364 - 371

Meeting

"Hm, that is indeed a good idea! But…" Baelin had nodded, but then felt a little guilty.

He had only left behind a letter when he took Jenny away, not even wishing the man goodbye. It was slightly irrational, and even ungrateful.

This had always been a thorn in his heart. However, he had been impulsive as a teenager, and his worry for Jenny's safety had led him to go through with what he had done.

He had planned to wait until things got better and he managed to make something of himself. He would return as a successful man with a reputation. If he then begged for Leylin's apology, he believed he would be forgiven.

"Lord Leylin might even make an exception and acknowledge me as his disciple!" Baelin occasionally dreamed of such.

However, the timing was still not right. He was a poor, penniless youngster who was even being chased by the dark elves. If he were to head over now, he would even need to rely on Leylin for help.

Blood rushed to Baelin's head, and his cheeks flushed.

"What's wrong?" Memphis asked.

"Oh, nothing, it's nothing. You have a great idea. Let's do it!"

"I don't recommend you do that." At this moment, a cold female voice sounded beside them.

"Who is it?"Baelin immediately jumped a distance away, his cloak fluttering open. His Bio Boosting Armour, comprising of countless eyes, fused with his body and the Underground Winder Spider Emperor on his shoulder hopped off as it expanded from the size of a fist to that of a two-storeyed building. It turned towards the voice, a translucent liquid dripping from its white teeth.

On the other side, Memphis started to prepare his spells as well, his body glowing. The relentless pursuit they had escaped from until now had made them paranoid, and they were easily startled.

Red flashing lights revealed the source of the voice to be a female Magus.

This woman wore a large white robe; her charming eyebrows were long and narrow, and the lines on her face were soft and exquisite. She could be considered a rare beauty.

What made her stand out was the five-coloured gemstone bracelet on her pale neck. Energy fluctuations that did not lose out to that of an official Magus emanated from her body.

"Who are you?" Baelin asked guardedly.

This human Magus seemed to be proficient in stealth techniques. She had been able to come close without being noticed, closer than even the dark elven forces that had chased them could get!

"I have no bad intentions." The female Magus smiled good-naturedly, and then spread her arms.

"My name is Vinas, and I'm a wandering Magus. I'm here to give you some advice" The female Magus' voice was very calm, and there was a mysterious aura about her. It was an aura found only on the erudite and wise, like elders who had long since learned the ways of the world.

'No, not erudite! She's confident, as if the entire world is a toy in her hands!' Memphis was secretly shocked. This confidence was seldom seen even among matriarchs. This conclusion drove him to further shock, and he went on high alert.

This sort of person was bound to have unfathomable strength or a special ability. It was best if he and Baelin did not do anything that they were not sure would go well.

"Alright! Well then, Ms Vinas, what would you like to tell us?" Memphis had stealthily retreated a few steps, and was using his right sleeve to conceal his actions as he took hold of a simple magic scroll.

"You don't have to be so wary. I'm a friend who is here to help you!"

Vinas smiled wryly, and without waiting for Memphis to enquire, she began to narrate, "There's a traitor among the upper ranks of Twilight Zone's Magi who has colluded with the dark elves. I don't know this person's identity yet, but I know he's shrouded by the fog of destiny. However, he might have a guardian, be it the guild leader of a large-scale guild, or even the Magus Leylin you spoke of! If you enter their hands, the consequences will be dire."

"There's a traitor among the higher-ups of Magi?" Baelin cried out, "Where did you get that news?"

"The guidance of destiny lets me see this, just as it lets me see your futures." A pious expression appeared on Vinas' face as she walked forward, focusing on Baelin's face.

"You will become a hero in the future, and I shall be your most loyal subordinate and assistant." As she said this, she actually half-knelt and performed the rites to vow her loyalty and devotion to him.

"I- I- I'll become a hero?" Baelin seemed to turn a little stupid, but Memphis had zoned in on the main points of her speech.

"A prophecy? Could you be the legendary witch of destiny, capable of peering into someone's entire life?"

"Under the guidance of destiny, nothing can be hidden!" Vinas nodded and confirmed her identity.

"A female Magus that can predict the future! So cool!" Baelin cheered.

"History has given birth to many legendary figures like the Lion King and John the Golden Knight. Each of them had a wise and powerful Magus aiding them, one with the power to see the future. Only with this aid did they become the masters of their generations!"

The stream of fortuitous meetings, as well as having the witch of destiny standing on his side made him feel slightly complacent. "Perhaps… I really am destined to be a hero!" These thoughts could not be contained as they took root in Baelin's mind, a seed that kept growing.

"Baelin, wake up!" Memphis was a little speechless.

They hadn't even ascertained whether this person was friend or foe, or whether her prophecy was real, yet he had already begun to daydream…?

"My Lady Magus, can you prophesize the conspiracy stirring amongst the dark elves?" Memphis asked what he was most concerned about.

"I'm afraid not! The current of destiny is far too powerful, and I can only see certain images, of specific times and places." Vinas smoothed her long hair at the back, laughing wryly.

"Also, the dark elves seem to have a helper that is the same as me, able to predict the future."

"What?" Baelin and Memphis involuntarily cried out at the same time.

Since when did terrifying Magi who could predict the future become so commonplace that they could be found everywhere?

"Alright! Looks like I wasn't the only one. Well then, Vinas, are you willing to become our companion and adventure with us?" Baelin laughed, stretching his arm towards Vinas.

"It would be my honour!" Vinas' voice revealed a tinge of emotion. However, the moment their hands touched, her expression changed.

A white circle spread from the centers of her eyes, turning her pupils pure white.

In her line of sight, a young Magus with a black ring was rapidly rushing in their direction. That person also looked in this direction; as if through the power of destiny; they had also noticed her existence.

"This is bad!" Red light flashed from her body, and she quickly turned to leave.

"Don't even think of running!" On the other end, Aaron now knew the reason why he had been hurrying his journey and feeling so restless.

Another person training in Sacred Flame had already rushed ahead of him and arrived first.

*Boom! Boom!*

Two rays streaked through the horizon, causing Baelin and Memphis to be unable to make heads or tails of the situation.

"Is she the other Magus?" Aaron's expression was dark as he asked in his mind.

"Yes. I can feel the aura of another magic artifact I forged on her!" Merlin's voice was low as he answered quickly.

*Rumble!*

The two rays clashed, and quickly separated.

However, with that attack, Aaron and Vinas could now see each other clearly.

It was a beautiful female Magus, Aaron judged, but immediately after, a powerful desire exploded from the depths of his heart. This was a violent surge that could not be stopped.

'Devour her! Devour her! Devour her!'

"What's going on?" Aaron pressed his hand to his heart, looking ashen. He asked Merlin, "Why do I feel like I need to kill this woman to be whole?"

"Sigh…" Merlin huffed out a long breath, "It looks like the necklace contains a memory fragment of mine, and it has imparted Sacred Flame to her as well!"

"Sacred Flame is an exclusive high-grade meditation technique. In other words, only one Magus in a generation can successfully train in it. The rest might not die, but they won't be able to attain a higher level in their meditation technique. My apologies…"

"Don't worry." Aaron was now a lot more mature, "If not for Sacred Flame, I might have died countless times. Why would I care about that?"

"But does that mean I'm enemies with that female Magus?"

"Yes! Only one person will be able to have the last laugh between you two, and I hope that will be you," Merlin's voice travelled, "Don't worry, I will do all I can to support you!"

...

"Everyone has gathered. The show is about to start!"

Leylin occupied the central tent in Nature's Alliance's temporary encampment, and it was the most luxurious.

Through the A.I. Chip, he was now checking up on his guinea pigs and their progress in Sacred Flame.

By distributing the old grandpas and his modified technique, he obtained not only a lot of experimental data but also the high-grade meditation techniques that he'd had them steal.

These high-grade meditation techniques were normally only passed on to guild members. However, with an unwitting spy amongst their ranks, obtaining them was very easy.

"Looks like I've managed to successfully modify prophecies!" Leylin scratched his chin.

That prediction of a traitor had been a cock and bull story he had conjured up, but it had successfully deceived Vinas. This allowed Leylin to be even more confident in his future plans.

