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Chapter 56: Members of the Royal Family I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Alright, everyone. Take a rest."

Right after they walked out of the woods, Old Wilson let the large unit to take a break. Since there was a small river in front, they could replenish the water of the unit.

Old Wilson had merged his forces with Baron Parman's team, barely organizing a unit of one thousand and four hundred knights. The unit was led jointly by Old Wilson and Baron Parman. If the family members and servants were added, the whole unit consisted of approximately three thousand people.

Such a large unit could only advance slowly. However, the Church seemed to be busy with controlling the entire Kingdom of Light. Thus, they did not chase after Old Wilson and his group. Save for seeing some individual knights of the Church, they had not met any large group of Church Knights.

This had allowed the unit to carry on for ten days safely. Now, they were already close to the border of the Kingdom of Blackmoon.

In the carriage, Merlin also opened his eyes. There was only Merlin in this carriage. Macy and Big-breasted Madam had already moved to the carriage of the ladies in Baron Parman's team.

After ten days, Merlin's injuries had healed completely, and there was also an enhancement of his Mind Power. The Magic Power accumulated by his Frost was also enough to cast the spell for about seven times. As time passed by, the Magic Power in Frost would become richer.

However, the largest benefit Merlin had attained this time was not the Magic Power. It was the combination of spells.

From the battle with Wizard Jason, Merlin became greatly familiar with the combination of spells. If it was Fireball or Frost alone, it would not have brought about a big impact to the outcome.

However, once those spells were used in a combo, their power could be increased in multiple times directly. However, this was far from enough. Although he had gained a lot, at the same time, Merlin also realized his own weakness, which was his slow speed.

If his speed was fast enough, Merlin could have effectively dodged Wizard Jason's spells even if they were First-level spells. Since he was too slow, Merlin could only choose to take the hit directly. He was almost killed by Wizard Jason.

Thus, during these ten days of rest, Merlin had already confirmed the overall type of his third Spell Model. It was a Supportive spell. On top of that, it was also a Speed spell.

If he had such a spell, Merlin could cast the spell on himself and increase his speed greatly. Combined with Fireball and Frost, his power would elevate rapidly.

The Spell Manual of old man Etha once introduced that the spell would not be better simply because it was powerful. The best spell was one that was most suitable to the Spell Caster's condition.

However, Merlin did not have a Speed spell currently. He only had a Whirlwind now that was recorded in old man Etha's Spell Manual. This spell, however, is an attack type Spell, not the Speed spell Merlin was looking for.

For an Entrance-level Spell Caster like Merlin, it was enough to only have Fireball as the attack type Spell. He would not need to worry about his offensive force. If he added Whirlwind to that, it would only seem unnecessary, considering his overall power would not increase much.

Therefore, Merlin did not plan to use the Whirlwind recorded in the Spell Manual temporarily. Only until he found a more suitable spell in the future would Merlin consider constructing the Third Spell Model.

Merlin pulled the curtain open and jumped off the carriage. He came to the river, wanting to move around a little.

At the river, Merlin saw Macy chatting with a young girl. The young girl was tall and had a long, blonde hair that was pulled into a ponytail. Her hair softly swayed, giving off a youthful aura.

However, it was the girl's face that had attracted Merlin. Although he was looking from afar, Merlin could still have a clear view of her face. That was a sort of beauty beyond words. Or maybe, the word 'exquisite' would be suitable!

The young girl looked exquisite, much like a porcelain doll without a flaw. Even Gia, whom Merlin thought as the most beautiful girl, could not compare with this girl.

Merlin's gaze had gotten Macy and the young girl's attention as well. The young girl slightly nodded to Merlin from afar, then returned to the carriage with Macy.

"Avril? It doesn't seem bad to have such a fiancé…"

Merlin thought about it. He had guessed the girl's identity before. She should be Avril who was engaged with him since a long while ago. After such a long time, this was Merlin's first time seeing his supposed 'fiancée' in person.

At least, just from the looks, Avril seemed decent.

Right at this time, Old Wilson came to him from afar. He took a glance at Macy and Avril and flashed a smile as well. He said, "Merlin, Avril and you have reached the age to get married. After this, when we have settled down in the Kingdom of Blackmoon, Baron Parman and I will organize the wedding for you!"

Merlin smiled, "Father, you don't have to rush…"

However, Merlin's smile immediately stiffened. He looked behind Old Wilson suddenly and said, "Father, there's a large team of knights behind us!"

This time, it was not only Merlin who had noticed this. Everyone had noticed the team of knights as they caused too large of a commotion. The rumbling sound persisted for a while. Even a slightly experienced knight would know there were at least up to thousands of knights dashing behind him.

Unorganized sounds of horses came from the woods behind them. The sounds were becoming clearer and clearer, indicating that the team was about to approach Old Wilson and his unit.

"Formation! Prepare for battle!"

Old Wilson immediately unsheathed his sword and, together with Baron Parman, led thousands of knights to quickly protect the unit. Just like a barrier, the knights blocked in front of the others.

The women and servants who were resting all returned to the carriage in panic. They carefully stuck their heads out to watch from afar.

Merlin also came to the front. When he saw Old Wilson's grim expression, Merlin said in a low voice, "Father, let me go in front. I'll try to see who we're dealing with."

Old Wilson knew Merlin had recovered from his injuries and was a strong Spell Caster. He knew there would not be any problem. Yet, he still advised Merlin, "Merlin, you can go have a look. If it's the Church, don't do anything rash. After all, they outnumber us a lot. You can't defend against them alone."

Merlin nodded and strongly agreed to Old Wilson's words.

He was simply an Entrance-level Spell Caster now. He was far from the being able to destroy a military fortress as effortlessly as breathing. If it was to scare off thousands of knights, perhaps Merlin could still do it. However, if he was to defend against thousands of knights all by himself, Merlin had no way of doing it.

"Father, please be rest assured. I won't do anything rash."

Merlin said in a low voice. After promising Old Wilson, he carefully snuck into the thick woods.

Chapter 57: Members of the Royal Family II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

There were vines all over the quiet forest in the mountains; the trees were growing densely together. Such a complex terrain proved difficult for the knights to move through.

A troop of knights charged directly into the forest, alarming the birds in the trees.

Everyone in this troop of knights was wearing a set of bright and neat armor. Carved on the armor was a strange bird formed by flames. They were led by two young people: one male and one female.

"Sister, we should be able to reach the Kingdom of Blackmoon safely, right?"

The young man leading them had a very frail body. There was also an extreme expression of fear on his face.

"Don't worry, Benin, we'll definitely be fine."

Princess Charise reassured Benin. Although she was also merely seventeen years of age, she had already seen the slaughters of the Royal Family with her own eyes, and the situation had not bode well with Prince Frederick either. In addition to that, she had been on a wild run for over a thousand miles and had experienced countless hardships before she had finally escaped. Therefore, Princess Charise had already become very strong. In fact, the true control over the entire troop was in her hands. This was extremely difficult for a princess who was merely seventeen years old and had led a normal life of luxury and privilege.

"Commander Mance, how many of us are left?"

With a grim face, Charise asked in a deep, quiet voice.

A burly man who had been following Charise closely came forward in a hurry to give his report. "Princess Charise, we've charged out from Light City all the way and encountered a few troops of the church's knights who possess rather more powerful capabilities, so our losses have been greater. So far, we only have eight hundred knights left."

Unexpectedly, they only had eight hundred knights left. Charise's heart tightened slightly. She knew very clearly that Uncle Frederick had given them more than two thousand knights, and these knights formed the most elite army troops in the entire Kingdom of Light. The knights of the Firebird Legion!

However, even such elite knights had suffered losses amounting to almost sixty percent of their number. That was enough to show how difficult their journey had been.

Charise lowered her head and saw a ring, as black as ink, in her hand. She caressed it with her fingers gently as determination appeared on her face.

"Uncle Frederick, we'll definitely survive!"

Following which, Charise gave orders to the troop to increase their speed. They were not allowed to stop and had to hurry to the Kingdom of Blackmoon as soon as they could. Otherwise, no one could tell whether the people of the church were behind them in a relentless pursuit.

***

Rustle.

The noises of the densely-packed tree branches moving caused Old Wilson to be on immediate alert. However, when he saw the figure in front of him clearly, he let out a soft sigh and quickly went up to receive it.

"Merlin, what did you see? Is it the people of the church?"

Old Wilson's greatest worry right then was that the great hoard of masters from the church had caught up from behind.

Merlin shook his head. There was a hint of doubt on his face as he relayed everything he had seen in the woods in detail to Old Wilson.

"Father, these knights look really tired. They must've just been through an intense battle and slaughter, they don't look like they're from the church. Perhaps they are also aristocrats who aren't willing to depend on the church."

Merlin guessed that these people were also some aristocrats in the Kingdom of Light, and their positions were definitely not low. Just by looking at the excellent equipment of the knights, it was likely that only Old Wilson's heavy armored knights could daresay that they would win against this other party.

"Did you just say that there's a small bird made of flames carved on the front of those knights' armor?"

Old Wilson's expression was very grave; he was extremely serious.

Merlin nodded. He would not have mistaken such details; the fiery bird on those other people had looked rather similar to the Phoenix from Merlin's previous life so he could remember it very well.

"A small bird made of flames… that must be the Firebird! Baron Parmon, I'm afraid you've also guessed it. That's the Firebird Legion, one of the four great legions under the direct control of the Royal Family of Light! Those knights should be the knights of the Firebird Legion, and the people being protected by them are most probably the later generation of the Royal Family!"

