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Chapter 31: Territory I

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

Merlin sat in Moss' carriage, laying down on his side slightly and going along with the bumps of the carriage. He was unmoving; Merlin was currently meditating. This type of Mind Meditation Method did not require any stringent conditions to be met; it could be cultivated whenever and wherever.

Right then, Merlin wanted to construct the second Spell Model in his Awareness as soon as he could. To do that, it was necessary for him to strengthen his Mind Power, and so far, the only way to increase his Mind Power was to meditate.

"Master Merlin, we've arrived."

Moss' voice sounded out softly. Following which, Merlin opened his eyes and pushed the curtains of the carriage aside before jumping down.

This was already the third successive day that Merlin had attended etiquette class. During these past three days, Gia's disappearance had already begun to arouse the suspicions of some people.

Therefore, Merlin had to pay even closer attention to the reactions of the people there.

He had just walked into the room on the second floor when he saw the little fatty Gutt. He was sitting in front of an organ with his two fat hands on the keys, currently performing a piece.

Although Merlin did not understand music that much, even he could not stomach the music played by Gutt. This was not music at all, it was a racket.

How could all ten of little fatty's fingers that were full of meat like thick firewood sticks be suitable to play music?

They had a music class today. There were some other people in the room who just could not stand the torturous sounds Gutt was making. Thus, with angry roars, they chased Gutt off the organ.

The little fatty Gutt did not mind at all. After seeing Merlin come in, he came over to Merlin's side cheerfully. With one hand on Merlin's shoulder, he said casually, "Merlin, you've been so punctual these past few days arriving here, hehe, this isn't your style. Could it be that you're waiting for Gia?"

Little fatty Gutt had a mischievous grin on his face and even made eyes at Merlin.

Merlin was already used to Gutt's jokes, so he did not mind. Instead, he asked in a low voice, "Right. Gutt, you're well-informed, so do you know why Teacher Gia hasn't been coming these few days?"

Gutt shook his head. "I don't know. Gia's identity is mysterious, and she was hired on a temporary basis as well. No one even knows where she lives, so don't even talk about knowing of any news about her. I heard that there's already a candidate as the new history teacher and they'll be coming to class tomorrow, hehe, perhaps she'll be even more charming and touching than Gia!"

Merlin did not contribute any further to the conversation, but there was a slight sigh of relief in his heart. Gia had been sent by the Kingdom of Blackmoon, so naturally, her identity had to be kept a secret. It would not have been discovered by anyone.

In that case, however, she had disappeared and no one was able to investigate and discover the real reason why. This was extremely fortunate for Merlin. By the time the new history teacher took office, who would still remember Gia?

"Merlin, you be careful around Tirath recently. Ever since he failed at inviting Gia to the dance for his birthday, he's never come here again. He's been shifty and mysterious lately, don't know what he's up to."

Gutt advised Merlin out of kindness.

"I'll take note."

Merlin nodded, but he did not mind it much in his ear. Right now, he was most concerned about his Mind Power and when he would attain the level at which he could construct the second Spell Model.

***

After returning to Wilson Castle, Merlin was just about ready to go back to his room and meditate. Nowadays, other than eating and sleeping, practically all of his time was spent on meditation and increasing his Mind Power.

Awareness was still necessary for meditation, which was why the effect of meditation would not take place in the unconscious state he would be in after he fell asleep. Meditation had to happen in an indistinct, seemingly real yet unreal state for his Mind Power to grow gradually.

Therefore, Merlin could not meditate when he was sleeping. Otherwise, he would use all eight hours of sleep to meditate so that his Mind Power would grow faster.

Nevertheless, it was at this moment that the butler came up to him. He said to Merlin, in a soft voice, "Master Merlin, there are two City Defense Troop knights outside. They say that they've come to look for the baron on the orders of the castellan."

"Knights from the City Defense Troop?"

Merlin frowned. He did not feel favorable towards the knights from the City Defense Troop now. The last time they came, they had taken him away and sent him to the Guardian Swordsman of the church for interrogation. He had even faced the extremely dangerous Wizard Jason. He had been lucky that Wizard Jason had not discovered anything out of the ordinary, allowing him to escape danger.

"Let them all in."

Merlin spoke coldly. Although he felt dissatisfied with these knights from the City Defense Troop, they had still been sent by the castellan so he could not choose not to see them. After all, in Blackwater City, the most powerful person was still the castellan.

Very soon, two tall and big knights wearing silver light armors came into the hall. After the butler introduced Merlin to them, they gave a small bow as a form of salutations before speaking in a respectful manner, "Master Merlin, we're here on the honorable castellan's orders. We've come to inform Baron Wilson to come to the Castellan's Mansion after three days for a meeting with all the aristocrats in Blackwater City to join forces in dealing with the issue of the bandits."

It turned out to be the problem of facing the bandits. Merlin had also heard about how great numbers of bandits had suddenly appeared around Blackwater City and continuously attacked some small towns surrounding the city. Even with the City Defense Troops mobilized, they had not been able to eliminate those bandits. In addition, Old Wilson seemed to also have encountered some small gangs of bandits on his trip to collect taxes on his territory this time. He had even sent General Prat back to despatch some heavy armored knights.

The appearance of the bandits could already be considered a certain threat to Blackwater City, which was why the castellan had not hesitated to mobilize all the aristocrats of Blackwater City. He wanted to unite in fighting against those bandits.

"Alright, I know, I'll definitely inform father as soon as I can."

Merlin beckoned with his hand, getting the butler to send the two City Defense Troop knights out.

In just a short while, the butler had sent the two knights out before coming back into the hall. He spoke to Merlin, "Master Merlin, I'll immediately send someone to inform the baron."

However, Merlin waved his hand and said calmly, "That's unnecessary, I'll personally go to the territory this time and inform father."

"Master Merlin, the area around Blackwater City isn't safe now."

The butler advised him against the idea hurriedly. He did not wish for Merlin to encounter bandits on the way there and suffer an untimely death.

"We can despatch more knights as escorts. Even though there are no more of father's heavy armored knights in the castle, if we send a few dozen more of the other knights to go with me, nothing bad will happen. Alright, that settles the matter. I'll set off early tomorrow."

Merlin spoke in an unquestionable tone of voice. He was so determined because, in actual fact, he merely wished to take this opportunity and have a look outside of Blackwater City. Ever since he had arrived in this world, Merlin had not been to anywhere other than Blackwater City.

This was such a good opportunity. How could he miss it?

"Master, I'll go and make preparations now."

Seeing that he was unable to dissuade Merlin, the butler could only go downstairs and make preparations. After all, Merlin's safety was very important. Even without the might of the heavy armored knights, the power of Merlin's convoy must not be weak. It would take some time just to pick and choose the knights who would be part of the convoy.

Chapter 32: Territory II

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

On the next day, just as dawn broke, the Wilson Castle bustled with activities. Troops of light-armored knights, comprised of more than sixty men, assumed their positions near the main doors.

"Be careful, don't stop along the way, go straight to your father's territory."

Macy urged Merlin to be cautious. She had received news that Merlin was going to the territory last night. By then, the butler had made arrangements for everything; even if Macy had wanted to stop him, it would have been too late.

Merlin nodded before stepping into the horse carriage. The journey this time was far and would take almost a day to complete. The person driving the carriage was still Moss. Hence, Merlin would have someone familiar with him.

"Moss, let's go."

At Merlin's orders, Merlin slowly left Wilson Castle under the escort of many knights.

The carriage quickly drove out of Blackwater City. This was the first time that Merlin was coming out of the city to see the outside world, therefore he did not meditate. Instead, he pulled the curtains in the carriage aside and observed the scenery outside the city everywhere.

The roads outside the city were very bumpy; they could not be compared to the roads in the city that were inlaid with flat stones. The roads outside the city were, at best, some mud mixed in with some gravel that had been spread at random on the ground. There were gullies everywhere, causing the ground to be high in some places, and low in the others. Even if Moss could be more skilled at driving the horse carriage, he would still have no way of stabilizing the carriage.

It was fortunate, then, that Merlin's current body had already become very strong and fit after going through the nurturing of the mysterious posture on the relief sculpture. Therefore, Merlin could still withstand being slightly tossed about like this.

Merlin's carriage was in the middle of the team of knights. Pulling aside the curtains in the carriage, Merlin was able to see a knight on the side. He was around sixteen or seventeen years of age and still looked very young. However, his hands were full of thick calluses, caused by long years of wielding the sword.

"What's your name?"

Merlin asked the young knight.

The young knight hurriedly answered in a respectful manner. "Master Merlin, I'm called Yaguez."

"Yaguez, how many years have you been in Wilson Castle?"

"Master Merlin, I was chosen by the honorable baron three years ago. Then, after two years of hard training, I was finally promoted to a knight."

There was a hint of gratitude and pride on Yaguez's face. Merlin knew that to be a knight of an aristocrat was already a glory in the eyes of the common folk.

The entire family of a person who had become a knight of an aristocrat within his territory would receive some tax exemptions or reductions. Therefore, it was the dream of many civilian children to be a knight by the side of an aristocrat.

To become a knight at the age of sixteen or seventeen, Yaguez should also have really great talent, in addition to his hard training.

"Do you have a fire type physique?"

Merlin continued to ask because he could sense that some Fire Elements in the surroundings were entering the sides of Yaguez's body without ceasing.

"Yes, Master Merlin. I possess a fire type physique, but had I not met the honorable baron, I'd have starved to death a long time ago. The baron has said before that a knight must be loyal, righteous, brave and devoted. I will follow the baron and be his subordinate throughout my entire life and be his knight. This is also my first time carrying out a task, Master Merlin. Don't worry. Even if we encounter bandits, I will definitely protect you."

Yaguez spoke in a solemn and extremely sincere voice. Merlin could feel that those were the true thoughts coming from Yaguez's heart.

