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Chapter 289: The Legend Nikola!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Flame Being had vanished, leaving behind only Merlin in the mysterious room. The interior of the room was packed densely with runes, and they seemed to cover the entire room.

However, upon closer inspection, one would discover that these runes were centered around the transparent bell jar. The ball of flame in the size of a baby's fist was a focal point, spread out in all directions.

Moreover, from these runes, Merlin sensed an overwhelming suppressing force. This indicated that the runes were used to suppress this ball of flame.

Merlin mumbled to himself for a moment as his eyes darted around. So, this was the Flame Maxim. Back then, he had obtained some clues from the Neverending Book, which said that if one gathered the three volumes of the Neverending Book, one would obtain a Maxim.

From that point onward, Merlin knew that a Maxim was something precious that would even drive Great Wizards wild. Now, a Flame Maxim was right before him.

Merlin did not know what risks he might be taking by accepting this Flame Maxim, but no matter how dangerous it was, he had to try. Otherwise, would it not be a waste of his painstaking efforts in completing the three obstacles?

With this decision, Merlin began to slowly approach the transparent bell jar. With every step he took toward the bell jar, he felt a scorching force which was increasingly stronger.

It was merely a small ball of flame yet its burning force seemed to be mightier than Merlin's Fiery Collapse. Merlin's expression gradually turned somber.

"Whew…"

Finally, Merlin was standing before the bell jar, and fixed his eyes on the near-transparent flame in it. It was such a tiny ball of flame yet it emanated incomparable scorching energy. This was under the suppression of the bell jar and densely-packed runes.

Standing before the bell jar, Merlin was hesitant to lift the bell jar even after inspecting it for the longest time. There was a sudden realization that dawned on him, the Flame Being did not tell him how to obtain this Flame Maxim.

Now that the Flame Being had disappeared, Merlin had no idea how did he have to go about things to retrieve the Flame Maxim.

After Merlin pondered for a moment, he gritted his teeth, reached out with a hand and gripped the bell jar.

"Rumble!"

Before Merlin could lift the bell jar, he felt a violent tremor. At the same moment, the dense lines of runes covering the room began flickering wildly, after which they sped toward Merlin.

These mysterious runes, over tens of thousands of them, each flew into Merlin's body. Merlin immediately felt a burning force as if he was entirely submerged in a sea of flames. There was an unpleasant sensation which could not be described.

"You've finally come…"

Suddenly, a deep, weathered voice was heard, booming in Merlin's mind.

The very scene before Merlin's eyes changed as well as if he was in an unfamiliar and spacious void. In this space, raging flames were burning all around.

"You've finally come… The lucky one who qualifies to inherit my Maxim… You shall learn everything about me!"

The voice from nowhere spoke once again. Soon, the sweeping flames gradually converged into a giant-like figure, standing tall in the space. The figure was covered entirely in flames, and Merlin was unable to distinguish its appearance.

"What a beautiful time it was. Spell Casters had reached their peak, and Great Wizards were emerging everywhere. There were even Legends, and the greatest of them all, Arcane Wizards, were born.

"It was the most glorious age of Spell Casters. Under the leadership of Great Legendary Wizards, we banished countless gods. Other than the strongest of them all – the God of Light – who bitterly resisted, there were no gods left in this world.

"Potions, alchemy, runology, Pandora Demon Ability – even this demon-like power was developed to its fullest. The world was no longer able to satisfy powerful Spell Casters, so under the guidance of Great Legendary Wizards, we opened a series of portals to different dimensions, visiting them one after another. There were familiar dimensions which had just been formed, and some dimensions which were controlled by foreign gods. However, not one dimension was able to resist us. In this golden age of Spell Casters, traces of Spell Casters were left behind in innumerable unfamiliar dimensions. We were practically the only masters in many of these dimensions.

"Legendary Wizards were born, one after the other. Even I, with the help of a Great Legendary Wizard, finally consolidated my own Flame Maxim. I became a true Legendary Wizard, one who was a match for powerful gods!

"I, the Great Legend, Nikola, under the leadership of the Great Legend of Flames, invaded one dimension after another. We thought that we were the masters of millions of dimensions. We were the true supreme beings, unsurpassed by any. We banished gods and conquered dimensions. What a glorious era of Spell Casters!

"However, disaster struck. We accessed an inconceivably colossal dimension. We thought that it was filled with an endless flow of resources and riches, but we didn't expect that there were actual demons – demons which were immeasurably more terrifying than gods!

"In that frightening dimension, a warship, larger than the sky, was piloted, possessing the terrifying power to vanquish even space itself. Countless Wizards perished and even those with the title of Great Legend fell; even the supreme Legend of Flames perished!

"I was a coward. I got scared. As innumerable Spell Casters battled with the demons of that and other dimensions, I shrunk back and returned to the Glorious Land, the great Molta Empire. From then on, the name Nikola the Legend would forever be ridiculed by Wizards!

"Who knew how much time had passed… I thought that I could live on in peace. Even if Spell Casters were fighting tens of thousands of demons in this dimension and other dimensions, we would still enjoy peace in the Glorious Land, the great Molta Empire… Until finally one day, a voice thundered through our entire land, and through the tens of thousands of dimensions. It was the voice of the supreme Arcane Wizards who were most honored by all Spell Casters!

"In a serious tone, the Arcane Wizards called upon all Spell Casters to lend their strength, to leave the Glorious Land and carry out a final battle against the demons of all dimensions in order to protect the last piece of untarnished ground – the Glorious Land!

"This time, I am no coward! I, the Great Legend, Nikola, am about to fight for the Glorious Land. I am about to leave this place, leave the Glorious Land. I may never return this time, and I don't know what will really happen. Perhaps the glory of Spell Casters will continue, or perhaps Spell Casters will never shine as brightly. Therefore, I've left a Maxim behind, as the only evidence of the Great Legend Nikola in the Glorious Land, my home!"

As soon as the last word was spoken, the gigantic figure of flame collapsed with a rumble and turned into a field of flames once more.

Merlin was incomparably astounded. This was information from over three thousand and six hundred years ago. The master of this monument was a powerful Legendary Wizard – the Legend Nikola!

From the message the Legend Nikola left behind, Merlin knew, for the first time, that above Great Wizards was the rank of Legendary Wizards, and above Legendary Wizards were the supreme Arcane Wizards.

Merlin also learned that there were gods in this world, only they had been banished. During the most glorious age of Spell Casters, gods were nothing to be afraid of, and Spell Casters had even been the true rulers of dimensions, tens of thousands of them, at one point.

Every single Legendary Wizard was as powerful as a god. During the era of the Molta Empire, the golden age of Spell Casters, gods were banished, and dimensions were conquered. Merlin could not even imagine how would such a massive, magnificent scene look like.

That was the most glorious age of Spell Casters, three thousand and six hundred years ago. The Molta Empire had united the world, and Spell Casters stepped into their golden age as they began to conquer dimensions one after another. The Molta Empire also had become the homeland of countless Spell Casters, the Glorious Land of Spell Casters.

The Legend Nikola had become a Great Legendary Wizard under these circumstances!

Merlin had already imprinted these details deep into his mind. He merely digested a small part of the information, and there was still much-revealed information which he would have to slowly analyze at a later date.

"Boom!"

The indescribable void which Merlin was in suddenly vanished and he awakened once more. He discovered that he was still in the cramped room. Only the runes of the room had disappeared as they had burrowed into his body.

At the same time, even the ball of flame within the bell jar had disappeared. Only the empty transparent bell jar was left behind.

With a jolt of his heart, Merlin realized that while he was receiving the message left behind by the Legend Nikola earlier, that Flame Maxim must have undergone some change. It was just that Merlin did not know what change this was.

Just as he was feeling bewildered and uncertain, an unbearable burning sensation emanated from his body – in particular, his Awareness.

Merlin quickly checked the situation in his Awareness. Only after looking did he see that the Flame Maxim had entered his Awareness without him realizing it.

In addition, it had stopped above the Spell Models of Furious Flame and Fireball, emitting traces of scorching energy. It was in fact silently suppressing these two Spell Models.

Merlin gradually recovered from his emotions, following which he carefully detached a strand of Mind Power to touch the Flame Maxim. Nothing happened. Merlin tried again, this time using the Magic Power within the Spell Model of Furious Flame to activate the Flame Maxim, but it was still to no avail.

This ball of Flame Maxim hovered silently above the Spell Models, faintly suppressing them. Other than that, it did not really affect anything.

Merlin drew in a deep breath. From the words of the Legend Nikola, Merlin learned that it was extremely difficult to consolidate a Maxim. If one could create a genuine Maxim, that was the sign one had become a Legendary Wizard!

Maxims were essential to Legendary Wizards as well. Giving up even a small part of a Maxim would greatly affect the Legendary Wizard. Back then, the Legend Nikola had left behind this Maxim as he was pessimistic about the future. That was why he had left something behind in the Glorious Land.

With Merlin's present capabilities, it might be hard for him to refine this Maxim. However, if he could understand the functions of this Maxim and increase his powers in that manner, it would also be an incredible benefit.

As he thought of this, Merlin mobilized all his Mind Power and rapidly channeled it into the Flame Maxim!

Chapter 290: The Islands in a Crisis!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

At present, there were a few foreign Spell Casters gathered in Fort Udon. Based on the robes they wore, they were not Wizards of Fort Udon. If one was familiar with the Spell Casters of the Kurdmansla Islands, one would be surprised to discover that they were in fact Wizards from Wizard's Tower and Gray Wing Alliance.

