the power to see the future, it can also allow you to advance quickly through the convergence of destiny's powers. In theory, as long as you interfere with destiny as much as possible, you can advance at a terrifying rate!"
"Hss…" Aaron breathed in sharply, "So if I cause havoc in Twilight Zone, doesn't that mean I can rush to becoming a Morning Star Magus?"
"Dream on!" Merlin was ruthless as he glanced at Aaron disdainfully. "How strong is the power of destiny? Just prodding the river of destiny could cause you to be ground into powder by the inertia of fate. I trained in Sacred Flame for hundreds of years and still only dared follow in Destiny's footsteps, merely speeding up the process."
"No matter what it is, this can help me increase my strength! I'll do it!" Aaron suddenly clenched his fist.
He had returned to his guild an official Magus. He had also made them pay, to a certain extent, but the result was far from what he had imagined.
That young noble who had stolen his fiancee still had a Magus family backing him, with an official Magus in charge. Aaron could do little more than accept his apology for stealing his bride.
After this experience, his thirst for power had become more intense. This was why he was in a hurry to wander around, as well as gather materials to forge the Meteor Sword.
"So where is the area where destiny converges?" Aaron looked at Grandpa Merlin, eyes full of hope.
"You'll need to find out yourself!" Merlin seemed to be implying something.
"En! I have to use Sacred Flame!" Aaron's eyes brightened.
"That's right! You've been promoted to an official Magus, and can therefore take a peek at the real long river of destiny!" Merlin gave an amiable smile.
"I'll take a look now!"
Aaron impatiently sat down and entered a meditative state.
A unique spiritual force emanated from his body, linking with passage of time in the underworld and the rivers of history.
"Hm?" Aaron suddenly moved, holding onto his head and crying out miserably.
Scattered images, containing the bloodlust and vengeance of spirits flooded his mind.
—In the central region of Twilight Zone, a young Magus in black robes was currently speaking in a basement to an audience of malnourished and sickly teenagers. These teenagers, however, had extremely bright eyes that were almost blazing. Behind the Magus, the twisted image of a spider seemed to appear—
—The Dark Elven Empire! A teenager riding on a large Underground Winter Spider cheered excitedly, with a dark elf smiling wryly beside him—
These and a few other sporadic fragments appeared in Aaron's mind, making him feel like a brick had been stuffed into it.
About half an hour later, Aaron reawakened, but he was breathing roughly.
"Those two people must be the ones around which the powers of destiny converge!" He sounded resolute.
"As long as I'm by their side and gain their trust, I can affect the children of destiny and accelerate the progress of Sacred Flame!
"When the time comes, you will all die! Haha…"
Aaron began to laugh madly, a faint trace of insanity in his expression.
Invitation From The Central Region
The war had ended. Leylin, who had returned from the battlefield, was now leisurely drinking some coffee.
With a thought, he accepted the scenes that the A.I. Chip transmitted to him.
"Baelin truly is Twilight Zone's child of destiny, but Longbottom is really surprising me…" Leylin stroked his chin, watching Longbottom who was currently spouting resentment.
"Using a revolution to cobble together an army, gathering wandering Magi who are unsatisfied with the rule of the guilds, and passing high-grade meditation techniques to common acolytes? Ingenious!" Even he had to appreciate Longbottom's methods.
The Magus World had never been a fair place, but the immense strength of Magi had meant that nobody could overthrow them.
To cause trouble in the Magus World, it was necessary to incite disharmony within their ranks. It looked like Longbottom was doing well. He was even bringing about a revolution!
"Perhaps this happened in the south coast's past as well, causing the power of guilds to wane and letting academies take their place…" Leylin made a sudden association.
However, the first of the revolutionaries would not be able to find peace, as the conservative factions would attack them, giving them a horrible death.
This was why Leylin had no intention of introducing the system of academies to Twilight Zone and had instead kept a low profile and assimilated into their culture.
"It looks like Baelin and Longbottom are like two sides of a coin. Both are the children of destiny for this era! However, one is a hero, while the other is a rebel." Leylin picked up the cup of coffee on the table and took a sip.
Sometimes, rebels were merely heroes who failed in their conquests! If Longbottom's revolutionary efforts succeeded, then he would be immortalised as a model in the Magus World, extensively praised and recorded down in Magus history.
If, instead, Longbottom was bested by Baelin, he would go down in the books as a rebel; a traitor who had betrayed mankind, forever shamed by history.
"The final decisive battle will definitely be between these two! Before that, the force of destiny will quickly increase their power, even if it might not be beneficial to them in the long run."
Leylin was very clear about the path a child of destiny could take.
While they were making their mark on the world, they could obtain an inheritance just by wandering around. By going into a random danger zone, there could be a grandpa giving out techniques, allowing them to advance quickly, and thereby causing many geniuses to be so ashamed of themselves that they committed suicide!