Looking at Yaguez's sincere face, Merlin nodded gently before putting the curtains of the carriage down and drawing his head back into the carriage.

"Protect me?"

Merlin could not help but shake his head. The current physical fitness of his body was such that he could basically match the peak of a First-level Elemental Swordsman already. In addition, he was also a mysterious and powerful Spell Caster. Who would he need to protect him?

Nevertheless, this also indirectly reflected Old Wilson's methods. Every knight under him was extremely loyal to Old Wilson.

This also caused vigilance to be raised in Merlin's heart. Old Wilson had an abundance of tricks and was extremely perceptive. If he met Old Wilson in the territory, he could not say much and must be careful and prudent, to avoid revealing any tell-tale flaws.

Merlin had only watched the sceneries outside the city for a while before he lost interest. Thus, he laid down on his side in the carriage and began to meditate on his Mind Power.

***

"Master Merlin, we've arrived at the territory."

After who knew how long, Merlin woke up from his meditation.

"We've arrived?"

Merlin lifted the curtains in the carriage and discovered that it was already sunset; the color of the sky was gradually becoming somewhat dusky. At the end of the small, winding road was a gigantic castle. It was the castle in Old Wilson's territory.

This castle looked extremely ancient with pointed and conical roofs. The bricks on the walls were already turning black, and he could see that there was a section of the wall that had been repaired

Merlin leaped down the carriage and walked forward. A few knights guarded Merlin by staying around him; although they had already reached the territory, they still did not let down their guard.

"Stand still, who are you people?"

The moment they came near to the castle, four guards blocked the road.

A knight next to Merlin hurriedly stepped forward and said, "This is Master Merlin, he has come to the territory to see the baron for an important matter."

"Master Merlin?"

Those few guards were somewhat doubtful. They had never seen Merlin, but they had also heard that Baron Wilson had a son called Merlin.

"Master Merlin, please wait for a moment. We're getting General Prat to come forward and confirm."

The guards did not let Merlin into the castle. Instead, they sent people off into the castle to look for General Prat.

Merlin frowned. It was not because he felt disgruntled over being blocked, but because the guards in the castle were somewhat too careful and prudent. Could it be that something had happened to the castle, causing the security of the castle to be this tight?

"I'll ask Prat in detail after he arrives."

Merlin was already aware that something might have happened in the castle during this period of time. However, he could only learn everything after Prat had come.

After waiting for a moment, Prat's figure finally appeared. He walked over with quick steps and berated, in a loud voice, "Let me through quickly, he is Master Merlin, all of you take a good look now and remember him well. When Master Merlin comes in the future, you're not allowed to stop him!"

General Prat reprimanded the guards severely for a while, before bringing Merlin into the castle.

As they walked, Merlin inquired. "Uncle Prat, has something happened on the territory? Why are such strict precautions being taken?"

Prat hesitated for a moment. After that, he lowered his voice and said, "It's all because some time ago, a huge gang of bandits was discovered around the territory. For security, the entire territory has been plunged into a state of war. Precautions are very strict."

Merlin was rather surprised. He had not encountered a single bandit on his way here. He had originally thought that the territory had not been invaded or harassed by the bandits. Never had he imagined that the situation had already become so severe.

Chapter 33: A Strange Wind

Translator:EndlessFantasy Translation

Editor:EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin followed Prat from behind and entered the castle. The moment he stepped into the castle, Merlin felt that the style in which the castle had been decorated seemed to be rather strange and unique.

Bright and colorful murals had been painted on the slightly yellowing walls. Some were blurred and indistinct, while others were extremely mottled. Practically, not a single one of them was clear.

"This castle seems to be very old, huh?"

Merlin asked Prat.

Prat nodded and said, "That's right. This castle is very ancient, indeed. Even the oldest person in the territory isn't clear when the castle was built. We only know that the castle is already very old, with at least five hundred years of history. Perhaps even more than that! The baron has gotten people to repair and maintain the castle ever since he moved in, but the decorations in his hall have never been touched. Their original appearance is still maintained."

Merlin nodded. Most of the buildings in this world were immensely fortified, and many castles could be kept for a few hundred to a thousand or more years. Perhaps this castle had been constructed by some aristocrat several hundred years ago.

"Oh, right. Where's father?"

Merlin looked everywhere, but all he could find were some servants. He could not see Old Wilson.

A glint flashed through Prat's eyes. He lowered his voice and said, "Because there have been great amounts of bandit activity around the territory lately, the baron has brought his men to patrol the areas surrounding the territory. He'd only return at night, roughly."

Although Old Wilson was not home, needless to say, there was a housekeeper within the castle, an extremely beautiful female housekeeper at that. After Prat handed Merlin over to the housekeeper, he left the castle to patrol the grounds outside.

The female housekeeper's body was particularly curvy. She was around thirty years of age, with bright red lipstick applied on the lips. Her eyes did not stop sizing Merlin up.

"Master Merlin, you've become tired after rushing through an entire day's journey. I've already instructed people to prepare hot water in your chamber."

Following which, the housekeeper brought Merlin into a spacious room with a gigantic bathtub inside, filled with steaming hot water.

"Master Merlin, allow me."

He did not know when, but the housekeeper had already shut the doors to the room and come to the side of the bathtub. It looked like she was intending to serve Merlin by bathing him.

Ever since Merlin arrived in this world, he had always been very inhibited. Now that he had come to a completely strange place, and faced with such a gorgeous woman, his heart immediately flared up with heat.

Splash!

Thus, Merlin took off all his clothes immediately and jumped into the bathtub. The housekeeper, with ever so charming eyes, smiled gracefully as she continuously moved her soft hands up and down Merlin's entire body.

Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly. Desire and heat arose and boiled quickly in his body. With a vigorous move, he grabbed the hands of the housekeeper and chuckled in a low voice. "Come in."

Exerting force with his hands, Merlin immediately pulled the female housekeeper into the bathtub.

Although the housekeeper still had her clothes on, the curves of her whole body were already exposed and evident, adding even more to the temptation. Her hands were also caressing Merlin's chest gently.

Merlin had been unrelenting in practicing the posture on the mysterious relief sculpture for long periods of time. Although he had never specifically trained himself, his body had become very strong and fit. Contained within his tight and solid muscles was a terrible explosive force.

At the moment, however, Merlin had his eyes closed. He was enjoying the touch of the housekeeper's tender hands.

"Master Merlin is the baron's son, indeed! This body is not inferior at all, compared to the great baron's!"

The beautiful housekeeper breathed into Merlin's ears, speaking softly.

"En? You what? You've served father before?"

Merlin's eyes shot open. He asked in a low voice.

The housekeeper pouted her lips as she laughed gently. "Of course! I'm always the one serving the great baron every time he comes to the territory!"

While she spoke, the housekeeper even held her ample bosom out, as though she was very proud of herself.

A hint of a strange expression appeared on Merlin's face, however. Although the housekeeper was riding on Merlin's body in an incomparably ambiguous pose, there was no longer any desire in his heart. Instead, he felt a sense of horrible disgust.

Merlin had already understood how most of the personal lives of the aristocrats were exceedingly atrocious. For example, having such a beautiful maidservant serve Merlin after she had been done serving Old Wilson was a common sight amongst the aristocrats. It was not a big deal, but Merlin was still somewhat unable to accept it.

"Go out, I don't need your service."

Merlin's voice was as cold as ice as he shooed the housekeeper out immediately; she was still in a daze.

With Merlin's entire body soaked in the warm water, the fatigue in his body seemed to be disappearing little by little. However, the desire and heat aroused by the beautiful housekeeper moments ago had caused his heart to be somewhat agitated.

Having no choice, Merlin closed his eyes and began to meditate with his back against the side of the bathtub.

Meditation must occur in the strange state of being real and unreal. Therefore, very soon, Merlin's emotions gradually calmed down. He seemed to have forgotten everything around him, and remained unmoving in the bathtub, completely immersed in his meditation.

Woo, woo, woo...

After who knew how long, Merlin's ears seemed to pick up noises that sounded like the whimpering of a baby.

Splash!

Merlin was awakened with a startle by this strange noise. He hurriedly stood up, but a shiver went through his entire body; looking down, he realized that the hot water under him had already cooled down. He had meditated for at least two hours.

"What's that sound?"

Merlin got out from the bathtub and put on his clothes, cocking his head to the side as he listened. He discovered that the whimpering noise was becoming more and more distinct, causing a chill to run down his spine.

Thus, he left his room and went downstairs. Coincidentally, he bumped into General Prat, who was on patrol duty.

"Uncle Prat, what was that noise just now? It sounded like a crying child."

Merlin asked in a low voice. He saw that there was no change at all in the expressions of the few guards next to Prat. It was as though they were already used to it.

It was pitch black outside the castle. Prat took two steps forward and said to Merlin, "Master Merlin, it's no big deal, actually. It's the sound of wind! At a location not far from the castle, there's a strange wind that blows often. That sound's caused by the strange wind. It's not some child crying."

"Oh? There's such a strange place? Uncle Prat, could you bring me to take a look?"

Merlin felt curious. He wanted to take a look at this strange wind that had been letting out those terrifying noises.

"Actually, there's nothing much to this strange wind... Since Master Merlin wishes to see it, let's go."

Prat frowned and hesitated slightly. However, perhaps remembering that the place was not far from the castle and could not be considered to be outside of the castle perimeters, he finally nodded in agreement. He ordered someone to bring him a candelabrum, lighted five candles and started leading the way.

Merlin followed after Prat closely.

Chapter 33: Meeting

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

It was somewhat cold outside. Merlin wrapped his big coat tightly around himself and followed Prat. They walked approximately a hundred meters before they came to the bottom of a mottled wall. All of a sudden, Prat halted his footsteps and turned around to speak to Merlin, "Master Merlin, we've arrived. It's here."