On the entire Kurdmansla Islands, the three colossal factions practically controlled everything on the islands. Furthermore, the three factions each possessed about the same level of strength and were always in competition at any given time.

Wizard's Tower was slightly better off as everyone who joined them were Fourth-level Spell Casters or higher. Therefore, the resources they needed were very precious and were usually located in the vast ocean. As a result, the competition between them and Gray Wing Alliance or Fort Udon was not that fierce.

However, it was different with Gray Wing Alliance and Fort Udon. There were many overlapping areas between these two factions, and small conflicts often erupted between them, leading to a tense relationship.

Today, the fact that people from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower had shown up in Fort Udon could be considered a rare occurrence.

"Wizard Umo, your Fort Udon must've gotten the news too. Speak, for this is a matter of life and death for the entire Kurdmansla Islands!"

A Spell Caster with short red hair spoke coldly.

Wizard Umo, as one of the three fort leaders in Fort Udon, was naturally well-respected, but he was not angered even when he heard the blunt words of the Wizard with fiery red hair. Instead, he began contemplating.

After a long time, Wizard Umo raised his head and narrowed his eyes, which glinted with a steady light. He said in a low voice, "The movements of the sea beasts this time are unusual. Since you have all come, I'm sure you understand the situation clearly. However, there's something which you might not have known – the sea beasts have sent two black sharks which are king beasts!"

"What? Black sharks which are king beasts? Two of them – how is that possible?"

The faces of the Spell Casters from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower changed greatly. They knew very well what the king beasts, these black sharks, signified. In the vast ocean, the true rulers were not Spell Casters like them, but these interminable sea beasts!

Moreover, among these sea beasts, the most terrifying ones were the king beasts. Perhaps, there were even stronger sea beasts, only they were not yet discovered. The king beasts themselves were comparable to the Great Wizards of Spell Casters.

Fortunately, these sea beasts usually acted separately. Each king beast had a predetermined region as its territory, in which no other king beasts were allowed. If one approached, it would even draw the frantic attack of the other king beast.

King beasts belonging to the same group might be slightly friendlier to each other, but even then, they were not allowed to encroach into each other's territory.

The current situation where two black sharks which were king beasts joining forces was really an uncommon event.

"What's impossible about that? The two king beasts, which are black sharks, have formed a group, and they have divided a large area as their territory. Unfortunately, our Kurdmansla Islands is right within the territory which the two king beasts have marked. We will suffer from non-stop attacks from the two king beasts unless we move away. Previously, when the surrounding islands of the Kurdmansla Islands were successively attacked by the sea beasts, it was, in fact, the tentative warning attacks of these two black sharks."

Wizard Umo laughed coldly. He would not be too obliging toward people from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower.

The expressions of the Spell Casters from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower were rather sour. There was only one way that the two kings like the black sharks would join forces, and that was if the two king beasts formed a group.

If that was really the case, then the Kurdmansla Islands was truly in danger. Two king-beast level black sharks were equivalent to two Great Wizards. The king beasts were the absolute overlords of the vast endless sea.

"Wizard Umo, what do you think the Kurdmansla Islands should do?"

The Spell Caster with short red hair fixed his gaze on Wizard Umo as he spoke. Thereafter, all the present Spell Casters looked toward Wizard Umo.

Still, Wizard Umo remained unperturbed, and said coldly, "What else is there to do? Your Gray Wing Alliance is well aware that at this point, we can only ask for the help of the Great Wizard Kansu. If he can take this on, we might still have a slight hope of holding onto the Kurdmansla Islands. Otherwise, others may leave, but the foundations of all three major factions are on the Kurdmansla Islands. Once we leave, the Kurdmansla Islands will no longer exist. Without our foundations, we'll become roaming Wizards!"

The faces of the Wizards from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower darkened slightly. Others could leave, but they, the Spell Casters from the three major factions, could not, because once they left, the foundations of the three major factions would cease to exist. They had spent no small effort to establish these factions. If they continued developing for over a century, they might acquire a heritage which was akin to a spell casters' organization's.

Conversely, once they left, they would become roaming Wizards. Most Spell Casters in the three major factions used to be roaming Wizards, and they had first-hand knowledge of how difficult it was being a roaming Wizard. Naturally, they must not give up their foundations on the Kurdmansla Islands so easily.

"When Wizard Kansu first came to the Kurdmansla Islands, he made it clear that he was only here temporarily, and he didn't join any factions, let alone set up one. He can leave anytime he wants."

A Wizard from Gray Wing Alliance frowned while speaking.

The Kurdmansla Islands were indeed overseen by a Great Wizard, who was called the Great Wizard Kansu! Nevertheless, only the higher-ups of these major factions, who held core positions, knew of this. The Great Wizard Kansu, in reality, was merely on the Kurdmansla Islands on a temporary basis and had no obligation to help the Kurdmansla Islands defend against these sea beasts.

Wizard Umo stood up and his eyes sharpened instantly. He said heavily, "It's true that the Great Wizard Kansu had made that clear at the start, but we only need to lend more weight to our persuasion. We, three factions have been operating on this island for so many years, I believe we all have precious treasures stowed away. Hehe, this time, it won't be stowed away any longer. No matter how precious your treasure is, can it compare to the very foundations we have on the Kurdmansla Islands? As long as the Great Wizard Kansu gets items which he's satisfied with, he'll assist us quite naturally."

"Very well, we shall request authorization for this!"

Wizard Umo nodded, following which the Wizards hurriedly turned and left.

"This is the biggest calamity faced by my Fort Udon, even the entire Kurdmansla Islands…"

A faint, worrisome light shone in Wizard Umo's eyes.

…

"Boom!"

Merlin summoned all his Mind Power to fiercely simulate the Flame Maxim in his Awareness. At that moment, the Flame Maxim finally began changing.

As his Mind Power swept over the Flame Maxim like a wave, Merlin felt as if he was submerged in the middle of a borderless sea of flame. Flames encompassed his entire Awareness, and an unbearable burning sensation spread throughout his body.

Not even Mind Power was able to block this scorching sensation. It even burnt up, shocking Merlin. Mind Power was something incorporeal and was essentially illusory. However, this ball of flame currently seemed likely to burn even his Mind Power.

This was far beyond Merlin's expectations!

A Maxim was something which Merlin had no way of comprehending. Not even Great Wizards were able to grasp what it was, let alone someone like Merlin. He had never intended to refine this Maxim now but instead wanted to discover how this Maxim could possibly be of use to him.

After he endured the searing temperature of the Flame Maxim, Merlin was pleasantly surprised to find that the state of the entire monument seemed to be imprinted in his mind. He had a feeling of being in control of this monument.

The outlines of this monument also appeared in his mind. It looked to be a large ship, and the air bubbles outside were in fact layers of protective energy which was beyond Merlin's understanding, enclosing the entire ship. It was able to freely travel along the bottom of the ocean, even if tens of thousands of years had passed. As long as the monument still had energy, it was able to sustain itself.

This energy required more than just elemental crystal stones. By themselves, these stones would find it hard to sustain such a huge consumption of energy. Besides elemental crystal stones, the ship itself was also absorbing the energy of Fire Element.

Of course, there was no Fire Element at the bottom of the ocean, but there seemed to be faint cracks in space-time all around the ship. The ship absorbed Fire Element through such cracks and used the energy to support itself.

Now, Merlin could confirm that this monument was an extremely mighty alchemy product. It was able to absorb Fire Element from space-time. Not even the Legend Nikola would be able to do this. It must be an unknown, especially powerful Wizard who transfigured this expressly for the Legend Nikola.

Moreover, the thing which controlled this powerful alchemy product was a Flame Maxim left behind by the Legend Nikola. Now that the Flame Maxim had entered Merlin's Awareness, he was able to utilize this Maxim to control this powerful alchemy product even though he did not have the ability to refine the Maxim.

Very soon, Merlin withdrew his Mind Power from the Flame Maxim. He already had a slight understanding of how this Flame Maxim was like. Its biggest benefit was the ability to control this alchemy product which could freely traverse the ocean floors.

This alchemy product was something even the Legend Nikola had treasured, so it must have some wondrous trait. However, Merlin had just begun to understand all these, so he had no way of grasping everything completely. After some time, he might be able to comprehensively control this alchemy product.

Besides the advantage of controlling the alchemy product, the Flame Maxim had another feature which Merlin had taken notice of. Namely, it was able to suppress flames, and it seemed that any flames would be affected by the Maxim's suppression.

"Fiery Collapse!"

Merlin tried casting Fiery Collapse, but as soon as the white flames were produced, Merlin used his Mind Power to fiercely simulate the Flame Maxim. In that instant, Fiery Collapse seemed to fall under a shapeless pressure and was not at all like the mighty flames which used to surge and roar.

"As I thought, Fiery Collapse also succumbs to this suppression… Perhaps I could try forcing Fiery Collapse to merge with my Fire-type spells!"

As he stared at the powerful Pandora Demon Ability suppressed by the Flame Maxim, a bold and daring idea occurred to Merlin.

Chapter 291: This is Just the Beginning!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"If Fiery Collapse could be integrated into the spell…"

The more Merlin thought of it, the more feasible it began to sound. Powerful Pandora Demon Ability could normally be integrated into spells, greatly improving the power of the spells, unleashing unparalleled power with any simple gesture.

Therefore, if Fiery Collapse could really be integrated into spells, then his strength would be significantly increased. However, such a thought was very bold that it could be described as whimsical. Back then, even if Merlin thought of this, he would still never put it into action. Nevertheless, the situation was different now as he obtained the Flame Maxim, which could absolutely suppress Fiery Collapse, so there was a slight feasibility.

