386 - 392

Chapter 386: The Inevitable Battle I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Blacksand Fort was a large spell casters' organization that specialized in Refining casting tools. In the Spell Casters' most glorious era, some casting tools were powerful enough to rival Great Wizards!

Blacksand Fort had exactly such a casting tool known as the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit!

Although the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit was very powerful, under normal circumstances, Blacksand Fort would not be willing to activate it because the cost of each launch was too great. With the ability of a large spell casters' organization like Blacksand Fort, each time it was called into action, within an hour, decades' worth of resources of Blacksand Fort would be consumed.

Blacksand Fort could not afford to use such a terrible "power-hungry entity" rashly. It was not surprising that it had not been activated before this. It was not until Wizard Utto and Wizard Tumen found that it was impossible to defeat the Black-White Great Wizard in a short time that they were willing to activate it now.

"Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, wake up!"

Wizard Tumen and Wizard Utto repeatedly showcased some complex runic handprints and channeled them into the ground below Blacksand Fort.

"Hum hum hum."

Suddenly, the entire ground began to quake violently, especially at the open area in Blacksand Fort. Initially, many Spell Casters from Blacksand Fort could not wrap their heads around what such a large open area was left for?

Now, Spell Casters who were present to witness the changes that happened here finally understood why.

In this open area, the ground began to shake violently, and huge cracks began to form. It was just like a huge turtle shell as the cracks on the ground were full of a criss-cross patterns as though the ground would break at any moment.

"Boom!"

Finally, the ground had broken apart entirely, revealing a huge area under the ground. In the dark, an enormous creature slowly started moving. Firs, it revealed its huge back, and then its long legs which were taller than a five-story tower.

One, two, three… Eight legs!

A total of eight black, metallic lustrous "legs" supported a large, sturdy body that looked just like a black spider. This was the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit of Blacksand Fort, a peak-level alchemy product. It was left over from the Spell Casters' most glorious era, and it represented one of the highest achievements in alchemy!

In addition to the metallic luster of its body which gave off a faint glow, two sharp horns extended from this odd gigantic spider's forehead too. It seemed a little nondescript.

Since the appearance of the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, the entire Blacksand Fort seemed to be quaking incessantly.

"Swoosh."

All of a sudden, the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, whose eyes were originally closed, opened its eyes abruptly. Its two eyes were actually deep and hollow, and there were no eyeballs at all. However, a trace of coldness flashed from the hollow eyes, which made both Wizard Utto and Wizard Tumen shudder inexplicably.

Nonetheless, the gaze of the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit was not directed at Utto and Tumen, but at the pair of black and white Wizards – the Black-White Great Wizard!

…

Many Spell Casters gathered in the hall while the entrance was blocked by a man carrying a silver sword and another tall and thin Wizard. Both of them looked at all the Spell Casters in the hall with a hostile gaze.

This time, they had only one purpose for following the powerful Wizards of Ozmu here, which was to kill!

They would take however many they could kill. Blacksand Fort had gathered the vast majority of spell casters' organizations or Spell Caster clans in the southern Spell Caster world this time. If they were indeed united together, it would pose a huge threat to Ozmu.

Thus, Ozmu raided Blacksand Fort. Although the number of Wizards sent was not many, they were all true geniuses. They had almost no rivals at the same level.

It was for a fact that every member of Ozmu was tempted from spell casters' organizations or Spell Casters clans through various methods. Each of them could be considered favored by God. Yet, they were all now rallied in Ozmu. With the mysterious and unimaginably vast heritage of Ozmu, these geniuses would naturally grow to become even more terrifying.

This time, though Ozmu had only sent a Great Wizard, it was the notorious Black-White Great Wizard who was capable of containing two Great Wizards of Blacksand Fort. It was evident that they were well prepared and had a very thorough plan.

Apart from the Black-White Great Wizard, there were also high-level Spell Casters namely Ninth-level, Eighth-level, and Seventh-level Spell Casters, all of which had entered Blacksand Fort the moment the Black-White Great Wizard tore apart the Runic Magic Circle of Blacksand Fort.

