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Chapter 337: Perfect Armor

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Currently, there were many Spell Casters in the hall of the eighth prince's manor. It was seemingly the greatest force that the eighth prince could possibly assemble.

All these Spell Casters looked solemn. They had very dignified expressions.

The eighth prince gently tapped his fingers on the table, his gaze swept over the many Spell Casters present. He then said with a low voice, "My people, I've just got news that two Spell Casters – Wizard Tanin and Wizard Morston – have arrived at the fourth prince's manor!"

Upon hearing this news, some of the Spell Casters in the hall showed indescribable expressions on their faces. Apparently, they were familiar with these two Spell Casters.

"I can't believe it's actually those two old monsters, Tanin and Morston!"

"These two must be at least three hundred years old already. Tsk tsk, they've never joined any spell casters' organizations, not even Spell Caster clans, living their lives without any kind of attachment. They're ruthless beings. Once, they wiped out five Spell Caster clans just because of a minor conflict. Spell Caster clans with up to thousands of people – all killed!"

Many Spell Casters knew the notorious reputations of the two Spell Casters. Besides, they were Eighth-level Wizards. They were powerful, had no attachments, and were utterly cruel. Any general spell casters' organizations would never seek to recruit these two Wizards.

It came as a surprise now that the fourth prince had actually managed to recruit them.

Noticing the crowd's reaction, the eighth prince's expressions sank slightly. He continued. "There's worse news. The fourth prince has prepared to strike us in a few days' time, right when His Majesty gathers everyone in the royal family for a hunting trip!"

"Boom!"

This news was like a booming thunder, stunning the faces of many Spell Casters pale.

Some of these Spell Casters had willingly pledged allegiance to the eighth prince for various perks, while others were forced to serve under him by various means deployed by the eighth prince.

Though they all knew that a final showdown between the fourth and the eighth prince was inevitable, they did not expect to see it play out so quickly.

However, if you stand in the perspective of the fourth prince, the best time to strike was indeed in a few days' time. Besides the few great core Wizards under his command, the fourth prince had acquired two Eighth-level Spell Casters – Tanin and Morston too. So currently, it seemed that the fourth prince was close to the peak of his strength. Naturally, he would want to seize this opportunity to battle it out with the eighth prince and to take control of the situation in the Imperial City.

After all, apart from the eighth prince, his only other competitors for the throne were the ninth prince and the thirteenth prince, who were both far away from the Imperial City. Hence, they would not pose that much of a threat to the fourth prince.

Seeing that the many Wizards did not utter a single word, the eighth prince's voice became more melancholic. "My Wizards, what are your thoughts?"

The fact that the fourth prince had gathered the forces of two Eighth-level Wizards had made many Wizards feel faint despair as they knew exactly the extent of the eighth prince's forces.

After a long moment, there was a Wizard who stepped forward and said, "Your Royal Highness, no matter what, we must make early preparations!"

"Yes, we really must prepare early!"

The eighth prince paused and then stood up abruptly. His face revealed a surge of self-confidence. He declared in a loud voice, "The fourth prince is already prepared, so how can I not be? Of course, someone will deal with Tanin and Morston. As for the rest of you, you must go and make the necessary preparations. We cannot afford to have the slightest dependence on luck alone. Go and wait quietly for the ultimate battle in a few days' time!"

"Ultimate battle!"

Everyone in the room could feel a slight tremble in their hearts. The eighth prince and the fourth prince had competed for so many years, and it was the very first time that such resolute words were used.

However, the confident tone of the eighth prince also made some of the Spell Casters feel relieved. Since the eighth prince was able to compete with the fourth prince for so many years, would he not be prepared? Perhaps he had long since recruited a powerful Spell Caster to deal with Wizard Tanin and Wizard Morston.

Thus, many Spell Casters began to slowly leave the hall, making the necessary preparations, quietly waiting for a possible showdown after a few days.

After many Spell Casters had left, only three Seventh-level Wizards remained, and they all looked at the eighth prince.

"Your Royal Highness, we've heard that Wizard Leo has arrived?"

The eighth prince nodded and said, "Yes, Wizard Leo has arrived. I'm afraid I've to rely on Wizard Leo with regards to Tanin and Morston!"

Hearing that the eighth prince intended to hand over two Eighth-level Spell Casters Tanin and Morston to Wizard Leo, these three Seventh-level Spell Casters frowned slightly. A worried look appeared on their faces as Wizard Leo was merely a Sixth-level Spell Caster.

"Your Royal Highness, having to deal with two Eighth-level Spell Casters – won't this be a difficult task for Wizard Leo? Does Your Highness have the confidence?"

"Confidence?"

The eighth prince looked away and gently shook his head. "I don't have any confidence but at this point, I can only give it a go. Besides Wizard Leo, which one of you is willing to deal with Tanin and Morston?"

The three Seventh-level Spell Casters were naturally aware of Wizard Tanin and Wizard Morston's power. Hence, they all gave a slight shake of their heads.

"Alright, we'll now go look for Wizard Leo and discuss with him about the upcoming battle. Let's go, you'll all follow me to meet Wizard Leo!"

As soon as the eighth prince finished speaking, he left the hall with the three Seventh-level Spell Casters.

…

"Hum…"

Merlin's Awareness was shaken slightly. Immediately, rich Earth Elements rushed into his Awareness, and a new Spell Model swiftly started forming, transforming the Earth Elements into Magic Power.

"Third-level Earth-type spell, Perfect Armor! The construction is finally successful!"

Merlin let out a long sigh of relief. After taking two portions of Mokra Potions consecutively, he had indeed increased his Mind Power. However, the simulation of Perfect Armor took a long time.

At this time, in Merlin's Awareness, various colors of lights were twinkling. If it could be seen with the eyes, one would be surprised to find that each of these colorful lights represented a Spell Model.

From Zero-level spells to Third-level spells, there were already twenty Spell Models in total!

Merlin was a Six-Elemental Spell Caster. Six Zero-level Spell Models, six First-level Spell Models, and six Second-level Spell Models, plus the newly constructed Third-level spells – Darkness Vortex, Condensed Fire, and Perfect Armor. Precisely twenty-one spells!

Unknown to many, Merlin had evolved from the newbie Wizard back then to the Wizard he was now, of whom had constructed twenty-one Spell Models. A large number of Spell Models silently laid in his Awareness like building blocks that piled up layer by layer, looking extremely spectacular.

In particular, many Spell Models were still absorbing elements and transforming it into Magic Power, which was then stored in the Spell Models. Twenty-one Spell Models absorbing elements all at once, almost forming a mini elemental storm.

However, in the Awareness, these elements were absorbed and transformed by various Spell Models methodically and in an orderly fashion.

There were indeed many Spell Models in his Awareness. In the future, there would be Fourth-level spells, Fifth-level spells, and Sixth-level spells, all the way up to Ninth-level spells. By that time, the number of spells would be so large that it would be unimaginable.

Spell fusion was the specialty of a Great Wizard. These spells in the Awareness could also be merged. Even if a Spell Caster had not reached the stages of spell fusion, its difficulty could also be roughly imagined…

"It was not surprising that there are so few Great Wizards!"

Merlin shook his head gently. The level of a Great Wizard was still too far away from him. Therefore, he immediately threw these thoughts out of his mind.

After waiting for a moment, Merlin looked at the Spell Model of Perfect Armor in his Awareness. It could already be released once or twice, so Merlin quickly cast Perfect Armor.

Merlin had a high expectation of Perfect Armor. By acquiring Perfect Armor, he would be provided a great assurance of safety.

"Perfect Armor!"

A khaki-colored light flashed rapidly. In the blink of an eye, an armor quickly condensed over the surface of Merlin's body.

This armor seemed extremely heavy. It wrapped Merlin's body in entirety. It might be called an armor, but in actuality, it was an illusory light without any dead angles. Attacks from any angle would be blocked by Perfect Armor.

Merlin gently stood up, savoring the power of Perfect Armor. This Perfect Armor was originally a Third-level spell. Although its defensive power was extremely great, it was difficult for it to be deemed "perfect". Nonetheless, no matter how strong a Third-level spell was, it still had a limit.

However, with the addition of Pandora Demon Ability, Fuse Earth that Merlin had cultivated, things would be very different. It could enhance the strength of Perfect Armor by multiple folds, and also greatly improve its defensive power. Only a force almost beyond that of a Sixth-level spell would stand a chance of breaking the defense of Perfect Armor.

In a sense, this Perfect Armor now was seemingly Merlin's current most powerful move. Any force under the seventh-level would have virtually nil chance of hurting him.

Of course, if his opponent was a Spell Caster who had Pandora Demon Ability such as Wizard Leo who had Darkness Eye, it would be futile even if Merlin's Perfect Armor had the enhancement from Pandora Demon Ability, Fuse Earth.

After Merlin felt the power of Perfect Armor, he had a new discovery. It turned out that the Magic Power consumed by Perfect Armor was very low. Except for the need to release immense Magic Power during the beginning stages of casting Perfect Armor, it would only require little Magic Power for maintenance.

This could also greatly prolong the combat time between Spell Casters as it did not involve consuming too much Magic Power.

"Now, I dare to face any Spell Caster under the seventh level!"

Merlin was full of confidence. Now that he had completed the construction of Perfect Armor and guaranteed his own safety, he had just only begun unraveling his true strength.

Now, he could truly be deemed a powerful Spell Caster!

In addition, after he became a Fourth-level Spell Caster, he was capable of fighting Seventh-level Spell Casters. Maybe he could be like the legend Nikola, who killed a Seventh-level Spell Caster while still holding the status of a Fourth-level Spell Caster!

"Eh? Someone's here!"

Merlin had already woken up, and his Mind Power was constantly monitoring the situation outside. He noticed some strangers outside the courtyard. Thereafter, Merlin pushed the door open and saw four people walking into the yard.

"His Royal Highness, the eighth prince!"

Merlin scanned around and recognized that the person walking in front was the eighth prince while the three Spell Casters behind him were the three Seventh-level Spell Casters that Merlin had met before.

The eighth prince had brought along three Seventh-level Spell Casters. Surely, something huge had happened.