"But that last guinea pig is really exceeding my expectations! He actually chose to side with the dark elves. How daring!"

Life Absorption

Leylin was actually full of praise for the last guinea pig.

To be able to overcome the pressure to help their own race, and to disregard the norms and side with the enemy race, that required courage and decisiveness that not many possessed.

"It's a pity that since all the information you get is transparent to me, it's useless no matter what you do." Leylin sighed, eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

"My lord!" At this moment, a Magus' voice sounded outside.

"Come in!"

"Yes!" The fabric for the tent was pushed aside, and a kindly old geezer entered. This was Iren, the peak rank 1 Magus Leylin had forced into his service.

He had many plans for the central region, and had naturally brought his strongest helpers to put them into practice.

"The inconveniences around Ardent Gale Lake have been taken care of. We can move in at any time," Iren respectfully lowered his head, reporting to Leylin.

Though the central region had gone all out and agreed to give Nature's Alliance resources that were usually reserved for large-scale guilds, there were still many problems which Nature's Alliance needed to handle themselves.

Magi could be controlled, but dangerous creatures would not obediently listen to the orders of the war council.

"You did well!" Leylin nodded slightly.

Ardent Gale Lake was where they were going to be garrisoned. It would be Nature's Alliance's headquarters in the central region.

Iren responded deferentially to Leylin's indifferent commands, and withdrew quickly.

"Also!" Just as Iren was about to leave, he heard Leylin's voice, "I want to go out for a bit, and I'm leaving you in charge. Be careful of the surrounding dangers."

"Of course, my lord." Iren bowed even lower.

"En!" Leylin nodded, waving his arms and letting Iren leave.

The next job was construction, something that was both troublesome and time-consuming. Leylin could not be bothered with helping, so he left everything to Iren.

If this was his previous world, this might result in him becoming a mere figurehead, but the Magus world was different.

His own strength rivalled or even surpassed that of the rest of Nature's Alliance combined! Not to mention, he still had full control of Iren's life. He still had the man's spirit source!

Hence, Leylin did not worry one bit that Iren would betray him.

"It's also time to see some old friends." Leylin laughed slightly, and his body was suddenly engulfed in black mist.

*Pak!* With a light noise, the black mist suddenly exploded, and Leylin's figure disappeared from the tent.

...

"Ernis, are you sure that he is vulnerable right now? This is a rank 2 Magus we're talking about!"

Somewhere else underground, Longbottom wore his black robes with an image of a spider twisting on the back. Eight jet-black claws stretched towards the air, as if trying to draw in some mysterious energy.

"Of course, my lord!" The Magus named Ernis was a pale, sturdy man. His features were clear and he wore exquisite handmade armour. The tattered notebook in his hand stood out, as if it didn't belong there.

"The great Magus Rosby, the guild leader of Green Waters Garden, will be weakened by restrictions in his high-grade meditation technique, and his strength will fall from that of a rank 2 Magus. I've already foreseen the exact time, and even his hiding spot!"

Ernis sounded very confident.

Ever since he'd begun practicing Sacred Flame, every prophecy he'd made had played out in real life. Naturally, he had grown to be sure of their accuracy.

"Good! This operation will be a big one!"

Longbottom closed his eyes, as if he was communicating with the spider on his back. He then suddenly spoke, "The Magi that belong to guilds all own the most land and have the best resources, and restrict us from advancing. They monopolize high-grade meditation techniques and cruelly exploit we acolytes and Magi who have humble backgrounds. Can you tolerate that?"

Longbottom's body floated to the air, sound magic amplifying his voice tenfold such that it resounded in the underground cavity.

"No!" "No!"

Within this cavity, there were a few acolytes and Magi besides Ernis. Though they looked to be down and out, their eyes seemed to be ablaze.

Few magicians were lucky enough to find inheritances on their own. If the rest were not nurtured by guilds, their futures would be bleak.

As a result of unfair treatment and having been pushed around for a long period of time, Longbottom had easily lit their hearts aflame. He had needed to spend little energy in gathering a large group of magicians to his side.

With the secret support of the dark elves, as well as Longbottom's generous distribution of high-grade meditation techniques, these magicians had increased their strength by a level or two.

Magi who were able to survive in the cracks of society were all quite capable in their own right, and the amount of power they had been able to muster had left Longbottom tongue-tied.

Now, by brainwashing them into desiring change by revolution, Longbottom had played these Magi into the palm of his hands.

"What do we need?" Longbottom's voice boomed.

"Revolution!" "Revolution!" "Revolution!"

The sound waves almost launched Ernis off his feet. He stood aside, hearing the acolytes and even official Magi's shouting themselves hoarse, and flushed red. He felt incomparably cold inside.

At this moment, he felt a mysterious power shrouding them. It seemed as heavy as the mountains and seas, but it had no element to it.

After training in Sacred Flame, Ernis was extremely clear of what this energy was.

"The power of destiny, and so concentrated at that!" Ernis muttered.

"We are now going to destroy a large-scaled guild and kill the rank 2 Magus, Rosby." Longbottom ordered, full of spirit. Behind him, the spider totem's eyes suddenly brightened.

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* Soft booms sounded from Longbottom's body as elemental rings of light appeared around him. These were the symbol of a semi-converted Magus.

Immediately, numerous energy rings appeared, creating brilliant lights and vibrant colours. Longbottom's aura constantly strengthened, until it would not lose out to a peak rank 1 Magus.

"'Life Absorption,' a high-grade meditation technique used by dark elven matriarchs. Through drawing on the life force of others, one can advance very quickly, but the aftereffects are severe. If they cannot gather the requisite amount of life energy every day, then the Magus' own life force will quickly wither, until the technique has drained them completely of their life."

Ernis lowered his head, hiding the glint in his eyes.

"Looks like Longbottom has been gaining a higher status at the dark elves' end, and I have pretty much entered the dark elves' camp and turned into a traitor."

A sardonic smile appeared on his lips, "But so what if I betrayed them? Magi should only consider their own benefits. My counterparts are still contesting the other child of destiny, how would they have the advantage I gain by being alone? I will be the one with the last laugh!"

Ernis roared in his heart. He felt his own body twist, and the meditation technique that had been advancing at a snail's pace began to progress at a rapid rate.

He suddenly raised his head and looked at Longbottom, who was ready and waiting.

In his vision, of the powers of destiny that had gathered on Longbottom's self, a part had quickly turned towards him.

*Ka-cha!* As if he had broken through some bottleneck, tiny elemental rings appeared in his hands, along with a crisp sound emanating from his body.

From a normal Magus who had just advanced, he had become a semi-converted Magus.

"As expected. By changing the course of the river of destiny and taking in its power, Sacred Flame can improve at a rapid pace!" The burly man's eyes were filled with a crazed excitement.

"How is it? I didn't lie to you, did I?" A voice suddenly sounded from the tattered notebook.

"En! I was too careless previously. I apologise, dear Magus Merlin!"

The man did not hesitate to lower his head, since he would lose nothing by apologizing.

"You really are quite gutsy to dare tamper with destiny on such a large scale. Longbottom could very well die there!" The old geezer Merlin touched his beard, "Even I have rarely done something this crazy in the 3200 years of my life!"

"Hehe. Longbottom is a child of destiny, he won't die so easily. As for the other Magi? What do their lives have to do with me?" Ernis snickered, "Even if the child of destiny really were to die here, that will alter the course of the river of destiny as well. How much power could I get from that?"

"And after that, you will be devoured and killed." Merlin refuted without hesitation.

"It's all a gamble. I don't care." The burly man chuckled, radiating an aura of determination and madness.

These two auras mixed together and formed something even more contradictory.

Merlin sighed, but did not speak further. Inside, however, it was sending the main A.I. Chip and Leylin some information.

[Target has developed type 2 mental breakdown. Data has been recorded as such: …]

"Hm?"

Somewhere at a high altitude, Leylin halted his footsteps.

"Interesting! What an interesting plan!"

His lips quirked up in a smile.

"The central region is unstable right now, but it hasn't been pushed past the tipping point yet. Let me be the one to do that."