Old Wilson's tone of voice was very solemn. His expression seemed rather agitated.

Merlin knew that Old Wilson had been a military man before. Due to the accumulation of his achievements in war, he had finally been conferred the title of an aristocrat by the Royal Family. Old Wilson had turned from a commoner into an aristocrat who owned territories and all sorts of special rights. Therefore, Old Wilson still possessed a certain loyalty towards the Royal Family of Light. This was also why the church had directly given orders to eliminate Old Wilson back then.

In fact, Old Wilson was not the only one. The church had immediately gotten rid of all the aristocrats who had been conferred their titles by the Royal Family based on their accumulation of war achievements. They would not try to rope them in.

This was because those who had been conferred their titles of aristocracy based on their accumulation of war achievements had gratitude in their hearts and were extremely loyal to the Royal Family. Most of them were unwilling to betray the Royal Family.

Merlin did not feel much for the Royal Family. Even Baron Parman, who had inherited his position as an aristocrat, was not really that loyal to the Royal Family. He merely felt pure hatred for the actions of the church.

Therefore, Merlin and Baron Parmon exchanged looks when they saw Old Wilson's agitated expression, and revealed a hint of a wry smile at the same time. They both knew what Old Wilson was thinking about.

"Father, we still can't be sure now that they are the people of the Royal Family. After all, the church has prepared for so long this time, and even more so, has gathered terrifying forces against the Royal Family. They'd absolutely not allow a single member of the Royal Family to escape, so we should still remain vigilant."

In a tactful manner, Merlin advised Old Wilson not to act rashly.

However, Old Wilson immediately waved his hand and said, as resolute as steel, "People escorted by the Firebird Legion are definitely the members of the Royal Family! Back then, when I was conferred my title by the Royal Family and became a baron, I'd personally been received by Prince Frederick, and the highest ranking commanding officer of the Firebird Legion is Prince Frederick!"

"But Merlin, what you've said is rational as well, so let's just stay put for the moment. Based on what you've said just now, all the members of the Firebird Legion should be very tired now. Perhaps they'd just been through a battle against the church earlier on, and they really need help now. We'll wait here, and after we see the members of the Firebird Legion, I'll be able to tell for myself whether they are the real deal."

After hearing Old Wilson's determined words, Merlin felt a slight headache. Old Wilson had a very resolute attitude; if he really was to confirm that this other party was the members of the Royal Family, he was afraid that Old Wilson would definitely offer them a helping hand.

In that case, this team of theirs would be in even greater danger. The members of the Royal Family would surely be the focus of the church. If Old Wilson were to make a rash decision in the heat of the moment and follow those members of the Royal Family, the entire team's safe arrival into the Kingdom of Blackmoon would become questionable.

Baron Parman also knew Old Wilson's stubborn attitude very well. All he could do was say, in a helpless manner, "Then alright, we'll wait here. But we cannot be unprepared. Let's be on alert and ensure that nothing goes wrong!"

Therefore, under Old Wilson's orders, the entire troop rested and reorganized themselves there. However, his two hundred heavy armor knights were set at the very front, ready to charge at any time.

Chapter 58: Her Highness the Princess I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Coming!"

Merlin said in a soft voice. He was able to know about any movements in the mountain forest due to the outward radiation of his Mind Power. His voice fell when, as expected, there were bursts of rustling noises coming from within the forest.

Very soon, a few hundred knights darted out from the forest. Although these excellently-equipped knights had traces of exhaustion upon their faces that they could not hide, they were immediately on alert when they saw the knights led by Old Wilson. Every one of them drew out their greatswords, making the atmosphere turn fierce immediately.

Only knights like these were the true elites. They had experienced numerous battles and slaughters, so they were able to face any situation that arose out of the blue.

"Princess, Your Highness, be careful! There are traps!"

The burly Commander Mance was extremely vigilant; he immediately commanded the weary troop of knights to assemble into a charging formation quickly, all the while glaring like a tiger at Old Wilson and the heavy armored knights behind him.

These knights of the Firebird Legion were the most elite amongst the elite, therefore they could naturally perceive how powerful Old Wilson's heavy armored knights were with just one glance. With that, they did not dare to underestimate them. Both parties immediately stood facing each other.

"They aren't enemies!"

Princess Charise slowly walked out from the midst of the crowd. She was also wearing an armor, with her long, golden tresses bunched up behind her head. They had already become somewhat withered and yellow, perhaps because she had not cleaned or washed them for a long period of time.

Although Princess Charise's face looked exhausted, her voice was still very steady and firm.

"Who are you people?"

Princess Charise swept a cool glance over Old Wilson, Baron Parman, Merlin, and the others, before letting her eyes set upon Old Wilson.

This was not because Princess Charise had some brilliant insight. Instead, it was because Old Wilson was just too unique. It was impossible for him not to attract the attention of others.

Old Wilson was almost two meters tall, with a stout and strong body; there were traces of blood stains all over the armor on his body, and his entire body emitted a terrifying aura like that of a wild beast. Anyone would feel a sense of danger upon laying their eyes on Old Wilson.

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, Commander Mance, who was next to Princess Charise, drew out his greatsword. An earthy, yellow light began to flash from the blade of the sword.

That represented the Earth Element; Mance was a powerful Third-level Earth Swordsman and was much stronger than Baron Vingult of Blackwater City.

It was obvious that Commander Mance had felt Old Wilson's dangerous aura. Therefore, it was natural that he did not behave indifferently when he saw how Old Wilson who kept on walking forward in such a direct manner.

"Stand still!"

Commander Mance bellowed. His sharp eyes fixed directly onto Old Wilson.

"No mistake about it, they're indeed the knights of the Firebird Legion!"

Old Wilson halted his footsteps and took a deep breath, before kneeling down before Princess Charise and placing his right hand upon his chest lightly. This was an extremely solemn decorum for an aristocrat.

"Baron Wilson Lehman of Blackwater City. I offer my sincerest regards to Your Highness. May I know which Highness is before me now?"

This great salutation by Old Wilson immediately loosened up the tensed atmosphere between the two parties.

"Baron?"

Watching Old Wilson, who was down on one knee, Princess Charise could feel the loyalty, determination, courage, and righteousness in Old Wilson's eyes. This was a standard knight, a knight who was loyal to the Royal Family.

There had been simply too few of such knights the moment the church had launched their attack. Most of them had thrown down their weapons and believed in the church.

"Baron Wilson, please rise. I'm the sixth princess of the Royal Family, Charise, and this is the seventh prince, Benin."

Charise was very satisfied with Old Wilson. In addition, Old Wilson's actions earlier had caused her heart to warm up slightly; it seemed that there were still many who were loyal to the Royal Family in the entire Kingdom of Light.

"So, it's Your Highness, the sixth princess. Back when I had been conferred the title of a baron and personally-received by Prince Frederick, the commander of the highest position in the Firebird Legion had been Prince Frederick. I wonder how the Prince is now?"

Old Wilson seemed to have received some favors from Prince Frederick back then, so he was extremely grateful to the Prince.

"Uncle Frederick…"

Princess Charise's expression darkened. She then shook her head, sighing softly as she spoke, "I'm afraid Uncle Frederick had been put in a really bad situation because he wanted to cover and protect Benin and me when we left…"

Hearing the news that tragedy had probably befallen Prince Frederick, Old Wilson's expression darkened slightly. In actual fact, he was not surprised. As the commander in chief of the Firebird Legion, Prince Frederick would definitely have received a heavy blow from the church. The chances of him being able to survive were slim to none.

"Your Highness, how many members of the Royal Family have managed to escape?"

Merlin suddenly stepped forward and asked. His eyes did not stop flashing as he fixed his stare tightly upon Princess Charise.

"Members of the Royal Family… Benin and I have been lucky enough to escape until here. As for the other members of the Royal Family, perhaps a few have been able to escape as well…"

Charise spoke in a tone that showed how unconfident she was. She had seen the horrifying white curtain of light that had covered the sky over Light City back then. There had been a destructive force within it; under such a power, practically no one would have been able to escape.

Perhaps, only the two of them, Benin and herself, were left of the entire Royal Family of Light.

"Your Highness!"

Hearing how Charise divulged such confidential matters before everyone, Commander Mance could not help but shake his head. Charise was still too young, after all. There were many things that she had not given full consideration to yet.

How could she speak out about such private issues so easily? Was she not attacking the prestige of the Royal Family by doing this? If people were to know that only a few members of the Royal Family had been lucky enough to escape, then would their situation become extremely precarious?

Having been given a reminder by Commander Mance, Charise came to her senses. She looked at Merlin, her eyes flashing with a hint of fury.

Merlin ignored Charise's fury, however. He lowered his head slightly and murmured in a thoughtful manner, "Looks like the Royal Family of Light is completely hopeless now. With only a few of them left, they can't pose a threat to the church at all!"

Merlin had no inherent sense of respect toward the Royal Family. In Merlin's eyes, the so-called princess and prince before him were not different from other ordinary people. In fact, it was even because of the special identities they held, they would be in a very dangerous position.

Old Wilson frowned. In a deep voice, he said, "Merlin, you mustn't be rude to the Princess!"

After reproaching Merlin, Old Wilson stood up and gave a slight bow. He spoke in a grave tone, "Your Highness, my knights are ready to serve you!"

"Father!"

"Wilson, are you mad?"

Merlin and Baron Parman shouted at the same time. There was a great anxiety on their faces.

