"Is that Merlin? Alina, is that young mage in the black robe really Merlin from the Dark Spirit Domain?"
Mage Golan's face fell as he urgently questioned Alina.
Golan knew the so-called "Four Alchemists of Floating City" were actually a powerful alliance of four top-tier wandering mages, renowned for their unique abilities. Each was a third-level spellcaster with skills that rivaled those within formal spellcasting organizations, making them a formidable force.
Golan, wary of their power, had always taken them seriously. Yet now, one of the four, Mage Darmash, was missing, and in his place was a young, unknown spellcaster, wrapped entirely in a black robe.
Alina squinted at the familiar figure beneath the hood, recognizing him immediately. "Yes, it's Mage Merlin," she murmured, her expression complicated.
With her confirmation, Golan's face darkened. "So, Merlin came with these three? No wonder he refused our invitation. Hmph, those three old schemers—each with their own agenda. No matter how he managed to join them, when true danger arises, how long can they protect him?"
"Golan, the four alchemists are usually inseparable. Why are only three of them here?" Alina observed, noting the absence of Darmash, who was typically part of the alchemists' group.
"Perhaps he stayed behind, or maybe he'll join later. Either way, their presence complicates things for us," Golan muttered.
He'd been confident in his own strength, even against other third-level mages, but Samir and his group were an exception. Though they were wandering mages, each of them wielded formidable skills on par with any third-level spellcaster from an organization. With their arrival, Golan's plan was entirely disrupted.
To make matters worse, it seemed that the sheer number of wandering mages gathered before the ruins gave some of them enough courage to disregard Samir and his crew. Despite Mage Brun's earlier intimidation, they remained, watching the alchemists warily.
Samir scowled, his voice turning cold. "It seems they've forgotten who we are."
"Heh, it's time to remind them, Samir," Mage Brun sneered, his body starting to emanate powerful waves of elemental energy.
"Attack!" Samir commanded.
At once, violent flames erupted around them, and their alchemical creatures surged forward like feral beasts, crashing into the crowd of mages.
The creatures, immensely powerful and withstanding all but the most potent spells, tore through the assembly with ease. Among the crowd were mostly entry-level and first-level spellcasters who stood little chance. Their attempts to strike the creatures with low-level spells proved futile, and screams echoed through the clearing as the creatures closed in on their victims.
"Impressive alchemical creatures," Merlin observed, watching Samir's attack unfold. He'd sparred with their creatures before and hadn't felt particularly threatened, especially with his Pandora Mana-powered Frostfinger. Now, however, he saw the terror they inspired in weaker mages, tearing through them effortlessly as if they were defenseless prey.
"Yes, yes, my pets—destroy them all!" Mage Brun cheered, his creatures swiftly dispatching the hapless mages. Within minutes, they'd claimed over a dozen lives.
Despite their overwhelming numbers, the crowd of wandering mages found themselves at an utter disadvantage. With Samir and the others barely lifting a finger, the alchemical creatures alone were enough to turn the battle into a slaughter.
"These three old men are tougher than I thought. We'd better retreat for now and wait for a better chance to enter the ruins," Golan muttered, frustration plain on his face. He knew he wouldn't stand a chance against Samir's group head-on.
Meanwhile, Merlin noticed Golan, Alina, and the others quietly slipping away from the chaotic scene. He nodded slightly in agreement; staying here in defiance of Samir's group would be a foolish choice.
Suddenly, a wind blade sliced toward Merlin, only to be deflected by his low-level Earth Shield spell. It seemed that several mages, perhaps seeing Merlin as a weaker target, had set their sights on him instead.
"Bastlo," came an icy voice from the crowd. "That young mage doesn't seem that strong. Why don't we start by taking him out?" The words were laced with venom and came from the elderly Mage Houghton.
Bastlo, a hulking, battle-scarred mage, glared at Houghton before turning his gaze to Merlin. He'd already been humiliated by Brun's creatures and was itching for a fight, and Merlin's youthful appearance made him seem like an easy target.
"Those three old men are another matter," Bastlo shouted. "But you? You think you're worthy of entering the ruins?"
With a ferocious roar, Bastlo charged, drawing Merlin's attention. Houghton scowled, muttering under his breath, "Idiot! Had he waited and attacked with stealth, the young mage would've been an easy kill. Now he's made a mess of things."
Frustrated but unwilling to abandon the plan, Houghton followed Bastlo's lead, launching a barrage of spells at Merlin, hoping to undermine Samir's group by taking out one of their own.
At this, Samir and the others took notice. They watched with an amused detachment as Bastlo and Houghton hurled spell after spell toward Merlin, an onslaught of flames, wind, and stone.
"Hmm, what's going on over there?" Samir's group paused as they noticed the crowd's attacks concentrated on Merlin. Brun stopped mid-attack, smirking as he watched the spectacle unfold.
"Those two fools," Samir muttered with a smirk. "They'll pay for that mistake."
Samir, Brun, and Raisen alone understood the immense power Merlin wielded—especially after seeing him slay Darmash with his Pandora Mana. They alone recognized Merlin as the strongest among them and knew that Bastlo and Houghton had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
In the middle of the frenzied attack, Houghton hesitated, noticing Samir's odd expression. Something felt off. Yet he pushed on, continuing his barrage of spells toward Merlin, unaware of the peril.
A deafening explosion followed as spell after spell struck Merlin, engulfing his figure in a blinding haze of dust and magic.
The crowd held its breath, waiting for the outcome.