Merlin looked to where Prat was gazing. As expected, not far in front of them, a strange wind had appeared in the air. The area occupied by this strange wind was not large; a vortex was formed, spinning without ceasing at the moment. It was emitting noises like the whimper of a baby.

"That's strange, the wind isn't rising!"

Merlin frowned. This was a really strange wind. Other than this, there was no wind in any other places. Merlin took a few steps forward to get closer to this strange wind. He acutely discovered that this strange wind was not in a disorderly state; it followed a certain regularity, as though some mysterious energy was controlling this strange wind.

"Master Merlin, this strange wind is exceedingly strong. We've had a few knights who'd wanted to check it out, but they were bruised by the flying stones in the strange wind. By the time we waited until the wind had disappeared to take a closer look, we couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. It's extremely odd."

Prat glanced at Merlin and said in a soft voice.

However, Merlin was no longer paying attention to Prat's words. At the moment, he was using his Mind Power to check out this strange wind.

Sensing through his Mind Power, Merlin could feel numerous Wind Elements. They were all very violent, but these violent Wind Elements seemed to have been confined by an orderly energy, so they could only turn according to a certain rule.

The typical characteristic of a spell was to cause Elements to move according to a certain rule! The spells released by a Spell Caster was, in actual fact, Elements operating according to a defined pattern under the effect of Spell Models.

For example, the Fireball that Merlin had mastered at the moment was to operate according to the Spell Model of the Fireball; those violent Fire Elements were condensed into a small fireball, which made it possible for it to possess a terrible destructive power.

The strange wind in front of him seemed to be a sort of spell!

However, this sort of spell was really scattered. Its power had been reduced to the lowest possible, and could only maintain control over Wind Elements within a few square meters. Therefore, this would not have been produced by a Spell Caster prompting a Spell Model, but a spell automatically released by a casting tool without being controlled by anyone.

Casting tools were tools created by Spell Casters to help cast magic. For example, magic staffs and scrolls belonged to the category of casting tools. Merlin had also seen from old man Etha's Spell Manual that every casting tool was extremely precious. Usually, only powerful Spell Casters above the First-level could, after expending great amounts of efforts and materials, create casting tools.

Therefore, even old man Etha had not had any casting tools.

When the thought came to him that the appearance of this strange wind was possibly caused by a casting tool, Merlin's heart became very excited. Any piece of casting tool would be something a Spell Caster had always dreamed of.

However, although Merlin felt very excited in his heart, he did not reveal any changes on his face. Instead, he said in a cool voice, "Uncle Prat, wait here, I'll go near and take a look."

General Prat exhorted, "Master Merlin, you have to be careful. Don't get too close to avoid getting hurt."

Merlin nodded. Following which, he took a few steps forward and approached the strange wind.

The force of the strange wind was very strong, indeed. Furthermore, it was such a cold day; the strange wind sliced across his face, causing a pain that felt as though he had been cut by knives. However, Merlin did not stop. He unleashed his Mind Power and began searching for the source of this strange wind.

He could only find the casting tool that was unleashing the strange wind if he could find its source.

"Uncle Prat and the others have already searched, but they've not discovered anything. This means that, perhaps, the casting tool is not on the ground, but buried underground."

Merlin carefully did his analysis. He had the help of his Mind Power, so he was able to easily explore the source of this strange wind. It was under a corner of the wall, directly stretching down into the ground. Just as he had concluded after his analysis, there was definitely a casting tool buried underground there.

Merlin had found the source of the strange wind and had come to the conclusion. After analysis, it was very possible that a casting tool had been buried somewhere underground. However, with Prat next to him now, watching him, Merlin did not have the opportunity to search for this casting tool. He could only quietly commit the approximate position to memory and wait until daytime tomorrow before he could come and look for it.

Having made a firm decision in his heart, Merlin withdrew. Prat hurriedly took a few steps forward and shone the weak candlelight upon Merlin, asking in a concerned manner, "Master Merlin, are you alright?"

Prat had seen Merlin stand without moving in front of the strange wind just now. He felt that it was strange, and had even thought that Merlin had been injured by the strange wind.

Merlin shook his head gently. "I'm fine. Go back."

Prat took a careful look over Merlin's entire body but did not find any wounds. His felt relief in his heart and followed Merlin from behind, ready to return to the castle.

However, they had just gone halfway when they suddenly heard noises made by the hooves of horses outside. A team of cavalry was directly charging towards the castle.

Delight sprang up in Prat's heart. He hurriedly said to Merlin, "The baron must be back. Master Merlin, let's go and receive the baron quickly."

"Father?"

Merlin murmured in a low voice as his expression kept shifting. It had been a while since he arrived in this world. Finally, he was about to meet with Old Wilson.

Old Wilson was the person closest to Merlin, so he did not know whether Old Merlin would discover some signs.

"Master Merlin, let's go quickly. The baron often talks about you even in the territory."

Seeing Merlin was just standing there without making a move, General Prat hurriedly urged him.

"En, let's go, it's time you should meet up…"

Prat did not notice the change in Merlin's expression. Thus, they speedily walked towards the castle.

After a short while, many servants came out of the castle. They lit up the lights that embellished the inside of the castle, causing the place to look as bright as day, before respectfully welcoming the return of Old Wilson.

"Baron, sir!"

With a quick step, Prat immediately knelt to the floor with one knee and saluted Old Wilson.

Old Wilson was riding on his horse at the moment. He wore a black armor and had a burly body build, thick eyebrows and big eyes. His body emitted an aura that felt as horrifying as a wild beast.

Currently, Old Wilson wielded a greatsword in his hand. There were even some traces of fresh blood left on the body of the sword; it seemed as though he had just been through a great battle.

"Eh? Merlin?"

Finally, Old Wilson's eyes fell on Merlin. His body had just been releasing the aura that felt as terrifying as a wild beast. However, after seeing Merlin, the aura immediately turned into a thick emanation of love, causing Merlin to feel very intimate.

"Father!"

Merli took a deep breath and walked a few steps forward as well, letting out his voice in a yell.

Chapter 34: Casting Tool I

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

Merlin had always imagined the moment when he would finally meet Old Wilson, picturing all sorts of possibilities in his mind. However, he felt unusually calm when it actually happened.

"Merlin, why are you here?"

Old Wilson jumped off the horse swiftly and paced to Merlin. His eyes brimming with gentle love.

Merlin had to tilt his head slightly upward when speaking to Old Wilson who had a great stature. He was nearly two meters tall and appeared as strong as a horse. A bloody smell assailed Merlin's nostrils as soon as his father came near.

"Father, have you encountered bandits?"

Merlin did not hurry to answer but replied with a question.

Old Wilson gently sheathed his bloody greatsword back into its scabbard and replied nonchalantly, "It's not a big deal, just a few bandits that I've killed. Come on, let's head inside."

Hence, Merlin followed Old Wilson into the castle. Old Wilson took off the black suits of armor with the help of servants. Merlin was shocked as he watched the three servants walked away carrying the armor with difficulty. Old Wilson's black suit of armor must have weighed at least three hundred catties.

Having a Normie put on an armor that weighed nearly three hundred catties was already a question, not to mention to travel in it. However, Old Wilson could move about freely and even combat in that armor. It showed that Old Wilson physical quality was rather extraordinary.

Initially, Merlin thought Old Wilson was only a Second-level Fire Swordsman, but now it seemed that Old Wilson was more than he appeared on the surface. A usual Second-level Fire Swordsman could never manage such a heavy armor.

Not only was Old Wilson a Second-level Fire Swordsman, he was also endowed by nature's natural gift. He who possessed exceptional force had extremely outstanding physical quality. Even his pure physical force was stronger than any other Second-level Elemental Swordsman.

'No wonder father survived the expedition to the Kingdom of Blackmoon, also known as the Slaughterhouse. Besides having accumulated an abundance of military exploits that eventually made him a noble, his physical quality was his biggest asset!'

At the moment, Merlin could sense that numerous Fire Elements were being absorbed into Old Wilson's body at an accelerated speed. Old Wilson should have already reached the vertical limit of Second-level Fire Swordsman by now. When the suitable moment arrived, it was likely that he would upgrade to a Third-level Swordsman!

Merlin could not see through the actual strength of Old Wilson, but he deeply believed with Old Wilson's terrifying strength, he could easily be on par with a Third-level Elemental Swordsman.

The female butler led Old Wilson to the bathroom. Moments later, Old Wilson, brimming with energy, entered the hall in a new change of clothes.

The dauntless bloody smell lingered on Old Wilson disappeared when he removed the black armor; without it, he appeared as mild as a lamb. He walked over to Merlin's side and patted his shoulder lightly as his eyes inspected Merlin from up to down. A few seconds later, a smile washed over his face. "Not bad, you've grown up as a strong man, just like your father!"

It was evident that Old Wilson was genuinely delighted at the improvement of Merlin's health. No one who had seen Merlin at his previously weak form would believe he was Old Wilson's son.

"Oh right, Merlin, why are you here at the manor instead of Blackwater City? Did anything happen back home?"

A hint of austerity flashed across Old Wilson's eyes. That gentleness hung on his face just moments before had seemingly turned into something frantic.

Fortunately, Merlin's Mind Power was forceful enough to suppress his inner emotions instead of being charged by Old Wilson's sudden violent pang.

"Father, everything is alright back home. I'm only here to notify you that the castellan wishes to invite all noblemen in Blackwater City to his residence for a meeting, in order to solve the issue with bandits."

Merlin provided a full account of the incident to his father, Old Wilson, whose brows knitted together in concentration.

After a moment, Old Wilson finally raised his head and spoke softly, "Almost every small town around Blackwater City was harassed by the bandits, but what's strange is that not one town has experienced any destructive damage. It was as if these bandits had more planned than mere looting.