Backlash

The field had been partitioned, with a large mill occupying the center.

Not far away, there was a small farm and a stone castle. However, it was very small and lacked a moat.

At a glance, it looked to be the territory of a small aristocratic family.

In a shadow, Ernis had respectfully lowered his head and was reporting to Longbottom. "My lord, I can confirm that this is a secret stronghold of the Green Water Gardens guild. The Great Magus Rosby who is in his down period is hiding here."

"En! This is their nest, and there should be many defensive spell formations. Since they're a rank 2 Magus, even if they were weakened temporarily, they cannot be compared to an ordinary peak rank 1 Magus!" Longbottom muttered to himself, and then glanced at his subordinates.

Those following him were all official Magi, but few were even semi-converted. He could unearth their potentials, but what he needed was time.

He had brought them along now as a declaration of allegiance, to form an impassable divide between them and the ruling class.

Longbottom glanced at the few figures dressed in black robes. These people had slim bodies and had concealed their features with large cloaks. The cloaks were so large, in fact, that one could not even tell the men from the women.

These were the backup he had been given by the dark elves. All of them were at the peak of rank 1.

As for the rank 2 matriarchs? Every single action of theirs was being monitored; it was impossible for one to sneak across the border to conduct an assassination.

In addition, even if they somehow got in, they would be surrounded and attacked by the Magi of Twilight Zone.

Dark elves could bear the deaths of rank 1 Magi, but rank 2 matriarchs were the backbones of their clans; their presence was a spiritual support to the clan members, boosting their morale. The death of a matriarch was a heavy loss for any clan.

It was for this reason that Fendix, who had killed a matriarch, had gained large rewards from Twilight Zone as well as a huge bounty from the Dark Elven Empire. Honestly speaking, the rewards that the crazed dark elves promised had even tempted Leylin.

Fendix himself was so frightened that he spent all his time at the headquarters of his guild, and had naturally not come to the aid of the central region.

"Go!" With Longbottom's order, flames of death descended on this peaceful field.

*Rumble!* Fireballs rained down like meteors, sending sparks flying everywhere.

"What's going on?" A knight dressed in the garb of nobility rushed out, shocked.

"A- An attack from Magi? Why? Are they dark elves?"

*Xiu!* After seeing the situation, he retreated without the slightest hesitation, leaving his territory, subjects and even family behind.

As a knight who had entered the battlefield before, he knew the terror that Magi brought with them. He knew that once they attacked, this place was doomed.

"Don't let any of them go!"

Longbottom watched the knight who was darting away and pointed at him like one would at an ant.

A deathly light streaked across the sky and reached his back. Like cutting through cotton, it easily penetrated the knight's defence and exploded on his back.

*Bang!* A hole that could fit a basketball was opened up, revealing white bones and black blood. The knight's eyes were filled with fear, as well as shock. The powerful inertia allowed him to run a few more steps before he fell with a thud.

Under the constant onslaught of spells, the village turned into a sea of fire. None of the peasants lived, and it soon turned into a white land.

However, Longbottom was still not satisfied and ordered the Magi to quicken their actions.

Layers of soil were lifted, revealing a glossy rock wall, with runes on it concealing any energy fluctuations.

"Hehe, he's actually liked a groundhog hiding under the feet of regular humans, and has even carved energy runes to conceal his aura. This Magus Rosby really is rather timid…" Longbottom sneered, and pointed at the magic wall.

"Destroy it!"

*Rumble!* Numerous spells were interrupted by several rays of light before they could reach the rock wall.

*Rumble!* The rock separated, revealing a large door.

*Thud! Thud!* Accompanied by heavy footsteps, four large silver guards walked out.

These silver guards were all adorned in heavy armour, and their expressions were moulded to be blank. There was even some light flashing out of their eyes like a searchlight.

Ernis immediately stepped forward and spoke "Rosby is very careful and cautious. He hasn't revealed this location to any other Magus, and even the guard has been set up by him alone, consisting only of Secret Silver Puppets. Hence, he's the only one in here. We need to prevent him from fleeing." As for how he had found this out, it would stay a secret.

"When working together, these four Secret Silver Puppets are equivalent to two peak rank 1 Magi. The two of you, go up there and stop them. The revolutionary army will be around to keep them from fleeing." Longbottom quickly sent down the command.

The two black-robed people charged up without a word.

*Roar!* The Secret Silver Puppets yelled and brandished their large silver swords, battling the black-robed elves.

Immense energy fluctuations gave rise to a storm, sweeping through the region.

The revolutionary army Longbottom had brought with him dared only to watch on from a distance, occasionally supporting the two and pinning the guards down.

"Ernis and the rest, follow me." Longbottom shook his robes, and the rest of the dark elves and Ernis followed him.

Only after they were far from everyone's eyes did Longbottom speak to Ernis, "Quick! Find the escape routes Rosby could be using!"

"Come with me!" Moments later, Ernis led the way.

"Go!" Longbottom watched Ernis who was leading the way, eyes darting everywhere. Nobody could guess his thoughts.

In a little farm about five kilometers away…

*Pala!* The soil flipped over, revealing a dark pathway.

A grim middle-aged man in dark red Magus robes walked out. After glancing at his surroundings, he immediately unfurled a scroll. Green hurricanes blew forth, and a large pair of wings formed on his back.

"I can't stay here any longer. How did this get out?"

This Magus was obviously Green Water Gardens' rank 2 Magus, Rosby.

He was obviously in a stale mood. The location that only he knew of had been leaked, and someone had even found him while he was weak. The whole situation reeked of a conspiracy.

However, he had another question. "I didn't tell anyone about this place. How did they find out?"

However, he did not dare dwell on this for long, "This place is dangerous. I'll think about it after I leave."

Just as Rosby was about to spread his wings, an extreme sense of danger came upon him.

He immediately retreated, his figure turning into an afterimage.

*Rumble!* A large explosion occurred right where he had been standing, and the energy particles that were dispelled caused massive damage to the ground.

*Xiu! Xiu!* Two black streaks of light flew across the sky, forming a cross in mid-air. These arches accurately homed in on Rosby's wings.

"This trajectory? It's the dark elves' curved archery! You are dark elves!" The wings fell apart, and Rosby paled before crying out in alarm.

*Shua!* Black light flashed, and a distortion appeared in the air, revealing a few figures.

Longbottom took the lead, and the two robed people behind him also took off their clothes, revealing pale, handsome features and pointed ears.

The twisted runes on their fantastic black bows were now flickering.

"Humans and dark elves! Looks like you are the revolutionary army that has been causing such a ruckus. You are the leader, right? Longbottom?" Rosby calmed down.

"Yes!" Longbottom bowed, "As a rank 2 Magus, you are my senior, but for our hopes and future, please die."

*Rumble!* Just as his words sounded, the dark elves suddenly attacked.

Black streams of air formed what looked like a spider web and fell from the skies. On Longbottom's body, the phantom image of a large giant appeared and jumped onto the web, hissing loudly.

"Combination magic? Its power is almost as much as that of a rank 2 spell!" A strange smile appeared on his face, "But just that isn't enough."

*Rumble!* A torrential power exploded forth from Rosby's body, as if a landslide or tsunami had come upon the area. Silver spiritual force slashed at the skies like a sharp sword, and quickly severed the web into two. The phantom image was also bisected, causing both Longbottom and the dark elves to pale.

"Rank 2 strength! You're not weak anymore!" Longbottom had become deathly pale, his voice quivering.

"Impossible! Impossible!" Ernis could not believe it either.

"Recognise the reality of it! Your opponent is a rank 2 Magus. How could he not have a few trump cards? Even if his strength might have been lowered because he was in his down period, he can still suppress that for a while and reveal true rank 2 strength!" Merlin's voice sounded in Ernis' mind.

"How is this possible? I didn't predict…" Ernis was flushing red, but suddenly became silent, like a duck that had been grasped at the neck.

"Do you understand now? You're only a rank 1 Magus, and in ancient times you'd be considered as just having crossed the gates of becoming a Magus. With just this bit of strength, it's impossible for you to completely predict the trump cards of a rank 2 Magus using Sacred Flame, even if he were weakened or heavily injured. The fog of destiny may shroud him, or even counterattack!"