"Longbottom seems to have gained a bloodline, and Baelin is even better off. Not only has he even found the path to becoming a Bio Booster, which suits him best, he has even subdued the Underground Winter Spider Emperor, which is a creature with a might similar to a rank 2 Magus!"
Leylin, who had seen much in the world, could naturally judge their general strength through these scenes. The unexpected luck they had caused even Leylin to envy them.
At the same time, he had been frightened slightly. "If I had continued with him, wouldn't I have been played by destiny and become the grandpa handing out techniques?"
Leylin looked grim. Baelin had actually gotten some benefits from him. Although he had been affected by his emotional instability as a warlock, one could not deny the hand of destiny in this matter.
After all, destiny was not created out of anywhere. It needed a form of catalyst, which would infinitely increase the probability of it appearing.
For instance, Leylin could have chosen to craft potions instead of taking in a disciple to while time away, but he had instead chosen to teach Baelin the ways of knights.
Out of everyone in Potter Town, he had settled on Baelin. How much probability and luck was involved?
"Since you want to play, let's have a good time!" Leylin raised his cup and sent a challenge out to the skies.
[Beep! Based on scans by the limited AI, slight instability has been detected in target Aaron. The target seems to be in the early stages of mental breakdown. Immediate adoption of countermeasures suggested.]
At this moment, the A.I. Chip prompted, and an image of Aaron going crazy was projected in front of Leylin's eyes.
"Looks like things are getting quite troublesome! Although the effects when training as an acolyte were removed in this new version of Scarlet Flame, the effects don't seem sustainable for those who advance to become Magi."
Leylin's expression darkened. This was why he had not trained in Sacred Flame. Not only did he already have Kemoyin's Pupil, he feared the side-effects brought about by training in the technique.
The spirit had far too many secrets. Even with the unworldly calculative ability of the A.I. Chip, it was still not able to analyse the mysteries of the spirit.
"A.I. Chip! Gather stats from Aaron's current condition, and modify Sacred Flame again. Also, check on the other guinea pigs!" Leylin commanded.
Immediately after, the images of two other people were projected before Leylin.
He had not limited himself to forging the ring. His counterfeit grandpas had been passed on in secret during these past ten years, disguised by various methods as a 'coincidence' each time.
The A.I. Chip's scenes showed him a young female acolyte and a strong man who also trained in Sacred Flame, cold sweat rolling down their faces.
"The power of destiny!"
All of a sudden, the two of them opened their eyes and looked at the central region.
"Everything starts and end at the same place! There's them as well…"
The two of them made the same prediction, fear flashing on their faces.
Through the interception of this information, Leylin naturally knew what they were afraid of.
"Hehe… have they sensed the others training in the technique? It seems Sacred Flame still can't be practiced by more than one person."
The high-grade meditation technique, Sacred Flame, had come from the Botelli Family. Traditionally, only one person in a generation could successfully train in this meditation technique, while the rest would suffer a mental breakdown and die.
However, with modifications from the A.I. Chip, as well as Leylin's lack of concern, this meditation technique had been passed down to many acolytes, and they had all risen to become official Magi through Sacred Flame!
[Due to the unusual nature of this meditation technique, they will need to kill each other to determine a victor. Only then will Sacred Flame be complete.]
Leylin smirked at the A.I. Chip's newest conclusion.
"This Sacred Flame really is a fraud!"
His thoughts were now very clear. He would definitely not train in such a bizarre meditation technique.
How to take advantage of their prophetic powers and set up the situation was worth looking into, as well as the question of who would win the fight.
Leylin touched his chin, deep in thought.
...
Five days later, an unexpected guest paid a visit to Leylin's villa.
*Clang!* Four giant metallic legs charged straight through and finally stopped by Leylin's garden, setting off a cloud of dust and creating a ruckus behind them.
"My apologies, Magus Leylin! This large guy hasn't been easy to control. It might be because it's in its mating season…" Logan jumped off the back of his metallic lifeform, looking apologetic.
"No worries Magus Logan," Leylin smiled. Shaking his head to show he did not mind, he gestured to invite the Magus in, continuing, "Please come in. I've collected some items which may interest you."
A bit later, Celine who'd rushed over for some business saw the protector of the east, Logan, sitting on a chair and singing praises of the giant grilled fish on the long table.
"What type of fish is this? I've never seen it before."
"It's a hybrid of the Mamhar Fish and the Barracuda. I bred it myself!" Leylin laughed.
This creature was an accidental product of a bloodline experiment. Unexpectedly, it had ended up tasting quite good, which prompted Leylin to serve it to guests.
As the flesh of this fish was extremely delicious, and also had the function of strengthening the body of a rank 2 Magus, it was very popular.