As for Spell Casters below the Seventh-level, the weakest were Fourth-level Spell Casters. Among the Fourth-level Spell Casters, they had Wizards like Kleis, who was capable of defeating the Miracle Child.

Even if they were inferior to Kleis, the damage would be horrible because they could rival Sixth-level Spell Casters. With such a group of Spell Casters invading Blacksand Fort, it was simply an unimaginable disaster.

"Pom pom pom."

Intense Elemental fluctuations had also emanated from the inner court of Blacksand Fort.

The inner court was where Spell Casters of the Fourth-level to the Sixth-level of various major spell casters' organizations who participated in the summit held their competitions. Besides, most Spell Casters of the spell casters' organizations from the Seventh-level to the Ninth-level also entered the inner court.

Only the competition of the Spell Casters in the inner court could pique some interest in the Seventh-level or higher Spell Casters. Especially Spell Casters like Leo, whom some of the Seventh-level and Eighth-level Wizards were very fearful of.

However, at this moment, intense Elemental fluctuations radiated from the inner court. There were obviously powerful Spell Casters fighting each other, indicating that powerful Wizards from Ozmu had most likely made their way into the inner court and were now in a fierce battle.

A few smart Spell Casters had already sensed a huge crisis coming their way. They knew that if they could not get out of the hall, they would be in real danger.

Therefore, they started a commotion in the crowd. All eyes stared at the entrance of the hall. They braced themselves to break through Ozmu's line of defense and rushed out of the hall.

"We'll only have a chance to survive if we rush out of the hall. Stop hesitating, everyone. If we don't leave now, there won't be another chance!"

"Yes, now we could only try to rush out of the hall and quickly leave Blacksand Fort. This time, the Wizards from Ozmu were fully prepared, and they won't leave empty-handed. They plan to make a clean sweep of all the elites of our southern Spell Caster world!"

"This time, those who were able to attend the summit are surely all geniuses of the various spell casters' organizations. In addition, the Spell Casters who led their team here were surely the absolute core of the respective organizations too. If they are lost, I fear that most of the southern spell casters' organizations would suffer heavy losses and be deprived a part of their power. In the future, Ozmu would become even more unscrupulous. Therefore, we must get out of here!"

Being stared at by countless eyes, even Silver Sword Heulier and the thin, tall Spell Caster felt their scalps numb. If solely depending on the two of them, they would surely not be able to hold them off.

"Kill them, then leave the hall!"

Nobody knew who screamed from within the crowd. Thus, the fury of the numerous Spell Casters was thoroughly set off. Countless Spell Casters began to cast spells or Runic Magic Circles, blasting toward Silver Sword Heulier and the skinny Spell Caster overwhelmingly.

Only by killing them could they break past the entrance of the hall and leave Blacksand Fort!

"Chaos!"

The abrupt voice sounded, and Kleis, who had been expressionless all these while, spread out his five fingers. Invisible Spatial Strength started pouring out.

"Pom pom pom."

At the forefront, the bodies of the few Third-level Spell Casters who dashed forward the fastest instantly burst into a bloody mist. Fresh blood splattered all around, splashing onto the entire ground. A strong bloody stench exuded in the entire hall.

Though everyone could see how powerful Kleis was from his battle with the Miracle Child before this, nobody thought that he was actually so haunting. His opponent had not arrived, and there was no obvious sense of any Elemental fluctuations, but the body had instantly exploded into a bloody fog. It was virtually impossible to defend against it.

At the same time, looking at the spell attacks which covered the entire sky, Kleis flipped his hand over and took out a silver-white Runic Magic Disc from his ring.

"Silver Net Runic Magic Circle, go!"

In Kleis' hands, mysterious runes danced wildly and were engraved into the Runic Magic Disc. Then, traces of silvery light surged skyward. The countless runes from the silver Runic Magic Circle swiftly formed a silvery light veil. To everyone's shock, the light veil shrouded the entire hall entrance.

While Kleis, Silver Sword Heulier, and the skinny Spell Caster were also protected in the runic light veil.

"Pom pom pom."

Numerous powerful spells were all bombarded at the runic light veil. This layer of the runic light veil was the Silver Net Runic Magic Circle that Kleis had laid out. It was a purely defensive Runic Magic Circle, and it was also very powerful.