Merlin's voice was as cold as ice. "Now, do you know why I fell?"

Clone Seed

Ernis looked defeated. "So I'm definitely going to die?"

Merlin sneered in his mind. "Not necessarily! Longbottom is a child of destiny, and is not one to fall so easily. Besides, do you think the matriarch backing him doesn't have any contingency plans?"

"You dare offend me, a respected rank 2 Magus? You will pay for this humiliation in blood!"Rosby declared grimly, and a line of spiritual force converged that was tinged silver.

The rank 2 Magus had even been slightly frightened. If he hadn't possessed a technique that could temporarily suppress his weakness, he could have died just then.

A rank 2 Magus dying at the hands of a group of rank 1 Magi would be the biggest joke in Twilight Zone's history!

Rosby felt like a robust adult who had been bitten by an ant. The humiliation irked him to his soul.

This secret technique was not without cost. His period of vulnerability would be extended, and in the times of war, this could have had deadly consequences. Hence, he was now truly enraged.

"I shall turn you into maggots, making you rot and suffer underground for ten thousand years. I swear it!" Rosby's eyes were completely red, and great amounts of solidified silver spiritual force swept through the area.

"Damn it. Use that!" Longbottom yelled.

The two dark elves behind him exchanged a glance and nodded, silver rays shooting out of their eyes. In that moment, their expressions were that of those preparing for death.

They then produced jewelled daggers with a strange curve, aimed them at their own hearts and jabbed in.

*Puk! Puk!* Two peak rank 1 elves collapsed, a bloody mist spreading from their chests.

The phantom image of the spider behind Longbottom had been seriously injured by spiritual force and was on the verge of disappearing. However, it suddenly twitched and absorbed the red blood-mist, quickly restoring itself. Its aura continually strengthened, until it was almost strong enough to rival the rank 2 Magus ahead of it.

"What- What's going on?" Ernis was astonished.

"Hehe, nothing much. It's just a sacrifice! The same old thing that the dark elves always use." Merlin laughed sarcastically.

"Dark elven society is made up of clans. Every clan has its matriarch, and they all have immense control over their descendants. This control runs deep in the blood, and is very difficult to free oneself from. Even if it's a peak rank 1 Magus, a mere spiritual suggestion would convince them to kill themselves without hesitation."

"The meditation technique Longbottom is training in is one that absorbs life energy. After absorbing that of two peak rank 1 Magi, although he can't defeat his opponent, he will most likely escape…"

"Hm? What about me?" Ernis was suddenly put in a difficult spot. Longbottom could leave, but he was just a semi-converted Magus. How was he to escape?

"This is the retaliation of destiny! Longbottom, being a child of destiny, can escape successfully. You'll be left behind as an outlet for the rank 2 Magus to vent his anger upon!" Merlin's voice was frigid, rendering Ernis silent.

His eyes turned white again as he tried to think up some countermeasures. He was trying to make a prediction, but he did not get anything.

"What should I do next?" Ernis' voice was hoarse.

"Pray! At this point, you can do nothing but pray!" Merlin's voice displayed his helplessness, "If I still had my body, killing him would be as easy as crushing an ant. But now? You can only hope he doesn't prolong your life to torture you."

"No! No! I still have hope!" Ernis stared hard at Longbottom, "As long as my lord is willing to save me, I can…"

Ernis' words stuck in his throat. He watched as Longbottom, who was manipulating the phantom spider and battling with Rosby, quickly withdrew.

Black gas flew everywhere and increased his speed. In a moment, he disappeared into the horizon.

"I… I…" Ernis' eyes were filled with despair.

On the other end, Rosby who had lost Longbottom turned his attention to the semi-converted Magus.

A giant silver claw flew forth, its strength not something that Ernis could resist, and grabbed him!

"Am I going to die? I can't accept this!" Ernis closed his eyes. Powerful solidified spiritual force causing the magical power in his body to become sluggish in its movements. He could do nothing in the face of a rank 2 Magus' wrath.

"Rosby!"

At this moment, a low voice sounded from the horizon a long distance away, carrying with it a berserk energy.

"Hm? An opportunity! A person seeking revenge against Rosby seems to have appeared. I'll use my power to cover your presence. Quick, run!"

Merlin's voice was hurried, and with a sudden feeling of coldness infiltrating his senses, Ernis found himself able to move once again. He quickly escaped, dodging the attack of the giant claw. Without looking behind him, he quickly left.

Rosby did not pursue him, because a rank 2 spiritual force was now focused on him. He raised his head and saw a black figure rushing over from the horizon.

This figure's face was shrouded by black mist, causing him to be unable to tell the real appearance of this person.

"Who are you? I don't think we've met." Rosby sounded out.

He was currently in a very dangerous situation, and his secret technique could lose its effect at any time, causing him to fall down to rank 1. That would be very dangerous.

"It doesn't matter who I am, but this is a seed I planted. How could I let you harvest it?" The figure's voice was robotic, obviously having been altered.

"Seed? Harvest? Are you…" Rosby's stunned expression immediately warped into an immense fear.

Mist! Large amounts of black mist brought with it a silver luster, forming a large maze that trapped him within.

"He plans to limit my strength, and after my secret technique stops working, he'll deal with me." Rosby could tell his opponent's intentions with a glance. He waved his arm, and numerous silver arrows flew into the mist.

*Pu pu! Pu pu! Pu pu!*

The arrows of light flew into the wall of mist and instantly disappeared, causing Rosby to pale.

"You don't need to consider calling a friend or anything of the sort. This place has already been sealed by me, and no information can be transmitted out."

The voice from before sounded in the black maze, but it did come from a single location.

His opponent was very cautious in dealing with a rank 2 Magus that had used a secret technique to somehow return to his regular strength. He had not appeared, preventing him from using some powerful force that could destroy everything.

A look of hopelessness appeared on Rosby's face.

Ten or so minutes passed, and Rosby bellowed, unresigned. The aura on his body quickly weakened, and lines of wrinkles appeared on his face. His appearance changed from that of a middle-aged man to that of an old man.

This meant the secret technique was no longer in effect. He was once again weak, vulnerable.

Seeing this, large amounts of mist pounced on him…

*Pak!* The black maze dispersed, and a single black flame fell, burning Rosby's corpse to ashes.

Leylin weighed the green ring in his hand, a smile blossoming on his face.

"As expected of the guild leader of a large-scaled guild. He's accumulated plenty of things, and there's even a spacial magic artifact!"

He stared closely at the ring in his hand. It was extremely slender and looked like it was for a female to use. Its surface was decorated with flowers and vines, forming an exotic image.

"There are many good items in this spatial ring, but the defensive layer on the surface is slightly troublesome. I'll need to use the A.I. Chip and slowly analyse it."

Leylin scratched his chin and kept the green ring away.

Rosby was a rank 2 Magus and had a spatial item. He would definitely have a lot of resources on his body, the total value of which could even exceed that of those stored in Green Water Gardens' headquarters.

Gaining this was akin to robbing a large-scaled guild, as well as all the property belonging to a rank 2 Magus.

"The gains aren't too bad this time. Also, hehe…" Leylin laughed coldly.

On the surface of the ring, he felt a tiny connection to a being a distance away. This meant that Rosby had yet to truly die.

The connection was minute, and if not for Leylin already being a rank 2 Magus, as well as the A.I. Chip's help in carefully scanning the ring a few times, he might not even have noticed this.

If his opponent were to escape this time and find the ring on Leylin's person, things would be bad.

But now? Leylin glanced in the direction that Ernis had fled, a slight smile on his face.

"It's great that you could come back!" Longbottom glanced at Ernis, revealing a bright smile.

"I was just lucky!" Ernis laughed wryly, though the seed of distrust had been planted within him.

The two of them had already returned to the little manor.

The four Secret Silver Puppets had been reduced to dust after being attacked by the two dark elves and many Magi.

"Do you know who that Magus is?" Longbottom asked Ernis.

"No, but he should be an enemy of Rosby's. The strength of a rank 2 Magus is too far off, so I couldn't gather any useful information." Ernis seemed a little regretful.