After finding this out, Leylin immediately ordered Celine to open up a massive aquafarm, preparing to breed this type of fish at a large scale. It would be another addition to his profits.
While learning under the light Magi of the south coast, Leylin had taken care of numerous secret planes and had learned that something like that had a lot of significance and value.
As a bonus. Celine had been extremely agreeable to him recently at night, her eyes so bright it seemed like she could blink out liquid.
Leylin's conjecture was that she had thought he had been diligently managing the guild, which touched her.
Leylin had merely laughed off her misunderstanding, not bothering to explain and instead enjoying his luck with her.
After enjoying the fine liquor and good food together, Leylin finally cut to the chase. "I wonder what I can do for Protector Logan, that you've come all the way here?"
"I came here today because I have a presumptuous request of you." Logan looked serious, and slightly embarrassed.
"What is it?" Leylin seemed calm, while Celine who was beside him grasped his fingers.
"On behalf of the central region's guilds' alliance, I invite Nature's Alliance to move to the central region! We have prepared the resources afforded to a large-scale guild for you, and there is a seat for Nature's Alliance waiting amongst our ranks. In other words, once you go there, Nature's Alliance will become a large-scale guild!"
Logan went straight to the point, saying everything in one breath.
The moment the words left his mouth, Leylin could feel Celine's breath becoming more hurried.
Large-scale guild! That was the ultimate dream of all guilds in Twilight Zone! As the heart of Twilight Zone, the central region was also where the population was the densest, and represented the essence of the subterranean humans.
Most guilds could only wish to expand there.
Celine had always been striving for Nature's Alliance to rise through the ranks, and she did not seem to find this situation to be strange as all. Meanwhile, Leylin was thinking of something else.
"Has the situation in the central region become that bad?" He suddenly asked.
"Hm?" Logan's expression froze.
Moments later, he laughed wryly.
Movement
"I really can't hide anything from you!" Logan laughed bitterly. "As you know, the situation in the central region is not favourable. The dark elves are a part of it, but the Protector of Twilight Zone is the more pressing issue…"
Leylin roughly understood the situation. Powerful rank 2 Magi normally overtook the duties of protecting the north, south, east, and west of the Twilight Zone, but central Twilight Zone was different.
That area housed the elite forces of Twilight zone, so the overseeing Magus was titled the "Guardian of the Realm". The current generation's Guardian possessed the strength of a rank 3 Magus.
But intelligence reports said that the lifespan of the Guardian was nearing its end; he hadn't even appeared in public in the last few decades. His seclusion was so foreboding that it was probably the main reason for the dark elves, dwarfs and gnomes to gang up on them.
"You…" Celine clenched her fists tightly, her face turning red from anger, she had finally realized the meaning of the invitation. If it was during peacetime, and one was allowed to enter the central region and become a large-scale guild, that was a truly fortunate event. But now?
The dark elven army had just been routed in the east, giving them some room to breathe. On the other hand, with the fall of Potti City, the center was facing a surge of dark elves and other enemies from the north. This meant the situation in the center was currently much worse than in the east.
At such a time, what sort of invitation was this? Wasn't this just a request for troops and cannon fodder?
Celine almost cursed before she realised that the person sitting across her was the rank 2 Protector of the East. She suppressed her rage by force of will, leading to nothing but a smudge in her expression.
Leylin remained silent for a while. He finally let out a bitter smile. "The central region was originally protected on all four sides. It was extremely stable and peaceful, and was the best choice for accommodation. But currently, it's being eyed by our enemies. Logan, do you really want me to suffer?"
"I understand your problem! But…" Logan said hesitantly, "Firstly, I can tell you, this is an order of the Guardian of the Realm. We are to summon forth assistance from all four regions. Additionally, regardless of the other large-scale guilds' intentions, I can guarantee that my own guild will step forward and enter the central region!"
Logan stood up and vowed solemnly to Leylin, even bending his head all the way to his knees.
"Sir Leylin! For Twilight Zone, and for the entire human race, I hope you can help us!"
In that moment, Leylin felt like Logan's body was glowing. That expression greatly moved Celine who was at his side.
"Hu…" Leylin locked his brows, and seemed to be deep in thought. Logan and Celine, on the other hand, were afraid to even breathe too loudly for fear of interrupting Leylin's ruminations.
"I'll help you…"
After a few moments, Leylin produced an answer, bringing a sudden streak of joy across Logan's face and causing Celine to worry. She wanted to speak out, but was abruptly thwarted by Leylin continuing, "but I have a few conditions!"
"Speak!" Logan's voice could not conceal his excitement.
Leylin raised his index finger. "Firstly, The resources and seat you promised previously must be handed over to us unconditionally!"