"No matter what, these bandits must go. Otherwise, the small towns around Blackwater City and many of the noblemen's manors will never be peaceful again. I've encountered a small group of bandits when I patrolled the area a few days ago. They were only a small group slightly bigger than ten, and their force wasn't strong either. My heavy knights knocked them down in an instant. But our effort to locate the swarm of well-hidden bandits was still to no avail.

"It shall make the operation easier if the whole noble force of Blackwater City was to gather. Oh, right, did Augustin mention the date of this meeting?"

"Probably the day after tomorrow," Merlin replied softly.

"The day after tomorrow? Very well. That gives us plenty of time if we depart tomorrow. Merlin, we'll leave for Blackwater City tomorrow."

Old Wilson came to a decision quickly. It seemed this gang of bandits posed a huge threat. Even Old Wilson thought the force of Blackwater City's every nobleman was needed to drive out these bandits.

**************

Merlin rose from his dream in the early morning of the next day. Dawn had just broken, but servants were already shuttling back and forth on their duties.

Merlin dressed up and headed right downstairs.

Old Wilson was still not awake. Merlin glanced toward the direction of Old Wilson's room. Last night, he thought he saw that alluring female butler tiptoe into Old Wilson's bedroom.

Merlin shook his head as if to dismiss the distracting thoughts. He extended his gaze at the enclosure wall outside of the castle. He remembered that peculiar gush of wind last night had come just right from under that mottled wall.

"Young Master Merlin!"

Most of the guards and servants in the castle had already familiarized themselves with Merlin. They bowed respectfully at each encounter with their young master. Merlin nodded with smiles and headed outside of the castle.

"Whizz…"

The early morning of winter was freezing cold. The slight amount of snow that fell last night had covered the surface of the earth with slippery dampness.

Merlin checked his surroundings. Only after making sure that no one was in sight did he head for the enclosure wall. Soon, he arrived at the place where the strange wind whooshed last night. The ground surface on this area was unusually even, probably a forced work of the gush of wind last night.

"Here we are."

Merlin came to the corner of the wall and squatted silently. That strange wave of spell he sensed last night was probably concealed right underneath the wall.

The soil underneath the wall was soft and moist, hence Merlin extended his hands and began to dig with caution.

A few moments later, among the dampen soil, Merlin's hand felt a hard, cold object.

"This is the casting tool?"

Merlin was delighted. He did not care to look at the object unearthed before he wrapped it around with the cloth that he brought along beforehand. Then, he headed back to the castle as if nothing happened.

Chapter 35: Casting Tool II

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

Once he was back to his room, the impatient Merlin quickly opened the wrapped parcel hidden in his arms. Inside was a handful of dark soil and a hard item.

Merlin could not identify the shape of the item as it was covered with dirt. Hence, he fetched some clean water and began rubbing gently on the hard item in an effort to remove those soil stuck to its surface.

Soon enough, the treasure that had been given a thorough cleansing gradually revealed its true identity. It was a pendant. The small pendant was in the shape of an inverted triangle. A ruby gem about the size of a soybean was placed in the middle of the inverted triangle.

Under faint candlelight, the ruby glistened with a lustrous brilliance.

However, Merlin was not bothered with the gem inlaid on the pendant. Although a ruby was a rare treasure, its value was nothing compared to a casting tool. Merlin was more curious if that pendant was actually a casting tool.

Therefore, Merlin rapidly gathered his Mind Power to shroud the pendant.

"Swish."

In the blink of an eye, Merlin felt a horrifying whirl trying to draw his Mind Power into the pendant. Merlin was overjoyed. He stopped resisting and allowed his Mind Power to be absorbed into the pendant.

Merlin's Mind Power induced that inside of the pendant was a completely enclosed space. It was constructed by hundreds and thousands of confined tiny cells. Every cell seemed to possess a certain mysterious power.

Some tiny cells seemed to be trapped with rather active Wind Elements. However, it appeared that these cells were broken due to unknown reasons. As a result, some Wind Elements had leaked out of the casting tool.

Perhaps that was the reason for the peculiar wind that appeared outside of the castle.

"What an incredible casting tool!"

Merlin, who was shocked to his mind, finally retrieved his Mind Power.

The tiny cells inside of the pendant were out of Merlin's current knowledge, but he did a daring estimate that they were utilized to store spells.

The concept was similar to certain Spell Scrolls. Powerful Spell Casters could adopt special methods to cast spells unto Spell Scrolls. By possessing any of these Spell Scrolls, even with a weak capability, a slight trigger using Mind Power could easily activate the spell stored and eventually erupt a compelling force.

A typical Spell Scroll could only store one spell at a time. Once the Spell Scroll was activated, the spell being stored would be released. In other words, Spell Scroll was a one-time depletion casting tool.

However, the pendant in Merlin's hand could possibly store more than just one spell. The seemingly infinite number of tiny cells in the pendant was indeed empty space to store spells. Each tiny cell could hold in a spell.

Merlin utilized his Mind Power to carefully count the number of tiny cells inside the pendant. There was a total of one hundred and fifty-eight cells, that was to say, this casting tool was able to store one hundred and fifty-eight spells.

A casting tool like this may be rated as a ghastly one. It was not something that any Spell Caster could easily produce.

Merlin turned the pendant around. On its back was engraved a couple of words in Molta language.

"Bell."

On the back of the pendant was engraved the name "Bell." In Etha's Spell Manual, the old man mentioned the long tradition for Spell Casters to carve their own name on each casting tool they invented.

Hence, "Bell" should be the inventor of this casting tool.

"I wonder if this 'Bell' is still alive."

Merlin murmured to himself. He looked at the pendant in hand. There were numerous broken tiny cells on this pendant, which were the cause for the leaking of Wind Elements previously stored in there, and later produced that gush of peculiar wind outside of the castle. It was safe to say that this pendant was probably an invention of several hundred years ago, perhaps even longer.

No doubt a Normie would have been gone in such a long time. But it was different for Spell Casters, especially Spell Casters which possessed forceful power. They could live up to two or three hundred years.

Merlin naturally had no idea if there was any Spell Casters that lived up to hundreds and thousands of years. Even old man Etha had no clue about this. After all, old man Etha was only an Entrance-level Spell Caster. How much could he possibly know about the untellable secrets in the world of Spell Casters?

This pendant was produced by "Bell," hence Merlin simply named it as the Bell Pendant. Merlin could not care much whether this "Bell" was still alive. He was only eager to find out if this casting tool was still usable.

Therefore, once again, he quickly focused his Mind Power into the pendant. This time around, he checked those tiny cells carefully. There was a total of one hundred and fifty-eight tiny cells, but most had been destroyed and left emptied.

Perhaps someone else had already released the spells stored in this Bell Pendant, which resulted in those shattered cells. That, or they had been left alone for too long and eventually broke down.

Merlin counted attentively and realized there were only eighteen tiny cells in the pendant that remained in good shape. This meant that he could still store eighteen more spells in this casting tool.

"Eighteen more spells… That should be enough!"

Merlin chuckled to himself. He thought this casting tool had completely lost its function, but who knew. Still, he had to get it tested out before he was sure he could still store spells in this pendant.

He made up his mind and gathered his Mind Power into the pendant once more. In some of those tiny cells still held spells that had been stored in there since who knew when. Due to the prolonged time span, countless Wind Elements was leaking out from those broken tiny cells little by little, waiting to erupt when the time came.

Merlin was not going to let such unpredictability happen. Right away, he utilized his Mind Power to activate those broken tiny cells in Bell Pendant.

"Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…"

All of the sudden, waves after waves of a mad wind appeared in the room. They were the remnants of spells being left inside of those tiny cells in the Bell Pendant. The destructive force was not too strong; hence it did not result in a massive disaster.

Still, the room was turned into a complete mess.

After destroying all the remnants of spells left in Bell Pendant, Merlin started to think about casting spells into the pendant. At the moment, Merlin knew only one spell, which was Fireball. However, due to special reason, Merlin could also release Large Fireball that was as powerful as a First-level spell.

If he were to store any spell, undeniably he should store Large Fireball which was powerfully forceful in order to maximize the potential of Bell Pendant.

However, that raised another question – could the Bell Pendant withstand Large Fireball, which was almost similar to a First-level spell?

Merlin was not able to make an accurate inference for now. At least not until he had tried it out.

Chapter 36: Bandits I

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

A Large Fireball could only be released after Merlin stored three normal Fireball.

Therefore, Merlin swiftly performed three normal Fireball. When the gray horizontal frame in Awareness turned red, Merlin shrouded his Mind Power onto the Bell Pendant to further agitate the red horizontal frame.

"Large Fireball!"

In an instant, a burning sensation seemed to rise quickly. Fortunately, Merlin had already aimed Bell Pendant at the huge fireball. At the stimulation of Merlin's Mind Power, the Bell Pendant released a powerful force of attraction almost immediately.

This force of attraction immediately absorbed that huge fireball into the pendant.

Merlin was overjoyed. He promptly extended his Mind Power into the Bell Pendant. He found out that the huge fireball had indeed been stored inside one of those tiny cells firmly. Merlin only had to stimulate this huge fireball slightly with Mind Power to release it.

"It's a success, the Bell Pendant can endure Large Fireball!"

Merlin finally heaved a sigh of relief. There was a total of eighteen tiny cells inside of Bell Pendant. In other words, the pendant was able to store eighteen Large Fireball. This meant that Merlin could continuously release eighteen Large Fireball at his wish. Its tremendous force was beyond imagination.

"Very well, the Bell Pendant can definitely increase my combat ability substantially!"

Hence, Merlin started utilizing his Magic Power in the room to repeatedly release normal Fireball. He then stored each Large Fireball he attained into Bell Pendant.

Although this process was troublesome and consumed an abundance of Magic Power, Merlin had the whole night to fill up all eighteen tiny cells left in Bell Pendant.