On the thought of that, Merlin became rather impatient. He took a deep breath and devoted his full body and mind into Pandora Demon Ability, Fiery Collapse.

"Fiery Collapse, fuse!"

With Fiery Collapse, Merlin gradually put together the flames of Furious Flame and Fireball. Originally, these flames and Fiery Collapse were completely different. The pale flames of Fiery Collapse were far more powerful than the flames released from Merlin's spells, so there was no way both could be combined.

Therefore, Merlin forced his Mind Power on simulating the Flame Maxim into his Awareness. Suddenly, the Flame Maxim began having slight fluctuations, and a huge suppression force instantly embraced Fiery Collapse.

This was pure external pressure, which began to forcefully compress the flames of Fiery Collapse and the flames in the spell model, gradually merging them together. Merlin was also paying full attention to the process. Whenever something went wrong, he would immediately dispel Fiery Collapse.

Time passed by slowly. Merlin knew that this fusion process would surely take a long time, so he waited patiently. With the suppression of the Flame Maxim, even if the fusion failed, there would not be a big problem. All he could do now was to wait silently.

While Merlin was waiting, he closed his eyes again. With the Flame Maxim, he could take control of the huge alchemical product.

"From the look of it, this alchemy product is very much like a big ship. It was left behind by the Legend Nikola, so it shall be called the Ship of Nikola then."

Previously, Merlin had taken only a cursory look at the Ship of Nikola and did not have an in-depth understanding about it. Now, he started scrutinizing every nook and cranny of it.

Suddenly, Merlin saw a familiar figure.

"Isn't that Wizard Bayton? Right, he's waiting for me outside the first obstacle… Now, I've passed three obstacles and I have to get familiar with the Ship of Nikola for a while, so I won't be leaving anytime soon. Wizard Bayton shall be sent out first then."

Merlin had already understood some of the basic functions of the Ship of Nikola. He could use the Runic Magic Circle on the Ship of Nikola to send Wizard Bayton directly to the Kurdmansla Islands.

Thinking of this, Merlin immediately controlled the Runic Magic Circle on the Ship of Nikola, and quickly encompassed Wizard Bayton.

"Swoosh!"

Wizard Bayton did not react in the slightest, turning into a white light instantly and disappearing from the ship.

…

The warm sunlight shone on the beach, and the briny sea breeze blew from time to time. On the damp ground, several black beetles were crawling briskly.

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, a white light appeared on the beach out of thin air, and then a figure staggered onto the beach. His face was slightly pale, and he looked very unkempt.

"What happened? I was sent out?"

It was Wizard Bayton who appeared on the beach. He was still very confused, unable to wrap his mind around what had happened.

"Wizard Merlin, I hope nothing bad happened to you…"

Wizard Bayton was also oblivious about Merlin's current situation, but that kind of underwater ancient monument, even a Great Wizard could not identify its location. Therefore, he could only silently wish Merlin the best now.

"Boom!"

Just as Wizard Bayton was about to identify where this place was, a huge sea wave rose into the sky. Within the huge wave, he could clearly make out countless sea beasts densely grouped together, riding the waves and rapidly closing in toward the island.

"Are these sea beasts? The sea beasts are attacking the Kurdmansla Islands again?"

Wizard Bayton's expression changed slightly. He had no idea how many times he had fought against the sea beasts on the Violet Flame Island. Yet, it was his first time seeing such a great horde of terrifying sea beasts. He had an instinct that this time the Kurdmansla Islands was in grave danger.

A towering sea wave rose from the middle of the vast sea. In the wave, there were countless powerful sea beasts roaring, staring menacingly at the countless islands in front.

These islands were already filled with dense groups of Spell Casters. From their robes, it could be roughly distinguished that most of these Spell Casters were from Fort Udon, Gray Wing Alliance, and Wizard's Tower.

The rest were Wizards from smaller factions, and among them were some occasional Spell Casters who came to see if there were any goodies to be looted. However, upon seeing the countless sea beasts in the huge waves, many of the Spell Casters' expressions had changed, displaying a hint of fear their eyes.

It was the first time that hey had witnessed such a large scale of sea beast invasion, which could cause a big commotion. Everyone knew how severe the sea beast attack this time was. It was not surprising that the three factions have come out in full force, occupying the frontline of defense in face of the sea beast attack.

"Wizard Umo, as I said before, I'm only responsible for dealing with a black shark king beast! As for the remaining one, you all find a way to contain it. Otherwise, if there are two black shark king beasts attacking me, I'll flee immediately!"

Among the group of black-robed Wizards, there was an old Spell Caster in a white robe. His body glowed with a faint gold light, which looked especially eye-catching

The white-robed Wizard had a scalp full of white hair, but there were no wrinkles on his face. The skin on his hands were fair and delicate, just like a woman's, which looked extremely weird.

Although the tone of the white-robed Wizard's voice was very cold, Wizard Umo maintained a respectful attitude and nodded silently. "Respected Master Kansu, please be rest assured, we would certainly contain the other black shark king beast. This is a key moment of life and death for the Kurdmansla Islands. We really need Master Kansu to try your best in killing that black shark king beast."

It turned out that this seemingly weird white-robed elder is the only Great Wizard on the Kurdmansala Islands, Master Kansu!

Master Kansu looked at the many sea beasts in the towering wave and nodded slightly. "I'll try my best. Since I've taken your treasure, I'll do my best. However, whether the black shark king beast can be killed, it's very hard to say!"

In this regard, Wizard Umo did not add on anything.

The huge wave was getting closer and closer, and the huge growls of the sea beasts could be heard from the huge wave. Yet, the most striking view was the two huge sea beasts which were seemingly riding on the waves.

These two sea beasts were as gigantic as two mountain peaks, their entire bodies as black as ink. Although there were no scales, their bodies looked extremely tough.

These were black shark king beasts – the overlord of the deep sea, capable of rivaling the ominous presence of Great Wizards. This huge wave was also the creation of the two king beasts.

Feeling the murderous breath of the king beasts, Master Kansu's expression became solemn. He lowered his voice and said, "I thought that it was a typical king beast, but now it seems that these two black shark king beasts have gone through countless of struggles with death that their breath turned vengeful. I don't know if I'll be able to exterminate a black shark king beast, maybe I can only manage to contain it a little. As for the remaining black shark king beast, you all have to figure it out. If all else fails, the Kurdmansla Islands will then be doomed."

Great Wizard Kansu's words also revealed a slight of uneasiness. The breath of the two black shark king beasts had exceeded his expectations. If it were regular king beasts, he would still have the confidence to fight or even kill them.

Nonetheless, if it were two extremely powerful king beasts, Great Wizard Kansu would no longer stand a chance, and he would then withdraw from the battle as quickly as possible. He had merely accepted some treasures granted to him by Fort Udon, Wizard's Tower, and Gray Wing Alliance, so he would rather not risk his life battling the black shark king beasts.

In this regard, Wizard Umo and the Spell Casters of the three major factions also felt rather helpless. Master Kansu should never be offended, and now they could only battle until their deaths.

"Haha, Umo, my Gray Wing Alliance and your Fort Udon would usually compete with one another both openly and secretly, all for the purpose of occupying more islands on the Kurdmansla Islands to get more resources. However now, even our foundations are in danger of being overturned. Let's put away our prejudice and fight with our lives!"

A Ninth-level Spell Caster of Gray Wing Alliance laughed as he said to Wizard Umo. This time, it was a matter of life and death for the Kurdmansla Islands. Whether it was Fort Udon, Gray Wing Alliance or Wizard's Tower, they had deployed all their elite Spell Casters.

Wizard Umo glanced at the several Spell Casters next to him. Fort Udon dispatched three fort leaders this time, all of them Ninth-level Spell Casters. Gray Wing Alliance did almost the same, with three Ninth-level Spell Casters.

Wizard's Tower was a little disappointing, with only two Ninth-level casters. That tallied to eight Ninth-level Spell Casters, whose responsibility was to hold back one of the black shark king beasts.

However, in the end, they had no absolute confidence whether they could hold it back, so they could only fight all the way!

"Boom!"

Finally, the waves crashed onto the beach hard, and the terrifying sea beasts rushed to the beach frenziedly, their blood-thirsty eyes gleaming as they scurried toward the numerous Spell Casters.

"Kill!"

With that cold-blooded voice, the calm beach immediately burst into unparalleled elemental fluctuations, especially the Water-type elemental fluctuations, which were extremely intense.

A large net made from seawater descended from the sky and covered the entire beach. It had strong repressive power, with mysterious runes flashing on it too.

"Black Water Magic Circle, strangle!"

There were icy sounds as mysterious runes began ascending on this giant net. These runes then dispersed abruptly, and the giant net composed of water began to shrink in an instant, presenting with it a strong strangulation force. The sea beasts which had just climbed onto the beach were easily strangled before they could even charge toward the many Spell Casters.

"The Runic Magic Circle set up by Wizard's Tower is indeed good. It seems that these sea beasts will have to exhaust greater efforts in a bid to attack here in full force."

The Ninth-level Spell Caster of Gray Wing Alliance exclaimed while looking at "Black Water Magic Circle".

Runic Magic Circles were mostly used for transmission, but in actual fact, the offensive powers of Runic Magic Circles were the most powerful. It could be set up in advance, gathering the powers of countless weak Spell Casters, and then flaring up an extremely devastating force.

This was the role of Runic Magic Circles, but this kind of Runic Magic Circle that was deft at attack was really scarce. Neither Gray Wing Alliance nor Fort Udon had it, and only the mysterious Wizard's Tower would have access to it.