Baron Parman walked over to Old Wilson's side in great strides, suppressing his voice to speak, "Wilson, have you really gone mad? Let's not even talk about the fact that the identities of these people are unclear, the so-called titles of 'princess' and 'prince' are just one-sided terms, and even if they really are members of the Royal Family, the church would definitely be focusing on them greatly under the current situation. Aren't we just looking for trouble if we stay with them?"

Merlin advised him as well, saying, "Father, Baron Parman is right. We can even provide them with some food and drinking water, but we absolutely cannot be with them! The entire fate of the Wilson family rests with you, Father. You must not act rashly."

No matter how Merlin and Baron Parman tried to persuade him, there was not the slightest bit of change in Old Wilson's expression. Merlin, who was familiar with Old Wilson, knew that this was his decision, and it would not be easily changed.

Chapter 59: Her Highness the Princess II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Princess Charise could not help but be slightly stunned to see Old Wilson taking the initiative to offer his allegiance. Throughout this journey, she had already seen the betrayal of too many aristocrats and had even encountered the hindrances of some who had pledged their dependence upon the church.

However, Old Wilson's expression was very solemn. The etiquette with which he treated Princess Charise was also the most honorable amongst the aristocrats, enough to prove Old Wilson's attitude.

Furthermore, there were also many knights behind Old Wilson, especially the small number of heavy armored knights. With one look, she could tell that they were the most elite amongst the elite. To gain Old Wilson's allegiance would be to gain the allegiance of so many knights.

This was an exceedingly great help to the fleeing Charise, as well as the others.

Nevertheless, just as Princess Charise was about to agree, Commander Mance, who was next to her, took a step forward and said in a soft voice, "Your Highness, our main focus now is to escape from the Kingdom of Light so we cannot be too slow. This Wilson is merely a baron, and even if he has a hundred or two heavy armored knights with strong fighting capabilities, how can he be compared to our knights of the Firebird Legion? If we bring these people, they'll undoubtedly become a burden. Look at their convoy, there are womenfolk, goods, and materials. Surely, they'll be slow, and that's a great disadvantage to us, especially when it's very likely that there are still people from the church chasing us from behind. Your Highness, please reconsider!"

Commander Mance's words caused Princess Charise, who had been in an extremely good mood, to immediately fall silent. Indeed, setting Old Wilson himself aside, he might be a strong Elemental Swordsman, and with his two hundred heavy armored knights, they might have great combat power.

Nevertheless, two hundred heavy armored knights were not all that Wilson had. He also had even more ordinary knights, some womenfolk who had no fighting capabilities at all, and heavy goods and materials. If they were to bring all these with them, the speed of the entire troop would definitely slow down. If there was a great hoard of knights from the church chasing after them, then they would be in a very dangerous situation.

A hint of hesitation appeared on Princess Charise's face. Although she had gone through many hardships during the past few days, she was still far too young. There were many decisions that had to be made by Commander Mance.

Commander Mance's words impacted Princess Charise greatly.

Princess Charise was somewhat unable to make a decision. Commander Mance gave Old Wilson a cold glance, before saying in a low voice, "Your Highness, our knights of the Firebird Legion possess extraordinary combat power; I believe Your Highness has already seen it. We're definitely capable of protecting Your Highness and His Highness the Prince very well, and we will arrive in the Kingdom of Blackmoon safely. As for the others, we should do our best to not risk having new problems and complicating the situation."

Princess Charise could sense a hint of unhappiness in Commander Mance's words, from his tone of voice. At the moment, Princess Charise and Prince Benin needed the protection of the Firebird Legion, which was under the leadership of Commander Mance. Therefore, on the issue of Old Wilson, she could not afford to create any more conflicts between herself and Commander Mance.

Thus, after a moment of hesitating, as she murmured to herself, Princess Charise made her decision.

"Baron Wilson, you are an upright, courageous and loyal aristocrat! But we still have to hurry on, and if we bring all of you along, our objectives will become tremendous. It'd be really dangerous instead. So, we should still go our separate ways."

Princess Charise sighed softly as she spoke. Following which, she left the place slowly, leading the knights of the Firebird Legion.

Hoo…

Seeing Princess Charise leave with her men, Merlin let out a long sigh of relief instead. The other party not accepting Old Wilson's allegiance had saved Merlin from having to talk a lot.

"Wilson, get up. They've left."

Baron Parman came to Old Wilson's side. Seeing that Old Wilson was still kneeling on the ground with one knee, he shook his head helplessly and spoke to him as such.

Old Wilson stood up slowly. He turned around to watch the backs of the Firebird Legion knights as they left, with a complicated expression on his face.

A long time elapsed before Old Wilson finally opened his mouth to speak. He said in an inexplicable manner, "Back then, Prince Frederick had pointed out my mistakes during training. Without him, there would be no Wilson Lehman on the battlefield, and I'd have most probably died in the 'slaughterhouse'…"

Merlin and Baron Parman exchanged looks; it turned out that there was the existence of this reason as well. Old Wilson had never mentioned it in the past.

Prince Frederick had given Old Wilson an exceedingly great help in the past. Perhaps, to Prince Frederick, it had cost him little to no effort at all. Perhaps he had never even remembered giving pointers to a quiet and nameless knight, but Old Wilson remembered it deep in his heart. Because of that, he had not even hesitated in pledging his allegiance to the Royal Family when they were in their most dangerous condition.

"Let's go. We might be safer following them from behind."

Old Wilson had recovered the side of them that was merciless and decisive, moving quickly and vigorously.

Merlin nodded. Old Wilson was right; they would be safer indeed if they followed after the knights of the Firebird Legion. At least, if any problems were to occur in front, the Firebird Legion would solve them one by one. They would practically be clearing off obstacles for Old Wilson's convoy.

After all, on their path of escape, danger did not come merely in the form of the church, but also as bandits that existed everywhere!

***

"Did you take a good look? Is it really the Firebird Legion, one of the four great armies of the Kingdom of Light?"

A man with strange patterns drawn on his face asked in a low voice.

"Big Boss, we've already looked at them clearly, the armor they're wearing is indeed, the standard armor of the Firebird Legion!"

Three men wearing clothing made out of rough cloth answered in soft voices, with traces of excitement upon their faces.

"Not bad."

The man with the strange patterns drawn on his face was the big boss of this band of people. He nodded slightly and stood up from the ground. Rubbing the black armor on his body lightly, he said with a cold smirk, "The Royal Family of Light has direct command over the Firebird Legion. Now that the Kingdom of Light is in chaos, the ones who can afford the protection of the Firebird Legion knights must be the members of the Royal Family. This is a fattened goat; members of the Royal Family will definitely have loads of wealth on them. All we have to do is take them down, and we, the Hurricane Bandits, will be able to buy sophisticated armor and sharp weapons. By then, we could even take advantage of this disorderly situation in the Kingdom of Light and attack a few cities. We won't have to be stuck here anymore."

There was a flash of excitement in the eyes of the Big Boss. Not only was he the leader of the Hurricane Bandits, but was also a bandit chief who possessed extremely wild ambitions. He even dreamt of being able to take over a few cities one day.

Now, the best chance had come; these members of the Royal Family, who might be bringing with them immeasurable treasure, currently had the protection of merely a few hundred knights. This was an opportunity gifted to them by the heavens!

"But, Big Boss, there seems to be a gigantic convoy behind this Firebird Legion, with approximately a thousand or more knights."

The few bandits hesitated for a moment, before reporting the truth.

Big Boss did not care, however. He smirked as he said, "Those are merely some small aristocrats fleeing for their lives. We've already encountered quite a few of such small aristocrats over the past few days. They've been living lives in comfort and prestige, and their knights no longer know what bloodshed in battle is. There is no more fighting blood in their bodies! We'll just scare them casually, and they'll run off pathetically."

"How about this. Third Commander and Fourth Commander. The both of you lead a thousand and five hundred brothers to go and deal with this convoy. Remember, kill all the men and bring all the women back!"

The strange patterns on Big Boss's face glinted dimly with light the color of blood, causing his expression to look exceptionally savage.

Chapter 60: The Strange Bandits I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the carriage, Merlin observed the two Spell Models within his Awareness.

The Magic Power accumulated by the Spell Model of the Fireball was already very deep and rich. Merlin made a rough estimation that he could unleash approximately twenty-five normal Fireballs.

Such a Magic Power was already immensely rich and thick. Old man Etha's Spell Manual had mentioned that a typical Spell Caster would only have just enough Magic Power to unleash thirty spells, after accumulating it for a long time. By now, though, Merlin had only been constructing his Spell Models for two or three months, but he was already coming close to achieving an accumulation that a typical Spell Caster would need several years to attain.

In the midst of all that, the Spell Models that Merlin was using The Matrix to construct were the best Spell Models chosen from one hundred and eighty thousand Spell Models. Naturally, they would be better than the Spell Models of a typical Spell Caster. At least the Spell Models in Merlin's Awareness were definitely far from being limited to merely thirty ordinary spells.

The accumulation of the Frost's Magic Power was not too slow either. He could already unleash seven or eight spells by now.

However, compared with how vigorously fast the increase of his Magic Power was, Merlin's Mind Power was growing at a lethargic pace. The speed at which his Mind Power could increase was severely limited because he was relying only on a beginner Meditation Spell.

If he were to follow such a pace and undergo cultivation step by step, at least half a year would be necessary for Merlin's Mind Power to reach a level where it could support a third Spell Model.

Half a year might not be considered slow to the average Spell Caster, but Merlin had taken only two or three months to transform himself from a Normie into a powerful Spell Caster. Therefore, half a year could already be deemed an immensely long and arduous period of time for Merlin.