Kleis had studied the fields of potion-brewing, alchemy, and runology in the Dark Magic Region back then. It was in runology, particularly, where Kleis' accomplishments were considered on-par. Even Wizard Leo, who had a strong command of runology, was full of praise for Kleis' proficiency in runology.

Kleis was an all-rounded genius. The Runic Magic Circle that he was currently exhibiting was also quite powerful. The spells thrown at him were not too strong but with so many of them concentrated at him at once, it was very frightening too. Yet, his Silver Net Runic Magic Circle was able to withstand all of them. Clearly, it was a very powerful Runic Magic Circle. A Spell Caster was required to have extensive knowledge of runology to be able to initiate the Silver Net Runic Magic Circle.

The numerous Spell Casters' first wave of attack was over. Silver Sword Heulier and the skinny Spell Caster also rushed out of the Runic Magic Circle. They were geniuses of Ozmu and did not want to merely hide in the Runic Magic Circle.

Silver Sword Heulier drew his long sword. Various elements flashed at the tip of his sword. A single aim of his long sword could instantly erupt a powerful force.

This was the unique way of casting spells for Silver Sword Heulier. He actually utilized the sword in casting spells. Besides, before Silver Sword Heulier became a Spell Caster, he was a relatively powerful Elemental swordsman. The path that he chose was to combine the ways of an Elemental swordsman and a Spell Caster.

This was rather difficult but Silver Sword Heulier had done quite well so far, hence he obtained the name of "Silver Sword."

Silver Sword Heulier and the skinny Spell Caster were both Fourth-level Spell Casters. At their first strike, they had displayed their great strength. They were almost comparable to Bratu, Bellach, and the others, and were possibly even more powerful than them. They chased after the strength of Seventh-level Spell Casters. After all, they were already Fourth-level Spell Casters.

Instead of launching another attack, Kleis turned his gaze to the crowd.

In the crowd, Merlin, who looked very inconspicuous, felt a slight movement in his heart. He then raised his head and immediately greeted Kleis' gaze.

Merlin knew that today's battle with Kleis was inevitable. Unlike the indirect showdown in the Runic Tower earlier, it was different this time. He had to face an opponent who had become a Fourth-level Spell Caster, and had also cultivated a special Pandora Demon Ability, Spatial Blade, the incredibly powerful Kleis!

Chapter 387: The Inevitable Battle II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin and Kleis had never crossed paths. With regard to the Dark Magic Region, Merlin did not actually have much sense of belonging there. Hence, even if Kleis betrayed the Dark Magic Region, it did not really have any effect on Merlin.

However, it was just because of one woman – Bluebird!

Out of nowhere, Bluebird found Merlin and intended to kill Merlin. Since then, Merlin vaguely guessed that a fight between him and Kleis was unavoidable!

Later, when Merlin's identity as a Six-Elemental Spell Caster was publicized, and when his reputation grew, almost everyone was comparing him with Kleis, which had indirectly affected Merlin.

Even someone like Wizard Leo had secretly compared Merlin and Kleis. This was fate. The two of them were destined to cross paths.

Step by step, Kleis strode calmly toward Merlin. Some of the Spell Casters thew a glance at each other, then charged toward Kleis.

However, Kleis did not even lift his head. He reached out his hand and pointed at the Spell Casters. The invisible Spatial Strength quivered.

"Pom pom pom."

All the Spell Casters who neared Kleis were shattered. It was an invisible Spatial Strength which was virtually impossible to defend against. Even a typical Sixth-level Spell Caster could not resist it and would be killed by a blow!

"Slash!"

Kleis raised his hand again and slammed his palm down fiercely. Suddenly, countless blades seemed to have appeared in the hall, and soon, many Spell Casters screamed in pain.

The Defensive spells on these Spell Casters or Defensive casting tools were sliced off directly by Spatial Strength. Even the Spell Casters themselves were cut into several pieces.

After all, not everyone was a Miracle Child, and Kleis' Spatial Blade was absolutely invincible. A large number of opponents was no longer of any meaning to him because no one here could block any of his blow.

"Chi-chi-chi."