Chapter 338: Destiny!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The eighth prince heard the voice and lifted his head. Upon seeing Merlin, he quickly flashed a smile. "Wizard Merlin, you were still sleeping the last time I came."

Merlin was somewhat surprised. It turned out that the eighth prince had visited before. It was indeed very dangerous when he was in a deep slumber for he did not know what would happen.

The eighth prince seemed to have noticed Merlin's surprise as he continued. "Last time, I came here with Wizard Leo. Right, where's Wizard Leo?"

Merlin felt relieved. Nonetheless, he also secretly made up his mind that in the future, he would never take Mokra Potions again in an unfamiliar environment as it was just too risky. This time, he was lucky to have Wizard Leo. He might not be so lucky next time.

"Your Royal Highness has come to see Wizard Leo? Please come with me!"

Merlin glanced at the three Seventh-level Spell Casters behind the eighth prince. Their expressions were solemn. It seemed that something huge had really happened. Otherwise, the eighth prince would not be bringing three Seventh-level Spell Casters to seek for Wizard Leo.

Thus, after a brief moment, Merlin led the eighth prince and his men to Wizard Leo's residence. He called out softly, "Teacher Leo, His Royal Highness the eighth prince is here!"

"Come in!"

There was a swift response from inside the house. Then, Merlin directly pushed the door open and walked in with the eighth prince and his men.

"Wizard Leo!"

When they just entered the house, the eighth prince saw the ugly and horrible appearance of Wizard Leo but he kept a straight face. His tone was very respectful instead.

"What's the matter, Your Royal Highness?"

The vertical bloodshot eye in Wizard Leo's forehead opened slightly. It looked haunting.

His Royal Highness the eighth prince took a deep breath and then said, "In a few days, His Majesty will gather the royal family for a hunting trip. I've received word that the fourth prince will strike on that day!"

Merlin could not believe that they were actually going to battle so soon, so his heart shuddered slightly. One should not be deceived by the calmness of the eighth prince's tone. In fact, this was a key event that would determine the future of the throne.

After all, among the royal family members who had the ability to compete for the throne, only the fourth prince had such qualifications and forces. Among all, the fourth prince and the eighth prince stood the best chance.

After a long moment, Wizard Leo suddenly spoke, "Who do I need to deal with?"

Wizard Leo had already guessed the purpose of the eighth prince's trip this time so he asked directly.

The eighth prince hesitated for a moment, then said with a heavy tone, "The fourth prince recruited two Eighth-level Spell Casters – Tanin and Morston. I hereby request Wizard Leo to help contain these two Wizards!"

"What? Two Eighth-level Spell Casters?"

Merlin's expression sunk slightly. He immediately turned his gaze toward Wizard Leo. He knew Wizard Leo's Darkness Eye was extremely powerful as he once hunted down and killed one of Ozmu's Seventh-level Wizards, Osseus. Besides, the only price he paid was his arm.

Even so, having to deal with two Eighth-level Spell Casters was an extremely daunting task.

The eighth prince fixed his gaze on Wizard Leo. It could be seen that he was extremely nervous. If Wizard Leo did not agree, he would then have zero chance at beating the fourth prince in a few days' time.

After a long moment, the vertical bloodshot eye in Wizard Leo's forehead shut slowly. Then, Wizard Leo calmly said, "After everything is done, I'll need the Tear of God!"

There was a look of ecstasy on the eighth prince's face, and he laughed. "Haha, that's for sure. Apart from the Tear of God, just fire away if Wizard Leo has any other requests. Even if I can't fulfill it now, but when I become king of the Kingdom of Blackmoon in the future, I'll do my very best to fulfill it!"

The eighth prince's expression was extremely dignified. This promise of his was also very serious. There were not many who could make him make such a promise.

However, Wizard Leo did not ask for anything else. His only purpose of visiting the Imperial City this time was to obtain only the Tear of God. Nothing else could arouse his interest.

Merlin was left with his mouth agape, but eventually, he did not say anything. Since Wizard Leo had made up his mind, no one could change his decision.

Merlin had a deep understanding of Wizard Leo's personality. Hence, he could only remain silent. In addition, since Wizard Leo had agreed, it meant that he had a certain degree of confidence.

"Your Royal Highness, with Wizard Leo holding back the two Eighth-level Spell Casters – Tanin and Morston, our greatest threat will then be dispelled. However, there's still the nine core Wizards under the fourth prince."

A thin-looking Wizard behind the eighth prince stepped forward and said. When he mentioned the nine core Wizards, he paused and looked at Merlin. He then smiled and said, "Of course, because Merlin has killed the fourth prince's seventh Wizard, now there are only eight core Wizards left. The first, second, and third Wizards are all Seventh-level Spell Casters, so they can be handed over to us three old men. Still, the remaining fifth, sixth, eighth, and ninth Wizards are all Sixth-level Spell Casters, and they are very difficult to deal with."

Nobody knew how many times the nine core Wizards of the fourth prince and the Wizards of the eighth prince had fought each other, both in secrecy and out in the public. The two sides clearly knew each other very well.

It could be claimed that even without Wizard Tanin and Wizard Morston, the overall strength of the Spell Casters under the fourth prince was still stronger than that of the eighth prince.

The most powerful among them were the nine core Wizards!

The eighth prince frowned too as he said, "There are still five Sixth-level Spell Casters. Plus, they're not ordinary Sixth-level Spell Casters! We still have four Sixth-level Spell Casters, so we'll barely be able to cope. Yet, there are two Sixth-level Spell Casters left, of whom would be handled by me personally!"

Perhaps many people had forgotten that the eighth prince himself was a Sixth-level Spell Caster. In addition, as a member of the royal family, the eighth prince was not an ordinary Sixth-level Spell Caster. His strength was unfathomable, and he even had powerful Pandora Demon Abilities!

Even after Merlin had constructed Perfect Armor and possessed Fiery Collapse, he did not dare to say that he could defeat the eighth prince either. Merlin was confident that he could cope with any power under the seventh level, but that was only with regard to spells.

If any Pandora Demon Ability, especially those powerful ones, had attained the second stage, the power that could be released was likely to reach or even surpass Seventh-level spells.

With the foundation of the Blackmoon royal family, it was impossible for them to not have such powerful Pandora Demon Abilities. If the eighth prince had also cultivated such Pandora Demon Abilities, Merlin's Perfect Armor would not be able to withstand it.

Therefore, if the eighth prince himself came out for battle, much less two Sixth-level Wizards, even three or four Wizards would not cause him any trouble.

"Your Royal Highness, your opponent is the fourth prince! If you engage in this battle, who else will deal with the fourth prince?"

The Seventh-level Wizards behind the eighth prince shook their heads helplessly. The strength of the eighth prince was indeed strong, but the fourth prince was not far behind.

"Let me take on the fourth and fifth Wizards under the fourth prince!"

When everyone was at their wits' end, Merlin spoke calmly out of the blue.

"Wizard Merlin, you're going to deal with the fourth and fifth Wizards? They're all peak Sixth-level Spell Casters, and they have all kinds of moves. Although they did not cultivate Pandora Demon Abilities, they're still very difficult to deal with. They're stronger than the seventh Wizard…"

The eighth prince looked at Merlin doubtfully. The hidden message of his words was that he had little faith that Merlin could cope with the fourth and fifth Wizards.

However, Merlin displayed a confident smile and replied, "Your Royal Highness, please be rest assured that I have a sense of propriety! However, once everything's settled, I humbly request Your Royal Highness to quickly arrange for me to enter the royal family's Spell Library, so I can look at the spells there."

Merlin would naturally not take the initiative to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the fourth and fifth Wizards, these two powerful Sixth-level Spell Casters without any specific reason. His aim was to get into the Spell Library sooner.

The eighth prince pulled a straight face. He then forcefully gritted his teeth, seemingly setting his mind on a decision. He said with a heavy tone, "Don't you worry, Wizard Merlin. When we're done, I'll find a way for you to enter the Spell Library!"

In order to win the decisive battle against the fourth prince in a few days' time, the eighth prince could not care less. As long as he could increase the chances of winning, he would not be bothered even if he had to pay a huge price.

Subsequently, the eighth prince left the courtyard with the three Wizards.

"Your Royal Highness, you really believe Wizard Leo can handle Tanin and Morston?"

Though they had just left the courtyard, the Seventh-level Wizard behind the eighth prince had already asked impatiently.

The eighth prince's footsteps gradually slowed down. He gently shook his head and said, "Whether or not he can handle them, this is our only choice… Come on, there are only a few days left. We still need to prepare properly so there's no room for any mistake!"

The three Seventh-level Wizards glanced at each other. They could only helplessly follow behind the eighth prince and leave the place.

…

The spring drizzle did not stop. In these few days, gloomy and rainy weather loomed above the Imperial City's horizon. There was a moist and sticky feeling in the air, which felt very unpleasant.

The streets were still rather slippery. Nevertheless, at the break of dawn, the Imperial City started bustling, especially the Palace. There was a madding crowd. Many maids and guards appeared to have their hands full.

Today was the day of the royal family's annual hunting trip. During this time, all the aristocrats, princes and princesses of the entire Imperial City would go hunting in the forest, also known as Kingswood, not far from the Palace.

The reason it was so important was that His Majesty the King would come and watch it personally. By the time, If any prince, princess or aristocrat had emerged victorious in the hunting, he or she would be granted a generous reward.

Therefore, many aristocrats or princes and princesses had already begun their preparations.

Fortunately, today's weather seemed to have turned for the better. The entire Imperial City basked in the warm sun. The moisture in the air had disappeared too. Instead, there was a faint sear of heat.

"Wizard Merlin, His Royal Highness the eighth prince has called for you!"

Suddenly, the voice of the guards sounded outside the house.

Merlin slowly opened his eyes. In the past few days, he had been using elemental crystal stones to accumulate Mind Power for the several Third-level spells in his Awareness. He did it so that he was adequately prepared.

"Time's up!"

Merlin could feel his heart twitch. Then, he rose to his feet slowly. When he pushed the door open, there was a guard in silver armor standing outside. Upon seeing Merlin, he greeted him respectfully.