"Of course; you're entitled to the resources and treatment given to a large-scale guild. If that bunch of brats dare to embezzle anything, I will kill them immediately!" Logan's tone was merciless, but during war the protector did indeed have the authority to do such a thing.
"Great!" he raised another finger, "In addition, I need to keep my land and position in the east!"
"Want to leave an escape route? Sure! I can promise you that! Anything for mankind!" Logan considered the condition for only a few moments before he agreed in delight.
"Anything for mankind!" Leylin chuckled to himself. He had always known that the central region would be where everything would come to a head, and his plans also required that he go there. Hence, he had already considered going to the central region.
Keeping a hold of their land here was obviously for him to retain the icy cave. There would have been no further negotiations if this point had been rejected. Leylin would rather secede from Twilight Zone than share the icy cave with anyone.
Now, he didn't mind putting on a little show.
Logan was truly touched. Many large guilds that he had visited previously had refused to help. After all, Magi were all rational beings, and they too had to think of their subordinates. The central region was now full of danger; how then was it more alluring than the east?
"Ley… … Sir Leylin, Twilight Zone will forever remember your contribution!"
Logan appeared very reassured, as he entered his metallic lifeform and hurriedly left. It seemed like he still had many guilds to visit.
"Sir! Why did you…" Immediately after Logan left, Celine asked with urgency.
"I have already decided. You can stay behind and guard this place if you wish. In any case, we will retain our land in the east. Going to the center is merely a gamble. It doesn't matter if we fail, and if we do manage to succeed, Nature's Alliance will become one of the central region's large-scale guilds! Isn't that what you've always been dreaming of?" Leylin smiled at Celine, placid.
"But… what about your safety?" Celine knew that the rise of Nature's Alliance was founded completely on the formidable strength of the man before her. Were they to lose him, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"You do not need to worry about my safety, for I will not put myself in a deadly situation. Furthermore, do you not trust my abilities?" Leylin persuaded her calmly.
Celine nodded and her heart calmed. As the person who came into contact with Leylin the most and the one closest to him, she deeply believed in the man's unfathomable abilities.
Sometimes, the display of just a fraction of his power could scare her breathless.
"Okay! Pass the orders. A new batch of Magi and acolytes are to be chosen, we set off in ten days!" Leylin commanded.
"Yes!" Celine saluted withdrew herself with a bow. Nature's Alliance was currently under Leylin's sole command, and nobody in the guild could disobey him. Although there were some small troubles initially, Leylin's absolute authority ensured the orders for the mobilization of their forces were sent out methodically.
Although many acolytes feared the disorder in the central region, they also craved adventure. Despite the danger, there were also many magicians there who had gained rewards aplenty.
As for the higher ups? Their fates were in Leylin's hand, so what choice would they have?
After ten days, an enormous squadron had been formed, and began advancing towards the central region
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the canyon of Nature's Alliance, Celine was clad in a purple gown. She observed the squadron proceed slowly until they disappeared along the horizon.
Due to some considerations Leylin had, he wanted Celine to remain here.
"You must definitely return alive!" She prayed as she returned to Nature's Alliance.
"Guild master!" Several official Magi and acolytes hastily greeted her. They knew of Leylin's and Celine's relationship, and the fact that both of them were the nominal masters of the guild, so they did not dare to be negligent
Upon witnessing this scene, Celine felt some emptiness in her heart, but shortly after, another unfamiliar feeling arose.
"You may rise! The dark elves in the eastern region have already retreated, leaving behind many resources for us to conquer. This is our chance!" Celine's voice was cold yet noble, and no one dared to look straight at her.
"Things will only be interesting when some leeway is given to these sorts of women"
Meanwhile, on a luxurious vehicle pulled by a giant salamander, Leylin stroked his chin and he broke into a demonic chuckle.
A woman like Celine could only bloom completely if authority was given to her. Hence, Leylin had intentionally given her position and power in the guild. He was sure that, in their next meeting, she would definitely not disappoint him.
Furthermore, his goals during this journey to the center were too large for Celine's strength to be of assistance to him. He was also not in the mood to get intimate with her, so he had left her behind.
"The central region!" Leylin quietly went over the intelligence he had gathered regarding the central region.
It was the core of the entire Twilight Zone with a very high population density. The strength of its large-scale guilds largely surpassed that of guilds in the other regions. Yet, this was not the most horrifying fact…
"The Guardian of the Realm… …" Leylin let out a sigh.
The position of the Guardian was normally given to the most powerful Magus in the entirety of Twilight Zone.
But the Protector of the East, Logan, had met him several times and their abilities should be on par. Hence, the Guardian of the Realm should be a powerhouse even amongst rank 3 Magi. If not for his lifespan that was almost depleted, Leylin would not dare to play such tricks.