Watching the Runic Magic Circle set up by Wizard's Tower slowly blocking the sea beasts, Wizard Umo took a deep breath instead and muttered, "This is just the beginning…"

The rich bloody stench still permeated the air. A briny sea breeze blew past, but before the bloody reek could be dispersed, the sea beasts charged frenziedly toward the beach again.

Sure enough, as Wizard Umo had said, the bloody brutal battle had just begun…

Chapter 292: Terminate the Contract!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Hum… Hum… Hum…"

The battle had begun. In the towering sea wave, countless sea beasts had charged to the beach, and Wizard's Tower had already arranged a number of "Black Water Magic Circles".

Therefore, when these sea beasts rushed to the beach, they would be immediately strangled by Black Water Magic Circle, so despite the astonishing numbers of the sea beasts, they did not pose any substantial threat to the crowd of Spell Casters.

One after another, the sea beasts were strangled to death and all the Spell Casters who watched the scenario shuddered. They did not expect Runic Magic Circles to be so frightening when used as an offensive attack. It had now strangled countless sea beasts, and the blood even stained the seawater red, exuding a thick, bloody stench.

Suddenly, the sea beasts that seemed on an endless rage no longer appeared. Two ultimate titan-like sea beasts fiercely jumped off the towering sea wave.

With the appearance of these two sea beasts, all the sea beasts crouched on the ground, shivering and expressing their absolute surrender to the two sea beasts.

"Black shark king beast!"

Powerful Spell Casters such as Wizard Umo and Great Wizard Kansu recognized these two sea beasts at one glance as only king beasts could have such influence.

"Splash!"

The two black shark king beasts merely lifted their heads and looked at the several Black Water Magic Circles on the beach. Then they whispered, and the huge towering sea waves swept up and ferociously gushed toward the beach.

"Boom!

The Runic Magic Circles which were still incomparably powerful moments earlier began to flicker violently. One by one, the mysterious runes shattered when they encountered the powerful impact of this towering sea wave.

The faces of the Spell Casters who were responsible for controlling the Runic Magic Circles turned pale. These Runic Magic Circles were broken by the black shark king beasts.

"They're black shark king beasts all right. Wizard Kansu, do it!"

Wizard Umo's gaze locked fiercely, staring deadly at the two humongous black shark king beasts on the beach. Since they were able to rival Great Wizards, these king beasts could surely cast spells.

However, the black shark king beasts' power of manipulating water flow was only archetypal. Their most terrifying attribute was their sturdy bodies, together with the power of manipulating water. It was almost comparable to Great Wizards, which made the black shark king beasts a real nuisance.

Moreover, among the numerous sea beasts, black shark king beasts were combat-type sea beasts. Dealing with one was considered a feat on its own, two on the other hand, would be a miracle. It was not surprising that even Wizard Kansu had a serious look on his face.

As Wizard Umo's voice fell, Wizard Kansu, who was wearing a white Wizard's robe took in a deep breath too, then gradually rose into the air, his entire body surrounded by slight Wind-type elemental fluctuations.

"Wind!"

Wizard Kansu gently pointed his fair-skinned fingers to one of the black shark king beasts. Suddenly, a whirlwind appeared out of thin air. This whirlwind seemed to be very calm, but once it touched the sea beast, it started cutting the black shark king beast frenziedly, like a sharp blade.

Even the tough body of the strong black shark king beast had been cut to reveal streaks of red markings. Although it still could not heavily wound the black shark king beast, it made the black shark king beast suffer. It could not help but growl toward the sky.

"Fire!"

The gust persisted, and Wizard Kansu pointed his finger again. Glimmers of flame started flurrying from within the whirlwind. Seemingly aided by the fanning wind, the flames began burning more vigorously.

At this moment, the wind and the fire seemed to have combined perfectly.

Wizard Umo praised in admiration, "This is a fusion of spells. It's rumored that Great Wizards are capable of blending all spells together, each result in a spell comprising multiple spells of different elements. This is the true meaning of Great Wizardry! As a Ninth-level Spell Caster, I've been trapped in this step for a long time, and I don't know when can I grasp the true meaning of spell fusion and strike a breakthrough, becoming a Great Wizard!"

Not only Wizard Umo but also the other Spell Casters were in awe. The most important part of being a Seventh-level or above Spell Caster was to derive and construct new Spell Models.

There was a big difference between the two. For some Spell Casters who were adept at the derivation of spells, the spells that they construct would be terribly powerful, even achieving cross-level kills.

Seventh to Ninth-level Spell Casters mainly deduct and built new spells, while the far superior Great Wizards were at a whole new level above them. It required all kinds of comprehension, the most important thing being able to fuse all Spell Models constructed previously, further making sure that the resultant fusion would not crumble.

If that was successful, one would then become a Great Wizard. A Great Wizard at this time would be particularly terrifying. Any casual gesture or any simple spell cast could exhibit the attributes of countless spells. Among Ice-type spells, there could be burning flames, while among Fire-type spells, there could be turbulent torrents.

Great Wizards were meant to merge spells while the spell that Great Wizard Kansu had just released was, in fact, a product of spell fusion, which could be ever-changing, unleashing immeasurable powers at any time and place.

"Chi! Chi! Chi!"

The wind blade slashed the skin of the black shark king beast mercilessly while the flames continued burning too. While the black shark king beast may be howling miserably, it did not actually sustain any damage. Instead, its body continued expanding, just like blowing a balloon, doubling in size.

"Whoosh!"

This enormous black shark king beast revealed its menacing sharp teeth while huge waves surprisingly appeared from its body, lifted upwards and moved towards Wizard Kansu.

Wizard Kansu and the black shark king beast had already engaged in a battle, and the situation did not seem to be favorable.

At the same time, the other black shark king beast seemed to charge toward Great Wizard Kansu too. Wizard Umo and the others directed a glance at each other. Based on their previous agreement with Great Wizard Kansu, they must hold back one of the black shark king beasts.

Thus, at this moment, they could not retreat. They could only take action!

"Come on, let's hold the black shark king beast back, and hope that Wizard Kansu could settle the other one as soon as possible, so we can still stand a chance."

Wizard Umo and the two Fort Udon leaders beside him took lead in engaging the black shark king beast, their intense elemental fluctuations covering most of the sky.

The flames were like curtains while the winds were whistling. These Ninth-level Spell Casters, who would otherwise be rarely seen at normal times, pulled off their strongest techniques at first strike. Eight Ninth-level Spell Casters formed almost a circle and entrapped the other black shark king beast, madly casting overwhelming spells like a downpour.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

However, these seemingly overwhelming spells were actually not as good as Great Wizard Kansu's one spell. Nevertheless, even Great Wizard Kansu could not hurt the black shark king beast, not to mention Wizard Umo and the other seven Ninth-level Spell Casters.

These Ninth-level Wizards who were usually powerful and a class above everyone else, seemed kind of helpless when facing the black shark king beast, feeling at a loss as to what to do.

"Roar!"

The black shark king beast roared loudly with a vengeful look in its eyes. Then, its huge tail smashed toward the surroundings fiercely.

"Bam!"

With just a light sweep, even the defensive spells of two Ninth-level Spell Casters crumbled right away. Their physical bodies had it worse, getting shoved into the air, which then looked like a gory mess. One hit had already heavily wounded two Ninth-level Spell Casters.

Then, the black shark king beast charged forward ferociously, and the huge force seemed to have shaken the entire island. In the face of such a terrifying king beast, any Spell Caster would be petrified.

"Not an opponent, not an opponent at all. We cannot hinder the beast one bit, let alone contain it!"

Wizard Umo's face had become pale. They were too optimistic before, estimating that they could hold a black shark king beast back with eight Ninth-level Spell Casters.

Now it seemed that they were a far cry from matching the black shark king beast. Even in the sky, Great Wizard Kansu was in a losing position. Facing the fierce black shark king beast, Great Wizard Kansu had run out of ideas.

They had lost and there was not even the tiniest bit of chance to defeat the king beast.

"We failed. The two black shark king beasts aren't something we can deal with. Oh, king beasts, it turns out that for such a long time the Kurdmansla Islands have been built, we only had such a fragile strength and connotation. We can't even contend two king beasts…"

Wizard Umo and the others could only smile helplessly. They had even dreamt of becoming a large-scale spell casters' organization, especially since acquiring Great Wizard Kansu.

Yet, now it seemed that they were still very far away from that. One time, a large spell casters' organization dispatched a Great Wizard, who went deep into the sea and exterminated three king beasts.

At that time, they thought that Great Wizards were all so powerful, so when Great Wizard Kansu came to the Kurdmansla Islands, the three major factions paid an unimaginable price so that Wizard Kansu could "be their stronghold" among the Kurdmansla Islands.

However, now it seemed that Great Wizard Kansu was simply not comparable to the Great Wizards in those spell casters' organizations, and even with all of them added up, they were sadly still no match for the two black shark king beast.

"Haha, let's go, let's go, we've lost. My fellow Fort Udon members, escape as far as you can. Every contract is immediately terminated!"

Wizard Umo suddenly declared loudly. His words could be heard clearly throughout the entire beach. In that instant, the Spell Casters who were desperately fighting the sea beasts were somewhat stunned.

"Escape?"

"It can't be stopped? Not even Great Wizard Kansu can stop it?"

Wizard Bayton, who had just returned to Fort Udon was also among these Spell Casters. He looked at the two large-sized black shark king beasts crushing countless Spell Casters with a single stroke. No spell or casting tool was capable of stopping that.

He knew that the Kurdmansla Islands couldn't be saved!