"Lead the way!"

Merlin ordered in a composed manner. He knew that the time for the eighth prince and the fourth prince's showdown had arrived. The two princes had competed with each other for so many years. Today, the victor would finally be decided. Who would be more worthy of ascending onto the pinnacle of power over the entire Kingdom?

As a member of the royal family, this was destiny!

Chapter 339: The Encounter I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Hum hum hum…"

Suddenly, there was a storm in the quiet sky. It was so fast that it was beyond comprehension. When it swept through the sky, it even blew the woods below into a mess.

Some unfortunate wild beasts were also swept by the gust of wind up into the sky, vanishing without a trace.

"Boom!"

Then, the storm landed straight into the forest below, giving off a dull sound. The initially dense Kingswood was immediately smashed by the wind. Out of the blue, a relatively empty field suddenly appeared in the woods.

Right in the middle of the open field, a figure gradually emerged from within the smoke and the dust-filled air. This person looked somewhat disorganized as he slowly picked up his feet from the ground.

"Damn, my Mind Power had exhausted so surprisingly quick… Gosh, the Mind Power that I've accumulated for so long ran dry just like that! Damn that Merlin, how dare he demand me to reach the Imperial City within four days… Four days is such a short time that I can only keep using Flash Wind to speed up my journey. The elemental crystal stones that I've so diligently collected has now been entirely consumed!"

Wizard Bammou kept on ranting as he walked out of the smoke. His undulating chest moved in a rhythm as he panted for fresh air. A few days ago, he had just received a message from Merlin. It was an order that was directly conveyed via the slave contract demanding that Wizard Bammou must arrive at the Imperial City within four days.

Wizard Bammou was originally in Wilson Castle, recovering his Magic Power very leisurely. Ever since he became a slave to Merlin on the Ship of Nikola, he had never had a chance to restore his Magic Power. He had come across the rare opportunity of settling in Wilson Castle, so he naturally would want to focus all his energy on restoring Magic Power. The comforting environment was just another surplus for him.

It never occurred to him that the good days would come to an end so quickly. Even if he was a Seventh-level Spell Caster, he could not reach the Imperial City within four days just by relying on ordinary Flying spells alone.

Therefore, Wizard Bammou had no choice but to drain his Magic Power and cast Flash Wind. It was a pity that the Magic Power that he had accumulated through various means was exhausted in just one or two days.

After his Magic Power was sapped, Wizard Bammou could only replenish it with elemental crystal stones. During the time when Merlin was not around, he obtained a lot of elemental crystal stones from some roaming Wizards near his place by using various ways. However, they were almost completely used up by now. Thus, Wizard Bammou's heart was filled with a sense of helplessness.

Still, he did not dare to delay even a little. He had signed a servant contract with Merlin. Hence, if he did not rush to the Imperial City within four days, he was very clear how serious the consequences would be…

"The elemental crystal stones were used up just like that. It's really distressing!"

Wizard Bammou took out hundreds of elemental crystal stones from his ring with grimace written all over his face.

"Ka-chak."

Then, Wizard Bammou crushed the elemental crystal stones directly. Shortly after, his body became like a bottomless pit, producing a ferocious suction force.

"Buzz buzz buzz…"

This suction force was extremely terrifying, emitting bursts of whistling sounds. The infinite elements in the surrounding woods had been drawn toward him too, gradually forming a massive whirlwind around Wizard Bammou.

"Snap!"

With a soft sound, Wizard Bammou stopped absorbing elements. He looked up at the sky and muttered, "I can still travel some distance. My Magic Power has recovered by half too. Go!"

Thereafter, Wizard Bammou's figure ascended into the sky again. His body was then surrounded by a violent storm, shrilling as he flew to the far side…

…

There were many forests in the Imperial City but the largest one belonged to the royal family. It occupied an area of approximately one thousand acres with countless rare exotic beasts residing in it. Occasionally, some members of the royal family would go hunting in this piece of woodland.

Nevertheless, today's occasion was a special one. It was still early morning, but this forest was already surrounded by numerous guards – three troops inside and another three outside. All the guards wore solemn expressions and exuded a murderous aura. As a result, city folks did not dare to go near them.

Not just the guards but a Spell Caster should also be able to realize that there was an infinite amount of powerful Mind Power in the forest too. Anyone who was close to Kingswood would be detected by the Mind Power. There was really nowhere to hide.

Such fortified security would naturally only mean that this forest was about to welcome an utmost honorable person, of whom held the highest power of the entire Blackmoon Kingdom. The great King Bhutto XVI was about to arrive at Kingswood. His Majesty had gathered all the aristocrats of the Imperial City and members of the royal family to hunt in this forest.

The Kingdom of Blackmoon was different from the Kingdom of Light. The royal family of the Kingdom of Light did not hold such great power as they were controlled by the Church of Light, which represented theocracy. Even the heir of the Kingdom of Light required the consent and blessing of the Church of Light to be crowned king.

In contrast, the Blackmoon royal family held absolute power. Any member of the royal family can become a Spell Caster as long as they possessed Spell Caster Quality. The entire royal family itself was equivalent to a large-scale spell casters' organization with an incredibly rich heritage. They even had several legendary Great Wizards.

Therefore, the king of the Kingdom of Blackmoon, in name, was the true supreme ruler of the entire Kingdom of Blackmoon. In a certain sense, even those spell casters' organizations would not escape the royal family's rule.

Of course, this was only in a nominal sense. Spell casters' organizations were after all, different from the typical city-states. The royal family had no ability to include all spell casters' organizations in the scope of their rule either. Hence, they basically leave spell casters' organizations to their own devices. As long as they do not cause too much trouble and do not violate the fundamental interests of the royal family, the royal family would not pay extra attention to them.

Not long after, as time went by, Kingswood gradually became more and more lively. Many aristocrats were on their carriages, their hands holding invitation letters. Once they arrived outside and passed the inspection of the guards, they would proceed to enter Kingswood.

Those who were able to receive an invitation from the king were aristocrats who had a certain influence in the Imperial City. Otherwise, they could be powerful Spell Casters in the Imperial City.

After another period of time, several luxurious carriages drove from the street and slowly stopped outside the forest.

Many people alighted from the carriages. At the front of the line was a handsome man with a face that radiated natural dignity, but at the same time, appeared to be a people person.

The guards who were originally guarding outside of Kingswood were neither supercilious nor obsequious to any aristocrats and treated them with propriety. However, after seeing the invited guests alighting from the carriages, some of the guards hurried off to welcome them.

Among them, the guard leading the line kneeled on the ground and greeted respectfully, "My Honorable Your Royal Highness the eighth prince!"

It turned out that the guests who alighted from these carriages were the many Spell Casters and guards from the eighth prince's manor.

The eighth prince gently nodded and said, "Get up, how many people have arrived at Kingswood?"

The guards did not dare to conceal as he whispered, "Your Royal Highness, there aren't many people in Kingswood. You're the first member of the royal family to arrive."

"Oh? It seems that I'm early, but it's good too. We shall enter first and wait inside."

After he finished speaking, the eighth prince brought his entourage into the forest directly. The guards did not dare to stop him either. Everyone knew that the eighth prince and the fourth prince were the most promising candidates to be the next king. Hence, no one would dare to offend them.

In the forest, there was exotic flora everywhere, which exuded mesmerizing fragrance. It was a scene of exuberance, much like spring. Yet, none of the eighth prince's men had the interest to admire the idyllic scenery in the forest. Each of their expression was tense. Even the eighth prince who had always been sanguine looked edgy too, losing his usual poised demeanor.

Soon, the eighth prince had led his entourage into an empty square. Many aristocrats were already seated at the square. After seeing the eighth prince, the aristocrats stood up and showed their respect to the eighth prince.

The eighth prince only responded with a courteous nod and did not say anything. He went straight to the square and sat on the first seat on the first row of seats on the left. Then, he closed his eyes and remained still.

Those who followed behind the eighth prince had their own seats too. Nonetheless, only Wizard Leo and the three Seventh-level Spell Casters were entitled to their own seats. The others, including Merlin, could only stand nearby.

Wizard Leo wore a huge cloak over his head, which made him look inconspicuous and appeared very mysterious. Even Merlin could feel that many people in the square frequently turned their gaze to Wizard Leo, seemingly exchanging whispers about something.

Merlin was unmoved by that. Deep down, he was quiet and calm too. Still, he frequently felt Wizard Bammou's location through the slave contract.

Earlier, Merlin had used the slave contract to inform Wizard Bammou that he must be at the Imperial City within four days. He did that a few days ago at the moment he heard that the eighth prince would battle it out with the fourth prince on this very day.

With Wizard Bammou, his mysterious new aid, it might just be a decisive factor in the final outcome!

However, Prakash City was a long distance away from the Imperial City. Back then, Merlin, Snake Elder, and the others had traveled on foot for a good whole month to reach the Imperial City. Merlin was not really sure whether Wizard Bammou could arrive on time either.

Therefore, Merlin would pay attention to any movement of the slave contract at all times. Once Wizard Bammou arrived at the Imperial City, Merlin would sense it.

"However strong Teacher Leo's Darkness Eye is, it would still be very strenuous for him to deal with these two Eighth-level Spell Casters… However, with Wizard Bammou, he can perhaps relieve some of Teacher Leo's burden!"

Merlin's plan was to let Wizard Bammou deal with one of the two Eighth-level Wizards Tanin and Morston. Doing so would also ease the pressure on Wizard Leo and increase the eighth prince's odds of winning.

Merlin had naturally hoped that the eighth prince would prevail too, so his wish to enter the royal family's Spell Library could be fulfilled.

As for Wizard Bammou's safety, it was never one of Merlin's worries. He had seen Wizard Bammou cultivate his Flash Wind until the third stage. With that kind of Flash Wind, there would be extremely few Spell Casters who could kill Wizard Bammou.

Even if Wizard Bammou was not good enough, he could still at least restrain one of the Eighth-level Wizards. This was precisely Merlin's plan anyway. Nevertheless, Wizard Bammou had to be a hidden force. Only by showing up when he was most needed could he possibly present an element of surprise.