Other than the slow growth of his Mind Power, there was also the problem of how scarce spells were; Merlin was no longer considering old man Etha's Whirlwind, but it was still an absurdly tedious task to find a suitable spell.

A brilliant Meditation Spell and a suitable Zero-level spell. Those were the two things that Merlin lacked now, therefore he really hoped to be able to reach the Kingdom of Blackmoon sooner. That place was the holy land of Spell Casters, so perhaps it would be easier to find some advanced Meditation Spells and Zero-level spells there.

"En? Why have we stopped?"

Merlin frowned. He felt the carriage jolt slightly, as though it had been halted in a rather hasty way. Thus, he pulled the curtains in the carriage aside and looked out.

"Master Merlin, there are bandits attacking us!"

Moss had a very calm and steady expression. He did not seem to be panicking.

Moreover, when Merlin saw the bandits in front of them, he could not help but reveal a hint of an odd look on his face. All he could see in front of the convoy was a group of people wearing colorful outfits. Their attires were not uniform; most of them had only rough linen over their entire bodies, while some of them had it slightly better, having put on some broken and old pieces of light armor.

Their weapons were also laughable and embarrassing. Most of them only had a wooden stick in their hands.

"These men are bandits?"

Merlin recalled the encounter with the Guardian Swordsmen from the church who had disguised themselves as bandits back in the Wilson territory. They had been disciplined and well trained, with excellent equipment. Perhaps those could not be considered bandits anymore, but a true army troop.

Perhaps only these people before his eyes could be considered real bandits!

There were more than a thousand of these bandits. Merlin could see very clearly that not a single one of these bandits looked frightened of the team of knights led by Old Wilson. Instead, a look of uncontrollable greed was flashing through their eyes.

Merlin looked at the heavy armored knights who had been practically armed up to their teeth, and then at the bandits with a variety of colorful outfits and irregular weapons. He could not help but feel rather speechless.

"Moss, could it be that we seem very weak?"

The moment Merlin's voice fell, Old Wilson's heavy armored knights had already prepared themselves by changing into a charging formation. All they were waiting for was a single command from Old Wilson, and they would charge right up into those bandits and shred them into pieces.

***

"Commander Mance, there are bandits. What do we do?"

Princess Charise had a very grave expression. The bandits who had appeared in front of them were densely packed. She was afraid that there were two or three thousand of them.

Commander Mance, however, did not feel that there was anything to be worried about. He said loftily, "Your Highness, mere bandits are nothing. Even if there were more of them, they are just a motley crowd. I can crush this band of bandits just by leading six hundred Firebird knights!"

Princess Charise could only depend on Commander Mance now, so she nodded and said, "Alright, Commander Mance. Lead six hundred knights and defeat those bandits utterly!"

Very quickly, Commander Mance headed six hundred knights and prepared their assault formation. In a deafening voice, he roared, "Charge!"

Immediately, smoke and dust flew up everywhere as six hundred knights charged towards the bandits in front of them like a ferocious tiger rushing down a mountain.

Commander Mance led his men into a charge. His entire body exuded a rich, earthy yellow light as he wielded his greatsword tightly. There were no bandits who could rival him, no matter where he went.

Just as Commander Mance felt that this band of bandits would be defeated and scattered after a few more assaults, the bandits suddenly spread out. A dozen or so excellently equipped knights rushed out straightaway from behind them, surrounding Commander Mance all at once.

Commander Mance did not panic. He stared coldly at these dozen or so people as a realization dawned on him; although these people were coming at him menacingly, there did not seem to be any Elemental aura inside their bodies.

This proved that these knights were not Elemental Swordsmen!

"Die, bandits!"

Commander Mance aimed at one of the knights and raised his greatsword high up into the air. The earthy yellow light from the blade enveloped the whole of Commander Mance's body.

Although Earth Swordsmen specialized in defense, he had already reached the level of a Third-level Elemental Swordsman, so his powers were still exceedingly great. Even the typical Second-level Elemental Swordsman would not be able to block his attack, not to mention these bandits who were not even Elemental Swordsmen.

Bang.

Commander Mance's greatsword struck an iron sword brutally. The powerful reactionary force almost caused his greatsword to slip out of his hands. In some disbelief, Commander Mance stared at the bandit in front of him.

As always, there was no fluctuation of the Elements. The bandit before him, with strange patterns drawn on his face, had unexpectedly blocked his attack without employing the use of any Elements.

"How is this possible?"

Commander Mance was still in shock, but the bandit with the strange patterns on his face had already begun laughing maliciously. "Hehe, there's nothing that's impossible. Charge!"

Every one of the dozen or so knights who had surrounded Commander Mance drew their greatswords out and charged towards him in a frenzied attack. All of them did not seem inferior at all to a Second-level Elemental Swordsman, but none of them had the aura of any Elements upon their bodies.

In other words, they were able to rival a Second-level Elemental Swordsman by relying purely on the energy in their bodies. If only one had appeared, then perhaps he could be deemed extraordinarily gifted, and it would be a special situation. However, more than a dozen of them appearing at the same time was definitely not a coincidence.

Just like Commander Mance, the six hundred Firebird knights were also facing extremely fearsome bandits. There might not be anything special about their training, and there was not much to say about their coordination, but every one of them seemed competent enough to rival a First-level Elemental Swordsman. How terrifying was the accumulative power of a few hundred First-level Elemental Swordsmen?

Therefore, no matter how elite the Firebird knights were, they had still been plunged into a difficult battle now. There was the danger of them being eliminated at any moment.

In the blink of an eye, the motley crew that they had thought was incapable of withstanding a single blow, was currently besieging Commander Mance and the Firebird knights. The tables had turned; the Firebird Legion was now in a precarious situation.

Princess Charise, who was observing the battle from afar, had an anxious and uneasy expression on her face. She was also somewhat confused as to how the great and mighty Commander Mance, as well as the elite Firebird Legion, could not even defeat a motley crew of bandits.

Chapter 61: The Strange Bandits II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Bang.

The heavy armored knights led by Old Wilson began to charge!

Although there were barely two hundred of them, the momentum and power with at they charged seemed capable of toppling mountains and overturning seas, causing some degree of panic to arise in the midst of those bandits in front of them.

"In the name of the knights' glory, charge!"

Close to two hundred heavy armored knights roared in one voice. This slogan had already become the soul of the heavy armored knights.

Amidst the great roars of the slogans, the heavy armored knights led by Old Wilson charged towards the bandits like a black mudslide. Their force was unstoppable.

Numerous bandits were immediately thrown into the air just through a light contact. The power of the heavy armored knights had long been verified in Blackwater City; the typical knights were not at all comparable to them, so what more this motley crew of bandits?

Even though there were many bandits, this rabble was immediately scattered by the assault of the heavy armored knights. It was just as Merlin had expected. Countless bandits were trampled alive under the hooves of the horses, emitting bursts of wretched screams as they died.

"Damn it. These weak and despicable aristocrats dare to come at us?"

The leader of the bandits saw how the heavy armored knights continuously charged into and attacked the groups of bandits; they were invincible. There was no resistance that could come into contact with them, and a hint of fury had appeared on their faces.

Thus, the two leaders brought the fifty knights behind them in a direct rush toward Old Wilson and the heavy armored knights.

There were only fifty knights. In addition, they were wearing merely thin and light armor on their bodies. To charge at Old Wilson and the heavy armored knights like this would be having a death wish; it caused people to feel rather unbelievable.

Although Old Wilson thought that it was strange, he did not hesitate at all. He commanded the heavy armored knights to move into their assault formation and immediately dashed toward those fifty somewhat exceptional bandits.

The two teams of knights soon collided with each other. Immediately, Old Wilson engaged one of the leaders in a fight.

"Flame Cleave!"

Old Wilson had already reached the critical point of becoming a Third-level Elemental Swordsman; just a little more, and he would be a Third-level Elemental Swordsman. Furthermore, being naturally endowed with a great strength, the power and might of his entire body was infinitely close to that of a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman.

At the moment, Old Wilson had only used half of his strength, but even so, it was still very difficult for a typical Second-level Elemental Swordsman to block him.

However, although there was no Elemental fluctuation on the bodies of these two bandit chiefs, they could easily defend against Old Wilson's attack just by relying on their physical strength.

Old Wilson's attack had not been the only thing that stopped. Not only had about two hundred heavy armored knights dashing in together for the attack failed to cause a destructive blow to those bandits, they had also broken a few heavy armored knights.

"No, something's wrong!"

Merlin's face changed slightly after seeing those fifty bandits from afar.

Those fifty knights were exceptionally special. Although there was no Elemental fluctuation on their bodies, which meant that they were not Elemental Swordsmen, their physical attributes were such that they could rival those First-level Elemental Swordsmen.

Even if these fifty bandits who could equal First-level Elemental Swordsmen had never gone through training and were not moving in coordination, all they had to do was gather together to unleash an unimaginable result.

Even the undefeatable heavy armored knights were at a disadvantage after encountering these special bandits.

Merlin was not worried about Old Merlin; he knew Old Merlin's capabilities extremely well. If he were to strike in full force, those two bandit chiefs would be no match for him at all.

However, if time were to be dragged on, then the losses of the heavy armored knights would definitely reach a huge number. These heavy armored knights were Old Wilson's blood and sweat, produced after more than ten years. Losing any one of them would cause him unbearable heartache.