The squadron proceeded gradually, and the roaming darkness creatures and bandits on their path fled in all directions the moment they spotted them. They did not dare to obstruct Leylin's party and offend them
The bandits were observant and naturally realised that this squadron was composed of Magi. As for the darkness creatures, they could sense the strong aura travelling towards them and escaped for fear of death.
Thus, the journey was rather a peaceful one.
Along the way, Nature's Alliance had amassed a following of several other medium-scale guilds as well as a few small-scale guilds. They, too, had heeded the call and wanted to go to the central region to keep watch.
Upon witnessing Nature Alliance's standard, the guild masters of different guilds immediately came forth to visit him, and even let go of their pride to discuss the possibility of joining forces to advance.
After all, the fact that Leylin was a member of Nature's Alliance was made known to many. That was a rank 2 Magus! With him there, the procession would definitely make it to the central region without any hiccups.
"Although there are a few idealists in there, most of them are those with great ambitions who are willing to take a gamble!"
After a look, Leylin evaluated these people indifferently.
However, he still agreed to their requests. The horse carriages, which formed a large procession resembling a river, began to travel towards the central region.
As Magi could illuminate the path ahead with spells, there was no need for the carriages to carry torches.
The giant sunstone was placed on the top of a carriage, illuminating the surroundings and their path brightly.
A Fair Trial
*Rumble!*
Faint fluctuations travelled over, and for there to be so many undulations despite the long distance allowed the people in the carriage to ascertain their identities.
"They're Magi, official Magi! It looks like they're battling. Do we still proceed?" A peak rank 1 Magus guild master approached Leylin's carriage and bowed, asking for further instructions.
"Of course!" Leylin spoke indifferently. With the power, they held when they banded together, they could easily go on a rampage in the eastern region. Thus, they were fearless.
The guild leader seemed to have the same thoughts and, after a moment of pause, they continued to advance.
The rest of the party noticed the energy fluctuations as they closed in. One of the two seemed to have reservations with approaching them, while the other hesitated for a moment before heading in their directions.
"Trying to use us to block the enemy?" The Magi in the group of carriages silently waited while smirking.
*Xiu!*
Seconds later, a red streak shot over from afar, and a young Magus appeared.
This Magus looked quite ordinary but for the black ring on his right index finger and his resolute eyes. After seeing so many official Magi, his eyes widened and he tried to take a long way around them.
"You can't escape! How dare you steal our family's treasure!" a woman's voice sounded out. The young man quivered, bit his lips, ground his teeth, and then dashed towards the group of carriages.
"Save me! I'm a wandering Magus, and for some reason, this mad woman is chasing me. She keeps slandering me and saying that I stole her treasure!"
This young Magus was naturally Aaron. After recuperating from his injuries, he had been unlucky enough to meet with the Magus from the Mambo Family, and had been chased all the way here.
As for blocking this group's path, that was naturally Merlin's idea.
"Will they save me? After all…" Aaron worriedly communicated with Merlin in his mind.
"Don't worry! I've already completely concealed the aura of the Teardrop Gemstone. That crazy woman behind us won't find anything!" Merlin promised confidently.
As for that confidence, it was definitely due to a certain someone within the carriages.
"Hehe… Young man, you're pretty good to have actually helped me gather the Teardrop Gemstone. I didn't even know the Mambo Family had this in their collection!" Leylin smiled lightly, a cold glint in his eyes.
*Xiu!* At this moment, a pink ray shot into this area, and the female Magus who had been chasing after Aaron appeared in their midst.
After seeing the group of carriages with so many Magi, she felt her chest tighten perceptibly.
"I am Ophelia of the Mambo Family! My apologies if I am offending you, but please do not stop me from pursuing this vile thief!"
The group was arranged haphazardly, with a few small scale guilds in front. Ophelia's tone was therefore not that polite.
After all, the Mambo Family was quite famous in this region.
"How dare you! Who do you think you are?"
"The Mambo Family? Never heard of it before."
Although those in front were a just few small scale guilds, their higher-ups were watching on from the back, and even the legendary rank 2 Magus in charge of Nature's Alliance was present. They were naturally unrestrained in their answers.
"You…" Ophelia's voice lowered, and a faint aura of danger emanated from her body.
How many people in her family dared to speak to her like this?
At this point, however, more carriages had arrived, and the markings caused Ophelia to swallow the words she was planning to say, making her dumbstruck.
"The Lost Clock, Twisted Black Clouds, Infernal Blood, and… Nature's Alliance!"
Ophelia's eyes widened. These were all medium scale guilds, and each one of them was powerful enough to pressure the Mambo Family—especially Nature's Alliance, which had a powerful rank 2 Magus in charge.
The moment they were provoked, they would squash her like one would an ant.
On the other end, Aaron gaped, stunned. "So many! So many Magi and acolytes! Are they migrating?"