"The fourth prince is here!"

A guard hurried to the eighth prince's side and whispered.

"Swoosh!"

The eighth prince opened his eyes abruptly. His eyes gleamed with energy, peering at the distance. The entire bustling square turned silent in an instant.

Chapter 340: The Encounter II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The fourth prince took a leisurely pace into the square. Unlike the eighth prince, the fourth prince had a composed smile on his face. Even when he saw the eighth prince, his expression remained unchanged.

Two mysterious Wizards with cloaks followed behind the fourth prince. Like Wizard Leo, nobody could make out the appearance of the two mysterious figures either. Nevertheless, to be able to walk behind the fourth prince, and even in front of the nine core Wizards, their identities were already quite obvious.

"Tanin and Morston!"

Merlin muttered under his breath. From the very beginning, his gaze had been placed on the two Wizards. As Eighth-level Spell Casters, and rather well-known ones too, they would surely attract attention wherever they went.

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, Merlin felt a burning gaze fixated onto him. Following the path of that gaze, he saw a familiar face in the crowd behind the fourth prince.

"Ninth Wizard Oden?"

Merlin could feel a cold murderous intent in Oden's gaze. Yet, Merlin did not bother. He turned to look at the fourth prince instead.

As the eighth prince's toughest competitor, the fourth prince's appearance looked somewhat similar to him. Nonetheless, the fourth prince seemed slightly more majestic. Though there was always a smile on his face, he was still able to instill fear in those around him.

The fourth prince went straight to the first row on the right and sat down on the first chair. He turned his gaze to the eighth prince, just in time to meet his eyes.

There was pin-drop silence in the entire square. Everyone turned to look at the fourth prince and the eighth prince. The two of them locked eyes. Although they both had smiles on their faces and seemed calm, everyone present knew that danger lurked beneath the still waters 1 .

Neither the fourth prince nor the eighth prince spoke. They only looked at each other quietly. The Spell Casters behind them showed their prowess too as their immense Mind Power scanned the place unscrupulously.

At that moment, the entire square was encompassed by various forms of Mind Power. These Spell Casters' Mind Power were mostly higher than the seventh level, so they were extremely powerful. Once these swept past someone, even a Spell Caster would feel like they had no more secrets left on their bodies as though everything was laid bare for viewing.

The atmosphere of both sides was tense, and everybody had readied themselves, all set for the showdown 2 . Just then, the sound of horseshoes rang outside the forest. It seemed that a large troop had arrived, and there appeared to be a commotion.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

A sharp voice sounded. Then, a group of silver-armored guards quickly entered the square, and they stood in two rows. They were followed by a group of Spell Casters wearing gray robes. There were about a dozen of them, and they flew directly into the sky, surrounding the entire square. The enormous Mind Power swept through everyone at the square unbridled.

These gray-robed Spell Casters had extremely great Mind Power. The life force on their bodies were very daunting too as they were all Seventh-level Spell Casters! All of them were Spell Casters in charge of protecting the king.

There were more than a dozen Seventh-level Spell Casters. This was a number which was nearly equivalent to all the Seventh-level Spell Casters in some spell casters' organizations. However, these were just a part of the king's Spell Caster bodyguards. It sufficiently showed the heritage of the Blackmoon royal family. It was beyond what the general spell casters' organizations could compare with.

King Bhutto XVI, holder of the utmost supreme power of the Kingdom of Blackmoon, would only slowly emerge once the guards and the Spell Casters determined that there was no danger.

Clustered around by many maids, King Bhutto XVI slowly embarked onto the high platform of the square, arriving at a golden throne. Only the king could sit up there.

Everyone rose to their feet and bowed slightly to Bhutto XVI. Many of the crowd who only met Bhutto XVI for the first time were silently scrutinizing the king.

Bhutto XVI seemed to be only in his forties. His body was slightly plump, and there was a kind smile on his face, which could make people feel very affable.

In fact, Bhutto XVI had inherited the throne at the age of forty-two. He had been king for twenty-five years now and was already sixty-seven years old. However, an age less than seventy could only be considered very young for a Spell Caster like him.

Nonetheless, the most shocking discovery for Merlin was the life force on Bhutto XVI. It seemed that there was no Spell Caster life force at all as though he was just an ordinary person.

If there was anything special at all, it was definitely the purple gold crown on his head. It was almost certain that anyone who saw Bhutto XVI would be mesmerized by this purple gold crown.

The purple gold crown exuded a golden radiance. It looked extremely beautiful and seemed to radiate a natural elegance. Anybody would be fascinated by the purple gold crown.

"The Crown of Kings, one of the most precious alchemy treasures of the legendary Molta Empire royal family! Even a Great Wizard couldn't break the protection of the Crown of Kings in a short time!"

Wizard Leo, who had not uttered a single word, suddenly spoke. His voice was extremely low-toned and sluggish. Only a few people who were closest to him could hear it.

"It's actually an alchemy treasure inherited from the Molta Empire royal family!"

Merlin's heart trembled. To his surprise, this brilliant-looking purple gold crown actually held such a shocking origin. The period of Molta Empire of three-thousand and six-hundred years ago was also the most glorious era of Spell Casters. As the dictators of the entire world, the prosperity of the Molta Empire had naturally been out of this world.

Meanwhile, the royal family that controlled the empire had countless treasures. This Crown of Kings could be regarded as one of the most precious treasures in the eyes of the Molta Empire royal family. Hence, it was sensible that it was deemed extremely powerful. Even if Bhutto XVI was a Spell Caster of the lowest level, possessing the Crown of Kings would still enable him to withstand a Great Wizard's attack.

This was the most powerful effect of the Crown of Kings. As a result, the Crown of Kings could only be worn by the kings of the Kingdom of Blackmoon. If Bhutto XVI was abdicated, he must also pass on the Crown of Kings to the next king.

The current holder of the Crown of Kings, Bhutto XVI, was also very formidable. Yet, Merlin had no idea why he could not sense the true life force of Bhutto XVI, and how powerful he really was.

A strange look appeared in the eighth prince's eyes as he looked at the figure of Bhutto XVI, who gradually stepped onto the high platform and sat on the golden throne. There was also some faint excitement in between his expression as he stared at the golden throne on the high platform. He muttered under his breath, "It hasn't been more than twenty years since His Majesty had ascended the throne, but he'd already broken through many ranks. He turned from a Sixth-level Spell Caster into a Ninth-level Spell Caster he is now. In addition, he has the Crown of Kings, so even if he has to face a Great Wizard, he won't be afraid either!"

This was the heritage of the Blackmoon royal family. If a Sixth-level Spell Caster constructed spells in a step-by-step manner, it would have taken at least several decades or even centuries to gradually become a Ninth-level Spell Caster.

However, if one became king, one's strength would grow really quickly, at a speed that ordinary people could hardly imagine. That was because a king could rely on the unimaginable heritage accumulated in the royal family, coupled with the supreme power of being a king.

Hence, it would not be difficult to figure out why the fourth prince, the eighth prince, and the other members of the royal family would compete for the throne. Anyone of them who had the slightest ambition would certainly not let go of the opportunity for the treasures that one would have after ascending to the throne.

The benefits of becoming a king were so great. Which royal family member would not be tempted?

Apart from the eighth prince, the fourth prince, who was opposite him, also looked at Bhutto XVI. He too, had a lingering eagerness in his eyes. In about four or five years, Bhutto XVI would be abdicated. By that time, the best among the members of the royal family would be chosen to become the new king!

"Everyone, please have a seat."

After Bhutto XVI had sat down, he said slowly as he pressed both his hands down slightly.

One after another, the crowd on both sides of the square sat down. The eighth prince's expression had returned to his usual calmness.

"His Royal Highness, the eighth prince!"

He had just only sat down when a lady donned in palace attire walked out of the garden. She wore a white mopping dress and was surrounded by several maids. After bowing to Bhutto XVI, she went straight to the eighth prince's side.

The eighth prince revealed a gentle smile too. "Princess Chyne, you're late."

This elegant, beautiful woman who beamed with extravagance was a royal princess.

Princess Chyne sat next to the eighth prince. Thereafter, she looked at the fourth prince opposite her, revealing a dignified expression between her looks. She mumbled, "Your Royal Highness the eighth prince, you have to be wary of the fourth prince today."

Princess Chyne seemed to be in the eighth prince's camp as she was closer to the eighth prince. In fact, the entire royal family had broken off into several camps. However, there were already several princesses or great aristocrats on the fourth prince's side. While on the eighth prince's side, there was only Princess Chyne.

It was also evident that the fourth prince's force was much larger than that of the eighth prince's. The royal family members or the great aristocrats would naturally choose the fourth prince, who seemed to be more likely to inherit the throne.

As for Princess Chyne's kind advice, the eighth prince nodded in response, but he did not really care. He smiled at Princess Chyne as he replied, "Don't worry, I've prepared adequately this time!"

Princess Chyne seemed to have understood the eighth prince's arrangement. She turned her head and gave a slight nod to both Leo and Merlin.

The annual royal family hunting was not just any simple hunting event. Instead, it was required to have a grand ceremony before the start of hunting.

This grand ceremony needed to be presided over by the king personally. The process was very cumbersome, and many Spell Casters were bored by it as they began showing drowsy looks.

Merlin was no exception. He was not interested in these cumbersome rituals. So, he closed his eyes to rest.

"Hum hum hum…"

Suddenly, Merlin noticed that the slave contract he had signed with Wizard Bammou was quivering slightly.

"Is Bammou here?"

Merlin was delighted. Although he strictly ordered Wizard Bammou to arrive in four days, he was not really sure if he could arrive on time.

Now that there was a change to the servant contract, it had obviously sensed Wizard Bammou's arrival. The contract would respond only in the Imperial City or places within a relatively close distance.

Thinking of this, Merlin hurriedly stood up and said to the eighth prince, "Your Highness, I need to step out for a moment. There's a private matter that I must attend to!"

The eighth prince did not inquire further as he waved his hand. "Go, but the hunting grand ceremony is coming to an end, so you need to come back as soon as possible."