Therefore, Merlin attacked!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

Clusters of Fireball flew out. Every fireball hit a bandit accurately; due to the fact that the bandits and the heavy armored knights were all entangled together, he could not make the fireballs explode. All he could do was to fix his aim and eliminate them one by one,

However, although that was all he did, Merlin had cleared out five bandits in just a blink of the eye. His Mind Power had grown greater, whereas his power of control over the spells had become stronger; therefore, as long as it was within a hundred meters of him, which was the area enveloped by his Mind Power, Merlin was able to control his spells with excellent accuracy.

"It's a Spell Caster, run fast, we're done for…"

"Report to Big Boss quickly that there's a Spell Caster."

The two leaders amongst the bandits had already seen signs of danger flashing everywhere under the hands of Old Wilson and had merely been hanging on despite the difficulty. Now that they had seen Merlin appearing, the hopelessness in their hearts grew even more. Immediately, they wanted to flee.

For many years, they had forcibly occupied the vast buffer zones in between the Kingdom of Blackmoon and the Kingdom of Light. Therefore, they were extremely well-versed with those mysterious and powerful Spell Casters in the Kingdom of Blackmoon. They knew that, with a Spell Caster like Merlin around, they did not stand a chance to attain victory at all.

However, it was already too late for them to escape now!

"Frost!"

Merlin had long fixed his eyes on those two bandits. Seeing that they had the opportunity to escape, he immediately unleashed his Frost.

Crack, crack.

The ice crystals hardened, freezing the two bandit chiefs directly. Even if they had physical attributes that rivaled those of a Second-level Elemental Swordsmen, it was completely impossible for them to break free from Merlin's Frost.

Bang.

Old Wilson swung his blade down, chopping one of the bandit chiefs into two halves; fresh blood spurted onto the ground.

Seeing that Old Wilson was about to kill the other bandit chief, Merlin hurriedly came to his side and said in a low voice, "Father, leave this man, he can be of use."

Old Wilson nodded before turning around and charging toward the other bandits.

There had originally been fifty bandits. After Merlin had killed five in an instant, and seeing him overcome the two leaders, some of them began to flee from the battlefield.

Then, Old Wilson, who had been pulled out from the crowd, charged and killed more of them. Only twenty or so were left of the fifty bandits whose capabilities equaled those of the First-level Elemental Swordsmen. They escaped in a pathetic manner.

Old Wilson regrouped the heavy armored knights and did a headcount, only to announce that they had lost fifteen heavy armored knights in this battle. The original sum of a hundred and eighty-five heavy armored knights had now been decreased to a hundred and seventy.

Old Wilson felt great heartache at such a heavy loss. Back when he had led the heavy armored knights into battle against the Guardian Swordsmen of the church who had disguised themselves as bandits and attacked the City Defense Troop knights of Blackwater City, there had only been a total loss of fifteen knights.

Right now, fighting against mere bandits, a motley crew had unexpectedly caused such heavy losses to the heavy armored knights.

Old Wilson's face was dark and heavy. His eyes continuously sized up the body of the bandit chief, like a wild beast selecting its victim. This caused the bandit chief to be panic-stricken.

Thus, the bandit chief turned his sights onto Merlin. In a slightly panicked manner, he said, "Great, honorable Wizard, what do you wish to ask?"

The bandit chief knew very well, in his heart, that the only person who could let him live now was the mysterious and powerful Spell Caster before his eyes.

Chapter 62: Big Boss I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin fixed his eyes on the bandit chief in front of his eyes. This other person's body was not bulky, neither did he look strong and mighty. It seemed that his physical attributes would not have been considered exceptional.

However, the truth of the matter was that this bandit's physical attributes were comparable to that of a Second-level Elemental Swordsman. This was very abnormal. Furthermore, there were also fifty bandit knights whose physical quality were similar to that of First-level Elemental Swordsmen, which was even more extraordinary.

"You're not an Elemental Swordsman, so how can you possess such great power that isn't inferior to that of an Elemental Swordsman?"

Merlin asked him directly. Old Wilson, who was standing beside him, nodded subconsciously as well. It was evident that he was also very interested in the question.

The expression of the bandit chief changed slightly. His lips squirmed, as though he wanted to speak, but he did not make a sound for a long time.

Crack.

A cluster of ice crystals immediately appeared again on the body of the bandit chief. The ice crystals enveloped him at an extremely fast pace, practically freezing his entire body. All that was left as his bald head.

As a binding spell, the power of the Frost was not great. It was far weaker than a Fireball, but still easy enough for the purposes of handling a mere bandit chief like this.

Feeling the ice crystals on his body as though it could continue spreading on to his head, the chief bandit could no longer be silent. He could only yell out, "Great Wizard, please stop, I say! Our physical attributes are exceptional due to Big Boss!"

"Big Boss?"

Merlin did not continue to unleash the Frost. Instead, he took two steps forward and said to the bandit chief, "Talk about your Big Boss's condition in detail."

The face of the bandit chief was already rather pale. His body was trembling, and although his physical attributes were exceptional, Merlin's Frost caused temperatures to plunge extremely low. Being frozen for a long period of time would still injure him.

"Big Boss came here three years ago. Back then, Second Commander, Fourth Commander and I were small-time bandits in this region, with hundreds of bandits under us. Our power was extremely small and weak. Big Boss found us and defeated all of us utterly, before becoming our Big Boss. Then, he taught us a strange posture. We cultivated according to this strange posture daily, and the quality of our physique improved very quickly."

"Then, Big Boss led us and annexed a few great groups of bandits successively. As his force swelled up, he formed the Hurricane Bandits with three, four thousand bandits. After that, Big Boss picked five hundred young bandits and taught them a strange posture. They practiced every day, and now, practically everyone can rival a First-level Elemental Swordsman."

"With such power, Big Boss's greed and ambitious heart grew as well. He was no longer satisfied with being a bandit, he even wished to take advantage of this chaotic situation in the Kingdom of Light now and conquer a few cities… But, because the numbers of our men have expanded greatly, you've also seen how our pieces of equipment, like weaponry and armor, are lagging behind. This time, we've encountered a few members of the Royal Family who only have a few hundred knights as protectors, so Big Boss has brought men to go rob those members of the Royal Family. He ordered us to come and block you, so that you wouldn't ruin Big Boss's plans."

By the time the bandit chief had finished speaking, his entire body was already shaking. His enunciation had become somewhat poor.

There were no changes to Merlin's expression, but there was a great shock in his heart. A strange posture that was able to strengthen the physical attributes of a Normie quickly, to the point where one could rival an Elemental Swordsman…

Everything about all of this was so similar to the mysterious relief sculpture he had obtained before. Merlin only had one piece of the relief sculpture, but after practicing the posture on the relief sculpture, his physical attributes were now already comparable to that of a First-level Elemental Swordsman.

"The physical attributes of these bandits can already rival those of a Second-level Elemental Swordsman. That bandit chief, how strong can he be? As strong as a Third-level, or even a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman?"

Numerous ideas turned in Merlin's head. If that 'Big Boss' had really obtained a relief sculpture, then he should have at least three of them with him.

The postures on those relief sculptures were really frightening indeed. Merlin had never given them much thought before this, but now, he had seen the mysterious 'Big Boss' passing out knowledge on the postures on the relief sculpture.

All he had to do was to pass on one posture, and within a few months, he would be able to quickly create large numbers of powerful fighters who could rival First-level Elemental Swordsmen.

The battle just now had said it all. A lot of Old Wilson's heart and effort had been spent on his heavy armored knights; practically half of the taxes collected within the territory had been used on those heavy armored knights.

Furthermore, they had needed to undergo training often before achieving the fighting capabilities they had now.

However, although the combat power of those heavy armored knights now could be deemed terrifying, they had unexpectedly been caught at a disadvantage after encountering those bandits who had been without the slightest bit of cooperation amongst each other. If Merlin and Old Wilson had not been so overwhelmingly strong and valiant, he was afraid that those heavy armored knights would have been defeated by a mere band of fifty bandits.

The terrible aspect of the mysterious relief sculpture was manifested therein. Moreover, that mysterious Big Boss had five hundred of such bandits heeding his commands.

Many thoughts passed through Merlin's mind in the blink of an eye. Old Wilson beside him, however, did not think so much. All he heard from the bandit's mouth was the news of the Big Boss going up against the members of the Royal Family.

"Merlin, Princess Charise and the others might be in danger, I want to bring the heavy armored knights and go rescue them."

This time, Merlin did not stop him. He knew that Old Wilson had a lot of gratitude in his heart towards Prince Frederick; although Princess Charise had rejected Old Wilson's allegiance before, Old Wilson would not leave them to die now that the Princess and the others were in danger

Nevertheless, this was a good thing as well. Old Wilson would not have any ties with the Royal Family anymore if he could rescue them once!

"Father, you go first, I'll catch up after you!"

Light flashed through Merlin's eyes. The mysterious Big Boss was his target.

***

A look of despair could already be seen in Commander Mance's eyes. His entire body had been shaken so much that he was numb; despite the fact that he was a Third-level Earth Swordsman, this man before him, with the strange patterns drawn on his face and a name called Big Boss, was just too powerful.

Every time the other person brought his greatsword crashing down, it had contained terrible power. That body which did not look burly at all seemed to be filled with the strength of a ferocious beast, causing Commander Mance to feel like he could not withstand it.

An Elemental Swordsman at the peak of the Third-level! Commander Mance was aghast; this other person was able to rival a Third-level Elemental Swordsman at his peak, just by relying on the strength of his body. He had never even heard of such a thing, what more seen it.