Any place where Kleis trudged past was like hell on Earth. The bodies of Spell Casters around him were all cut into several parts. Fresh blood spilled all over the place. It was an atrocious scene of brutality.

Merlin's eyes glimpsed. A huge armor had already appeared on his body. Perfect Armor had covered his body to cope with the attacks that could appear at any time. Merlin sensed a strong threat from Kleis.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, billows of green mist filled in the hall. The mist had a pungent stench, which seemed to be formed from the infinite discrete powder floating in the air.

Moreover, there was a breeze which was faintly controlling the green mist. It drifted toward Silver Sword Heulier and the skinny Spell Caster, but most of the mist drifted to Kleis.

When Silver Sword Heulier had just come into contact with the mist, the skin on his body immediately started corroding. It even brought with it traces of burning pain. It was clearly a poisonous mist.

"No way, what is this monstrosity? Stay away from me!"

Terror displayed on Silver Sword Heulier's face. It was all because of his carelessness. He normally used a sword to cast spells and was an Elemental Swordsman himself, so even in combat, he rarely cast Defensive spells.

Yet today, because of his inattention, he was shrouded by the green mist, and his arm quickly ulcerated. There was nothing he could do to stop it.

Silver Sword Heulier gritted his teeth. At this moment, no one could help him. When the toxins spread to his entire arm, he no longer hesitated. He waved his long sword and forcefully cut downward, chopping off his arm from the shoulder down.

If a Spell Caster did not have a special potion, even a Spell Caster of the Seventh-level or above could not regenerate an arm unless the person was a Great Wizard. Great Wizards had a different fundamental from the average Spell Casters where they could not even be considered "human" anymore. There was a faint sense of elementality with them.

As long as their Mind Power was not scattered and his Spell Models were stable, even if their bodies were reduced to powder, they could still be revived again. However, Spell Casters below the level of Great Wizards could not pull this off, just like in the case of Wizard Leo. When he was hunting Osseus previously, he had lost an arm and until now, the arm had not recovered yet.

Therefore, now that Silver Sword Heulier had lost an arm, he would be without the arm forever.

"Damn, who the heck is it?"

Silver Sword Heulier had lost an arm forever, so he was fuming with rage. He never thought that these Spell Casters who were feeble like lambs could actually hurt him.

Kleis' footsteps came to a pause. He recognized the green mist in front of him at first glance. This was a poisonous mist formed by the potion powder.

"Hooo…"

Kleis cast a Wind-type spell and directly blew the mist into the crowd. Some of the Spell Casters who had not cast their defense were immediately brushed by the poisonous mist. Immediately, their bodies started corroding.

"Kleis, do you still remember me?"

A man in a black robe gradually came out from the crowd. Then, he fiercely flipped over his hood and revealed an aging face. Nevertheless, his facial expression was extremely scary and menacing. His face seemed to be distorted too.

Seeing this mysterious black-robed man, a hint of surprise flashed in Merlin's eyes. This black-robed man was actually the Wizard who had vanished without a trace at the time Merlin left the Dark Magic Region back then.

Back at the time, Wizard Hall gave Merlin Mokra Potion with only one purpose, that was for Merlin to kill Kleis when he had ample strength!

Merlin also learned Wizard Hall's issue from Wizard Leo where Hall's daughter was tortured to death by Kleis. Thus, it was not surprising that Wizard Hall hated Kleis to the core. Now, with the mere strength of a First-level Spell Caster, Wizard Hall had actually used a poisonous mist made out of potion powder and even hurt Silver Sword Heulier. It seemed that he was also well prepared with a detailed plan.

"You?"

Kleis frowned slightly, then shook his head and glanced at Silver Sword Heulier behind him. His gaze suddenly turned sharp.

"No matter who you are, you've hurt Heulier. Die!"

Then, Kleis reached out his hand and grasped. Invisible Spatial Strength instantly tore Hall from all directions. With Wizard Hall's mere First-level Spell Caster strength, there was no way he was able to resist it.

"Haha, Kleis, of course you don't remember me, but you still remember Guiya, right? Haha, my poor daughter, you've used alchemy and tortured her to death. I waited for this day for far too long!"