***************

Thick snow covered the field of an abandoned ranch. A few men dressed in white robes and silver armors sat in front of the fire, seemingly in the middle of a discussion.

The campfire blazed merrily, emitting bursts of heat that melted the surrounding snow into puddles.

These three men were thin. They all had golden masks on their face to conceal their appearances from sight. One of the shorter men threw a piece of firewood at the fire, and said with a sneer, "Oh, it's finally time to get started. But it's only a Wilson, a Second-level Fire Swordsman. Is he worth the three of us to strike at once?"

"Queiro, of course, there's no need to employ all three of us for just a Wilson. But, the church is involved this time, that's why we can't let our guard down."

"Relo, Angus, let me deal with Wilson later. I would like to see how long a mere nobleman from Blackwater City can endure my force."

"Alright, hush now, the both of you. The church does not care much about Blackwater City, let alone a mere Wilson. Still, Blackwater City forms a very favorable defensive circle with Grand City in the east and Rute City in the west. Therefore, we must take down these three cities at the least cost in order to cope with the possible intrusion from the Kingdom of Blackmoon during our temporary chaos."

The last man who spoke with authority appeared to be the leader of the three. The other two listened attentively when he spoke.

"Angus, Lord Bishop had instructed for you to be the leader of us three. Tell us exactly what we should do."

Angus looked up at the black void of space and said in a low voice, "Everything will be fine in Blackwater City under the inspection of Sir Jason. We're responsible for things outside of Blackwater City, and we must ensure there aren't any problems! Other towns lacking potential in strengths are not important enough to be of our concern, save for this Wilson's territory that even stationed a group of heavy armor knights. Allowing them into Blackwater City is not going to benefit Sir Jason's control on Blackwater City.

"That's why Lord Bishop commands us to keep Wilson in his territory forever, at all costs! God will bless us; the God of Light will always be with us!"

Angus's voice was cold. His body filled with the urge to kill.

"God of Light be with us!"

The other two men in golden masks suddenly stood up. Their expression solemn.

***************

Dawn had just broken when someone knocked on Merlin's bedroom door.

"Young Master Merlin, Lord Baron had asked for you to depart for Blackwater City at once."

A maidservant dressed in gray called out softly.

"Alright."

Merlin, on the other side of the door, was looking exhausted, his face as pale as a sheet. However, his eyes were gleaming with excitement.

That was because he had spent the whole night casting Fireball incessantly. He waited patiently while he replenished his Magic Power, and then continued casting more Fireball.

Hence, throughout the night, Merlin did not have time to even take forty winks. In spite of that, he managed to fill up every tiny cell in Bell Pendant before dawn. With this Bell Pendant, Merlin did not even have to use any Magic Power. With only a slight utilization of his Mind Power, he could continuously release eighteen Large Fireball.

Merlin rose to his feet. He used a thin linen rope to fasten the Bell Pendant and hung it in front of his chest. By doing so, it was convenient to release the spells in Bell Pendant without attracting too much attention.

"Isn't it too early to set off?"

Merlin left his room and went downstairs. He realized numerous knights standing closely next to each other was already waiting outside of the castle. Among them, those two hundred heavy armored knights stood out the most. They were trained personally under Old Wilson with painstaking effort. Their combat abilities were amazingly terrifying.

By now, Old Wilson, who was also dressed in his black armor, stood on the stone steps outside of the castle. He frowned slightly as Merlin came downstairs. "What's the matter? Have you not rest well last night?"

Merlin shook his head and smiled. "It's nothing. I haven't quite gotten used to the castle, that's all. Father, are you deploying all the knights away from the territory?"

"Not all, but only the heavy-armored knights. The rest are to stay here in order to protect the territory from those bandits!"

Old Wilson shook his head slightly. He was not planning to completely remove the defensive force within the territory.

"Eh? What's this noise?"

Old Wilson who was about to depart suddenly shifted his gaze to the distant. A chaotic noise muddled with irregular clatters of horses' hooves came to ear, as clouds of smoke and dust filled the air.

"Oh no, the bandits. Knights, ready to fight!"

Old Wilson's facial expression changed as he got hold of the situation, and immediately he shouted out the order.

Instantly, crowds of knights outside of the castle went on the alert. They drew the greatsword behind their back and got into a defensive formation. With utmost concentration, their gazes were affixed to the front.

Chapter 37: Bandits II

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

With the passing of time, the thick fog that shrouded the castle dispersed gradually. Now, everyone could clearly see the groups of knights that appeared in front of them.

They sped down the path, kicking up an overwhelming amount of smoke and dust into the air. The groups were estimated to be around two to three thousand knights, or even more.

Old Wilson and the knights in the territory were combat-ready and on alert. Their greatswords flashed with a cold light. At the command of Old Wilson, they would charge forward to fight immediately.

However, Old Wilson did not give the order even after stalling for a long time. Instead, he was getting more concerned.

"3,000 people, at least 3,000 bandits," Old Wilson whispered. His facial expression grew even more serious.

Then, in a low voice, he called out to Prat who was by his side, "Prat, protect Merlin. No matter what the situation is, you've to keep him alive!"

Prat hesitated for a moment but he followed the order and went to Merlin. Ever since he left the battlefield with Old Wilson, he had never seen him feeling such worried and nervous.

"All heavy armored knights, get into formation. Be ready to charge!" Old Wilson yelled aloud.

In an instant, the knights dressed in black heavy armor aimed the long spears in their hands at the sky. They queued up behind Old Wilson, prepared for the charge at any time.

Soon, a large crowd of bandits swarmed forward in an orderly formation. They came to a halt at a few hundred meters away from the castle, and gradually, three men in white robes who were wearing golden masks emerged from the crowd.

Old Wilson narrowed his eyes. He figured that these three masked men should be the leaders of these bandits. On cursory examination, there was a large number of bandits and they seemed to be able to surround the entire castle.

In terms of quantity, Old Wilson's most combative two hundred heavy armored knights were much lesser in comparison with the bandits. At most, they could gather up to a thousand including the other six to seven hundred knights within the territory. In comparison with the 3,000 bandits in front of them, Old Wilson's strength was indeed too small.

Moreover, judging from the orderly marching of these bandits, Old Wilson concluded that their combat literacy was at a commendable level where it was only possible after rigorous training.

Seeing the group of bandits in front of him, Old Wilson felt that he was back at the cruel battlefield. He felt as if he was not facing a group of scattered bandits but a group of well-trained elite army troop.

"When were bandits eligible for such quality training?"

Old Wilson's eyes flashed like lightning as his gaze swept across the large group of bandits in front of him, before finally landed his gaze onto the leaders of the bandits – the three men who were wearing golden masks. Only by defeating them that he was able to protect the territory.

At this thought, Old Wilson raised his greatsword with one hand, and shouted at the two hundred heavy armored knights behind him, "In the name of the knight's glory, attack!"

"In the name of the knight's glory, attack!"

Two hundred heavy armored knights yelled in unison. The tremendous momentum shown was so intense that it seemed like they did not regard those three thousand bandits in front of them as a threat. Their imposing manner shook the earth.

This was the heavy armored knight troop which Old Wilson had constructed after spending more than ten years of effort and almost half of the taxes collected from the territory. Finally, today would be these heavy armored knights' first battle!

"Boom!"

Like a landslide, the two hundred heavy armored knights moved and shook the earth. Two hundred heavy armored knights followed closely behind Old Wilson as they rushed forward to the bandits like a black torrent.

Old Wilson fought at the forefront of his men. Leading the two hundred heavy armored knights, he rushed out to make a bloody opening path. No matter how many bandits were there, they could not seem to resist the impact of the heavy armored knights.

The heavy armor on the knights was not destructible by ordinary swords and spears as a powerful force was required to damage it. Only when the knights fell over the horse or when they were exhausted by the fight, which left them with no combat power, that these groups of heavy armored knights could be taken down.

Old Wilson led the two hundred heavy armored knights through the battlefield and killed more than 300 thieves in just one attack. Yet, he did not injure himself. The three men wearing golden masks in the distance looked at Old Wilson who was leading the heavy armored knights, attacking the bandits incessantly. Although they concealed their appearances, they looked tough to bring down.

"Such powerful heavy armored knight troop. This Wilson is indeed something. No wonder he survived the Slaughterhouse. It'll be great if he can return to the arms of God…" one of the men wearing a golden mask muttered disappointedly.

"Angus, we can't let him go on like this. I'll take him down and that should collapse his heavy armored knights."

The three of them could make out that Old Wilson was the soul of the heavy armored knights, just like the alpha in a pack of wolves. With Old Wilson charging in the front of the battlefield, this heavy armored knight troop was fearless, as if nothing would go wrong.

Therefore, to defeat this heavy armored knight troop, they must take down Old Wilson.

"Queiro, Lelo, the two of you go together. Be sure to eliminate Wilson!" Angus said coldly.

"Haha, Angus, be rest assured. It's just a Wilson, how much does he have?"

Hence, the two white-robed men wearing golden masks rushed to Old Wilson on a horseback.

Although Old Wilson's heavy armored knights were invincible that almost no one could fight against them, the number of bandits was too great in comparison after all. Even if they tried to break through from either side, they could hardly go beyond the tight encirclement. Instead, the number of bandits surrounding them seemed to increase gradually.

Queiro and Lelo quickly rushed down. They commanded some bandits to separate Old Wilson from his heavy armored knights.

Queiro, with short red-hair, rushed directly at Wilson's face. He slowly pulled out a greatsword, all the while staring fiercely at Old Wilson.

"Remember, you're dead in the hands of Queiro!" Queiro bellowed, and the greatsword in his hand released a blinding light. Even in the melee, this ray of light dazzled in the battlefield.