At the same time, Wizard Umo took out pieces of contract papers from his ring. These were contracts signed by the many Spell Casters of Fort Udon. If it was intended to terminate these contracts by force, they would naturally need to pay a huge price.

However, if Fort Udon took the initiative to terminate the contracts, it would then be easy. It would only require Wizard Umo to initiate the termination of the contract, but once there was no more contract, then Fort Udon would be considered truly disbanded!

"Just terminate it, all the contracts will be terminated. Members of Fort Udon, just flee, you'll not be bound by the contract ever again!"

As Wizard Umo's voice fell, the numerous Fort Udon Spell Casters on the beach could feel that the binding power on their bodies had really disappeared.

…

Deep in the bottom of the sea, on the Ship of Nikola, Merlin's originally calm face became very confounded. He abruptly opened his eyes immediately after.

"This… Is the contract terminated?"

A strange expression appeared on Merlin's face.

Chapter 293: Ship of Nikola!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

At this point, Merlin's entire body was covered in a layer of pale flame, but these flames had already dwindled. This was Fiery Collapse, but now it had been completely suppressed by the Flame Maxim. In addition, it was merged with the Fire-type spells in Merlin's Awareness.

"Boom!"

Finally, the pale layer of flame on the surface of Merlin's body flickered, then suddenly drew back into his body, and was no longer seen.

Meanwhile, in Merlin's Awareness, the pale flame had finally been fully integrated into the Fire-type spells too. Merlin was feeling the entire process silently although it was somewhat different from the Pandora Demon Ability, Fuse Earth which he had cultivated as this was forcibly fused into the spell.

Whether or not it would work, he would find out when he tried it.

"Furious Flame!"

Merlin swiftly released Furious Flame, and suddenly, a vigorous flame suddenly formed, burning fiercely in the void.

Originally, the flame of the original Furious Flame had been red, but now the flame was pale and emitted horrifying heat.

"Success! This is indeed the flame of Fiery Collapse!"

Merlin was delighted. Under the suppression of the Flame Maxim, Fiery Collapse was forcibly integrated into the Fire-type spell, greatly improving the power of the spell.

As for the extent to which Furious Flame could be improved, Merlin was not very clear. As for what changes that could happen if Fiery Collapse was forcibly integrated into the spell, it would require further verification in the future.

Merlin was also paying attention to the changes of Fiery Collapse all this while. Once there was something wrong, he would use the Flame Maxim to suppress it again.

Although he did not know how powerful Fiery Collapse would be after forcibly fused into Fire-type spells, Merlin could clearly feel the scorching aura of Furious Flame which was released earlier. It was much stronger than the original Fiery Collapse. It was definitely no longer just comparable to the peak power of Fourth-level spells.

"Phew…"

After merging Fiery Collapse into the spell, Merlin let out a long sigh too. Then, he began to inspect his body and the feeling of getting released from the contract earlier.

Once the contract was signed, it made the Spell Caster feel a shackle deep down in his heart. So far, Merlin had only signed two kinds of contracts – one with the Dark Magic Region and one with Fort Udon.

He could not be mistaken about the feeling of the contract termination earlier. Moreover, Merlin sensed it carefully where a contractual bond had indeed disappeared. It was the contract signed with Fort Udon which had vanished.

It was very difficult for a contract to be terminated hence Merlin never tried terminating any contracts. Even if there was such a thought, he would not be able to do that. Yet, now his contract with Fort Udon had really been terminated, so only one possibility remained – Fort Udon was the side who terminated the contract.

"What happened to Fort Udon? How could they've terminated the contract with me?"

Merlin frowned. Terminating the contract right now was entirely the loss of Fort Udon, and Fort Udon would never terminate the contract without any strong reason.

"It seems that I have to go to the Kurdmansla Islands to check out what really happened."

Merlin thought for a moment and made a decision in his heart. By relying on the Flame Maxim, he could now control the Ship of Nikola. Immediately, he steered the Ship of Nikola to turn around and rushed toward the Kurdmansla Islands at the fastest speed.

He had just only learned a little about the Ship of Nikola, but it could already be controlled easily. Merlin had also gradually studied some of the functions within.

The Ship of Nikola was quite rapid in speed as it shuttled at the bottom of the sea. It was definitely much faster than flying spells used by Fourth-level Spell Casters, but it consumed a lot of energy.

The energy that was used to support the Ship of Nikola came from the vast Fire elements absorbed by the Fire-type elemental stones from the Spatial Gap.

However, Merlin always felt that the Ship of Nikola would not be as simple. Even the Legend Nikola needed to pay an expensive price to let the alchemists build such a ship, so it was definitely not just used to shuttle under the sea at a faster speed.

"Eh? This feeling of control is really wonderful…"

Merlin was still familiarizing himself with the mysteries of the Ship of Nikola. Soon, he discovered that unimaginable amounts of Fire elements were stored on the Ship of Nikola. These were all absorbed by the Ship of Nikola from the Spatial Gap over three thousand or more years, of which the Ship of Nikola had not consumed much.

As a result, these Fire elements had condensed into dozens of incomparably huge Pillars of Flame, which were hundreds of times more powerful than the energy of thousands of elemental crystal stones.

For the first time, Merlin felt a sense of "enormity."

"So many Pillars of Flame? What's the role of accumulating so much energy? Don't tell me the Ship of Nikola has great attack power too?"

A thought suddenly flashed across Merlin's mind. He was right. The Ship of Nikola was built for the Legend Nikola as a retreat when he had returned from the strange dimension to the Glorious Land.

Since it was a retreat, it must be quite secluded, and it must be helpful to the Legend Nikola. Therefore, the Ship of Nikola likely had fearsome attack power.

Thinking of this, Merlin kept searching, but no matter how hard he looked for it, he did not seem to find the Ship of Nikola's immense attack potential.

"The Ship of Nikola… Could it be that the entire Ship of Nikola is actually a powerful casting tool itself?"

Merlin controlled the Ship of Nikola and could see every nook and cranny of the ship. He had naturally examined the overall structure of the Ship of Nikola too.

Which was why he had produced such a seemingly ridiculous idea. How frightening it would be if this huge Ship of Nikola was really a casting tool?

This theory may be ridiculous, but the more Merlin thought of it, the more likely it seemed that he was right. Thus, he quickly focused his Mind Power to fiercely simulate the Flame Maxim. Merlin also knew that he was able to control the Ship of Nikola due to this Flame Maxim which was left by the Legend Nikola.

As the Flame Maxim was simulated by Merlin's Mind Power, Merlin's control over the Ship of Nikola gradually became more and more dexterous. Finally, all the secrets on the entire Ship of Nikola were all exposed before Merlin's very eyes.

"Sure enough, the Ship of Nikola itself is a powerful casting tool, but the only thing that could steer the Ship of Nikola was the power of the maxim!"

Merlin seemed to have obtained some information from the Flame Maxim. Back at the time when the Legend Nikola got the Ship of Nikola and steered it using the maxim, the resultant power was enough to rival a true Legendary Wizard!

Merlin also felt deeply shocked in his heart. It was surprisingly comparable to the legend. If the Ship of Nikola was really activated, although the energy consumed would be infinite even up to the point of exhausting the Pillars of Flame that were accumulated over the past thousands of years, it would be a blow that could rival a Legendary Wizard.

"It's a pity that it could only be activated with the Flame Maxim. The Flame Maxim left by the Legend Nikola was not left with much. If it was used to activate the Ship of Nikola again, a huge amount of energy will be consumed."

Merlin highly valued the Flame Maxim. He may not be able to refine and cultivate the maxim now, but in his Awareness, the maxim was good for him in constructing Fire-type Spell Models and to comprehend the Essence of Fire in the future.

Even if Merlin hoped to become a Seventh-level Spell Caster, he could use the Flame Maxim to derive and construct all new, immeasurably powerful Fire-type Spell Models.

As for after becoming a Great Wizard, cultivating and refining this Flame Maxim had laid a solid foundation for the promotion to become a Legendary Wizard in the future, but this was an event that was too far-fetched for Merlin. He would never consider such a distant matter.

In acquiring the Ship of Nikola, Merlin seemed to have possessed a strong reliance, but unfortunately, the Ship of Nikola could not be taken away as it could only remain at the bottom of the sea.

The shuttling speed of the Ship of Nikola was incredibly fast at the bottom of the sea, but the Ship of Nikola, which had always been stable, encountered a bumpy ride suddenly. Merlin hurriedly extended his Mind Power out there.

After controlling the Ship of Nikola, Merlin found that he was able to scour the situation around the seabed through the Ship of Nikola.

"Eh? Such violent waves…"

Merlin saw that around the Ship of Nikola, there seemed to be continuously tumbling waves that rushed out of the surface of the sea, forming a huge sea wave.

However, when Merlin examined it carefully, he inhaled sharply, because he saw that on the surface of the sea, there were dense hordes of sea beasts within the violent waves. These sea beasts exuded a ferocious atmosphere which rushed to the beach.

"The sea beasts attacked the Kurdmansla Islands?"

Merlin immediately thought of this possibility in his mind. After all, before he was drawn into the sea to the Ship of Nikola, he had single-handedly killed many sea beasts that attacked the Violet Flame Island.

These sea beasts may be strong, but Merlin did not think that the Kurdmansla Islands would not be able to cope. There were three Ninth-level Spell Casters in Fort Udon alone, and there were rumors that there was a Great Wizard settling on the island. Even though the sea beasts came in large numbers, the Spell Casters on the Kurdmansla Islands should still be able to cope easily.

However, when Merlin extended his Mind Power out of the sea and looked at the situation on the island, his facial expression suddenly changed. He whispered in a low voice, "That… Are those two king beasts? The king among the sea beasts could rival the Great Wizard among the Spell Casters!"