Merlin nodded. With the slave contract, he was able to find Wizard Bammou easily. It would not take him a long time.

Thus, Merlin bid farewell to everyone and turned around, making his way out of the forest.

Chapter 341: Battle I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

After leaving the forest, Merlin quickly took out the slave contract. Using it, he could easily contact Wizard Banmou.

Sensing that Wizard Banmou's location was still quite a distance away, Merlin communicated via the slave contract, "Banmou, come to Kingswood in the Imperial City as fast as you can."

Wizard Banmou had just entered the Imperial City when he felt the message emanate from the slave contract. A look of helplessness flashed across his face.

He had not wasted a single moment in rushing to the Imperial City, and now before he could even catch his breath, he was again galloping at full speed towards the royal forest. As it was an order from Merlin, Wizard Banmou did not dare disregard it.

Moments later, Banmou finally rushed to the fringes of Kingswood. Even from a great distance, he could see Merlin standing outside.

"Master!"

Wizard Banmou presented himself before Merlin. His face was slightly pale, betraying the tiredness he felt from the arduous journey.

Merlin nodded in relieve. Banmou had arrived. Seeing that Banmou must have exhausted his magic powers in rushing here, as well as for the sake of the upcoming battle; Merlin reached into his ring and extracted thousands of elemental crystal stones. He handed them to Banmou. "The reason I have summoned you to come to the Imperial City is for something immensely important. After this, there may be a fierce battle, you must quickly replenish your magic powers!"

"A fierce battle?"

Wizard Banmou grimaced and shook his head with an air of helplessness. He had already guessed it in his heart. If Merlin made him rush all the way from Prakash City to the Imperial City, something big must have happened.

Since Merlin had termed it a 'fierce battle', then Wizard Banmou would not dare to underestimate the situation. He took the elemental crystal stones and nodded deliberately. "Don't worry master, I will recover my magic powers as fast as possible."

"Alright, let's go. You should follow me inside without alerting anyone. Once we enter the Kingswood, you will quietly hide yourself and follow me closely. No one besides me should know of your presence, so in the upcoming battle, you can wield an unexpected edge!"

There was a flash of sorrow in Wizard Banmou's eyes. He completely understood what Merlin meant. He nodded his head.

Seeing that Wizard Banmou had fully understood his intentions, Merlin felt slightly relieved. With Wizard Banmou by his side, he also felt more secure. In addition, the eighth prince's chance of victory had also increased.

Merlin entered Kingswood with Wizard Banmou, after which the latter curiously disappeared into the crowd. Wizard Banmou was so skillful that even Merlin could not locate him. If not for the fact that he could still sense Wizard Banmou via the slave contract, Merlin might even wonder whether Wizard Banmou was still inside the forest.

"It seems like Banmou's concealment skills are quite advance, this plan is even more foolproof than I thought!"

Merlin stopped trying to search for Banmou's physical location and returned to the square. He took his place behind the eighth prince.

The eight prince turned around to give him a slight nod, before resuming his full attention on the grandiose ceremony.

The ceremony continued for another two to three hours before it finally ended.

After the ceremony, King Bhutto XVI slowly stood up and regarded the many princes, princesses and nobles with affection. Softly, he spoke, "Recently an elk king has appeared in Kingswood. It is very rare. Whoever succeeds in hunting this elk king will be the winner of this hunt!"

This practice was largely similar to the past annual hunts in Kingswood. At times, victory was determined by the highest number of kills, and at other times, victory was determined by whoever caught a specific creature first.

The elk king chosen this time was extremely rare. Even normal elks were uncommon in the Kingdom of Blackmoon, what more the elk king.

Many of the noblemen's sons appeared to be excited to start the hunt. After all, the winner would receive a handsome reward from King Bhutto XVI.

The fourth prince and eighth prince, on the other hand, did not move a muscle. Both princes were staring daggers at one another. The measly reward did not mean anything to them. It was not the hunt that they were fighting for.

It was the throne!

King Bhutto XVI's gaze suddenly landed on the fourth prince and eighth prince. For just a moment, a complicated expression flashed across his face, but disappeared almost immediately. He waved his hand, "Alright, go! Start the hunt!"

"Rumble."

Almost everyone stood to their feet and gave a small polite bow to King Bhutto XVI. A few noblemen's sons could no longer reign in their patience and immediately sprinted off into the deeper parts of the royal forest.

Princess Chyne's expression was grave. Taking one look at the fourth prince, she lowered her voice and whispered to the eighth prince, "Be careful!"

The eighth prince narrowed his eyes as he watched the fourth prince lead a battalion of men into the deep forest. He took a deep breath. There was a glimmer in his eyes as he smiled back at her, "Don't worry, I'll be back!"

"Let's go!"

Upon the order of the eight prince, Wizard Leo, Merlin and numerous other Sixth and Seventh-level Spell Casters began to enter the deep forest.

Some of the noblemen immediately sensed something amiss. Both the eighth prince and the fourth prince had brought a large battalion of powerful Spell Casters deep into Kingswood. There was no way that the mere task of capturing an elk king would require such powerful wizards.

The noblemen were all intelligent and vigilant people. Looking at the scene unfolding before them, they immediately had a bad premonition. Those who were more cautious even sent people into the royal forest to retrieve their sons.

Perched high above on the throne, King Bhutto XVI too casted his gaze on the eight prince and fourth prince's battalions gradually disappearing into the deep forest.

A personal aide beside King Bhutto XVI spotted an inscrutable look on his face. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he whispered, "Your Majesty, the fourth prince and the eight prince…"

Before he could finish his sentence, King Bhutto XVI interrupted him with a wave of his hand. The king's tone was heavy as he said, "This is their destiny. Even back then, I ascended this throne in the exact same way…"

There was as if a trace of regret in King Bhutto XVI's demeanor. As a member of the Blackmoon royal family, this was their fate!

…

Deep in the royal forest, on a lush green grass-covered slope, colorful butterflies were fluttering about. It was truly a beautiful scenery to behold.

"Whoosh…"

Suddenly, a light gust of wind scared away all the butterflies.

A group of horse riders gradually emerged on the slope, trampling the lush green grass beneath them. Their presence also brought about the noisy neighs of war horses, disrupting the previously tranquil atmosphere.

The horse riders climbed up the slope and stopped. The eighth prince looked around and sneered loudly, "The choice of location is not bad at all! Fourth brother, really, you shouldn't have!"

Following the remark by the eighth prince, a large group of horse riders immediately appeared from behind the slope to face the eighth prince's team. At the front of the riders, leading the men was, of course, the fourth prince, who had been the first to enter the forest.

The fourth prince looked calm and unfrazzled. He spurred his horse a few steps forward and looked down towards the eighth prince in a condescending manner. His voice was calm as he spoke, "My dear brother. After so many years, this is the first time you called me 'fourth brother'. Tsk tsk. This is a nice place indeed, more than sufficient to be your final resting place…"

There was a staggering pause before the fourth prince's expression suddenly turned thunderous. "Everyone says that you're intelligent, but this time you're an utter fool! If only you had pretended to be sick and stayed out of the hunt, I would not have harmed you. It's too bad that because you acted foolishly, I will have to send you to your grave!"

The eighth prince did not respond except with an indecipherable look. He spoke up, "Fourth brother, are you truly that confident?"

"What? Do you think you could possibly defeat me? Haha, just with that one Leo from the Dark Magic Region? He is only a Sixth-level Spell Caster, my dear brother. You are so naïve…"

The fourth prince's tone was stern as he affixed his gaze on the group of men behind the eighth prince, including the cloak-clad Wizard Leo. It seemed that he was well-informed about the strengths of the eighth prince's battle camp.

The atmosphere between both sides began to tense considerably. Even the bright blue sky appeared to darken, perhaps due to the vibration of elements from the large number of Spell Casters.

Merlin, on the other hand, was gauging the surroundings. This place was a barren ground in an open area. The only things nearby was a few big trees growing sporadically along the slope. Other than that, there were only bare rocks and lush green grass all around.

In such circumstances, Banmou should be further away and it would not be easy to hide, yet Merlin could clearly sense via the slave contract that Wizard Banmou was standing close to him.

It seemed that Wizard Banmou had a very unique concealment technique. Even amidst this group of Spell Casters, including two Eighth-level wizards, no one had noticed anything out of the ordinary.

Even though it was a critical situation with both sides ready to draw their swords and descend into a fierce battle at any time, Merlin had no intention of letting Wizard Banmou appear yet. If Wizard Banmou were to appear, then his appearance should be completely unexpected. In fact, it would be even better if it was strategic enough to sound the sweet gong of victory for their side.

Therefore, Banmou must only appear at the most crucial moment!

"Boom."

At this very moment, a deafening noise, like a clap of thunder, rumbled across the sky. It was so loud that everyone's ears began to ring. They looked up in horror. Somehow unbeknownst to them, a Giant Thunder Net had formed in the sky above their heads. The Giant Thunder Net descended from the sky towards them, effectively trapping the eighth prince and all his men underneath it.

Threads of lightning flashed threateningly across the Giant Thunder Net, emitting a dangerous vibe.

"Heh heh, why waste time spouting nonsense? Kill them!"

Wizard Morston said sinisterly, clad in a black cloak. His body was flashing with waves upon waves of endless Thunder Element. This Giant Thunder Net was an Eight-level spell casted by Morston!

No one would have thought that Morston would be so bold as to start attacking immediately. Moreover with just one spell, he managed to trap almost all of the eighth prince's men. In the blink of an eye, the eighth prince's camp found themselves at a great disadvantage.

After all, this was an Eighth-level spell. It would not be easily countered by ordinary spells. If the Giant Thunder Net fell on top on them, then the eighth prince's camp would suffer huge unrecoverable losses. Countless number of Spell Casters would be killed by the Lighting and Thunder spells before they could even cast a single spell.

"Wizard Leo!"

Looking at the Giant Thunder Net in the sky, the eighth prince could not help but change moods, turning his gaze towards Wizard Leo.

Chapter 342: Battle II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Rip!"