Wizard Hall laughed, his demeanor becoming more and more frenzied.

When Kleis heard the name mentioned by Wizard Hall, his expression changed slightly. He seemed to have recalled that vengeful look from the beautiful woman who, in the Dark Magic Region, was tortured to death by him while he was studying alchemy.

"You want revenge too? Chaos!"

Kleis' expression only changed slightly, which then returned to its initial calmness. He extended the five fingers on his hand and Spatial Strength suddenly burst out.

"Boom!"

Wizard Hall's laughter came to an abrupt end as his body exploded. Blood splattered, giving off a strong bloody smell.

Merlin did not manage to act. Kleis' movement was too fast. He did not even have time to counterattack as Wizard Hall was turned into a bloody fog.

Watching Wizard Hall turn into a bloody fog and instantly perish, Merlin's heart sank.

However, soon after Wizard Hall exploded into a bloody fog, it splashed toward all directions. Even with Defensive spells, any Spell Caster who came into contact with the bloody fog was instantly corroded too and shrieked painfully.

The same was true for Kleis. The blood splashed onto his Defensive spells, and they quickly eroded too. However, his face looked dignified.

"It's actually Dark Blood Potion. This was one of the most deadly potions. It needed to use fresh blood as a base to erupt its unparalleled toxicity! Imbuing Dark Blood Potion with his own blood is an impressive trick, and a terrific idea, but it may be in vain. I happen to have a few antidotes in hand which could reverse the poison of Dark Blood Potion!"

There was a smile on Kleis' face. Thereafter, he quickly took out a few potions from his ring, raised his hand in the air and waved, sprinkling a puff of pale-yellow potion powder in the air.

The pale yellow potion powder quickly drifted toward Silver Sword Heulier and the skinny Spell Caster, which removed the Dark Blood Potion off them.

Merlin was relatively further away, so he had not been affected by the Dark Blood Potion. Still, deep down, he was very astonished. A mere First-level Spell Caster had actually dealt a little threat on a powerful Spell Caster like Kleis by using a venomous potion.

The splattering blood seemed to be totally unstoppable. Even if one had a Seventh-level Defensive spell, it could also be infiltrated. However, it was obviously too difficult to brew such a potion, and it was also necessary to use fresh blood as a base. Wizard Hall must have put in a lot of thought and effort. This time, he was prepared to embrace his demise. He voluntarily wanted to be killed by Kleis too, so he could splash the Dark Blood Potion on Kleis.

Unfortunately, Kleis was also an apothecary. Incidentally, he used to brew a potion powder which could remedy the Dark Blood Potion, so he was not harmed. The one-hit attack that Wizard Hall had carefully masterminded did not work.

Looking at the drops of blood scattered on the ground, a feeling of indescribable sadness echoed in Merlin's heart. Wizard Hall ended his life in such a tragic way. It was an act of ultimate despair, the final strike of revenge!

"Come on, Kleis!"

Merlin let out a low growl from his throat. It was impossible to escape from the hall now. Facing Kleis, he had no choice but to fight. This was an inevitable battle!

"Swoosh."

Remnants of silhouettes were shaped out of Merlin's figure. This was the quickest speed which had reached its extreme limit. Merlin had cast Flash Wind. In terms of speed, he could almost be deemed the fastest among the many Spell Casters here.

At the same time, Merlin had cast Darkness Vortex. He did not believe that Kleis' Mind Power had reached the Seventh-level. As long as it had not reached the Seventh-level, he would not be able to withstand the illusion of Darkness Vortex.

"Slash!"

Kleis slowly raised his hand as if he did not see Merlin at all, and waved unceremoniously.

"Chi."

A soft noise was heard. Before Merlin's Darkness Vortex, which worked well everywhere else, had yet to form, it was actually crushed by the invisible Spatial Strength.

Merlin was astounded. It was the first time that Darkness Vortex had been forcibly broken. In the past, those who broke his Darkness Vortex had only persisted by relying on strong Mind Power.

Only Kleis was able to directly crush Darkness Vortex!

"This is the genius of the Dark Magic Region who has been claimed to be able to match me? Too weak…"

A taunt seemed to have come from the edge of Kleis' lips. He casually raised his hand and grabbed toward Merlin's direction from the distance.