All of a sudden, he felt a prophecy entering his mind, and his eyes turned white.

"Rosby is dead, but the seed of a clone is still within the headquarters of Green Water Gardens!"

Ernis quickly passed on this information to Longbottom and asked, "What should we do?"

"Is there a need to ask?" A sinister smile appeared on Longbottom's face.

"Summon our people. We shall go to their headquarters!"

Intrinsic Quality

There was still something else that Longbottom had not mentioned.

"Since the Magus that appeared seemed to have some squabble with Rosby, I'll definitely get into the good books of that Magus if I kill Rosby completely in Green Water Gardens and destroy his guild. I can then try to rope them in…"

As a spy of the dark elves, Longbottom never forgot his own mission — create chaos and lower the might of Twilight Zone. If he could rope in a rank 2 Magus, that would be an immense merit!

At this thought, his heart began to blaze.

It had not been a mere day or two since the dark elves had infiltrated Twilight Zone. Longbottom immediately procured a map of Green Water Gardens.

In addition, Ernis had supported him with information about their defensive spell formations and weak points.

Green Radiance City was the central region headquarters of Green Water Gardens. Today, it had been met with a calamity.

Flames burned everywhere, painting the sky half red. The defensive spell formations had collapsed, and the Magi lying in wait outside all charged in.

"Kill!" Longbottom took the initiative, mysterious green light bursting from his hands.

The Magi who were obstructing him wilted, drying up into corpses on the road. Amongst them were Magi who, like him, were at the peak of rank 1!

Green Water Gardens was a large-scale guild, and there were quite a few peak rank 1 Magi and contracted creatures in charge of it. However, under the attacks of Longbottom's revolutionary army and the dark elves, they were unable to endure for long.

"This way!" Ernis' eyes turned white, and like someone familiar with the route, he brought Longbottom further in.

Minutes later, they arrived beside a large ancient tree. *Crack!* The ancient tree was prised open violently, revealing a descending passageway.

Luminescent defensive spell formations appeared. Having been set up by a rank 2 Magus, they possessed immense magic power.

Longbottom sneered, "Looks like Rosby's clone seed really is underneath!"

He did have a certain amount of knowledge about these clone seeds. Each seed could only live on and grow after the death of the original body.

In addition, he could not immediately regain his strength of rank 2. It would be miraculous even if he managed to keep the strength of a rank 1 Magus.

The value of a clone seed was that it was a second life. Even when one was training their way up again, there would be no bottlenecks impeding them from achieving their original rank.

The clone would originally be very weak, but as time passed, it would grow even more terrifying than the original. Hence, it was wise to exterminate it as soon as possible.

Ernis tested the formations with an instrument, and his expression warped instantly. "These defensive formations set up by a rank 2 Magus are quite strong. A peak rank 1 Magus will have to attack them for about half an hour to break them apart."

"There's no need for that!" Longbottom waved his hands, producing a black crystal.

"This is a gift from the matriarch. Sealed within is one of her full-powered attacks. It just so happens that this is a good place to use it!" Longbottom crushed the crystal in his hands.

*Chi chi!* The confused cries of numerous bugs echoed out.

A huge phantom spider appeared, this one purple. Its compound eyes shone with wisdom, even sentience, as it swept past Longbottom, Ernis, and the rest.

Ernis felt his heart go cold. When he was being stared at by this spider, it felt as if all his thoughts and secrets had been discovered by it.

*Pak!*

The purple phantom spider condensed into a ball of energy, striking the defensive radiance.

*Creak!* A large depression appeared on the defensive layer. All sorts of runes flashed, and there were also sounds of something breaking.

Upon seeing this, Longbottom's eyes brightened and he shouted at Enris. "Attack together!"

All sorts of spells and lights crashed onto the surface of the defensive spell formation.

Like the last straw that broke a camel's back, the two's spells reached the layer and caused the spell formation to tremble.

Petals of light with runes on them continuously withered and fell, turning into little bits of light that floated away like fireflies.

The defensive spell formation set up by a rank 2 Magus were broken through with their combined effort!

"I can feel his aura inside!" Longbottom's eyes brightened, as if he had smelled something delicious. His eyes glowed green as he rushed in.

Ernis hesitated for a moment, and followed him inside.

"Haha…" After passing through a short passageway, Ernis heard Longbottom laughing maniacally.

He entered an underground laboratory to see Longbottom holding a little boy's throat, laughing loudly.

"Great Magus Rosby, guild leader of Green Water Gardens, O powerful rank 2 Magus! Where is your power? Where is your might? Where is your grace? Where has it all gone to?" Longbottom chuckled brashly in front of the child.

Vile characters always sought revenge not past the night. He had just escaped from his opponent with difficulty, but he could now grasp his opponent by the neck, controlling his opponent's life and death. Longbottom was left feeling drunk on this feeling.

He had even assumed Rosby to be another rank 2 Magus.

Ernis was shocked to find that this little boy's face was similar to Rosby's, who he had seen previously. His skin was slippery, with the placenta and mucus still attached to him. At this moment, he knew this person's identity.

Although Rosby had successfully reincarnated using the seed he had prepared beforehand, his current body only held the power of an acolyte. In front of Longbottom, he was as weak as an ant.

"But you still have your uses!" The green in Longbottom's eyes seemed to solidify.

"Though you are an acolyte, you are still a rank 2 Magus at your core! Absorbing you will further my insights into rank 2!"

Longbottom smiled slightly, and lights flashed in his hands. Thin threads of red and green were drawn from the boy's body, entering his palm.

The boy aged rapidly even as Longbottom seemed to be drunk with pleasure.

Moments later, face frozen in terror, Rosby collapsed to the ground. As if a mere dried husk, his body cracked apart on contact.

Longbottom's face flushed red, as if it had received some great supplements.

"Quick! Move everything of value away before support arrives. Destroy what we cannot take!" Longbottom's aura had changed after absorbing the life force of a rank 2 Magus. Ernis deferentially lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze.

...

At the same time, in the cover of shadows, Leylin's figure somehow appeared above Green Radiance City.

*Pak!*

With the complete death of Rosby, the green ring in his hands also produced a crisp sound. Scans by his spiritual force and the A.I. Chip revealed that all connection to the outside world had been broken completely.

This meant that Rosby's clone had been annihilated.

"Not bad!" A smile appeared on Leylin's face.

The prophecies from before were planted by Leylin, letting him eliminate Green Water Gardens and Rosby's clone.

Furthermore, with the most valuable items all in Rosby's spatial ring, Leylin had no intentions of vying over anything with these paupers.

"Time to leave!" He looked up at the sky far away, and disappeared with a shake of his head.

Moments after Leylin left, the sounds of hurried huffs sounded from that very position. The Magi who had newly arrived looked very benevolent.

Green Radiance City was now in a state of chaos…

A few days later, a monumental piece of news was transmitted throughout central Twilight Zone. It spread to the other regions as well, and at an alarming rate. Green Water Gardens, the large-scale guild, had been destroyed by Longbottom's revolutionary army!

Even Lord Rosby, their guild leader who was rank 2, had fallen in this battle.

The fall of a rank 2 Magus caused a sensation. With the loss of Rosby, their official Magi, and their inheritances, Green Water Gardens would soon become an unrated guild even if there were a few acolytes lucky enough to survive.

With this task, Longbottom's name spread throughout Twilight Zone, and the war council put out an astronomical bounty on him; his danger had even been rated at seven stars!

...

Elsewhere, Leylin had also visited Logan, the Protector of the East.

Logan was one to abide by his promises, and he'd brought his guild to the central region. He had even stationed himself near Nature's Alliance and a few other guilds.

"We need to suppress them! I've already sent out the enforcers and soldiers to wipe out their strongholds."

Logan huffed roughly, but Leylin maintained a thoughtful silence.

"These rogue Magi are really out of control. And then there's Longbottom. We need to behead him and store his spirit in the council as a reminder to all Magi!" Logan heaved.

Leylin laughed in his mind. Logan was truly feeling anxious.

Previously, rank 2 Magi could disregard Longbottom and his revolutionary army, but now that one of their own had fallen at his hands, they could ignore him no longer.