The black cloak on Wizard Leo's head was instantly ripped into shreds, revealing his heart-wrenching bloodshot eye.

At the same time, looking at Giant Thunder Net descending from the sky, the vertical bloodshot eye in Wizard Leo's forehead burst open and shot out an intense blood-red ray.

"Darkness Eye, disintegrate!"

The blood-red ray vibrated violently, and like a blood-covered sword, penetrated a hole into Giant Thunder Net. The remaining wisps of lightning and thunder then gradually dissipated into thin air.

Merlin narrowed his eyes and fixed his stare firmly on Wizard Leo. He was well aware that the skill displayed by Wizard Leo was the third form of Darkness Eye, which was also the strongest form that could be controlled by Wizard Leo.

When Merlin stood off against the Flame Image on the Ship of Nikola, he had used the bracelet which contained the sealed energy of a small portion of Darkness Eye. When Darkness Eye displayed its third form "disintegrate", only then was he able to defeat the Flame Image.

Therefore, only Merlin knew that the attack cast by Wizard Leo was not as simple and easy as it looked. In fact, it was already one of the strongest attacks by Wizard Leo.

"Good!"

Seeing that Wizard Leo could "easily" counteract Morston's spell, the eighth prince could not help but exclaim, a trace of smugness displayed on his face.

As long as Wizard Leo could contain Wizard Morston and Wizard Tanin, the eighth prince had a chance of winning the battle.

"Haha. Fourth Brother, it seems that the great price you paid to obtain those two Wizards was for naught! Come on, then. There's no room for compromise in the fight for the throne. This is written in our destinies!"

The eighth prince's body began to float into the air. Halfway up the sky, he glared challengingly at the fourth prince.

The fourth prince bit his lip and said fiercely to Tanin and Morston, "Wizards, kill Leo as soon as possible!"

With that, he leaped into the air and soared into the sky for a face-off with the eighth prince. Despite the great distance between them, both princes were emanating a daunting vibe. The two royal princes' powers were not at all inferior to some Seventh-level Spell Casters.

"Kill!"

Seeing that the two princes had begun to engage in battle, the Spell Casters in both camps roared in unison. Each of them cast their attacks, and the melee began!

…

Wizard Tanin and Wizard Morston exchanged a look. Similarly, their black cloaks were ripped apart, revealing countenances that were not much better than Wizard Leo's.

Wizard Morston said to Wizard Tanin, "Tanin, you deal with those Seventh-level Spell Casters under the eighth prince. Leave Leo to me!"

Wizard Tanin nodded. Without a word, he prepared to fly toward Wizard Leo.

"Darkness Eye, exterminate!"

A blood-red ray shone directly toward Wizard Tanin. Even though Wizard Tanin was an Eighth-level Spell Caster, the reputation of Darkness Eye was too infamous. He did not dare deflect the attack straight-on, so he retreated to avoid it.

"Eh? You want to control the two of us? Now that's digging your own grave! Tanin, ignore the others. Kill Leo first and obtain his Darkness Eye!"

Seeing that Wizard Leo stopped Wizard Tanin from leaving, Wizard Morston immediately knew Leo's plan, which was to control both Eight-level Spell Casters in order to buy time for the eighth prince and his men.

Regardless of Wizard Leo's strength, he was still only a Sixth-level Spell Caster. Between Sixth-level and Seventh-level, laid a significant threshold with fundamental differences. It was only upon achieving the Seventh-level that a Spell Caster would be qualified to be called a higher-order Spell Caster.

Naturally, Morston was furious. He no longer paid attention to the others. First and foremost, his priority was to join forces with Wizard Tanin and kill Wizard Leo. Moreover, both Wizards were hungrily coveting Darkness Eye wielded by Wizard Leo.

Therefore, the two Eighth-level Spell Casters unleashed waves upon waves of Eighth-level spells. The power of the spells was so terrifying that it disrupted the fluctuation of elements within the vicinity. Several Spell Casters who wanted to absorb the elements found that they were unable to do so due to the disruptions from the Eighth-level spells unleashed by Wizard Tanin and Wizard Morston.

The face-off with two Eighth-level Spell Casters caused Wizard Leo's expression to turn exceptionally serious. In his forehead, Darkness Eye slowly turned crimson, the color of blood. Slivers of blood-red rays shone through it, almost enveloping Wizard Leo's entire body. It made him look extremely strange, like a glowing bloody blob.

In the beginning, the eighth prince and his men were quite worried whether Wizard Leo could control the two Eighth-level Wizards Tanin and Morston. Nevertheless, they later realized that no matter what spells were cast by the two Eighth-level Wizards, all of them could be disintegrated by Wizard Leo's Darkness Eye.

This was the third form of Darkness Eye. After killing Osseus, Wizard Leo gained a deeper understanding of it.

Hence, Wizard Leo was now able to continuously release the disintegration power of the third form of Darkness Eye. He was much stronger now compared to when he first killed Osseus.

Once they witnessed that Wizard Leo was able to control the two Eighth-level Wizards Tanin and Morston, the Spell Casters under the leadership of the Eighth prince gained a lot more confidence. A ray of hope sprouted in their hearts, and they were able to fight the battle with much vigor. For a period of time, they managed to equalize the advantage initially wielded by the fourth prince and stabilize the situation.

…

"Merlin, die!"

From the start, ninth Wizard Oden had already eyed Merlin. Once the melee began, he immediately rushed toward Merlin. However, he kept a considerable distance between himself and Merlin, never coming too close. He only cast spells at Merlin from afar.

It seemed that Oden was still afraid of Merlin's Darkness-type Spells, and was fearful of being ensnared in an illusion again.

"Get lost!"

Merlin snorted coldly. Without sparing Oden a single look, he cast Flash Wind and flew forward. His targets were the fourth and fifth Wizards from the nine core Wizards!

The fourth Wizard was a silver-haired old man while the fifth Wizard was a charming beautiful female Wizard. They originally intended to combine their skills together and with their powerful strength, make a clean sweep of the numerous Spell Casters led by the eighth prince.

This was because besides the Seventh-level Spell Casters, no other Spell Casters under the eighth prince could possibly oppose the combined strength of the fourth and fifth Wizards.

"Whoosh!"

Riding on Flash Wind, Merlin instantly evaded Oden's entanglement. He stopped in front of the fourth and fifth Wizards, and declared calmly, "My dear Wizards, your opponent is me!"

"Are you the one who killed seventh Wizard Els?"

The fourth Wizard squinted his eyes at him but did not rush to attack. Instead, he gauged Merlin carefully.

Merlin's expression was calm. He grinned and answered, "Yes, that's right. The seventh Wizard died in my hands. Soon, both of you will end up just like seventh Wizard Els!"

"Nonsense!"

The beautiful fifth Wizard huffed at him coldly before flipping her long blond hair.

"Swish swish swish!"

The fifth Wizard's hair suddenly grew at an alarming pace. Each strand of hair was like a tree vine, flying straight at Merlin.

Countless strands of hair danced in the sky, almost intertwined into a large web to trap Merlin inside.

"Alpine Beast People?"

Merlin immediately knew the fifth Wizard's identity. She must be one of the alpine Beast People. Otherwise, she would not possess such strange powers.

The fifth Wizard's hair strands could be soft or hard as she intended. Merlin could sense its intimidating power. If the hair got too close to him, maybe even Fifth-level Defensive spells and robe would not be able to block it.

Moreover, not only had the fifth Wizard started attacking, but the fourth Wizard too had transformed himself into a ball of fire. Then, the fiery flames roared up and further transformed into a huge four to five-meter wall of fire, crackling furiously as it moved in Merlin's direction.

These were all Sixth-level spells with such a terrifying show of power!

"Merlin, die!"

Behind Merlin, the voice of ninth Wizard Oden rang once again. His speed was not as fast as Merlin's Flash Wind, but he managed to catch up right at this moment. His face portrayed a sly expression as he waved his hands. Ice crystals began to condense rapidly into a single icy arrow, heading directly toward Merlin.

Ninth Wizard Oden hated Merlin with all his heart. Initially, the eighth prince had planned for four Sixth-level Spell Casters to control other Wizards besides the fourth and fifth Wizards. However, Oden's sight was so steadfastly fixed on Merlin that the other Spell Casters were unable to catch up to him. They were too late to stop Oden from sneaking up to Merlin from behind.

At that moment, Merlin's situation became precariously dangerous. The fourth, fifth and ninth Wizards were not only Sixth-level Spell Casters but they were also immensely powerful. All three Wizards were casting their strongest spells at Merlin.

A flash of anger flashed across Merlin's eyes. It was obvious that this was not the first time that the fourth and fifth Wizards have worked together. Their combination was undeniably admirable with the fifth Wizard binding the target while the fourth wizard unleashed his strongest attack. Of course, not forgetting also ninth Wizard Oden's stealth attack from behind.

Facing such a dangerous situation, Merlin took a deep breath. Just as he had predicted, Flash Wind had no effect on binding spells regardless of its speed.

Fortunately, this time, Merlin had constructed Perfect Armor, which was also fused with Pandora Demon Ability, Fuse Earth. He estimated that any spell below Seventh-level, as long as there was no Pandora Demon Ability, would not be able to penetrate the defense of Perfect Armor.

Nevertheless, it was only Merlin's guess. Right now, it was the best time to test Perfect Armor!

"Perfect Armor!"

Merlin's body was swiftly covered with a rich ocher light. The light then speedily molded into a gigantic armor, covering Merlin's entire body. He looked like an ocher giant.

"Boom!"

There was a huge impact. The fourth Wizard's flames, like a raging sun, had enveloped Merlin entirely and was burning furiously.

Almost simultaneously, ninth Wizard Oden's icy arrow, which packed a mighty penetrating power, also stabbed mercilessly on Merlin's Perfect Armor.

As for the fifth Wizard's hair strands, they bounded Merlin and immediately tightened further. The hair strands also sprouted many sharp spikes that were exceptionally hard, all of which were mercilessly lodged into Merlin's Perfect Armor.

In an instant, Perfect Armor was subjected to three fierce attacks by Sixth-level spells.

"Hum."