Looking at the ray of light on Queiro's sword, Old Wilson's expression changed as he realized it was an unbelievable powerful wave produced from the Light Elements. The voice that came through his throat next sounded slightly hoarse, "Light Elements… You're a Guardian Swordsman from the church?"

Old Wilson was shocked. He thought he was dealing with bandits, not Light Swordsmen who could control the Light Elements. He was clear that this kind of Light Swordsman would surely be taken in by the church to become the Guardian Swordsman.

In the blink of an eye, these bandits had become the highly respectable Guardian Swordsmen from the church, and it came as a tremendous surprise. Even Old Wilson did not know what was going on.

Chapter 38: The Fight I

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

"Swish!"

Queiro's greatsword which was emitting a terrifying light slammed down directly toward Old Wilson's head.

Despite the great shock, Old Wilson quickly regained his focus. Both of his hands clenched tightly around the greatsword, and he groaned in a low voice. In an instant, the greatsword burst into a fiery flame. Gradually, the fire became bigger and burned intensely while emitting a scorching temperature.

"Light Sword!"

"Flame Cleave!"

It was as if diamond cut diamond when the two greatswords collided with one another. As a result, the flames intertwined and the white light produced strange noises.

"Bang!"

The flames on Old Wilson's greatsword was obviously not a match for the white light on Queiro's greatsword, yet both men staggered a few steps backward simultaneously. Surprisingly, they were somewhat on an equal strength.

"Third-level Light Swordsman!"

Old Wilson narrowed his eyes. After the previous round, he had already got hold of his opponent's ins and outs. The other party was a Third-level Light Swordsman who was evidently more skillful at manipulating Elements than himself.

"What a powerful force! A Second-level Fire Swordsman definitely doesn't possess such mighty pure strength!"

Queiro was also astonished. The former pride in his face was gradually replaced by concern. He noticed that Old Wilson was only a Second-level Fire Swordsman but in a contest of strength, they were rather equal. The explosive power within Old Wilson's burly built was indispensable.

"See, Queiro, you can't deal with him alone. Haha, Angus is right to not underestimate him. An opponent who survived the Slaughterhouse must be someone extraordinary!"

Another man in a golden mask came forward to Old Wilson. Slowly, he drew out a greatsword, demonstrating that his action spoke louder than words.

"Yet another Third-level Light Swordsman!"

Old Wilson examined the two men carefully as he tried to come up with a countermeasure.

"Attack!"

The two Third-level Light Swordsmen – Queiro and Lelo – joined together to attack Old Wilson. In an instant, the place where the three of them were standing was cleared into a relatively quiet space. No one wanted to be close to them. Once they were near, they would be injured by the scattering Light Elements and Fire Elements.

Although Old Wilson was besieged by two Third-level Light Swordsmen, he was still able to support himself and carried on. His outstanding talents had gifted him a powerful force that seemed almost endless. Therefore, even if he was only a Second-level Fire Swordsman, he was able to rival against an Elemental Swordsman who almost reached the peak of Third-level potential.

The more Queiro and Lelo fought against him, the more their faces fell. Before this, the two of them were confident that it was easy to kill Wilson. Now, they were struggling to keep up.

"He's a monster. How is his body so strong?"

The two men glanced helplessly at Angus who was watching the fight.

Angus was the last man wearing a golden mask. He had been paying attention to Old Wilson. He noticed that Old Wilson waved his massive greatsword like a giant, fearless in fighting against the two Third-level Light Swordsmen.

Even in terms of strength, neither Queiro nor Lelo dared to confront Old Wilson. If they were not careful, they would be defeated by his terrifying force.

"It seems that even Lord Bishop has underestimated Wilson. Such powerful people do exist in this small city of Blackwater…" Angus whispered to himself as he pulled out the greatsword on his back gradually.

"Swish!"

A ball of dazzling white light, much stronger than Queiro's and Lelo's, radiated from the greatsword.

Angus grasped the greatsword with both hands and quickly dashed near Old Wilson, ready to join the battle.

'Three Third-level Light Swordsmen… More than fifty First and Second-level Light Swordsmen… They're definitely not a group of ordinary bandits but the guardians of the church!'

During this time, Merlin was kept safe under the protection of Prat and numerous other knights in the territory where he was leisurely observing the situation on the battlefield.

The strength of Old Wilson had far exceeded Merlin's prediction. The powerful Old Wilson, who was like the God of War, relied on pure strength to compete against the two forceful Third-level Light Swordsmen. This was indeed extremely astonishing to watch.

When Merlin had not mastered the power of the spell, his dealing with Rolin, also a Third-level Elemental Swordsman, had left him wretched where he almost died in Rolin's hands.

Therefore, he understood thoroughly the might of Third-level Elemental Swordsmen.

"Young Master Merlin, please head back to the castle. We pledge our lives to defend the castle!"

General Prat had quietly arrived in front of Merlin. He took out his greatsword while staring coldly at the bandits in front.

Led by two Second-level Light Swordsmen, there was a group of bandits rushing directly toward the castle. Prat had come forward to protect with his back to the wall.

"Come on, I've survived the Slaughterhouse, not to mention you little bandits!"

Prat sounded rather crazy. His greatsword also emitted traces of flame but they were not as strong as Old Wilson's as he was only a First-level Fire Swordsman. The dozens of knights guarding Merlin simply was not strong enough to deal with the hundreds of bandits and two Second-level Light Swordsmen in front.

"Young Master Merlin, don't worry, Yaguez will definitely protect you."

The person nearest to Merlin now was the young knight Yaguez who was about sixteen or seventeen years old. He was the one who had escorted him to the castle.

Yaguez had a stern look on his face and it was washed with determination. Merlin believed that Yaguez would not hesitate to stand up and protect him in any chance of danger.

"Yaguez, you'll be a great knight someday!"

A smile flashed across Merlin's face as if he did not feel the tension of the situation. Then, he jumped off the horse and walked straight toward Prat.

"Uncle Prat."

"Well? Young Master Merlin? Why haven't you return to the castle? It's dangerous –"

Merlin shook his head slightly before Prat could finish his sentence and interrupted calmly, "Uncle Prat, gather the remaining knights and retreat to the back to defend the castle. As for these bandits…"

As his voice fell, Merlin looked quietly at the group of bandits who were galloping at the speed of the wind.

"Whoosh!"

Without warning, two fist-sized fireballs appeared in front of Merlin, floating silently in the air while exuding an intimidating atmosphere.

"As for these bandits… Let me handle them!"

Prat was still stunned when Merlin's voice echoed in his ears.

Merlin stretched out his fair hands and gently pointed forward. In the blink of an eye, the two fireballs floating in front of him flew toward the bandits who were rushing toward Merlin.

Chapter 39: The Fight II

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

Angus finally struck and fought with great speed. The white light radiating on his greatsword flew toward Old Wilson like a venomous snake.

"Whoosh!"

Without mercy, a ray of white light pierced through Old Wilson's black armor. Fresh red blood immediately oozed from the slit.

Old Wilson retreated a few steps and held his hand to the wound. He narrowed his eyes and gave Angus a deadly stare. His armor was manufactured after three years of work, using materials of the highest resistance and could resist almost any kind of spears and swords. Even a Third-level Elemental Swordsman would struggle to break his armor.

Due to this, he was able to fight against the two Third-level Light Swordsmen – Queiro and Lelo – with such ease. This armor suit had definitely proved its worth.

However, this armor could no longer effectively assist Old Wilson in defending from his opponents. Angus' strike had left Old Wilson feeling deeply threatened, which was something that he had experienced in the Slaughterhouse. It was an influential existence extremely on par with a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman.

The difference between Elemental Swordsmen was indeed very much distinct – First-level to Third-level were beginner Elemental Swordsmen, Fourth-level to Sixth-level were intermediate Elemental Swordsmen, and Seventh-level to Ninth-level were advanced Elemental Swordsmen.

Therefore, even though there was only one gap from Third-level to Fourth-level, it was a massive one.

Angus, who was right in front, ranked somewhere between Third-level and Fourth-level, though infinitely close to Fourth-level as he was extremely powerful. Even with Old Wilson's innate talent and sturdy defensive armor, it was difficult to fight against Angus.

"It seems that I'll not escape from fate today… Tell me, why does the church want my life?"

Old Wilson looked rather savage as he licked his dried lips while he spoke. He had already guessed by now that these people were not bandits but people from the church!

Angus raised aloft the greatsword in his hand, his palms wrapped tightly around the handle. "What's the point of knowing now? Queiro, Lelo, do it!"

Although Angus was, in fact, more powerful than Old Wilson, he chose to not underestimate his opponent. To be safe, he sought assistance from Queiro and Lelo to ensure nothing would go wrong.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted. Countless red flames caught on and scattered around. As the wind blew, the fire which was accompanied by a burning smell drifted along.

"What happened?"

Angus furrowed his brows as he shifted his attention to the direction of the strange noise.

…

"Bang!"

As the low-pitched sound left Merlin's lips, the two fireballs exploded in the speedy flight. The nearest bandit was only half a meter away from the explosion.

The fireballs released by Merlin contained horribly high heat. Although they were only the size of a fist, they were made up of a myriad of compressed Fire Elements.

The fist-sized fireball was able to directly melt an armor made of fine iron. Once blown up, the scattered flames were enough to cause terrible deaths.

Moreover, this explosion was caused by two fireballs at once. The bandits who came galloping at high speed were directly blown up by the two fireballs before they could figure out what was happening. Even the two leading Second-level Light Swordsmen were hit by the unexpected heatwaves and fell heavily on the ground, both gravely injured.

This sudden change had shocked many people. Merlin glanced toward the place where Old Wilson was under siege by the three Third-level Light Swordsmen. Merlin went straight to the old man who was in a hot water.

"The heretic! The heretic! The evil heretic from the Kingdom of Blackmoon!"

Finally, someone recognized Merlin's identity and began to scream in terror.