"In the middle of a great war, there are still so many lawless Magi who are causing trouble at home. We definitely can't give way. We have to suppress them mercilessly!"

Logan declared his stance, "This is the unanimous decision of the war council. In addition, no matter which wandering Magus it is, as long as they dare have any opinions about having sympathy or support for the revolutionary army, they shall also be punished."

Leylin nodded. Guilds still held immense influence, and were entirely capable of ending these fads.

A Competition For Geniuses

Leylin deliberated over his phrasing. "But to do that, you'll have to deploy the higher-ups!"

If the guilds joined forces, they could naturally extinguish the scattered rebels, but part of their forces would be tied down. With the north down, and casualties stacking up at the center, the cost outweighed the benefits involved.

"Then what do you suggest?" Logan seemed to be able to tell the hidden meaning in Leylin's words.

"The rebels led by Longbottom definitely need to be suppressed and exterminated, but I believe we can try to pacify the wandering Magi."

Leylin stroked his chin.

"How? Twilight Zone has a limited amount of resources. Are you, Nature's Alliance, going to pay out of your pocket?" Logan was slightly annoyed.

"No, of course not!" Leylin smiled while he shook his head, "What do you say we hold a competition for young Magi?"

"Competition?" Logan was baffled.

"Yes, a competition between geniuses! It will be targeted at young Magi, with generous rewards and the opportunity to join some guilds. If they obtain a certain ranking, they can even enter a guild of their choice!" Leylin declared his scheme.

"With this, not only can we unite more wandering Magi and express our goodwill to the organisations behind them, we can also shift their focus from the unfairness of guilds to the vying for a position, causing internal friction!"

"This… Let me think…" Logan scratched his beard.

Leylin paid no attention to him and smiled, because he knew Logan was considering his suggestion.

As expected, minutes later, Logan roughly slapped the table, "It's a good idea! Of course! Why didn't I think of it?"

He stood up and quickly paced around the room. "No matter how much we try to tempt those old Magi, it's all going to be in vain. They've already lost all chances of improving anyway, and won't be able to cause many problems!

"On the other hand, the competition offers young Magi more than just glory. The generous rewards and the opportunity to join a guild will surely tempt them! We just need to hand some things out, and it will definitely change the dynamics of their army. We might even be able to pick up some good seedlings! Not bad… not bad at all!"

Logan kept nodding. He, too, knew that pressuring the lower strata was not a good idea, especially in times of war. Prying them apart would lead to a much better ending.

"I'll go and report your suggestion to the council, they'll definitely agree!" he did not even bother to hide his excitement, yelling out his agreement.

Meanwhile, Leylin revealed a profound smile. There was something else he had yet to say, but he was sure Logan understood it as well.

Setting up a competition to select Magi and taking them into guilds was also a type of revolution. This was a step in the direction of the setup of the academies on the south coast.

This way, Longbottom's righteous cause would be wounded in multiple ways. When that happened, it would be the best time to capture and kill him!

At the same time, the various Magi training in Sacred Flame all fell into a stupor. They were all receiving a prophecy.

"Countless stars are congregating there. It is the location of both the beginning and the end of everything!"

Aaron's eyes recovered from having been all-white, the fear still lingering in him as he patted his chest.

"I actually automatically made a prophecy! Looks like the force of destiny is unprecedentedly powerful."

"Of course! A competition between genius Magi! Not only wandering Magi, but also geniuses of guilds can also enter. The judges will be the protectors of the four regions who are at least rank 2, and the legendary protector of all regions might even appear!"

In front of him, Vinas rolled her eyes and said sarcastically.

"You-" Aaron was so furious that he turned red, almost getting up.

"Alright, alright. Can you not quarrel!"

Baelin was now wearing his Bio Boosting Armour, his aura more vast and profound as a result of the power of destiny converging on his body. Though he couldn't feel anything himself, for Aaron and Vinas who trained in Sacred Flame, the change was as obvious as the lighting of a torch in the darkness.

"What did you see?" Baelin asked curiously.

Under his supervision, these two prophetic Magi were currently at peace, having decided to first crush the dark elves' conspiracy before battling it out among themselves. Sometimes, however, the two would be at odds, which would end up giving him a headache.

"Not too long later, central Twilight Zone will hold a competition for young genius Magi! The only restriction is that one must be younger than 50 to attend."

"In addition, the champion of the competition will even be able to meet the great protector of all regions and be given access to profound Magi academic knowledge, as well as assistance to advance forcefully."

Aaron couldn't help but gulp. Even he was enticed by such temptations.

The young female Magus called Vinas continued, "Most of Twilight Zone's geniuses will attend, including Longbottom who's sided with the dark elves. He'll be waiting to cause trouble!

"And because there's another Magus like us helping him and covering him with a fog of destiny, I can't tell for sure what their exact plan is and whether they'll succeed."

"Longbottom…" Baelin muttered, his eyes dim.

He knew that this kid that he had thought highly of had quickly become an official Magus and even sided with the dark elves. He'd probably played a big role in the fall of the north.

"I remembered him being a very polite and enthusiastic boy… and his sister…" Baelin's expression looked complicated. If Leylin had chosen to impart his knowledge to Longbottom, everything would have been different.

Aaron noticed Baelin's indecision. "Lord Baelin, Longbottom is now a traitor to humanity, a destructive person who is masterminding a rebellion. You need to draw the line, and capture him yourself!" he advised.

"That's right! I can tell that the large conspiracy in the central region involves many rank 2 Magi, and they will show their strength during the competition. You need to defeat Longbottom there and thwart their plans to save humanity!"

Vinas sounded incomparably resolute. She believed she was now walking the path of ancient heroes and was working hard to protect the harmony and stability of the human race. There was an aura of piety about her.

"I understand…" Baelin smiled wryly.

Somewhere else, Longbottom had also obtained this information from Ernis.

"A competition for young geniuses? A pageant for the Magus world? Many rank 2 Magi and protectors will even appear there as judges?"

Upon hearing this, green light shone out of Longbottom's eyes, "This truly is a great opportunity to finish everything in one fell swoop!"

Ernis was silent as he felt two powers other than his own in the river of destiny. They would surely meet at the competition.

"Is it finally here? The final victor shall be me! Only I will be able to train in Sacred Flame till the peak and become the ruler of Twilight Zone!"

Ernis roared in his heart, though he looked calm on the outside.

"Send down the orders. All sections are to halt all activities and enter stealth mode, preparing for the upcoming competition. Also, inform the matriarch that I need support. Powerful support!"

Ernis respectfully bowed his way out upon hearing Longbottom's orders.

Longbottom's aura had become an enigma. After absorbing the essence of a rank 2 Magus, his strength had soared so high that Ernis could not tell the limits of his strength.

"Leylin, Baelin! Everything shall be settled there!" Longbottom mumbled, and the large phantom spider figure became more solid, as if becoming real.

...

Time passed, and news of the central region holding a competition for young geniuses spread like a hurricane to all four corners.

There was only one requirement for entry; all participants needed to be below 50 years of age. The rewards were very generous; not only were there great amounts of precious resources and research to be won, the top thirty could freely enter a guild of their choice. The large-scaled guilds in the central region all provided a few places, and there was even a small rumour going on that the Guardian of the Realm would meet the champion and take them on as their disciple!

All of Twilight Zone was elated. Many young wandering Magi, and even guild geniuses, all left their stations and headquarters to head to the central region.

Many of them cared little for both the resources and the opportunity to join a guild, but apprenticeship to a rank 3 Magus was a temptation they could not resist.

Leylin expected this.

The plan was accepted as soon as Logan reported it. The Magi of the council were definitely smart enough to see the benefits of such an event. They even decided to make it a recurring thing, to ward off such troubles permanently.

However, even Leylin was initially surprised that the Guardian of the Realm would announce such a thing. It led him to make a few guesses.

"Looks like the Guardian of the Realm doesn't have much time left. I just don't know if the inheritance is meant to draw out the malefactors, or is sincere." Leylin touched his chin.

However, he was very optimistic towards all this. With it, the competition would be even more popular, and work even better for his plans.