At that moment, everyone could clearly see an incomparable ocher light ray emerge from within the flames and into the sky. The next moment, the light ray expanded in the sky into a gigantic armor measuring tens of meters tall.

Within the armor, a black-robed figure was vaguely visible.

Chapter 343: Battle III

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the air, the huge ocher armor was like a giant stretched out in the sky, its body still burning with blazing flames.

However, the menacing flames could only burn on the surface of the huge armor. It was extremely difficult to harm the figure inside the armor, and downright impossible to melt down the armor.

This was after all Perfect Armor which had been fused with Pandora Demon Ability, Fuse Earth. It was able to withstand any Sixth-level spells attacks. Thus, with the protection of Perfect Armor, Merlin could not be harmed by the fourth Wizard's attack.

Moreover, a distinctive trait of Perfect Armor was its maintenance which only required a very negligible amount of Magic Power. Even though it was continuously consuming Magic Power, Merlin did not fear anyone.

"Crack!"

Ninth Wizard Oden's icy arrow landed on Perfect Armor, but all it did was cause Perfect Armor to vibrate slightly. Following that, the icy arrow shattered into pieces – it did not stand a chance against Perfect Armor.

"Tsss."

The fourth Wizard mumbled under his breath as he gazed at the gigantic armor in the sky. "Perfect Armor! I can't believe that the eighth prince gave all the royal spells to Merlin! Perfect Armor can be considered the strongest defensive spell among Third-level spells!"

The fourth Wizard had followed the fourth prince for many years and had heard of many rumors surrounding the royal spells. Naturally, he had heard of the famous Perfect Armor. Although it was merely a Third-level spell, once paired with an enhancing casting tool, its Magic Powers would be boosted tremendously. That was the reason why it was called "perfect".

The reason it earned such a big reputation for itself was precisely due to the uniqueness of Perfect Armor. Its defense was all-rounded and had almost no flaws or loopholes.

"No matter how strong the defense of Perfect Armor supposedly is, it shouldn't have been resistant enough to withstand a combined attack from the three of us!"

The fifth Wizard retracted her long hair and grumbled gloomily.

The fourth Wizard took a long, hard look at Merlin who was suspended in mid-air. He growled, "Pandora Demon Ability. It's a Demon Ability that can be fused into spells!"

"So, you're saying that Merlin possesses a Pandora Demon Ability that can be fused into spells?"

The fifth Wizard was stunned momentarily, followed by an involuntary flash of surprised thrill on her face. For an average Spell Caster, it might be the first time they had heard about Pandora Demon Ability, and definitely would not know the vast differences between the various Pandora Demon Abilities.

The fifth Wizard was a Sixth-level Spell Caster who had had a wide exposure to the world. Therefore naturally, she was well aware that among Pandora Demon Abilities, any Pandora Demon Ability that could be fused into spells was extremely rare and precious.

It was not surprising that the fifth Wizard was sorely tempted when she discovered that Merlin possessed a Pandora Demon Ability that could be fused into spells.

However, before the fourth and fifth Wizard could launch another attack, the situation changed dramatically.

Merlin, who was high up in the sky, discharged a brilliant flash. The blazing flames that were encapsulating him suddenly disappeared without a trace. They were completely absorbed by his body. With the suppression of the Flame Maxim, these blazing flames would not cause any harm to Merlin. On the contrary, they would be rapidly converted into Magic Power.

Without the restraint of the Flame Maxim, Merlin promptly turned around to glare directly at ninth Wizard Oden behind him.

"Oden, last time you didn't die, but this time, you won't be as lucky!"

Merlin declared. Once again, flames appeared on his body. Only this time, it was the white flames of Fiery Collapse.

"Condensed Fire!"

Small fireballs began appearing one after another. These were highly compressed fireballs which contained terrifying powers. It was the spell Merlin had constructed recently, a Third-level fire-type spell which was much more powerful than his Sea of Purgatory Fire.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh."

A series of small fireballs flew at breaking speed from every direction. Ninth Wizard Oden could not avoid them and could only cast a defensive spell to protect his body.

Nevertheless, Wizard Oden was extremely confident as his greatest forte was defensive spells. Back then, Merlin had used a Darkness-type spell to temporarily entrap Oden in an illusion but still failed to kill him. It was evident to Oden that his defensive spells were sufficiently unique.

However, Merlin was no longer the same person as he was back then!

"Chi chi chi."

A few small fireballs hit Oden's body successively. They did not give a very strong impact nor did they seem to cause any harm to Oden.

Soon enough though, the small fireballs began to grow aggressively. It was as if they were stuck onto his body. The flames swelled up and quickly spread across Oden's body, turning it into a mighty blazing flame, encapsulating Oden.

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible… Fourth Wizard, fifth Wizard, help me…"

The angry flames had already engulfed Oden. This time, his luck had run out. Merlin's Third-level spells – Fiery Collapse and Condensed Fire were already a match for the strongest Sixth-level spells, thus it was easy to break Oden's defensive spells.

Trapped within the formidable fire of Fiery Collapse, it was a matter of time before he would be burned to ashes.

"This isn't good. Quickly, save Oden!"

The fourth Wizard's face turned grave as he shouted. The surrounding temperature immediately fell. Layers of ice crystals started forming all the way from the ground to mid-air, quickly spreading toward Wizard Oden to freeze the white flames on his body.

"Hmph. It's too late!"

Merlin's heart ticked, and the Fiery Collapse burned even stronger. The white flames burned all the way into the air, wrapping around the ice crystals and melting them into droplets of water, dripping onto the ground.

In those few short moments, there was no longer any sound from Wizard Oden. Upon closer inspection, there was no longer any trace of life.

"Oden is dead?"

Both the fourth and fifth Wizards expressions were extremely grim. No matter what, Oden was a Sixth-level Spell Caster. Right now, however, he was killed in an instant by a single spell from Merlin. This was a feat that even the two of them could not hope to achieve.

As such, when they turned their gazes back to Merlin again, their faces were grim. They no longer behaved carelessly. Instead, they joined forces with one another.

With one wave of his hand, Merlin reclaimed the flames of Fiery Collapse. On its way back, a ring also fell into his palm. It was Wizard Oden's ring.

Oden had already turned into ashes, so only the solid ring was left behind to be acquired by Merlin.

Merlin was also in slight disbelief. Before coming to the Imperial City, he could only have a face-off with Oden in a cautious manner. Now, on the other hand, he could easily kill Oden with a snap of his fingers. The improvement between the two occurrences was so quick that it was almost dream-like. It was quite hard for him to believe that it was real.

Nevertheless, he glanced at the strength-filled armor on his body, and his heart was filled with pride. This was true power. Even when under siege of three Sixth-level Spell Casters, he had come out unscathed. Anything less than a Seventh-level spell, as long as it was not a Pandora Demon Ability, could no longer threaten him!

"Fifth Wizard, reveal your true form. I'll also use my strongest skill. Otherwise, it may be dangerous for us today!"

The silver-haired fourth Wizard looked at Merlin warily, his expression turned grave.

…

"The legendary Darkness Eye is indeed powerful!"

On the other side, Wizards Morston and Tanin had surrounded Wizard Leo from the front and back in mid-air. These two Eighth-level Wizards should not have been lightly regarded by anyone. Yet, Wizard Leo appeared uncannily calm, almost as if he was unaware of the gravity of the situation that he was in.

In the earlier battle, Wizards Morston and Tanin had discovered that no matter how powerful or bizarre the spells were, they would still be broken by Wizard Leo using the third form of Darkness Eye.

Legend had it that Darkness Eye possessed seven forms. The fact that merely the third form was already so powerful not only failed to deter Wizards Morston and Tanin but instead made them even more determined to obtain Darkness Eye.

There were no other Spell Casters in the vicinity of the battle between Wizard Leo and Wizards Morston and Tanin. All the Spell Casters had drawn their distance from them as the battle between these three Wizards was no longer a battle that could be interfered by an average Spell Caster.

Just the mere aftershocks of an Eighth-level spell might easily render a Sixth-level Spell Caster helpless, causing irreversible damage and perhaps even death.

Moreover, Wizard Leo's Darkness Eye should not be underestimated as well. If anyone was touched even by a sliver of the blood-red ray, their entire body would immediately rot and decay. It would be an extremely ugly death.

Therefore, everyone kept their distance far away from Wizard Leo and his opponents, in fear of being accidentally struck by the fallout of their battle.

"Tanin, don't hold back any longer. Use your Pandora Demon Ability! Haha. We'll see if his Darkness Eye is enough to defeat both our Pandora Demon Abilities!"

A devious grin suddenly flashed across Wizard Morston's face. The next moment, his body exhibited a white-water veil.

The white-water veil was flowing continuously – it was a sight to behold.

"Water-type spells?"

Wizard Leo watched the strange white-water veil which had appeared on both Wizards Tanin and Morston's bodies. It was a very rare Water-type spell.

Water-type spells were neither good for general attacks nor for defense, and even its binding capabilities were not very strong. It was considered one of the naturally weaker type of element. Therefore, most Spell Casters would not create Water-type spells.

Nevertheless, Water-type spells also possessed some special characteristics. Some Water-type spells were able to treat injuries. In fact, many Water-type spells had healing properties.

It was just that most Spell Casters came prepared with potions, therefore the healing properties of Water-type spells were not a priority. Coupled with the fact that its attacking powers, defensive powers, and binding powers were all somewhat lacking, naturally, there were few who were interested in creating Water-type spells.

It was unexpected that Wizards Tanin and Morston had not only created Water-type spells but also cultivated Water-type Pandora Demon Abilities. That white layer of water veil was also the ultimate skill of both Wizards Morston and Tanin.

Wizard Leo frowned. The bloody eye in his forehead twitched slightly, and a blood-red ray flew directly toward Wizard Morston.

"Darkness Eye, disintegrate!"

It was the same third form of Darkness Eye that was difficult to block even by Eighth-level spells. Previously, Wizard Morston would have evaded it completely or continuously cast a series of defensive spells to fend off its attacks.

This time, however, Wizard Morston stayed in place, allowing the blood-red ray of Darkness Eye to engulf his body.