"The evil heretic that blasphemes against God!" a Second-level Light Swordsman shouted aloud and soon his body was shrouded in an aggressive white light. A greatsword in hand, he charged toward Merlin from behind.

"Fireball!"

Using his Mind Power, Merlin could sense movements in his surrounding without having to turn his head around. Therefore, he quickly released a fireball and sent it across his back.

"Whoosh!"

The speed of the fireball was extremely fast, leaving only a faint trail of red shadow before it slammed into the chest of the Light Swordsman.

The chest of the Light Swordsman could not resist the force of the fireball at all. It melted instantly and burned a bloody hole in the chest of the Light Swordsman.

"Plop!"

The Light Swordsman, not even anywhere close to Merlin, fell directly to the ground, his chest emitting black smoke.

'A Large Fireball next!'

Merlin noticed in his Awareness that the gray horizontal frame representing Large Fireball had turned red. This meant that he was able to release a Large Fireball.

Due to Merlin's recent incessant meditation practice, his progress on Mind Power advanced rapidly. His control of the fireball had reached the point of perfection. For instance, the fireball released earlier was much faster in speed, making it impossible to defend, than that in Blackwater City.

This was the benefit of a strong Mind Power as it allowed better control of spells.

After killing this Second-level Light Swordsman, Merlin raised his head and looked around at the surrounding bandits. Everyone was afraid of Merlin where no one dared to come forward.

Heretic is used to address on a person who represented evil, cruelty, and mastered peculiar power! Moreover, now that they saw the spells released by Merlin with their own eyes, they felt unbelievably and incredibly fearful, hence they dared not come forward.

Thousands of bandits were stunned by Merlin. He looked around and never did he feel more confident than at this moment. He felt "powerful" for the first time.

'Spell Caster is the existence of the world's strongest force!'

Merlin thought of a sentence in old man Etha's Spell Manual, used to describe the Spell Casters. It seemed not far from the truth.

As no one stepped forward, it did not take Merlin long to reach Old Wilson's side. He held the injured old man gently by hand and looked at the three men wearing golden masks.

"Father, leave them to me," Merlin said softly to Old Wilson.

"Spell Caster… I didn't expect to encounter a Spell Caster here. Even though you're just an Entrance-level Spell Caster, that's not something we can deal with. Unfortunately, we didn't bring forth our archers. Otherwise, an Entrance-level Spell Caster will not pose any threat," Angus, who was still wearing the mask, ended his sentence with a long, meaningful sigh.

His tone was full of unwillingness.

Chapter 40: Grand Operation

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

After Angus finished his sentence, Merlin studied the masked man in front of him carefully. The other person knew much about Spell Casters. Besides, he addressed Merlin as a "Spell Caster" rather than a "heretic" like the others.

Indeed, he had spoken the fact. Merlin could not cope with hundreds and thousands of arrows with his mere Zero-level spell.

"Angus, a heretic is enough for you to give up?"

Another masked man shifted his attention at Merlin. In that instant, the white light on his greatsword shone even brighter.

"Merlin, be careful. All three of them are Third-level Light Swordsmen," Old Wilson reminded Merlin weakly as he pressed his palm at the wound on his stomach.

"Attack!"

One of the masked men was furious at Merlin's indifference. The white light on his greatsword extended to almost a meter long and was aimed directly at Merlin from the top.

"Fireball!"

A hint of coldness flashed across Merlin's eyes. He threw his hands out and two fireballs rose up into the air instantly. This was not a Large Fireball but a normal Fireball. Based on Merlin's current accumulated Magic Power in the Spell Model situated in his Awareness, he was able to cast more than ten spells simultaneously.

As his Mind Power increased, the fireballs he released moved at a greater speed and became even harder for the others to avoid.

"Bang!"

The corner of Merlin's mouth curled up into a sneer. Two fireballs blasted in the air, scattering numerous flames in all directions. In an instant, that masked man was engulfed in a sea of frantic flames.

The masked man screamed in the flames while his body gave off a burning stench.

The scattering flames released from Fireball were scorching hot, that they were able to melt fine iron, let alone a Third-level Light Swordsman.

The other party wailed a few more times before falling to the ground and then, there was a dead silence.

"Queiro!" Angus and Lelo shouted simultaneously.

At the same time, the white light around their body lit up in an instant. Both of them split into two different directions and rushed toward Merlin.

Merlin shook his head slightly. He found himself in a fix when he first dealt with Rolin but now he could kill a Third-level Elemental Swordsman with a flick of his fingers. In addition, he was more familiar with the power of a Spell Caster. His Mind Power had also advanced progressively where he was able to control spells with more precision.

Therefore, at the first moment the two men moved, Merlin had already cast a Large Fireball.

"Whoosh!"

A gigantic fireball floated in the air. The entire fireball appeared somewhat unstable as its concentrated Fire Elements were compressed to the extreme.

"Bang!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Merlin detonated the fireball right away. The gigantic fireball set off a huge wave and the violent force slammed into Angus and Lelo mercilessly.

Upon contact with the impactful force of the fireball explosion, they were thrown to the air accompanied by tiny scattering flames.

As the tiny scattering flames were produced from the Fireball, even a tiny flame was compressed by countless Fire Elements which could result in a terrifying force. A slight touch was able to drill a bloody hole into the human body.

However, both Angus and Lelo were Third-level Light Swordsmen. They could more or less resist the impact of the scattering flames but it was the strong force of the fireball explosion that affected them.

Merlin was not about to stop now. A Large Fireball had caused injuries on Angus and Lelo, hence he released two more Fireballs. Two fist-sized fireballs flew toward the men silently like a quiet ghost.

"Boom!"

A fireball penetrated through Lelo's head directly, burning off half his head.

Angus managed to block the other fireball with his arm. Upon contact, the horrible heat of the fireball burned Angus' arm right away. Enduring severe pain, Angus jumped on his horse and fled to the opposite direction immediately.

"It's too late to leave now!"

Merlin would not let Angus escape. Although Angus rode away quickly, Merlin's Fireball flew faster and slammed directly into Angus' thin and defenseless armor. It was directly penetrated by the fireball and a large hole, the size of a bowl, burned Angus' back.

Angus fell from the horse and there was no more movement.

All three Third-level Light Swordsmen were dead. The bandits who witnessed the death of their three leaders went into chaos. Countless bandits screamed and wailed for retreat.

General Prat seized this opportunity and led the remaining hundreds of knights in the territory to a violent charge. Moments later, at least 500 dead bodies surrounded the castle.

Merlin did not continue to fight. Instead, he helped the injured Old Wilson into the castle and directed the servants to start clearing the corpses outside.

Half an hour later, Prat returned to the territory with numerous knights. He reached the castle and reported to Old Wilson, "Lord Baron, the bandits have been driven off. It's estimated that they'll not pose a threat to the territory within a short period of time."

Old Wilson, whose face was as white as a sheet, struggled to sit up and replied coldly, "Any captives?"

Prat nodded in response. Several knights brought more than a dozen wounded captives into the hall and made them kneel in front of Old Wilson.

Old Wilson narrowed his eyes as he swept his gaze across the dozens of captives. He asked in a deep voice, "Speak only the truth. What conspiracy has the church planned?"

The captives exchanged glances at each other before replying cautiously, "Lord Baron, we're not part of the church. We're bandits that loiter on the border between the Kingdom of Blackmoon and the Kingdom of Light. A year ago, our leader was killed by the guardians of the church. Later, we've been incorporated into this knight troop. Apart from the two hundred backbone members of the church, the rest of us are actually just bandits. We know nothing about the church's conspiracy."

"I heard that the church is going to have a grand operation and will take action on Grand City, Blackwater City, and Rute City."

The captives looked at Old Wilson with pleading eyes after they had finished speaking.

"Bring them out and kill them all!" Old Wilson's face turned ghastly pale, his tone as cold as ice. Soon, the dozens of captives were taken out by Prat to be murdered.

"Merlin, we must head back to Blackwater City as soon as possible!" Old Wilson lifted his head, revealing his tired face which was washed over with worry and concern.

Chapter 41: Second Spell Model

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

A cavalry group consisted of about hundred knights sped through the wide boulevard, leaving trails of dust and dirt.

Merlin, with his eyes closed, was meditating inside the carriage which was traveling among the troop.

'The Mind Power should be enough to construct a second Spell Model!'

Not bothered at all by the bumpy carriage ride, Merlin opened his eyes while the corner of his mouth curled into a smile. He was currently following Old Wilson's knight troop to Blackwater City.

Merlin had no idea what Old Wilson had guessed from the captives' words, but Old Wilson's serious expression at that time revealed he must have understood something.

"It's only afternoon now. At this speed, we'll probably arrive in Blackwater City tomorrow morning. I should take advantage of this time to construct Frost's Spell Model in my Awareness," Merlin muttered in a low voice as he drew the curtain and looked at the sky.

Merlin spent almost all his time in Blackwater City to meditate. Now, a month later, his Mind Power had finally increased to the level where he can support a second Spell Model.

Hence, Merlin intended to construct a second Spell Model in the carriage.

From within his arms, Merlin pulled out a few yellowish papers which contained several complicated Spell Models. These were Frosts which Merlin obtained from Rolin.

He had long decided for Frost to be the second Spell Model to be constructed in his Awareness. When his Mind Power was able to control two Spell Models, he would then commence to construct it immediately.

"Activate the Matrix!"

Without hesitation, Merlin activated the Matrix. It was crucial in the process of constructing a Spell Model. Otherwise, with Merlin's current capability, it would require a long duration to construct a stable Spell Model.

"The Matrix is activated. Please set up a mission!"

"Start analyzing Frost's Spell Model!"

"Beep. Mission established. Ready to analyze!"

The Matrix had a strong analytical and computational ability. It was also able to analyze Spell Models with ease. After all, Merlin had analyzed Fireball with the Matrix previously.