Moreover, this mighty commander was not the only thing that was horrifying; there were also the densely packed bandits around them. Every single one of them seemed to be on par with First-level Elemental Swordsmen, and judging by their numbers, there were about four, five hundred of them.

Four, five hundred First-level Elemental Swordsmen. Such a terrifying number was difficult for Commander Mance to imagine. Even the Firebird Legion, one of the four great armies of the Kingdom of Light, had only been able to gather a thousand First-level Elemental Swordsmen during their peak.

Just like that, this bunch of bandits with broken weapons, who did not even have armor… This motley crew was able to rival half of the Firebird Legion?

Bang.

With another heavy blow, Commander Mance was shaken and thrown off by a powerful force. He fell heavily to the ground, before struggling to stand up, but his internal organs were in such pain that he felt as though they were on fire. Serious injuries had already been inflicted upon him.

As for the six hundred Firebird knights, they had long been swallowed up in the sea of people. Surrounded and attacked by the bandits, half of them had been injured and killed. Now, less than three hundred of them were left.

"We're finished…"

Commander Mance closed his eyes in pain. He had never thought that he would die in the hands of a gang of bandits.

Princess Charise's face was already a shade of ghastly white, as she watched the battle from afar. Her entire body was trembling due to fear. The situation had rapidly worsened; she had not expected that a bunch of bandits who had seemed so weak that they would not be able to withstand a blow, would be so fierce. She saw how the six hundred Firebird knights, the entire army led by Commander Mance, were about to be completely annihilated.

Princess Charise no longer had a choice. It had also been difficult for her to imagine how tragic it was to fall at the hands of bandits.

"Deputy Commander Wayne, prepare for battle, for the honor of the Firebird!"

There was a complicated mix of expressions on Princess Charise's face. She drew out her silver greatsword as well, ready to fight to the death.

Swoosh.

The remaining two hundred Firebird knights pulled out the greatswords in their hands as well and raised them up high with solemnity upon their faces.

"In the name of the knights' glory, charge!"

"In the name of the knights' glory, charge!"

"…"

All of a sudden, Princess Charise and the others heard a deafening sound rumbling from behind them; something that seemed like a black mudslide came crashing down from the mountain slope.

Chapter 63: Big Boss II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The black mudslide was a group of knights dressed in heavy armor. Princess Charise was slightly stunned before recalling the identities of these heavy armored knights.

"They are Baron Wilson's heavy armored knights. I'd never thought that he'd still lead his knights to come and rescue us after I rejected Baron Wilson's allegiance. Still, it's no use, these bandits aren't ordinary bandits. Baron Wilson's heavy armored knights are definitely no match for them as well. Deputy Commander Wayne, prepare to charge up there with Baron Wilson, rush in and kill the bandits together!"

Princess Charise was somewhat moved and rueful; Old Wilson taking action at such a time as this was enough to prove his loyalty to the Royal Family. However, Princess Charise did not know that this was not due to Old Wilson's loyalty to the Royal Family, but his gratitude towards Prince Frederick. This would be the last time Old Wilson stretched out a helping hand.

The heavy armored knights led by Old Wilson dove down the slope of the hill. They were an unstoppable force, immediately rushing in for the skill and leaving a blood trail behind. Numerous bandits were slaughtered by the heavy armored knights.

After all, with the exception of the bandits who possessed extraordinary physical attributes, the rest were just a motley crew formed by a bunch of Normies gathering together, at best. Even an ordinary knight would be able to kill them easily.

Old Wilson was completely enveloped by the flames. His gigantic stature was like a small giant; with every strike of his sword, followed by immeasurable amounts of flames, three to five bandits would lose their lives at Old Wilson's hands.

Because of that, Old Wilson soon reached the place where Commander Mance was being surrounded. He fixed his eyes on the great commander who had strange patterns drawn on his face.

"Where are my third and fourth brothers?"

When the big commander saw Old Wilson, he immediately guessed his identity and knew that he was the small aristocrat that he had instructed the Third and Fourth Commanders to block.

"They're already dead!"

Old Wilson answered coldly. There was a great aura of power around his body that went toward the Big Boss of the bandits oppressively. This was an ability that only Fourth-level Elemental Swordsmen possessed. Although Old Wilson was merely a Second-level Fire Swordsman, he was able to reach the peak of a Third-level Elemental Swordsman by coupling with the extraordinary strength he had been gifted with. Thus, he also possessed some imposing aura of oppression.

"Hmph, I underestimated you, but out of everything that you shouldn't have done, you shouldn't have come here to die!"

With a sharp flash of light in his eyes, the Big Boss pushed back with both his legs forcefully.

Bang.

It felt as though the entire surface of the ground was shaking. Using the force from that one kick, Big Boss's entire body crashed toward Old Wilson with a whizz, like a cannonball fired from cannon.

"Flame Cleave!"

Old Wilson let out a roar. The armor all over his body began to emit creaking noises; he was utilizing his power to the maximum, which caused his muscles to swell up. His armor was being spread open.

When Old Wilson engaged in battle, his body would practically be pulled up by a lot in a forceful manner. He was almost two meters tall and could inflict a great psychological shock on people just by standing still.

This was the real extraordinary gift, the real unlimited power, unlike Big Boss, who still retained the physique of a Normie even though he possessed great, superhuman strength.

The two men wielded their greatswords. In the blink of an eye, they brandished and moved them over a dozen times. Collisions between the blades emitted ear-piercing sounds.

Crack.

Both their greatswords shattered at the same time, breaking into few pieces as the blades were no longer able to withstand the terrible power of the other party. The two men were then left fighting barehanded, coming at each other in a series of crazy attacks.

Every punch unleashed by Old Wilson was shrouded in flames; like a god of fire, his force was unstoppable. On the other hand, Big Boss did not seem to be imposing or powerful, but he was exceedingly fast and his strength was great. The two of them clashed like a rock going against a rock; he was not at all inferior to Old Wilson.

"Haha, that's fun, let's go again!"

Old Wilson let out a great roar. It had been a long time since he had encountered an opponent who could go against his pure power and be equally matched, like two hard objects colliding against each other. His will to fight was raised up high; ignoring everything else, he and Big Boss got embroiled in battle.

Everywhere the two of them passed through, both bandits and heavy armored knights were either wounded or killed if they came into contact with them slightly. Therefore, everyone hurriedly backed off from wherever they were fighting.

Although Old Wilson and Big Boss's battle was difficult to finish, his heavy armored knights were no match at all for those bandits who had practiced the special posture.

There were four to five hundred of those bandits, with extremely powerful capabilities. By now, they had surrounded the heavy armored knights once more. If there was no other solution, the heavy armored knights would soon be completely destroyed.

The moment the heavy armored knights were annihilated, it would not be of any use even if Old Wilson was an equal match to the Big Boss of the bandits.

On a hill far away, Merlin stood in front of a horse carriage as he observed the battle at the foot of the hill carefully. The focus of his attention was the Big Boss of the bandits, who was fighting Old Wilson in a battle that was difficult to win to either side.

"As expected, there's no Elemental aura whatsoever, it's entirely the strength of his body… The mysterious relief sculptures must be on him."

Merlin's eyes narrowed slightly. He had sensed that the fiery aura on Old Wilson's body seemed to have weakened a great deal in a very short period of time, causing the power of Old Wilson's attacks to be weaker than before.

"When it comes to depletion, Father still needs to rely on the fire attributed Elements in his body that he has accumulated over days and months. He won't be able to persist for long at all, attacking in such a crazy manner. As for Big Boss, the strength in his body seems to be endless."

Merlin understood. If the two were to continue fighting, Old Wilson's defeat would be inevitable.

By then, Merlin finally decided to strike. He had had some concerns previously; if the Big Boss of the bandits was a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman or higher, then it would cost Merlin some trouble to defeat this other party.

However, he had now discovered that the Big Boss of the bandits was more or less at the same level as Old Wilson. His overall strength could rival that of a Third-level Elemental Swordsman, which made him much easier to fight.

Thus, Merlin struck!

Merlin slowly walked down the slope of the hill alone, directly into the midst of the bandits. When some of the bandits saw Merlin, they immediately brandished their greatswords and swung them down without hesitation.

Crack, crack.

Before one of the bandits could bring his greatswords down, his entire body was already frozen in place. Still maintaining the pose of a man brandishing his greatsword, he was unmoving, looking like an ice sculpture that was true to life.

Merlin's footsteps did not falter. He walked into the midst of the bandits, as before. Not only that; several bandits were mysteriously frozen into ice sculptures wherever he went. It was extremely strange!

This weird situation caused many bandits to exchange looks; they did not dare to charge at Merlin again.

In his heart, Merlin was clear that he had just unleashed six Frost in just an instant, moments ago. He was lucky that the Spell Model for the Frost had accumulated a lot of Magic Power over a period of time. Only because of that, Merlin could squander them so recklessly.

Although it looked like he had spent his Magic Power lavishly, the effect was superb. At least, no more bandits dared to rush at Merlin.

"A Spell Caster!"

Big Boss had also noticed Merlin. After clashing forcefully against Old Wilson once more, he speedily retreated and increased the distance between him and Old Wilson, fixing his eyes upon Merlin vigilantly.

Chapter 64: Deal I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Stop!"

Princess Charise who previously wanted to rush toward the bandits was shocked at Merlin's appearance, as well as the sight of all those bandits that were frozen into ice sculptures. Immediately, she commanded the team to stop moving forward

"A Spell Caster…"

Princess Charise muttered in a low voice. Being the royal princess, she had a certain understanding of both Spell Casters from the Kingdom of Blackmoon and Wizards from the Church of Light.