Merlin saw the two gigantic sea beasts which were wreaking havoc on the beach. In addition, in front of the two sea beasts, he also saw Wizard Umo and many other Spell Casters.

There was a decisive look on Wizard Umo's face, and Merlin faintly understood why the contract on his body was terminated. It was feared that not only him but all members of the entire Fort Udon have had the contracts on their respective bodies terminated.

Merlin knew very clearly what two king beasts meant. To the entire Kurdmansla Islands, it was an almost devastating blow.

"Fort Udon shouldn't disappear just like this… I still have the gold-lined robe!"

Merlin lowered his head slightly and glanced at the gold-lined robe on him. Shadows of Wizard Umo and Wizard Bayton kept flashing across his mind.

After a long moment, Merlin slowly raised his head, a relaxed smiled etched out at the edge of his lips.

"Boom!"

That Flame Maxim inside Merlin's Awareness started experiencing a change!

Chapter 294: The Power of a Legend I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Boom!"

There was another violent collision. Great Wizard Kansu was directly thrown to the ground and looked well-beaten. That black shark king beast was hot on his heels, its huge body once again pressed onto Great Wizard Kansu.

A hint of fury flashed across Great Wizard Kansu's face. He then lightly pressed his hands onto the ground.

"Bam!"

The entire island seemed to be shaking. Exuberant streaks of Earth elements quickly gathered, forming a giant in mid-air, which was about a dozen meters in height.

"Hmph, Earth-type spells is my forte. The great Earth Giant, go!"

Nobody knew what spell or even Pandora Demon Ability that Great Wizard Kansu had cast. This was a strong power that could only be used by a Great Wizard.

The enormous giant moved its body and started running speedily. It raised both its hands and slammed toward the black shark king beast.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The two behemoths fought wildly on the island, and not one Spell Caster dared to approach wherever they passed. This small island also seemed rather incapable of supporting the battle between the Earth Giant and the black shark king beast. As a result, huge cracks started forming on the ground as if it would completely collapse instantly.

Watching the Earth Giant fighting frenziedly with the black shark king beast, they seemed evenly matched. However, the Earth elements on the Earth Giant waned lesser and lesser, while the black shark king beast fought more and more aggressively. Based on the current projection, the Earth Giant's defeat was only a matter of time.

Great Wizard Kansu gnashed his teeth and said to Wizard Umo and the others, "I've done my best, but I still can't kill this black shark king beast. I advise all of you to leave quickly. Waiting here is almost like waiting to die! According to the previous agreement, I could step out first in case of an obvious defeat. It's a shame, the Kurdmansla Islands could've lasted a little longer…"

Great Wizard Kansu was actually leaving. The expressions of Wizard Umo and the others changed. Even if they desperately tried everything to hinder a black shark king beast, if there was no Great Wizard Kansu, they would not have the slightest chance when facing the two black shark king beasts.

"Go, go, go. We've lost, we've really lost, Gray Wing Alliance is dissolved here and now, but as long as we escape, there's still a chance to re-establish Gray Wing Alliance in other places."

"Wizard's Tower is ruined too. We can't be like those people from Fort Udon. They knew there was no chance, but they kept defending desperately. Let's flee at once. Even if we become Roaming Wizards, it's better than dying here."

Seeing that Great Wizard Kansu was preparing to leave, Spell Casters of Wizard's Tower and Gray Wing Alliance almost broke down. Countless Spell Casters were demoralized and no longer committed to their fight, fleeing wildly from the Kurdmansla Islands.

"All gone, Umo… There's already no hope that the three of us can level up to Great Wizards hence we built Fort Udon, hoping to leave something behind. Now, even Fort Udon will be gone soon…"

Wizard Dip, one of the three fort leaders of Fort Udon, said calmly.

"Yeah, Fort Udon is the hard work of us three. The Kurdmansla Islands are the foundation of Fort Udon. It's really regrettable that it'll be destroyed now. However, the three of us have already lived for a long time. Let's buy those young ones a little more time to escape."

Another fort leader of Fort Udon, Wizard Fer, whispered. He saw that many of the island's Spell Casters were chased by a large number of sea beasts, but a smile etched on the corner of his lips.

Wizard Umo also laughed, then nodded and said, "Yes, the three of us have lived for a long time, but it is a pity that Fort Udon…"

Subsequently, the three renowned Spell Casters of Fort Udon – Wizard Umo, Wizard Dip, and Wizard Fer – gradually rose into the air, mysterious runes appearing on their bodies.

These runes continuously intertwined and entangled, faintly connecting the three into one unit. This was the strongest technique of the three Fort Udon leaders. It was not known from where they obtained such a magical Runic Magic Circle. It could surprisingly combine the spells cast by the trio, unleashing unparalleled power.

This was also the real reason why Fort Udon could suppress Wizard's Tower and Gray Wing Alliance. If these three men acted together, they may still not be comparable to a Great Wizard, but they could definitely be considered the pinnacle of Ninth-level Wizardry.

However, the trio was really too minute in front of the two gigantic black shark king beasts…

"Fort leader…"

Many of the Fort Udon Spell Casters were very touched as they watched the three figures in mid-air. In Fort Udon, they had enjoyed a kind of tranquility that was hard to savor after becoming a Spell Caster.

In Fort Udon, there was no backstabbing, no deception, and no jealousy. There was only a strong and harmonious atmosphere. All this was because the three fort leaders of Fort Udon had established an unshakable trust between themselves throughout the centuries.

This was also the unique aspect of Fort Udon. Their Spell Casters did not seem to be full of wisdom or exceptionally calm. Instead, it looked more like a faction formed by a group of idealists.

However, this faction which had made countless Spell Casters feel warm and belonged would accompany the Kurdmansla Islands to extinction.

"Kill!"

Finally, along with Wizard Umo's yell, a blazing flame immediately emerged on the three fort leaders' bodies, seemingly about to encompass the entire island. Even the sky was faintly tinted with a hue of flaming red.

Through the Runic Magic Circle, the spells that the three had cast were merged together, its powers instantly increased significantly. However, just as they were preparing to attack the black shark king beast, the flames that they had just released into the skies seemed like they were repressed by an invisible force as the countless flames begin to extinguish.

"Eh? Wait, what's going on?"

Wizard Umo immediately discovered the anomaly. He could clearly feel that the surrounding flames had obviously weakened tremendously as if there was an invisible force that subdued the flames hovering the sky.

"My Spell Model, the Fire-type Spell Model, why is it suppressed?"

"Mine too, the Fire-type spells are even suppressed to the point where they can't be released anymore. What's going on?"

Not only Wizard Umo and the rest, many Spell Casters who stayed on the island also felt the abnormality. The Spell Models in their bodies, especially Fire-type Spell Models, seemed to have been blanketed by an invisible force, which restricted them from casting Fire-type spells.

Great Wizard Kansu, who had not managed to leave the island yet, also stopped in his tracks. A strange glimmer flashed across his eyes too. After all, he was a Great Wizard, standing almost at the peak of the Spell Caster world.

Now, Great Wizard Kansu had surprisingly felt the suppression of the Fire-type spells in his body. This kind of suppression was very immense. Even if he wanted to release Fire-type spells, he may be able to release them forcibly, but the power would be much weaker than usual.

"What's really happening? How could there be a force that can suppress my Spell Model? This is impossible!"

Great Wizard Kansu knew very clearly that he had never encountered this kind of power which can suppress the spells in a Great Wizard's body.

When all the Spell Casters were panicking, a glint of flame appeared in the middle of the vast sea. This flame looked extremely odd – it was spread from the bottom of the sea.

The vast sea was entirely filled with seawater, but now, these flames seem to be burning the ocean. They appeared on the surface of the sea, gradually spreading into the air, and the scorching atmosphere instantly pervaded the entire island.

It could even be seen that the high temperature had evaporated the seawater as thick mist appeared to be lingering over the sea.

The flames became more vigorous as it burned. Many Spell Casters could feel that their Spell Models could no longer absorb a single trace of Fire element because all the Fire elements were gathered over the sea, forming a violent Sea of Flames.

This was an actual Sea of Flames. Even the ocean was burning. There were flames everywhere. The sea beasts which were extremely fierce moments ago seemed to have sensed the dangerous atmosphere as they began to feel a little uneasy.

"Look, what's that?"

Everyone did not know what these sudden flames were, but soon, a figure seemed to be condensing rapidly at the seemingly endless stretch of flames.

It was an incredibly stalwart body, up to several kilometers in height. Even the two gigantic black shark king beasts appeared miniature in front of this newly condensed flame figure.

With the formation of this Flame Giant, everyone felt an unimaginable oppressive force as if in front of this stalwart Flame Giant, they were as tiny as the countless sand on the beach.

The Flame Giant had not fully formed yet as it was still morphing a face intensely. The clouds in the sky had long been dispelled by the flames. Everything within dozens of miles in the vast sea was all covered in flames. The entire sky turned fiery-red, and even the sun seemed to have been replaced, becoming a fiery-red glimmer of flame.

Soon, the huge face of the Flame Giant was formed. It was an unfamiliar and fearsome face. Its eyes were still closed, but it had already made many Spell Casters afraid of looking at it directly.

In the eyes of a Spell Caster, god did not exist. In their view, they themselves were the most powerful beings. As for the god propagated by the Church of Light, even the lowest-level Spell Casters would disregard.

However, looking at this enormous body of flame, they all simultaneously thought of "god" in their minds.