Those so-called 'genius Magi' probably brought with them forces of destiny. Though they could not be compared with Baelin and Longbottom, when they were all added together, the sum was not something that could be ignored.

Response and Countermeasure

The dark elves were rather quiet in this period of time.

Although they had managed to take over the north, navigating through territorial disputes with the dwarves and gnomes consumed most of their energy.

Hence, although central Twilight Zone was under immense pressure, the situation seeming dire, all they had to deal with till now were a few scouts and wandering riders.

Balanced on this razor's edge, the central region had still remained peaceful. The preparations for the competition even made it seem like it was flourishing. As more and more Magi rushed over, it had gained fresh blood and increased strength.

After seeing this, Leylin suspected this was another intention of the war council. They wanted to attract more Magi over to increase their fighting strength

...

In a shady swamp.

A toxic purple fog permeated the place, the rotten sludge concealing the bones of various darkness beasts. Occasionally, a few three-eyed crows would caw as they flew past, which was jarring to the ears.

In a dimly lit cave.

The walls were lined with spells that made them impermeable to the sludge and fog.

A black-haired old man was running his hands through the hair of a young Magus, his touch containing affection. "My child! In the ten years you've been here, you've learned everything I have to offer. Now, you are free to explore…"

"Gom has brought back some information. The holy land for us Magi, the central region, is holding a competition for young geniuses. Not only can the champion obtain great rewards, they can even meet with the Guardian of the Realm, a rank 3 existence. What's more, they could even get the opportunity to become his inheritor…"

"A rank 3 Magus?" The youth, who had until then not looked in the least bit serious, suddenly turned solemn.

"Yes. You are the most formidable genius I've ever seen, and I believe there are few who can match you in the entirety of Twilight Zone. I believe the victor shall be you, though I'm afraid I won't get the chance to see it…"

The old man sounded slightly regretful, and his hands halted in mid-air.

His originally smooth and tight skin began to age rapidly, layers of wrinkles forming as if an old branch that had lost all its moisture. His black hair gradually greyed out.

His body withered at a rate that could be seen by the naked eye, ending up a dried corpse.

"Master? MASTER!" The young Magus was dubious as he looked at the master who had always accompanied him.

*Thud!* The old Magus turned into a withered, dried black corpse.

*Poof!* The youth bumped into the Magus' arm, and the corpse turned to dust in front of his eyes. Ashes spread out, leaving a complete set of Magus robes on the bed.

The young Magus was dazed, and only recovered after a long while.

Even if Magi could manipulate the radiation of energy particles to obtain a longer lifespan than regular humans, there was still a limit.

Even with dangerous modifications to the body, Morning Star Magi could only extend their lifespans by a few decades. It was difficult to succeed, and could cause Magi to end up with a strange, terrifying appearance.

This old Magus' life energy had been exhausted, and he had reached the end of his life.

Regular rank 1 Magi, those that were not of ancient branches like Warlocks, had 200-year lifespans. This old Magus had lived for a very long time, and had not advanced in his meditation technique. His time was now up.

"Master!" The youth stood there silently, images of the times he spent with his master flashing across his mind. A long while later, he turned and left.

*Rumble!* After he left, the earth caved in, forming a void that allowed the surrounding sludge to enter.

"Master, don't worry! I will definitely be the glorious victor!" The youth swore to the heavens, and left without hesitation.

As he left, a tear fell from the corner of his eye.

...

"The family's honour is in your hands."

In the southern region, in an ancient Magus' castle.

Dim rays of light fell on a long, rotten table. This black wooden table was about ten metres long, and extended from the head of the hall to the door.

On the tablecloth, there was a silver lampstand and all sorts of fruits and delicacies. A few figures were seated sparsely around it.

The old woman at the master's seat, who wore a black high-hat and multiple red gems and emerald rings, was giving a young girl a reminder.

She was silent for a while, and then spoke resolutely, "I understand, grandmother."

Only she knew that, under the cover of luxury, this family was already waning.

The wooden table was already rotten, and the castle had not been repaired for decades. Even their defensive spell formations were deactivated due to a lack of magic crystals. Among the aristocratic Magi, they were basically a joke.

The silver lampstand and delicacies at this table, too, had been gathered with some difficulty. The ornaments on her grandmother's fingers? Fake trinkets! The originals had long been pawned off.

The girl was silent, knowing that in order to raise a Magus like her, they had paid a large price.

"I'll definitely become the victor of the young Magus competition and revive the family!" She vowed.

"Good! Let us drink to Lilina's promise!" The old woman laughed and raised her cup.

"Cheers!" The rest of the relatives all cheered and finished all the alcoholic drinks in their hands. After, they pounced on the delicacies on the table.

Even though they were the descendants of a Magus family, fruits were not things they could have often!

Upon seeing this, the old lady had a bitter expression. This caused Lilina to be even more resolute in her convictions.

...

In the faraway northern region of Twilight Zone.

Groups of human slaves were tied up with thick ropes, and herded towards a city.

There were countless humans, and the one similarity between all of them was the shared expression of despair and numbness.

All of them were originally people of the northern region, but after it was attacked, they lacked the time and strength to move and all turned into slaves.

They would be lucky to be enslaved. Most captives only had one choice, which was to become offerings to the various matriarchs!

At the highest point of a city built in corundum, an absolutely beautiful dark elf maiden was staring on coldly.

"Human's reproductive ability is too powerful. Their population is tens or even a hundred times ours! How should we rule them? The only way is to kill them until they are fewer than us or to the brink of extinction. Then we wouldn't have to worry about any instability."

A command that was cold, detached and inhuman was produced from her lips.

Behind her, elite dark elven secret guards drew back respectfully and passed down the order, resulting in the formation of a red sea.

What was more terrifying was that the corpses of these humans would be recycled to be used as army provisions for the gnomes, dwarves and even dark elves!

"How is it going with the Underground Winter Spider Emperor?" She asked indifferently.

"Through investigations, we can confirm that the mother body is not dead, and we've also appeased our elite knights. However, in the holy land, the disappearance of the mother body's aura is still causing a disturbance amongst the Underground Winter Spiders."

Another matriarch with a gold crown on her head in black leather revealed a great amount of skin as she bowed and reported.

"Trash!" A cold glint flashed in the maiden's eyes, "Sacrifice the original head guard of the holy land!"

"Yes!" The icy intent behind those words caused the matriarch behind her to quiver.

"That mere human dares profane the holy land of us dark elves? We need to use his flesh and soul to scrub off this humiliation!" The maiden vowed.

"My lord, here is the newest intelligence from Longbottom!"

At this moment, the door opened. A dark elf shrouded in translucent black muslin held a brass circular cylinder and knelt, offering it to the maiden with both hands.

The girl laughed slightly, and a slight wind blew the cylinder over to her hands.

After seeing the letter, she bit her lips, her reddened lip providing a stark contrast to her pale skin, causing the guards around her to gulp.

"A genius competition in the central region?" She muttered to herself again and then ordered, "Gather the matriarchs. I to convene a meeting of Dark Nobility!"

She felt that this was a turning point that could give her the chance to take care of the Magi in the central region in one go.

However, she had a sense of extreme danger from the will of the darkness.

After pondering over this for a long while, the maiden sighed and decided to put this question up for discussion.

...

After news of the genius competition spread, the entirety of Twilight Zone and even the surrounding dark elven, gnome and dwarven empires all responded to the news.

All sorts of Magi, regardless of race, hurried towards the central region.

In that moment, there really seemed to be a sense of instability.

Leylin, who was meanwhile waiting for the fish to bite, patiently waited for the competition to begin. As he had been the person to suggest this and was plenty strong himself, he was able to get a position as a judge.

As for the people in Nature's Alliance? All of them had been sent off on miscellaneous missions.

As Leylin's number one subordinate, Iren was nowhere to be found every day, and nobody knew what Leylin had ordered him to do.

The Competition Commences

The competition was to be held on the Walker Plains in the central region.

This place was close to the central city, so a few large-scaled guilds had branches nearby that could send out resources and personnel if anything unexpected came up.

The miraculous abilities of Magi ensured that it took but a few months to transform the heart of the Walker Plains into a vast field.