"Ophelia had no intentions of offending anyone; please forgive me!" Cold sweat rushed down Ophelia's spine, and she immediately dropped to the ground and bowed.
"Haven't you dealt with this yet?" At this moment, Leylin opened the door and descended from the largest and most luxurious carriage in Nature's Alliance's group.
"Lord Leylin!" All the Magi there immediately bowed.
"Ley-Leylin! The legendary rank 2 Magus said to have heavily injured a dark elven Sovereign Mother! Why is my luck so bad?" Ophelia was snarling on the inside, but she wouldn't dare to even break into a cold sweat in this man's presence.
"What's going on?" Leylin furrowed his eyebrows, asking even though he knew the situation.
"My- My apologies, my lord!" A Magus from the Alliance was frightened so badly he couldn't even speak clearly.
"What's going on?" Leylin repeated once again, but the atmosphere had frozen. The entire group was quiet, and even some guild leaders of medium-scaled guilds, who were peak rank 1 Magi themselves, did not dare to make a sound.
"My lord, it's like this…." Ophelia tried her best to make herself sound calm, narrating the whole story.
"Oh! Is that so?"
Leylin turned, and Aaron was pressed to the ground by an invisible force.
"I'll give you one chance. You said you used your family's secret method and found him. Do it again in front of us! If the Teardrop Gemstone is on him, then he shall be judged by us all. If not…" Leylin's dangerous gaze landed on Ophelia, causing her head to tingle.
"If it isn't, then Ophelia is willing to accept punishment!" Ophelia grit her teeth and forced out an answer.
"Not only that, those of us here are responding to summons from the central region to engage in battle. If you are proven to be wrong, you shall be prosecuted by the war council for obstructing military affairs."
Leylin smiled to make up for his harsh words. "Well then, begin!"
"What do I do? What do I do?" Aaron watched Ophelia who had already begun to use her family's secret method and the official Magi who were preparing to watch a good show. He repeatedly asked Merlin in his mind, while not even daring to look at the legendary rank 2 Magus at all.
"Don't worry. I'm the legendary great Magus Merlin. What is a little rank 2 Magus to me?" Merlin boasted shamelessly, "With my spirit force concealing it, this girl definitely won't find anything!"
"Then why didn't you use it previously?" Aaron felt like he had been conned.
"A lot of my spirit force has been used, and it hasn't been replenished," Merlin explained vaguely, causing Aaron to immediately begin reproaching himself. How could he not trust Grandpa Merlin, whom he had grown up with?
"You're dead meat!" Ophelia snickered while lowering her head, pointing at Aaron with the ring.
"There is a tracking spell formation on the Teardrop Gemstone passed down by my ancestors. As long he has it on him, my ring will emit red rays of light. Look, my lords!"
Ophelia pointed the ring at Aaron, and shouted a word, "Mambo!"
Aaron's heart was at his throat, and he almost closed his eyes to wait for the judgment of destiny.
"Eh?" "Oh!" "Ah?"
All sorts of sounds resounded by Aaron's ears, but none of them were the accusations he had expected.
He secretly chanced a glance at Ophelia, who was now looking lost and dejected.
"How is this possible? How is this possible? It wasn't like this the last few times!" She lifted the ring and scanned him a few more times.
The ring had no response, as if it were just an ordinary ring.
"Haha! How is it? Aren't my concealing methods powerful?" Merlin chuckled heartily in Aaron's mind.
In reality, all of this was Leylin's work. If not for him being there, Aaron would definitely have been seen through.
"How?" Ophelia shrieked, unwilling to give up as she took off the ring and inspected the formations within.
Moments later, she yelled out, "It must be you! You must have hidden the Teardrop Gemstone somewhere along the way!
"No! It must definitely be on your person. Hand it over!" Blazing pink flames appeared on her body.
"Enough! What a farce!" Leylin was still playing the role of a fair, altruistic judge.
"No! My lord, you need to believe me!" Ophelia's voice cracked, sounding a little hoarse.
*Bang!*
A resplendent, silver light flashed, and the flames on her body were extinguished. She retreated a few steps and fell to the ground, her expression still full of stubbornness.
"Haha, that girl actually dares to resist. She's in trouble!" Merlin rejoiced in Aaron's mind.
"What's happening?" Aaron immediately asked.
"That Lord Leylin is a rank 2 Magus! His solidified spiritual force is not something a little girl like her can withstand, but she actually dared do so. What should have been a light injury will now become more serious, and might even affect her sea of consciousness…"
"Ah? Then what's going to happen to her?" Aaron began to blame himself.
"What else can happen to her? If a rank 2 Magus wants to discipline her, she'll still need to endure it even if she's not in the wrong. She can't complain either," Merlin continued taking joy in her pain, and took the opportunity to educate Aaron, "This is the law of the Magus World!"