When the Flame Giant formed a face, a puzzled look flashed across Wizard Umo's face, but then he shook his head. The thought that emerged in his mind seemed to be absurd but it was right in front of him now.

However, among the crowd, there was still one person who, upon seeing the face of the Flame Giant, revealed an astonished expression.

"Is this Wizard Merlin? How could he have such great powers to become a Flame Giant?"

Wizard Bayton took a deep breath, unable to suppress the shock in his heart!

Chapter 295: The Power of a Legend II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, the huge Flame Giant in the sky opened his eyes. At this moment, everyone seemed to be drawn in by those eyes.

The flames in the sky became more turbulent, making the body of the Flame Giant even bigger.

"What a strong feeling. Is this the power of a Legend?"

No one noticed that in the Flame Giant's indifferent eyes, there was a hint of empathy instead.

At this time, Merlin had already controlled the flames in the sky. He could also observe everything around him through the Flame Giant where he was equivalent to transforming into the Flame Giant in the sky.

The strange phenomenon in the sea was also orchestrated by Merlin through the Ship of Nikola, almost consuming an unimaginable amount of Pillars of Flame. These Pillars of Flame had been accumulated over thousands of years by the Ship of Nikola.

Now, Merlin used the Flame Maxim to engage the ship of Nikola, instantly acquiring powers equivalent to a Legendary Wizard. Although the time was short, the consumption speed of the energy pillars was frightening. If there were no such energy pillars, regardless of how many elemental crystal stones there were, there would not be enough to start the ship of Nikola.

Moreover, not only the Pillars of Flame but the Flame Maxim in Merlin's Awareness was also consumed vigorously. In order to initiate the Ship of Nikola, besides needing huge and unimaginable amounts of energy, the most fundamental element was this Flame Maxim left by the Legend Nikola.

If there was no Flame Maxim or if the Flame Maxim was completely exhausted, Merlin would no longer be able to operate the Ship of Nikola.

"The battle must be made a swift one. Otherwise, be it the Pillars of Flame or the Flame Maxim, I can't afford to exhaust them!"

Merlin silently made a decision in his heart. Therefore, through the eyes of the Flame Giant, he once again looked at the distant beach and the numerous sea beasts in the vast sea.

The two gigantic black shark king beasts were the particular focus of Merlin.

Seemingly feeling the cold stare of the Flame Giant in the sky, the two black shark king beasts on the beach had also become rather furious. They roared at the Flame Giant in the sky, but they did not look like they dared to step forward, obviously in fear of the Flame Giant.

"Control!"

The Flame Giant in the sky made a sound like a rumble of thunder. Suddenly, countless fire elements wildly gathered over the sea, seemingly forming firestorms.

Although Merlin only temporarily controlled this power, he could feel its great power. To be able to control elements – this was an ability that could only be attained after condensing a Maxim.

As for now, what Merlin had showcased was the ability to control Fire elements. He could only possess the power of a Legendary Wizard through the Ship of Nikola by initiating it with the Flame Maxim. Although the process was very short, he had experienced the enormity of this power in real time and in physical form. It was also an opportunity that could not be replicated.

"Boom!"

Along with the formation of the firestorm, the Flame Giant forcefully extended a huge palm and directly slammed it downward. This palm, which was entirely composed of flames, instantly became incredibly huge, fully encasing the sea near the beach. Even the many sea beasts on the beach, including the two gigantic black shark king beasts, were also shrouded by it.

The flames were howling, and the sea water was boiling. Moreover, as the palm of the Flame Giant approached, the seawater began to evaporate quickly, turning into a thick mist, lingering in mid-air.

Even the seawater had evaporated instantaneously. The power of the flame palm was far beyond the understanding of an ordinary Spell Caster.

"Roar!"

The two black shark king beasts also seemed to sense a strong threat, and immediately howled toward the sky. The inky skin of their bodies seemed to be shiny black, and stripes began appearing on the surface, glinting with peculiar energy.

Besides the black shark king beasts, countless other sea beasts started to panic as well and wanted to escape. However, even if they plunged into the bottom of the sea, they immediately shrieked in pain when their bodies reduced into a pool of blood.

Wherever the flames go, that area became a restricted zone. These sea monsters had absolutely no means of escape.

The sky became more and more reddish, just like a group of fiery clouds falling directly from the sky, showering with unimaginable power.

"Quick, retreat! Retreat as far as possible!"

The three Fort Udon leaders had also noticed the danger. Although the flames seemed to have a conscience and did not affect them, the invisible momentum alone had made these Ninth-level Spell Casters feel very incomparably repressed, so they naturally dared not approach it.

"Bang!"

The palm of flame descended from the sky and slapped onto the beach. Suddenly, the entire island crumbled, and numerous huge cracks appeared on the ground. Then, several small islands began to form.

The surface of the island, which was slapped by the palm of flame, was charred black. It was filled with horrible burning flames. Numerous sea beasts were enclosed in it as the flames burned them into ashes mercilessly.

The two black shark king beasts could not resist the palm of flame. After all, it was the power of a Legendary Wizard. It was not the same level as a Great Wizard. Mastering the Maxim and achieving the Legendary status could almost make one as good as a "god".

The ancient gods were created by heaven and earth. A weaker dimension was likely to give birth to one god. If the dimension was strong, many gods could be born. These gods could control the elements, almost equivalent to Legendary Spell Casters who condensed the Maxim and controlled the elements.

Moreover, the ability to control Fire elements was extremely powerful. The island which had been divided had begun to sink, just like they had melted, gradually sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Not only were the small islands sinking but also a part of the sea's surface which was covered by flames. It could clearly be seen that the water level on that particular sea surface was much lower than the sea surface outside the flames.

This meant that in the short period of time of being covered by flames, the seawater had been continuously evaporated by the flames. If it persisted any longer, would the entire sea be evaporated into the air?

The surviving Spell Casters were extremely shocked when they saw this scene, indelibly etching that sight into the back of their minds. It was already beyond their perception of a Spell Caster.

A Great Wizard may not be afraid of volcanic eruptions and violent sea waves, but they would not be capable of creating a lasting impact like this. Now that there was a Flame Giant in the sky which could destroy the islands and evaporate the sea, this type of power had already been at almost on par with the "god" propagated by the Church of Light.

With the destruction of the many sea beasts, the Flame Giant in the sky began to slowly dissipate too, turning into twinkles of flames, gradually disappearing from the sky.

Although the Flame Giant disappeared, the crowd of Spell Casters on the Kurdmansla Islands were still very quiet, seemingly reminiscing about the shocking scene earlier.

"A Legend… A higher level than Great Wizard, one who condenses Maxims, controls elements, and rivals the gods! This is a Legend, must be a Legend. I can't believe that I can see a great Legendary Wizard with my very own eyes!"

Great Wizard Kansu, who was donned in a body-length white robe, looked extremely emotional. As a Great Wizard, Great Wizard Kansu naturally had more understanding than an average Spell Caster about the Legendary Wizard.

What the Flame Giant in the sky had demonstrated moments ago had lifted a part of Great Wizard Kansu's memory which was locked away. It reminded him of a class of powerful Spell Casters during the most glorious era of Spell Casters. They were Wizards of a commanding presence, capable of exiling gods, namely Legendary Wizards!

Great Wizard Kansu inhaled deeply, a hopeful look appeared on his face. Then, his figure shuttered as he flew to the part of the sky where the Flame Giant was at earlier.

…

"Phew…"

In the ship of Nikola, Merlin heaved a long sigh of relief.

"It's really strong. The power of Legendary Wizards is completely different from the power of typical Spell Casters. The ability of commanding elements at will – it's truly incredible!"

Merlin mumbled softly. He was still carefully reminiscing the feeling of controlling elements earlier. It was a different feeling compared to casting spells. A spell could only convert a small part of the elements into Magic Power, so no matter how strong the spell was, the power was still limited.

Yet, controlling elements were different. The infinite elements could be manipulated, turning them into a horrifying force which could move mountains and drain seas. 1

However, when Merlin inspected the accumulated Pillars of Flame in the Ship of Nikola, his face changed slightly. It turned out that on the ship of Nikola, a third of the seemingly numerous Pillars of Flame had actually been consumed. Those were thousands of years' worth of storage.

As for the Flame Maxim in Merlin's Awareness, the consumption was equally not small. It had obviously reduced by a circle in size, its volume reduced by a third too.

Earlier, Merlin controlled the Ship of Nikola. Under the consumption of huge amounts of energy in addition to the usage of Flame Maxim, Merlin instantly activated the Ship of Nikola, and briefly possessed the power of a Legendary Wizard.

Moreover, from the moment of his initiation to kill all the sea beasts, the actual time spent was very short. Even so, such a huge amount of energy had been drained, exhausting one-third of the Flame Maxim. It made Merlin feel a faint pang of loss in his heart.

The energy was really nothing though. Although it would take a long time to accumulate, the Flame Maxim was of utmost importance to Merlin, and now with one third less, it could be considered a huge loss.

Just as Merlin was still grieving over the loss sustained by the Flame Maxim, he saw the figure that appeared in the sky through the Ship of Nikola.

The white-robed figure seemed to be searching for something, occasionally releasing intense elemental fluctuations from his body.

"Great Wizard?"

Merlin frowned. Him possessing the Ship of Nikola must be kept a secret. This was a treasure that would drive even a Great Wizard crazy. Therefore, Merlin directly controlled the Ship of Nikola and began to dive slowly.

In the vast sea, wishing to locate the Ship of Nikola in the depths of the sea was absolutely impossible, what more the Ship of Nikola, which was highly valued by the Legend Nikola. Even a Great Wizard would not be able to locate it.