Moreover, there were still some Spell Casters hidden secretly among the royal family, such as Prince Frederick.

Princess Charise stroked the black ring on her finger gently. Prince Frederick was a powerful Spell Caster. He, whose identity remained hidden among the royal family, possessed a terrifying power.

It was also because of Prince Frederick's hindrance that Princess Charise and the others were able to escape Light City safely.

Because of the Church of Light, Spell Casters from the Kingdom of Blackmoon had been proclaimed as an evil heretic, an embodiment of terror, evil, and despicableness. However, here they were at the border between the Kingdom of Blackmoon and the Kingdom of Light. These bandits had encountered some powerful Spell Casters, hence they were no strangers to the latter.

Most bandits stopped what they were doing. Their faces full of fear as they looked at the ice sculptures around Merlin.

The Big Boss was still silently withdrawing, but Merlin who has been paying attention would never allow the other party to leave. Hence, in small, quick steps he approached the Big Boss.

Big Boss frowned, his face full of dread for what might happen. He said in a low voice, "Honourable Spell Caster, I don't know that you are among this troop. I am terribly sorry if I've offended you! I'll leave with my people immediately."

"Leave? You think so?"

Merlin took his time to approach the Big Boss.

Big Boss's expression changed, and suddenly he waved his hand in an exaggerated move. Immediately, several bandits rushed to his front. Still, he did not dare to loosen down. He asked in a deep voice, "Honourable Spell Caster, I don't know what is the relationship between you and these people, but once I order my men to attack, I am afraid that apart from you, the whole troop will not survive."

"Try it, then, and see if you stand a chance."

Merlin's calm eyes suddenly turned sharp.

"Frost!"

A group of ice crystals appeared on the body of the Big Boss as a dozen more bandits gathered in front of him simultaneously. Their physical qualities rivaled even First-level Elemental Swordsman.

"Father, now!"

Merlin shouted aloud. With a fierce wave of hands, he sent three balls of fire that flew quickly at bandits. When the fireballs blasted, strong flames burned continuously. The bandits immediately fell into chaos.

Old Wilson who grasped the meaning of Merlin's call quickly shouted. He resembled a humanoid beast as he waved his greatsword and rushed toward the Big Boss.

"Bang bang bang."

The frightening Old Wilson whose strength was infinitely close to the level of a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman forcefully threw off several bandits who guarded in front of their Big Boss.

"Cracks."

Unbelievably, the ice crystal frozen on Big Boss cracked. His face was filled rapidly with redness. There were also bloodshot in his eyes. He shouted in a twisted grimace, "Haha, you can't ground me!"

Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly. Indeed, he had underestimated his opponent. A common beginner Elementary Swordsman could never have broken out of Merlin's Frost.

However, like Old Wilson, the Big Boss was infinitely close to the existence of a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman. Ordinary Frost could limit his movement only for a while.

Big Boss struggled forcefully to shatter the ice crystal on his body. Immediately, he turned around, prepared to run frantically to the opposite direction.

"Large Frost!"

Merlin did not hesitate to release the Large Frost, which was several times stronger than ordinary Frost.

Big Boss had just lifted one foot when, almost instantaneously, he was covered by ice crystals. His whole body was completely frozen by thick ice crystals except for his head.

"Ah, break at once!"

Big Boss screamed hysterically. The blue veins on his forehead bulged, and his muscles seemed to expand to their limits. He had exhausted all his strength, wanting to break free from the ice crystals on his body.

However, no matter how hard he tried, the ice crystals on his body showed no sign of rupture.

"Swoosh."

Merlin accelerated and sent out more fireballs, one after another, despite this requiring a large consumption of Magic Power. They blasted around Big Boss to prevent other bandits from coming forward to rescue.

"Father, we want him alive."

Merlin blurted as he noticed Old Wilson approaching the Big Boss. He was afraid Old Wilson would lose control and kill the target.

Old Wilson came to the side of Big Boss who was frozen into ice crystals. He sneered and kicked the man in Merlin's direction.

"Swoosh."

A fireball emitting a horribly high heat appeared in front of the Big Boss instantly.

Merlin's mouth curled upward into a smile. He looked at Old Wilson who was still slashing the bandits and said calmly, "Big Boss, I think your men should stop the attack."

Big Boss's expression kept shifting like the clouds. As he felt the scorching temperature of the fireball floating in the space, he knew that he had no choice but to scream aloud. "Stop fighting at once. Second Commander, order the men to retreat!"

These bandits dared not defy the command of their Big Boss, and gradually retreated backward. Although, they did not move too far back, all the while keeping their glares at Old Wilson and others fiercely.

There were thousands of bandits, not including those fierce bandits whose bodies were comparable to those of the First-level Elemental Swordsmen. If they gathered and attacked, perhaps it would turn out as the Big Boss had mentioned earlier, that no one would be spared other than Merlin.

"Father, take him to the carriage."

Merlin let Old Wilson brought Big Boss to the carriage. The latter was frozen by the Large Frost. No matter how strong he was, he would not be able to break free in a short time.

Old Wilson then raised Big Boss and threw him into the carriage directly. Merlin followed closely and got into the carriage, while Old Wilson gathered the remaining black-armored knights and continued stood facing the thousands of bandits located not far away.

In the carriage, Merlin did not rush to speak. Instead, he just looked at Big Boss quietly. The latter could not help and finally broke the silence with a sneer. "You don't dare to kill me either. If I die, my men will tear you all into pieces!"

Merlin shook his head and smiled playfully. He said in a calm tone, "It seems that you still don't understand the current situation. Your immediate man, that leader, is not content with his lot. Perhaps, he wishes for your death even more so than myself!"

The expression of the Big Boss changed and fell gradually.

After what seemed like a long time, the Big Boss finally asked in a hoarse voice, "What do you want?"

Big Boss eventually understood that this mysterious Spell Caster in front of him was hoping to obtain something from him.

Chapter 65: Deal II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin gave a slight smile before gently opening his palm, revealing a relief sculpture in his hand.

Shivers went down Big Boss's spine as he stared at the relief sculpture in Merlin's hand.

The shocked look on Big Boss's face already told Merlin the answer. With that, he asked nonchalantly, "You should know this relief sculpture?"

Big Boss finally recovered from his surprise after a long time. His expression eased down when he looked at Merlin again. Before, he had no idea what Merlin's purpose was; now that he knew Merlin only wanted the relief sculpture, it set his mind at rest. At the very least, Merlin would not cause him harm until he obtained his goal.

"I didn't expect you to also have a relief sculpture. I assume you've noticed the strange posture on it?"

Big Boss stopped speaking for a while as he scanned Merlin up and down with his eyes. However, one's physical state would not change significantly even after practicing the posture on mysterious relief sculpture. Therefore, Big Boss was not able to figure out Merlin's physical quality.

"I do have these relief sculptures. Three of them! I've them kept in a secret place. If you let me go, I can exchange one of mine with yours."

Big Boss collected himself and began to bargain with Merlin.

Merlin shook his head and said in his usual calm voice, "I never thought of killing you. To do that will end up with your bandits killing my entire troop. A battle that even I can't win! My 'invitation' to you over here was only to make a deal."

As soon as his voice ended, several fireballs appeared within Merlin's hands. They began to float around Big Boss. The high heat emitted gradually melted the ice crystals that trapped the man.

Frozen ice crystals quickly turned into water droplets. Big Boss stretched himself slightly. It seemed he was not very much affected by it.

However, he did not leave. Instead, he continued sitting opposite Merlin. His eager eyes glanced at the relief sculpture in Merlin's hands from time to time. He was dreaded to obtain that relief sculpture in Merlin's hands, as it could enhance his physical quality.

"I want all three of your relief sculptures!"

Merlin announced eventually. His unexpected request astounded Big Boss, who later sneered, "Honourable Spell Caster, although you've just let me go, and my life is in your hands at any time, but don't you think your request to exchange a relief sculpture with three of mine is rather ridiculous?"

Big Boss clenched his fist, and his whole body went on the alert. He would definitely go all out if Merlin wanted to start a fight again.

"I can make you a Spell Caster!"

Merlin said softly. However, these words which carried the weight of feathers landed like a deafening thunder in Big Boss's ears. He felt as if he has been struck by the lighting.

"What did you say?"

"I can make you a Spell Caster!"

Merlin repeated himself. The composed Big Boss just seconds ago was already shaking slightly. His fists were still clenched tightly, as he could not restrain his inner excitement.

"My name is Gulliver Keane!"

Big Boss suddenly stood up. His face was a little flushed because of his boiling excitement.

"You've got yourself a deal!"

Big Boss Gulliver Keane agreed to Merlin's conditions without any hesitation. Keane also expressed his sincerity to Merlin by immediately revealing his real name.

A Spell Caster mastered extraordinary power! Keane was definitely clear about this. He who loitered actively on the border of the Kingdom of Blackmoon all these years had surely heard numerous rumors about the Spell Casters.

At the moment, even though his physical quality has reached the terrifying peak of Third-level Elemental Swordsman with the help of these three mysterious relief sculptures, he was still easily subdued by Merlin. This also further proved the power of a Spell Caster.

Being able to become a Spell Caster was something Keane would have never imagine. Now he was being offered such an opportunity only at the cost of exchanging three relief sculptures. He had long memorized those postures on the three relief sculptures in his mind. In fact, they were of not much use to him anymore.