About half an hour later, Merlin could hear the familiar mechanical female voice in his mind.

"Beep. Analysis completed. A total of 126,541 Spell Models are analyzed."

Merlin nodded silently. This result was within his expectation. Previously, about 180,000 Spell Models were analyzed for Fireball.

"Choose ten most stable spells and compare them to the prototype of Frost. Then, decide on one Spell Model that's the most stable and most aggressive!"

After issuing the order, Merlin waited quietly for the Matrix's final choice.

"Beep. The Matrix has chosen the sixth Spell Model for you!"

Immediately, a complicated Spell Model appeared in Merlin's mind. Any Normie with an insufficient level of Mind Power would instantaneously feel dizzy at the sight of this Spell Model.

However, after a long period of meditation, Merlin's current Mind Power had increased tremendously for him to be able to control two Spell Models. He had attained the conditions for constructing a second Spell Model in his Awareness.

He closed his eyes and his Mind Power began to fully construct the Spell Model by the Matrix.

Constructing a Spell Model using Mind Power required a long duration of at least a few hours. It demanded full concentration and complete usage of Mind Power to simulate the complex Spell Models in the Awareness.

Merlin had experience in constructing a Spell Model, hence, this time he was familiar with the procedure. Soon, he started utilizing his Mind Power to carefully construct the Spell Model.

One hour, two hours, three hours…

Merlin was completely immersed in the construction of Spell Model. He did not feel any discomfort despite the bumpy carriage ride.

"Boom!"

Finally, Merlin felt as if there was an explosion in his mind, which was then filled with a cold chilly sensation. A brand-new Spell Model appeared in his Awareness.

"At last, Frost's Spell Model!"

With his face full of surprise, Merlin opened his eyes. Slowly, he felt Frost's Spell Model absorbing the surrounding Ice Elements in his Awareness.

Even Merlin, who was wearing a thick coat, could not help but shudder at the cold.

The Spell Models in Merlin's Awareness, namely Fireball and Frost, were two Spell Models which behave opposite of each other. However, the two got along well, rotating slowly as each absorbed their respective Elements.

Merlin rejoiced secretly. Having two Spell Models in his Awareness was indeed a relatively huge burden for his Awareness but he was able to withstand it thoroughly. Moreover, he could continue meditating to increase his Mind Power. Eventually, even this dense feeling would disappear.

"Let me try the power of Frost!"

Merlin used his Mind Power to activate the Frost's Spell Model.

"Frost!"

A group of ice crystals appeared immediately on the wooden bracket inside the carriage, wrapping the wooden bracket tightly and emitting a chilling sensation. It looked solid.

"Fireball!"

Merlin cast Fireball right after seeing the formation of ice crystals. Using the control of Mind Power, Merlin moved the fireball under the ice crystal carefully.

This group of ice crystals persisted for a while before finally melting into water droplets by the high temperature of Fireball. Merlin was very satisfied as the purpose of Frost was not to hurt people but to bind the opponent in place.

Once frozen by such solid ice crystal, even a Third-level Elemental Swordsman could free from it within seconds.

"If I've obtained Frost before the bandits' attack, I could kill those three Third-level Light Swordsmen in a single blow."

Merlin's eyes brimmed with brilliance as he watched water droplets dripping from the ice crystals.

Now that he attained a Binding spell, his strength was undoubtedly doubled. No matter the number of the low-level elemental swordsmen, they would no longer pose a threat to Merlin.

However, Merlin had just constructed Frost's Spell Model. Now, he was only able to release about two or three Frosts.

Merlin did not continue casting Frost. Instead, he immersed his Mind Power in the Awareness again to carefully examine the changes happening around Frost's Spell Model.

"As expected, another gray horizontal frame appeared, just like Fireball!"

Merlin was overjoyed as he attained his wish to see a gray horizontal frame around Frost's Spell Model, similar to the horizontal frame in front of Fireball's Spell Model.

In other words, after he released three Frosts, he had the opportunity to release a more powerful Frost – Large Frost.

Chapter 42: Ambition

Translator: J_Squared Editor: J_Squared

The carriage kept on moving. There were sounds of running horses outside. Even if Merlin did not look out of the window, he knew a little that the carriage was going at a great speed from the tremor he felt in the carriage.

"Clang."

Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt. The curtain was pulled open and a gust of cold wind blew in.

"Father."

Merlin showed a questioned look because the one who pulled the curtain down was Old Wilson.

Old Wilson nodded slightly and climbed into the carriage. His face seemed slightly pale, but he looked much better now.

"Father, how's your injury?" Merlin looked at Old Wilson's stomach. There was still a cut on his black armor at that area.

"I'm alright. It's just a cut." Old Wilson paused a little. Then, he raised his head as his eyes stared right at Merlin for a while. He gave a long sigh. "Merlin, you've truly grown up and you can handle the burden of the whole family! There's something I must tell you."

"Father, tell me anything." Merlin moved his body and leaned toward the back of the carriage as much as possible.

"It's about the current matter, the Church's Grand Operation. Do you have any idea what this is?" Old Wilson had a serious look.

Merlin shook his head naturally. He had guessed this was not something small. If it was, Old Wilson would not go back in a rush, but he did not know what was going on.

Usually, Church of Light would have sublime authority in the Kingdom of Light and even in a few other small kingdoms. Everyone believed in God of Light. They were the spiritual leaders of the whole Kingdom of Light.

Merlin could not think of a reason why Church of Light would want to snatch Blackwater City, putting in so much effort in the process.

Old Wilson said as he shook his head helplessly, "This matter is the most hidden secret amongst secrets in the first place. I only have some guesses these few years, but it seems to me now my guesses are becoming reality. Church of Light's influence in the Kingdom of Light is not the monopolizing force here. There are still the competing influences like the Royal Family of Light and the nobles. There's a gap between the two forces but the difference won't be large. However, in these few years, the church has grown too quickly. It has even attracted a bunch of middle-ranked nobles, and, in the name of God, rapidly expanded its armed forces."

Merlin nodded. The armed forces of Church of Light would most probably be the Guardian Swordsmen. Even those who were not Light Swordsmen, if they were willing to seek refuge with the church, they would be allowed to become the Church's Swordsman and given a certain amount of help.

These Swordsmen had nonetheless turned into the church's force.

"Ambition. Unstoppable ambition! When the church's force has expanded to a certain extent, it has finally exploded… Although I have no way of knowing the situation at other places, I can guess a little. The church's force has a definite advantage. Its action is to overturn the Royal Family of Light and build a new nation reigned by the church."

Merlin's expression changed. He thought of some countries in his past life which merged both politics with religion. The aim of Church of Light was also obvious; to merge politics with religion. The church no longer wanted to be only a spiritual leader but to rule a large nation.

The time of change had dawned upon the Kingdom of Light!

Seeing Merlin's changing expressions, Old Wilson nodded in satisfaction. Then, he said with a bitter smile, "Merlin, there will be chaos in the Kingdom of Light, so we need to get back to Blackwater City as quickly as possible. We have to save all people of the Wilson family."

If the church had the ambition just as Old Wilson had predicted, then trouble would definitely break out in the Kingdom of Light. Macy, the butler, big-breasted Madam and others were still at Wilson Castle in Blackwater City. They were all people who Old Wilson cared about, so they must be saved.

Old Wilson did not mention Spell Caster all this while. Nor did he asked about Merlin's matter as if he had forgotten about this. However, Merlin knew Old Wilson did not mention this matter on purpose.

At this moment, Merlin felt that it was necessary to explain this to Old Wilson.

"Father, my teacher is a Spell Caster from the Kingdom of Blackmoon, but he's dead now. He was killed by the Wizard in the church."

Merlin's tone was calm as he explained about the matter regarding old man Etha.

"Merlin, I've fought for so many years in battle with the Kingdom of Blackmoon. I've also seen their Spell Casters. They hold strong yet mysterious power that is above Normies. Even the powerful Elemental Swordsman is nothing in their eyes. Only the Wizards in the Inquisitor can compare to them." Old Wilson paused. Following that, he smiled as he continued, "So, I'm proud that you've become a strong Spell Caster now! The whole Wilson family is happy for you!"

After that, Old Wilson turned around and alighted from the carriage.

Merlin heaved a sigh of relief. Old Wilson had survived the "Slaughterhouse" at that time. No matter if it was the Spell Casters of the Kingdom of Blackmoon or Wizards of the Inquisitor, he had seen them all. He naturally knew that Spell Casters were the true strong ones who held insurmountable power, not the evil heretic described by the church.

The "understanding" of Old Wilson had saved Merlin from doing excessive explanation.

Merlin pulled the curtain open and saw that the sky had gradually turned dark. Many knights had lit up the fire torch for illumination. With their current speed, even if they continued their journey at night, they would only reach Blackwater City tomorrow.

After sitting in the carriage for one whole day and spending a large amount of Mind Power to simulate the second Spell Model, Merlin was exhausted. So, he lied in the carriage and closed his eyes to rest.

Merlin knew it would not be peaceful when he returned to Blackwater City tomorrow. He had to quickly recover both of his Magic Power and Mind Power.

The next morning in Blackwater City, snow was falling lightly. There was a layer of frost on the ground which seemed extremely slippery.

There were not many people on the street, so it seemed desolate.

There were a bunch of people gathered at the city gate. They were all small businessmen and vendors from Blackwater City. They were all prepared to go out of the city and do some business but the gate remained tightly closed this morning.

"What's going on? Why isn't the gate open?"

"Last night, many knights seem to have entered the city. I don't know what's going on."

"When is the gate opening?"

Many were discussing about this before the gate, but most didn't know what the reason behind the closure of gate was.

"I'm afraid there may be some big trouble at Blackwater City…"

Only the smart and experienced ones might have understood some hints from this, so they turned around in a hurry to return home.