Chapter 344: Battle IV

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The third form of Darkness Eye that even the Flame Image on the Ship of Nikola could not fend against was not something that could be overlooked, naturally, it would not be something that could be blocked by mere Seventh-level Spell Casters. Even Eighth-level Spell Casters might not be able to resist the third form of Darkness Eye if they only used normal spells.

Previously, Wizard Leo and the two Eighth-level Wizards Morston and Tanin had battled for a very long time. The fact that neither side had prevailed already spoke volumes of the power of Darkness Eye.

Right now, however, the blood-red ray from Darkness Eye was shining directly on Wizard's Morston's water veil. Layers of ripples bubbled rapidly across the white layer and proceeded to smoothen out just as quick.

The originally unbreakable and invincible third form of Darkness Eye was now unable to break this fragile-looking protection of the water veil.

Seeing that the white-water veil was still undisturbed, Morston's face showed a smug smile. He exclaimed loudly, "Heh heh, Leo, bet you didn't see that coming! You may have Pandora Demon Abilities, but did you think that we didn't have them as well? Although not as powerful as your Darkness Eye, our Pandora Demon Abilities have the powerful ability to be fused with spells. In addition, when we were constructing our Seventh-level spells, we had already cultivated the Third-level Pandora Demon Ability. Your Darkness Eye has only achieved its third form, it can't break our defense!"

Wizards Morston and Tanin both possessed the Third-level Pandora Demon Ability that could be fused into spells.

Even though this Pandora Demon Ability was a Water-type, once cultivated to the Third-level, its prowess would be unrivaled. Moreover, both had used Eighth-level spells with startling defensive power. Just by using the third form of Darkness Eye, it was impossible to overcome their defense.

It was not surprising that despite Tanin and Morston's unmatched cruelty and having once upon a time destroyed a few Spell Casters' families, they had managed to survive hundreds of years until now. They had a trump card up their sleeves.

Once Morston finished speaking, he revealed a greedy look on his face. He stared daggers at Leo, obviously coveting Leo's Darkness Eye.

"Leo, if we get your Darkness Eye, coupled with our Pandora Demon Abilities… Heh heh… We'll be completely unstoppable!"

Morston was thoroughly aware of the power of Darkness Eye. It was apparent just by looking at Wizard Leo. He was merely a Sixth-level Wizard but with the third form of Darkness Eye, he was able to fight on an equal footing with two Eighth-level Wizards. Until now, neither side had prevailed against the other.

If Darkness Eye was to be cultivated to the fourth or fifth form, it was yet unknown how much more terrifying the power would be. Perhaps the power of Darkness Eye was limited to the same level of Wizard Leo and could not be cultivated into more advanced forms. As Eighth-level wizards, Tanin and Morston obviously still hoped to cultivate Darkness Eye to its fourth and fifth forms, and maybe even more advanced forms beyond that.

Seeing that Tanin and Morston were inching closer, no longer afraid of Darkness Eye, Wizard Leo finally said, "Even if you obtained the knowledge of cultivating Darkness Eye, it would be of no use. In order to cultivate Darkness Eye, you need to construct Darkness-type spells!"

"Darkness-type spells? Who said we didn't construct Darkness-type spells?"

A sinister grin appeared on the corners of Wizard Morston's mouth. Following that, traces of Darkness-element began to fluctuate subtly around his body.

The changes on Wizard Morston's body caught Wizard Leo by surprise.

Before this, Morston had already demonstrated Wind-type, Water-type, and Fire-type spells. With the addition of Darkness-type spells, it meant that Morston was a Four-Elemental Spell Caster!

"I see, so you've even constructed Darkness-type spells. You hid it very well!"

Wizard Leo's face revealed a sneer. Tanin and Morston were both well-known for their ruthlessness. As a Sixth-level Spell Caster in the Dark Magic Region, Wizard Leo was of course, well-informed about most matters.

However, he had not expected that these infamous Spell Casters had concealed Darkness-type spells and these powerful Pandora Demon Abilities.

"Heh heh. We have so many enemies. If we don't conceal some of our abilities and keep a trump card, how do you think we'd be able to survive this long? You, on the other hand, are a mere Sixth-level Spell Caster. Yet you hunted down Osseus for thousands of miles and killed him, and now you're interfering in the royal family's matters. Tsk tsk. Do you think that you could have a clean sweep just with that one Darkness Eye? Tanin, attack!"

Suddenly, Morston roared loudly. His speed doubled, and his body entwined with the Wind-type element as he rushed toward Wizard Leo. In addition, menacing-looking flames started appearing on his body as well.

The same was true for Wizard Tanin. His entire body was like a Flame Giant, rushing toward Wizard Leo from behind. Surrounded by the powerful fluctuations of Fire Elements, Wizard Leo descended into real danger.

…

"Rip."

There was a sound of cloth tearing. The fifth Wizard's robes were ripped into shreds, revealing a milky white body underneath.

However, the naked body of the fifth Wizard had become the least enticing to anyone. This was because almost immediately after stripping, her milky white skin began sprouting numerous black spikes throughout her body. At the same time, her initially slender figure also started ballooning up beyond recognition. She looked extremely ugly.

Not too long afterward, the fifth Wizard revealed her true form. It was different from Snake Elder and the others. Her true form was especially curious – it was a giant black hedgehog.

Seeing that the fifth Wizard had revealed her true form, the fourth Wizard also inhaled deeply and pulled out a black bracelet from his ring. Underneath the sunlight, the black bracelet radiated a shiny glimmer.

The fourth Wizard caressed the bracelet gently. There was a trace of reluctance in his expression. He mumbled softly, "I thought I would never use this black obsidian bracelet, but who knew that I have to use it so soon…"

The fourth Wizard gritted his teeth and Fire Elements began to fluctuate around his body.

"Let it burn."

Following the words of the fourth Wizard, flames began to burn everywhere around them. The black bracelet seemed to emit some mysterious fluctuations. The next moment, the flames began to burn much more ferociously.

Even Merlin's expression waned slightly. He could sense that the fourth Wizard's spell powers suddenly increased, becoming much stronger. In fact, the potency of the flames was no less than his Fiery Collapse. It had reached the peak capabilities of a Sixth-level spell.

"Hmm, that black bracelet can enhance the power of spells so it must be an enhancing casting tool… I didn't expect that the fourth Wizard had such a precious enhancing casting tool with him!"

Merlin no longer dared to underestimate any of the Spell Casters. Even though the fourth Wizard was a roaming Wizard, it was not easy for a roaming Wizard to become a Sixth-level Spell Caster. He must have had some treasures hidden away at the bottom of his trunk.

The fourth Wizard's hidden treasure, or his last trump card, was apparently that black bracelet. It was indeed an extremely rare and precious enhancing casting tool.

"Crack."

As the flames burned stronger and stronger, small cracks began to appear on the black bracelet in the fourth Wizard's hands. In the end, it snapped apart.

There were many types of enhancing casting tools. Since they were extremely rare and precious, they were very difficult to make. As a result, most of them could only be used once and would be destroyed after.

The black bracelet in the fourth Wizard's hands was obviously a one-time use enhancing casting tool. It could only be used once before it was rendered useless.

Merlin felt the temperature of the surrounding flames increasing significantly. In addition, the fifth Wizard had revealed her true form. Despite possessing Perfect Armor, Merlin had no desire to face both of them head-on.

Therefore, he prepared himself to cast Flash Wind to retreat temporarily. Nevertheless, it seemed that the fourth Wizard had already predicted his move. With a single wave of his hand, a Sixth-level binding spell appeared, trapping Merlin inside a narrow space.

"Whiz."

Initially, Merlin could have used Fiery Collapse to defeat this binding spell, but it was too late. Once he was bound, the fifth Wizard took the opportunity to rapidly roll her body into a gigantic ball, completely covered in sharp, hard spikes. She rose into the air, whizzing straight toward Merlin.

This was the fifth Wizard's true form, which was also her most powerful form. Using the spikes on her body, she had killed countless powerful Spell Casters, including Sixth-level Spell Casters like herself.

Moreover, the fourth and fifth Wizards were obviously in perfect synchrony with one another. Leveraging on the exact moment that Merlin was bound, they both launched their strongest attack.

It was quite scary to have two ultimate Sixth-level Spell Casters working together!

Merlin took a deep breath. He no longer had time to break the binding. He could only face it head-on.

"Fine, let's see if you can break my Perfect Armor!"

Merlin's eyes also showed a trace of seriousness. Right now, he had no choice. Moreover, he had confidence in Perfect Armor. As long as the spell did not exceed the power of a Sixth-level Spell Caster, Perfect Armor should be able to withstand it.

"Thud."

The fifth Wizard's true form, the giant hedgehog, packed with terrifying powers, smashed brutally against Merlin's Perfect Armor. For a moment, Merlin's Perfect Armor began to change rapidly, its ocher light flashing intermittently as if it was going to be broken at any time.

However, with Merlin's crazy injection of Magic Power, his Perfect Armor stabilized once again.

"It didn't break?"

The fifth Wizard was a little taken aback. This was already her strongest power. Usually, once she revealed her true form, no matter how strong the opponents were, they would not be able to resist her attack.

"Boom!"

Immediately after the fifth Wizard's attack was the fourth Wizard's enhanced Fire-type spell. With the assistance of the enhancing casting tool, it had achieved the peak powers of a Sixth-level spell, no lesser than Merlin's Fiery Collapse.

Even the fifth Wizard who was a considerable distance away could feel the extreme heat emanating from the flames. She could not stand it anymore and retreated a few steps.

"Fifth Wizard, don't lose focus. Continue to attack!"

The fourth Wizard looked at the motionless fifth Wizard and said with a severe expression.

The fifth Wizard nodded her head. She could sense that despite the powerful flames blazing wildly, Merlin's life force was still present among the flames. This showed that Merlin was still holding on and was not dead yet.

"Whiz whiz whiz."

The fifth Wizard shot black spikes from her body using a special method. Like a rain of arrows spanning all the way from the ground to the sky, they flew straight toward Merlin, who was trapped in the flames.