Before the competition started, a few Magi had arrived earlier to settle down and do business. Thus, a few fairs had sprung up on the outskirts. Many fairs merged together, forming a rudimentary Magus city.

If this competition could be pulled off without a hitch, given the war council's plan to make it a regular affair, the place could really become a new Magus city, even surpassing the cities of the other four regions.

...

Waves of Magi surged in from all over the place and filled the area.

Seeing such a bustling scene, Baelin took a deep breath and pulled off his cloak, and then hastened as he rushed through a street.

He walked quickly, and after seven or eight turns, he arrived in front of a residence and knocked.

*Ka-cha!* The door moved slightly to form a narrow slit, and a pair of guarded eyes appeared. After realising it was Baelin, the eyes disappeared into the darkness and then opened the door.

Baelin turned sideways and squeezed in, not letting the door open fully.

It was a small room inside. The oil lamp produced a dim, flickering yellow light, while Aaron, Vinas and Memphis were all waiting quietly.

Memphis was in the worst state. Not only were there many black bandages around him such that he was similar to a mummy, his ears had even been pierced through with a large nail, revealing a large hole.

"Hey, when can I free myself from this weird appearance?"

Memphis raised his hands with bandages wrapped around them, looking like a mummy as he protested.

As a former member of the nobility, he could not stand being low-profile.

Baelin furrowed his brows as he explained. "Wait a while longer. This place is being monitored using bloodline aura detection spell formations. Even if you're siding with the humans currently, we can't let the fact that you're a dark elf be revealed!"

Vinas shot Memphis a glance, "Don't bother with him! He's just been restrained and wants to go out to breathe some fresh air. My lord, how's the situation outside?"

Aaron gestured to show that he was listening.

"There are far too many Magi gathered here. I couldn't find Longbottom and the others, so it's very likely that he's modified his appearance or is in hiding."

Baelin smiled wryly, "Looks like we can only catch them during the competition!"

"Competition? Do you mean you're planning to enter the genius Magi competition?" Aaron got the point quickly.

"Yes, that's right. I'm only thirty years old, and Bio Boosters are considered a branch of ancient Magi. In that case, I meet the qualifications to enter!" Baelin laughed.

"Only in the competition will I have the chance to meet Longbottom and persuade him to turn back!" Baelin mumbled.

Vinas and Aaron, who knew that this child of destiny's shortcoming of idealism was making itself known again, could only sigh.

Honestly speaking, this child of destiny was basically perfect, but his flaw was in his kindness.

In Twilight Zone, kindness was the one thing that one could not have. Sooner or later, Baelin would pay the price for this.

Aaron and Vinas exchanged a glance, as if having made some decision.

Baelin was totally oblivious to this, still sighing for Longbottom.

In his memories, Longbottom had always been a good child. What had happened?

...

At the registration point, a deathly pale Magus in green robes walked out.

"Hehe, Leylin, Baelin, I'm here!"

Longbottom's appearance had undergone a huge change. His spiritual force had been suppressed till it was that of a semi-converted Magus.

On the Walker Plains, this level of strength was considered mediocre at best and not eye-catching. It was unknown what methods he had used to get past the detection spells at the registration point.

The youth looked to the centre of the competition area. Hatred, elation, and an emotional struggle all flashed by his expression, before they disappeared.

He quickly took his coat and used his hood to conceal his face, disappearing into the crowd.

Leylin could somewhat sense the arrival of these people, but he could not be bothered with them currently. He was in his personal laboratory, an empty test tube beside him.

Threads of black liquid were still wriggling at the mouth of the tube, producing slight hissing sounds.

The Giant Serpent's Breath potion. It was the fruit of his labour, formed from ten years of study, and with the help of Fendix's hearts of Earthen Fiends, he was finally able to make it. Leylin turned green after he ingested it, his aura dark and unstable. This situation continued for an entire night before he recovered.

Leylin glanced at his condition.

[Leylin Farlier. Rank 2 Warlock, Bloodline: Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Strength: 22.5, Agility: 16.3, Vitality: 31.1, Spiritual force: 145.5, Magic power: 145 (Magic power is in synchronisation with spiritual force).]

"A standard Giant Serpent's Breath potion can increase my spiritual force by ten points, and the other attributes also increase as well. Not bad! Based on this rate, after taking five standard Giant Serpent-Breath potions, I'll meet the spiritual force requirements!"

Leylin looked at the numbers, his eyes sparkling.

Giant Serpent's Breath potion was the culmination of his hard work in these ten years. With the ancient rank 2 Magi of Twilight Zone as the foundation, he was able to create a spiritual force potion suitable for Warlocks.

With the aid of this potion, he was confident that the estimated 200 years given by the A.I Chip could be shortened.

"The requirements to become a rank 3 Magus is to raise spiritual force till the 200 mark, and then completely solidify it!"

These were the two requirements for Magi to advance, and neither could be overlooked. Warlocks also had specific requirements pertaining to their bloodline.

Leylin laughed, raising his hand. A thread of bright silver spiritual force shot out from between his eyebrows. Like a mischievous little snake, it wriggled livelily between his fingers.

Though it was only as fine as a strand of hair, this thread held within an immense energy.

The solidified spiritual force of a rank 2 Magus was something lower ranked Magi were unable to comprehend.

All spiritual forces that had not reached this level would be smashed through in a direct clash.

Hence, rank 2 Magi were usually capable of crushing lower-ranked opponents. This was also one of the reasons why rank 2 Magi could lead.

"Amongst rank 2 Magi, to appraise the extent of solidification of spiritual force, one needs to look at how deep the silver colour is."

Leylin muttered. After gathering numerous high-grade meditation techniques and with the simulations by the A.I. Chip, he was extremely clear on what he was supposed to do to advance.

"At the early stage of solidification, spiritual force is a light silver. At the middle stage, it will become more concentrated and become silvery-white! At the peak stage of the solidified spiritual force, it will be a bright silver!"

After reference to countless other meditation techniques, Leylin had broadened his perspectives and progressed at a rapid pace in his own.

He smiled lightly as he peered at the light silver spiritual force in his hands, and produced a thought.

This bright silver spiritual force danced in the air, attracting energy particles of various elements and formed spell models of various shapes, and then disappeared back between Leylin's brows

"I've completed all my homework on the solidification of spiritual force, and my manipulation of it has reached the peak."

Leylin evaluated his own strength. Through ten years of settling down and working towards rank 3, he had accumulated a lot. He had even touched the boundary of rank 3, and even Logan, the Protector of the East, was no longer in his sights.

"With my current strength, I'm probably the furthest ahead amongst rank 2 Magi. With the bonus from my bloodline, I'm basically matchless within rank 2!"

With the help of the A.I. Chip, Leylin was very confident in his strength.

"But there's still ways to go before I can handle rank 3 Magi!"

At this point, the ones capable of causing Leylin fear were only Anya, the dark elven Empress, the Guardian of the Realm, and the remaining few rank 3 Magi.

"No matter what it is, this competition is tied to my own advancement, as well as my choices and conjectures about destiny. It must proceed smoothly, even if a rank 3 Magus were to attempt to stop it !"

Leylin made up his mind, eyes sparkling.

...

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Multi-coloured fireworks exploded into the air, various spell lights and tassels forming gorgeous images in the sky.

The genius Magi competition held in the central region had begun magnificently.

The competition area was similar to the ancient Roman colosseum.

With support from magic, this construction was much larger than the ancient roman one. It was big enough to hold tens of thousands of Magi.

At the heart of the colosseum, tens of individual arenas had been created. The young Magi who were participating would first begin with the elimination rounds.

"How boring." Leylin and the eight other rank 2 Magi sat on the platform which had the best seats, doing their jobs as judges.

Though Leylin was seated here, he had long since gotten annoyed by the host's speech. The only reason why he was still sitting here was because he was forcing himself to do so.

As for the other few rank 2 judges, they looked just as bored.

The battles at the beginning were usually not very intense. The Magi were lowly-ranked, and most were level 3 acolytes. With a competition of this level, it was more than enough for peak rank 1 Magi to watch over them.

Hence, Leylin and the others were bored to death.