"Spell Caster…"

Keane stood up, wanting to say something, but felt slightly embarrassed as he realized he did not know Merlin's name.

"Wilson Merlin!"

Merlin finished his sentenced.

"Merlin, my three reliefs are kept hidden in a secret place. Do you want to go with me, or wait here as I pick them up?"

Big Boss Keane turned around to ask after he jumped off the carriage.

Merlin thought for a moment before replying, "I'll go with you."

Keane smiled. Of course, he knew that Merlin still had some concerns. Besides, he would not dare to have any extraordinary behavior if Merlin followed along.

"Alright, let's go."

Keane nodded and led the way at the front. He waved slightly at the Second Commander of the bandits. The man hesitated for a second but eventually came forward with a few other bandits.

"Merlin, what're you doing?"

Old Wilson frowned and asked in a puzzled tone as he noticed Merlin was actually letting the bandits' leader off.

Merlin could not explain in detail. Hence, he brushed him off with a simple reply, "Father, this is a misunderstanding. I will first leave with Keane, and explain to you in detail when I get back."

After that, Moss hopped on the carriage behind Big Boss Keane and slowly drove to the bandits.

Merlin has not yet learned to ride horses. In the process of fleeing, Merlin had felt a lot of inconvenience because of this. He secretly made up his mind that he must learn how to ride after settling down in the Kingdom of Blackmoon.

"Stop right there!"

Merlin drew the curtain at the sound of that angry yell. Prince Benin from Firebird Knights was blocking himself in front of Big Boss Gulliver Keane.

His face was filled with rage. He pointed a finger at Keane and shouted, "You despicable bandits want to leave now after killing so many of my knights? Deputy Commander Wayne, kill these mean and shameless bandits immediately!"

Big Boss Keane glanced at Merlin and noticed that Merlin's expression had not changed. He could not help but sneer. "What an idiot!"

He then ignored Prince Benin and quickly returned to the bandits.

Merlin also shook his head helplessly. He shifted his attention to Princess Charise. Prince Benin was still a naive child who knew nothing, but Princess Charise should be well aware that Big Boss Keane was a captive of Merlin's, not of the royal family.

Princess Charise bit her lip tightly. She knew that Merlin had definitely reached an agreement with the bandits' leader without taking the royal family into consideration.

At the thought of this, Princess Charise took a deep breath and gradually calmed her mind. She was not Prince Benin. It was clear that their current situation was actually extremely dangerous. Their troops of 800 Firebird Knights was only left with 400. Besides, many of them were wounded, so there was not much combat power.

Hence, their priority now should be to settle down in the Kingdom of Blackmoon as soon as possible.

"Baron Wilson, thank you very much for saving us! However, we'll not stay any longer as we have a long journey ahead of us. Please forgive us!"

Princess Charise bit her lip again as she suppressed her anger. She did not look at Merlin at all, but took the remaining Firebird Knights and left quickly.

'It's good for them to leave, as it means one less trouble for me.'

Merlin glanced at Old Wilson. He did not care much about the departure of Princess Charise and others. Merlin was glad that they had taken the initiative to leave because that meant he did not have to worry about Old Wilson insisting in escorting the royal members to the Kingdom of Blackmoon.

Therefore, Merlin ordered Moss to move the carriage. They followed closely behind a large number of bandits and gradually drifted away to the distance.

Chapter 66: Deal III

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin sat in the carriage. Although his eyes were closed, his Mind Power was expanded out there, inspecting Big Boss Keane's every move. Once the other party made any strange movement, Merlin was definite that man would be killed in an instant.

However, he had already lured him with the temptation of "becoming a Spell Caster," something he believed Keane would never refuse. Moreover, Keane did have the qualifications to become a Spell Caster.

Merlin had long realized that anyone who was able to see the strange postures on those mysterious relief sculptures possessed extraordinary Mind Power than other people, and that was one of the most important conditions for becoming a Spell Caster.

As long as one's Mind Power reached the required qualifications for becoming a Spell Caster, the person could try constructing Spell Model in their Awareness with Mind Power. Once successful, the person could then become a Spell Caster.

Big Boss Keane possessed such qualifications. His Mind Power was actually even greater than Merlin's before he turned into a Spell Caster.

Using a Spell Model in exchange for three mysterious relief sculptures, coupled with the possibility of resolving a crisis for the entire troop – the deal was indeed worthy.

Otherwise, even if Merlin could kill Big Boss Keane, he could not handle the thousands of bandits left behind. Especially those bandits to whom Keane had taught the strange postures on the relief sculptures. They were more powerful than Old Wilson's knights and were difficult to deal with.

Brief moments later, the bandits arrived at a massive valley surrounded by mountains and water. Its environment was very suitable for living.

There were several simple wooden houses in the valley, as well as numerous caves of different sizes. Old people, women, and children shuffled around the valley. The whole valley appeared like a thriving little village.

As the many bandits returned to the valley, many women stepped forward and looked at the crowd to see if their husbands were well.

This was nothing like a bandit's' lair. It resembled more like a peaceful, quiet village.

"What do you think? It took me five years to build it!"

Keane revealed a hint of pride in his face as they looked at the busy scene under the valley.

"Not bad. Those elite bandits and knights have physical qualities comparable to First-level Elemental Swordsmen. Was it you who taught them the posture on the relief sculptures?"

Merlin had high regards to those four or five hundred extraordinary bandits, whose physical qualities were on par to that of a First-level Elemental Swordsman. Even the Firebird Legion at its peak had no more than a thousand Elemental Swordsmen greater than the First-level.

Keane looked at Merlin, his eyes showing deep emotion as he whispered. "That's right, I've carefully selected these people. I only taught them one set of posture, hence they can just cultivate to the level of a First-level Elemental Swordsman. On the other hand, those who are more talented and more loyal, I will teach them two sets of posture, so that their physical qualities rival a Second-level Element Swordsman. It's with their force that the Hurricane Bandits run wild in this area. No other bandits gang is able to compete with us."

Merlin nodded. These rabbles not equipped with many armors were invincible in this area by relying on just those five hundred bandits endowed with a force comparable to First-level Elemental Swordsmen. Even a heavy armored knight troop specifically trained by Old Wilson could not stand as their opponent.

"Do you know the origins of the relief sculptures you obtained?"

Merlin continued asking.

Keane frowned and shook his head. "I retrieved these relief sculptures by chance. I only know they're probably relics from the Molta Empire. I don't know the specifics."

The Molta Empire had always remained a mystery. It unified the whole continent but was later overturned within a night. It seemed that no one knew the reason for the collapse of this huge empire.

Moreover, more ideas developed in Merlin's mind now that he saw these relief sculptures and the five hundred powerful bandits.

These relief sculptures were the product of the Molta Empire. If every ordinary soldier of the Molta Empire had practiced the postures of those relief sculptures and possessed the strength of First-level Elemental Swordsmen, Second-level Elemental Swordsmen, and even Third-level Elemental Swordsmen, they would have thousands of soldiers comparable to the powerful Elemental Swordsmen. With such an army, it was not unbelievable that the Molta Empire could unify the entire continent.

However, why would a strong empire that was too mighty to even imagine been overturned in a short period of time? There were even many historical rumors that mentioned the Molta Empire collapsed almost overnight.

What actually happened? What kind of force had led to the collapse of the Molta Empire overnight?

"Come with me, the relief sculptures are stored in the place I live."

Merlin shook his head slightly, as if to dismiss the doubts and puzzles about the collapse of the Molta Empire from his mind, and followed behind Keane closely.

Keane lived in a massive cave. There were traces of artificial excavation in it. The exterior environment looked peaceful and quiet, with no one around. It seemed that Keane has made some arrangements for the place to receive only Merlin and Keane.

"Please take a seat!"

After Merlin sat down, Keane turned around and entered a room in the cave. It took him a while to reappear, but when he did, he was holding three relief sculptures in his hands.

Keane put the relief sculptures on the stone table, allowing Merlin to examine them.

"Sure enough, they are the same type of relief sculptures!"

A hint of sparkle flashed across Merlin's eyes. He picked up one of the relief sculptures and gently stroked it with his hand. His vision became blurred and was covered with an illusion. Only to his eyes, some strange postures began to surface on the relief sculptures. They appeared quite different from the postures that Merlin had practiced before.

This time, he did not dwell too long in the "illusion." With Merlin's current Mind Power, he was able to regain consciousness from the "illusion" at any time.

"As part of the deal, this relief sculpture is for you."

Merlin also handed his relief sculpture over to Keane.

Keane narrowed his eyes slightly but he was not anxious to pick up the relief sculpture on the table. Instead, he looked at Merlin with eager eyes. "Merlin, you mentioned that you can make me a Spell Caster…"

Obtaining another relief sculpture would allow Keane the strength to cross a big realm to be on par to compete with a Fourth-level Elemental Swordsman. His strength would multiply, but that seemed to be less alluring than the idea of him becoming a Spell Caster.

"The key to becoming a Spell Caster relies on Mind Power and Spell Model. You already equip sufficient Mind Power, as for the Spell Model…"

Merlin trailed off for a while and finally took out the Whirlwind's Spell Model from old man Etha's Spell Manual. He spoke without much interest, "Here's Whirlwind's Spell Model. It's only a Zero-level spell. If you can construct the Spell Model into the Awareness, then you can become a Spell Caster!"

"Spell Model!"

Keane's eyes were glued to the Spell Model on the table. Even his voice trembled a little because of overwhelming excitement.