Thus, the Ship of Nikola carried Merlin, slowly diving into the depths of the sea, disappearing without a trace.

Chapter 296: Leveling Up and Gaining Loot!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the pitch-black depths of the ocean, a large ship which was enclosed in a bubble was slowly moving forward.

"Right, this place is fine!"

Merlin immediately stopped the Ship of Nikola. He was now thousands of meters below the surface of the sea, far away from the Kurdmansla Islands. Not even a Great Wizard would be able to find him.

After solving the crisis of the Kurdmansla Islands, Merlin did not choose to leave but instead stayed in the Ship of Nikola in order to obtain a detailed understanding of the ship.

"Mmm, my Mind Power is at the peak of the Third-level. I can construct two more Second-level spells."

Through the Mind Power duplicate in the Bell Space, Merlin's Mind Power had grown at a great pace. He was now able to construct two more Second-level spells. However, he was in no rush to do that. He wanted to understand the Ship of Nikola thoroughly and would need a period of time for that. During this time, he would also try to increase his Mind Power in order to break through to the Fourth-level.

At that point, he would be able to construct the four Second-level spells that remained, and level up to a Second-level Spell Caster in one swoop!

As such, Merlin silently closed his eyes and began familiarizing himself with the Ship of Nikola.

…

"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"

Merlin gradually opened his eyes. He glanced at the Bell Space at his chest. There was a tremor, along with scorching energy coming once again from the Bell Space. This was already the third time.

"Hopefully, this time my Mind Power will break through to the Fourth-level!"

Merlin drew in a deep breath as his eyes shone with a light of anticipation. He had been on the Ship of Nikola for more than three months. This was the third time the Mind Power duplicate in the Bell Space had reached its limit.

Despite having merged with the Mind Power duplicate twice already, Merlin's Mind Power had still not broken through. It was as though the limit did not even exist.

"Mind Power duplicate, combine!"

Merlin quickly fused the Mind Power duplicate of the Bell Space into his Mind Power. He was familiar with the fusion process, so in no time at all, he was slowly beginning to fuse with the Mind Power duplicate.

It was a hurdle to go from Third-level to Fourth-level Mind Power and a very difficult hurdle at that. Therefore, Merlin was not anxious. With the Bell Space, his Mind Power could expand continuously by fusing with the Mind Power duplicate. This was much faster than the ordinary Meditation Method.

Thus, Merlin only had to wait patiently. Once the right conditions were fulfilled, his Mind Power would quite naturally break through to the next level.

"Boom!"

At last, after Merlin combined with the Mind Power duplicate for the third time, his Mind Power became like a tide of water bursting out from the floodgates. An entirely new sensation emerged in Merlin's senses.

Everything before his eyes seemed much clearer than before. He could distinctly feel the movement of various Elements in the air, which seemed to shimmer with life in a vivid manner.

"Have I broken through?"

Merlin felt a rush of glee. The breakthrough of his Mind Power had occurred as the conditions were right. Since the accumulation of his Mind Power had reached a sufficient level, it had naturally broken through.

This significant boost of his Mind Power also seemed to make it easier for him to control the Ship of Nikola.

"My Mind Power finally underwent a breakthrough. Following this, it's time to construct the four remaining Second-level spells!"

By now, Merlin had constructed two Second-level spells – Darkness Tide and Earth Veil. However, if he wanted to become a Second-level Spell Caster, he needed to construct the four remaining Second-level spells.

Merlin had already prepared for these Second-level spells back when he was in the Dark Magic Region and could construct them at any time.

"The Matrix, analyze the Spell Model of the Second-level spell, Sea of Purgatory Fire!"

Merlin first began to construct the Second-level Fire-type spell, Sea of Purgatory Fire.

With the help of the Matrix, alongside the fact that he had abundant Mind Power, Merlin had almost no chance of failure. As a result, the construction of the Spell Model went very smoothly.

The Second-level Fire-type spell "Sea of Purgatory Fire" was successfully constructed!

The Second-level Wind-type spell "Light Breeze" was successfully constructed!

The Second-level Thunder-type spell "Lightning Flash" was successfully constructed!

The Second-level Ice-type spell "Ice Seal Zone" was successfully constructed!

…

Other Spell Casters might need to spend a long time deriving their Spell Models even if they had sufficient Mind Power. Moreover, they would need to keep an eye on the stability, the compatibility, and other aspects, so it was time-consuming. They would require a few months' time or even a few years.

It was this challenging and complicated process of derivation that hindered the majority of Spell Casters, resulting in them being unable to construct new Spell Models no matter what.

However, Merlin did not need to concern himself with these matters. His only concern was to have sufficient Mind Power. With that, he could rely on the Matrix to construct Spell Models freely and consistently. Therefore, in a mere ten days, Merlin successfully constructed the four remaining Second-level spells.

The instant he completed constructing all the Second-level spells, Merlin clearly felt some indescribable change occurring in his Awareness. It was a subtle change, and Merlin would not have been able to perceive it in the past.

Nonetheless, after his Mind Power had reached the Fourth-level, it had become much keener, so he detected the change in his Awareness right away.

Beneath the numerous Spell Models, his Awareness seemed to be broadening slowly.

Initially, his Awareness seemed to have no boundaries, but in fact, most of it was a blank space. On the other hand, the construction of the Spell Models seemed to have further illuminated an area. The more Spell Models he constructed, and the stronger the Spell Models were, then the wider the illuminated area became.

Merlin did not know what this change in his Awareness actually meant, but it seemed that there was nothing abnormal about his Spell Models, so he did not worry about it.

After having constructed many spells consecutively, who knew how long it would take to transform Magic Power through the Spell Models alone? Thus, in general, many advanced Spell Casters, after constructing their spells, would use elemental crystal stones to build up Magic Power at first.

Merlin was no exception. He still had plenty of elemental crystal stones after using them the last time. However, having constructed four Second-level spells all at once, he had used up a large number of his elemental crystal stones.

"I don't have many elemental crystal stones left… I didn't expect that I would use so many elemental crystal stones just for Second-level spells."

Merlin felt somewhat helpless. His Second-level spells were the best among their level and were able to build up a lot of Magic Power. However, at the same time, they used up a great number of elemental crystal stones as well.

Merlin, being in the pitch-black depths of the ocean, had no way of obtaining elemental crystal stones. Nevertheless, he had a plan. During these three months, he had already achieved a thorough mastery of the Ship of Nikola.

Merlin discovered that before the three obstacles of the Ship of Nikola, particularly in front of the first and second obstacles, there were piles of dry bones. They used to be Spell Casters who had been roped in to complete the obstacles of the Ship of Nikola but who died instead.

"Whoosh!"

With the Ship of Nikola under his control, a mysterious Runic Magic Circle rapidly surfaced on Merlin's body. In a flash, he appeared before the first obstacle.

There were many skeletons that had crumbled into white dust at the lightest touch. It was evident that a long time had passed. Nonetheless, even so, the rings did not deteriorate with the passage of time. The space within these rings was extremely stable and would not suffer any damage unless it came under the attack of a powerful force.

Merlin's target was these rings. He picked up a few at random and quickly searched them with this Mind Power.

"Mmm, not bad. There are many elemental crystal stones as well as Spell Models and potion materials."

"Eh? This one has some robes along with some rare treasures."

Merlin looked through all the rings. They were mainly filled with elemental crystal stones, some potion materials, and alchemy materials. Still, this was only the first obstacle. Spell Casters who could not even clear the first obstacle had weaker capabilities, so it was natural that they did not have much good stuff.

Very soon, Merlin came to the second obstacle. There were fewer bones yet Merlin had higher expectations for the rings here.

Those who were able to reach the second obstacle would have had greater powers, so of course, they would have more valuable items. Therefore, Merlin quickly began to pick up the rings on the ground and looked through them carefully.

"There is quite a number of elemental crystal stones here, and some stronger spells too."

"Robes, and more than one at that. Hold on, what casting tool is this?"

Merlin looked through many rings in a row. In one of the rings were many casting tools, many of which Merlin had never seen before.

The owner of this ring must have been wealthy when they were alive in order to possess so many casting tools. However, when one was trapped in the Ship of Nikola, it did not matter how many casting tools one had. The second obstacle did not allow the use of casting tools.

In this ring, the most eye-catching item was a belt which appeared to be glowing with a very faint green light. At a glance, Merlin was able to recognize that this was a casting tool as it was emitting obvious Elemental fluctuations.

As soon as he thought of that, Merlin immediately retrieved this green patterned belt from the ring and lightly fastened it around his waist. It appeared to fit him but did not seem to have any special features.

Since it was a casting tool, he would need to use Mind Power or Magic Power to activate it. Therefore, Merlin enveloped the belt with his Mind Power, but nothing changed even after a long time.

As Mind Power was unable to activate this casting tool, Merlin decided to use Magic Power. First, he used Fire-type Magic Power. He mobilized the Fire-type Magic Power within his body, and it quickly surged into the belt.

However, it did not serve any function, so Merlin proceeded to use Earth-type Magic Power. Still, nothing changed.

At this, Merlin gradually began to furrow his brow. It was a good thing he had more than two types of Magic Power. Thus, he mobilized his Ice-type Magic Power and Wind-type Magic Power next.

"Hum…"

At last, when Merlin channeled his Wind-type Magic Power into the belt, it began to tremble slightly. At the same time, Merlin felt a fierce gust of Wind Elemental fluctuations. His body seemed to be carried by a breeze and he abruptly rose into the air.

"This… This is a Flying casting tool?"

Merlin stared down at his gradually ascending body and irrepressible expression of glee appeared on his face.