"Leave this place and never appear in front of me again! It seems like you just made a mistake this time. I won't report it to the war council!"
Leylin hummed lightly and returned to the carriage.
"Thank you for your mercy, my lord!" His actions elicited words of gratitude from the female Magus.
Ophelia left the area in a daze. Although she was in despair, were she to continue staying here, a few peak rank 1 Magi would make short work of her without Leylin even lifting a finger.
"What are you looking at? We're leaving!"
Soon enough, the carriages continued their journey.
Infiltration Into The Central Region
Aaron stood in a spot alone, and no Magi bothered him.
This was his second time experiencing a feeling of loss. The first time? Naturally, it was when his spiritual aptitude had deteriorated, and his engagement was broken off.
Aaron held onto the black ring in his hands tightly. That was the gloomiest moment of his life, but thankfully he found this!
"Grandpa Merlin? When do you reckon I will reach the level of Master Leylin?" Aaron silently asked in his heart.
It had never occurred to him to use his connections. In Dolon City, he was but a small acolyte, whereas Leylin was a powerful rank 2 Magus. The latter would surely not remember him!
"Relax, isn't it just rank 2?" Merlin had inherited Leylin's twisted sense of humour. It whispered into Aaron's mind: "As long as you can find the two children of destiny, and trigger the river of destiny, your cultivation in Sacred Flame will increase exponentially. Advancing to rank 2 or 3 will be a simple task!"
"In that case, I have to increase my speed!" Aaron clenched his fist and looked into the far distance; for an instant he was filled with hope.
To Leylin, what happened to Aaron was but a hiccup in his journey.
Even though Aaron was a chess piece of his, he never requested Aaron to join him. After all, keeping Merlin at his side was enough.
Moreover, he did not want to give Aaron or the others any clues, lest they discover his intentions.
Leylin lowered his head, concealing the bottomless glow in his eyes.
...
After advancing for half a month, the squadron had entered the central region.
Their journey there had been very peaceful, with nothing happening.
Their squadron was one that was composed of magicians. They had no lack of even peak rank 1 Magi, and Leylin, a rank 2 Magus was leading them. It was already considered pretty good that they had not looked for trouble with others, forget anyone daring to offend them.
With the aid of spells, they travelled rapidly, not being impeded even by rough terrain. Commoners would face difficulties when trying to trek through narrow valleys and scale steep cliffs. Magi just settled any problems with a few spells.
"Is this central Twilight Zone? The quality of life here far surpasses that of the east!"
Leylin had lowered his hood and looked around at the neatly built houses by the roadside. He nodded at the occasional farmer he saw.
The center was the essence of Twilight Zone. Darkness creatures were a rare sight here, and the population density was very high.
However, currently, Leylin could see squires dressed in leather armour running across the region. The farmers mostly looked worried; with north Twilight Zone having fallen, the big war was at their doorstep! The dark elven soldiers and dwarves, gnomes and even darkness creatures from outside the region could all directly arrive at the central region after bypassing the north, which could create a lot of trouble for them.
The central region lacked the strength to repel such raids, especially in terms of magicians. They had no choice but to send out orders to all 4 zones and recruit more acolytes.
At this point in time, a Nature's Alliance Magus came forth and reported to Leylin: "My lord! The leaders of a few medium-scale guilds have come forth to say their goodbyes; they are going to return to the zones they came from!"
"Let them go! They don't have to specially report to me!" Leylin coldly ordered.
A large number of orders sounded in the distance. Some of the smaller troops, like the distributaries of a river, left Nature's Alliance's side.
"What a pity!" Leylin glanced at the small and medium-scale guilds that were leaving, and let out a sigh.
Even though the resources in the central region were good, they had to be exchanged for with one's life!
If these guilds could survive the big war, they would naturally get land as their reward. However, if they risk suffering heavy losses, or even being completely wiped out, then leaving would be the best choice.
Though the central region was rich in resources, even it could not support all the guilds that came.
The war would choose the real winners who would end up with the last laugh! Still, many guilds swarmed to the central region. Even though they knew it was all a gamble, they did not hesitate for a moment to stake everything on this wager. They hoped to gain a lot from it.
"After the war, how many guilds would there be left?" Leylin sighed lightly and closed the windows.
"Send the orders down, we are to advance at full speed and rush to our territory as soon as we can!" On the surface, Leylin was still representing Nature's Alliance's interests, and hence he had ordered so casually.
"As you wish, my lord!"
The orders were quickly passed down through magic spells , and the sounds of the Earth Salamanders and Wildebeest came repeatedly as the entire squadron's speed increased a level.
...
In yet another region, a few haggard travellers entered the boundaries of the central region.
"Is this the central region?" Baelin swept off the dust on his body and looked at the big city ahead.
He was dressed in oversized grey gunny robes, and a spider streaked in gold would pop out onto his shoulders from time to time.
"Yes! Advancing after Tran City should lead us to central Twilight Zone!" Memphis was next to Baelin. However, he had currently lost all resemblance to a dark elf, and only looked like a pale-skinned royal.
"Could you get your Underground Winter Spider Emperor to hide? It's very easy to attract attention here!" He once again looked at the mischievous spider that climbed onto Baelin's shoulder, and smiled wryly.
*Hiss* This golden spider seemed to be able to understand human languages, and upon hearing what Memphis said, it let out a threatening screech.
"Aru says that he has restrained his aura, and only rank 2 Magi can see through his transformation; so even if formal Magi were to see the Underground Winter Spider Emperor, they would only treat it as a mutated ordinary spider!" Baelin translated for Memphis, "Also, if you dare to suggest this ever again, he'll eat you!"
"Alright!" Memphis was rendered speechless.
This Underground Winter Spider Emperor was Baelin's reward from their excursion into the Dark Elven Empire! Originally, they had planned to attack or subdue the Underground Winter Spider Emperor to halt the war.
However, the Underground Winter Spider Emperor had confoundingly decided to follow Baelin, becoming the Magus' contracted familiar.
Memphis had not expected that, and after he found out that it could have been the workings of his ancestral amulet, he felt so cheated that he almost went and banged his head against a wall.
Although he knew that his ancestors were royals of a strong clan, he had not expected them to have left such a strong agreement that the owner of the amulet could actually control the Underground Winter Spider Emperor!
That was a being with the strength of a rank 2 Magus! Were he to have gained control of it, the Underground Winter Spider knights would have defected to his side, but now?
Memphis smiled wryly as he looked at Baelin who was standing at the side.
Even though they had the Underground Winter Spider knights, the proud dark elves simply would not admit that a member of another species could exercise control over their sacred objects. On the contrary, they had viewed this as a great humiliation, and had even launched into a relentless killing spree!
Memphis had seen the Dark Elven Empire's plans fail. He learned through his connections that the dark elves were plotting yet another scheme in the central region, one that could potentially destroy the foundations of the human race!
Upon receiving the news, Baelin had become restless and filled with a strong sense of duty. After ensuring that Jenny settled down, he secretly entered the central region with Memphis.
"What happens to us after this? Do we tell the Magi what we found out?" Baelin suddenly realised that he had no idea about his next course of action.
"Just based on our own merits?" Memphis pointed to himself and smiled bitterly, then pointed to the Underground Winter Spider Emperor on Baelin's shoulders, "A dark elf and a suspicious man with an Underground Winter Spider Emperor?"
"I'm afraid that, before we even utter a single word, the other side will have started flinging spells at us. Needless to say, this information would only be heeded if a rank 2 Magus passed it on, and Aru's stealth would not hold up against such an existence!
""Furthermore, upon seeing an Underground Winter Spider Emperor, a rank 2 Magus would even kill us immediately! After all, their bloodlines ensure that dark elves would instantly weaken the moment an Underground Winter Spider Emperor dies. They would even lose their endless supply of mounts! This would definitely be a huge blow to the Dark Elven Empire! What do you think they would choose to do?"
"Essentially, there's still no way!" Baelin squatted down and felt dejected.
"However, it is not entirely hopeless!" Memphis' tone changed.
"There's hope?" Baelin's eyes lit up.
"Do you remember that I mentioned Magus Leylin earlier?"
"Master Leylin?" Baelin's voice held a tinge of respect within it. He saw Leylin as a teacher and was grateful and respectful to him.
"Yes! That Leylin! Did you know that he is actually the most recent Magus to reach rank 2?" Memphis lowered his voice. Even though Leylin was a member of another species, he still held a respect for the strong.
"According to the news I received, not only did he help Fendix attack and kill a rank 2 matriarch at Dolon, he had defeated another matriarch before it! My clan's intelligence has already marked him as a threat with a danger level of 8!"
"Master! He is actually so… strong?" Baelin's eyes widened. He had personally witnessed the strength of a rank 2 matriarch.
In the Dark Elven Empire, he and Memphis had been hunted down by a matriarch. If not for the protection of the Underground Winter Spider Emperor, they would definitely not have been able to escape.
The matriarch's unyielding strength had left a deep impression on the minds of the two.
And now, he was being told that the Master Leylin who had taught him before was even stronger than a rank 2 matriarch?
Baelin's feelings at that moment were very complicated. There was pride, but there was also regret.
"Yes!" Memphis nodded his head: "Though we're not of the same kind, I admire him greatly as well!
"This Master Leylin is definitely a heavy presence in the Magi world, and even has ties with you. You need only pass the intelligence to him…"