Chapter 388: The Inevitable Battle III

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Chaos!"

The invisible Spatial Strength began tearing Merlin from all directions. Now, Merlin finally realized how much pain the other Spell Casters were in when facing Kleis' Spatial Strength, and how much pressure they had endured.

Merlin also had the protection of Perfect Armor, but under this invisible Spatial Strength, it seemed so fragile. Even if it had the enhancement of Pandora Demon Ability, Fuse Earth, it was still very fragile.

"Ka-chak."

Instantly, Perfect Armor was broken as if it had no resistance at all. Moments after, Merlin's bones and even internal organs began to quiver. From every direction, the invisible Spatial Strength was pulling Merlin apart.

If not for Merlin's far above average physique compared to an average Spell Caster, which even a high-level Elemental Swordsman could not match, he would have been torn apart into several chunks just like other Spell Casters.

Merlin knew that Kleis in front of him was far from what he was able to defeat now. From the very beginning, Merlin had already lost the battle between them…

"Not dead yet? Quite a strong physique, but useless. Slash!"

Seeing that Merlin had not succumbed after his defensive spell was broken, Merlin looked like he was able to persist for a little while longer. Hence, Kleis let out a sneer and then waved again.

The invisible Spatial Strength slashed at Merlin directly. Although the mysterious Spatial Strength was not seen, Merlin's sharp senses immediately picked up a huge, dangerous life force.

It was the life force of death. Merlin had not felt it for too long. The word "death" had evaded far away from Merlin. Ever since Merlin built a Six-Elemental spell and had all types of Pandora Demon Abilities, he had never encountered such a precarious moment since.

It was the first time that Merlin had felt the life force of death. It was his first time feeling so close to death!

Kleis' power was way too strong. It was so strong that it was not even at the same level as Merlin. Even a Miracle Child was not Kleis' opponent. He was a Six-Elemental Spell Caster, proficient in runology, potion, alchemy, and also had a special Pandora Demon Ability, Spatial Blade. Besides, he was a Fourth-level Spell Caster, which was an extremely vast difference compared to a Third-level Spell Caster.

The Kleis now was worthy enough to walk among the ranks of powerful Spell Casters!

"Darkness Eye, dispel!"

Merlin did not have the slightest resistance at all in facing Kleis' Spatial slashing. Death was incredibly close to him. Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard.

From the inner court, a thin, frail Spell Caster who looked like a bag of bones fiercely stepped forward. His entire face was wrinkled like a bark, which looked very terrifying. It was Wizard Leo.

"Chi-chi-chi."

Wizard Leo directly displayed the third form of Darkness Eye, Dispelling Force! At the same time, Kleis' Spatial Slash was also the third form!

Whether it was Darkness Eye or Spatial Blade, both had seven forms, all of which were special Pandora Demon Abilities created by great Legendary Wizards. The clash of two Pandora Demon Abilities was destined to be a very intense encounter.

This clash was indirect but it set off repercussions. The chaotic Spatial Strength spread in all directions. Even Merlin, who had just lost focus for a brief moment, had half of his palm cut off. Lacerations appeared on his legs too, as well as his abdomen, and many other areas. The numerous gashes looked just like they had been cut by thousands of blades.

The harsh reality dawned on Merlin. He knew that this was merely a repercussion, but it was already such a horror. If they did not have the shielding of Wizard Leo's Darkness Eye, they would not have survived.

"Swoosh."

Merlin hastily took a step back and cast Flash Wind, quickly retreating behind Wizard Leo. Only half of his palm was cut off but that excruciating pain made Merlin's face turn pale.

For an ordinary Spell Caster, when half of a palm was cut, it would sadly never recover for a lifetime. The victim would even die because of excessive blood loss.

However, Merlin was not the same. Even if that arm of Wizard Leo which was cut off could not re-grow, Merlin could do it.

He could now clearly feel that while the palm was hurting, there was a feeling of numbness as well. It was a feeling which he felt when he was practicing the posture of the golden relief sculpture, where the wound was healing quickly.

In addition, this healing was also very frightening. It almost healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Half a palm might be very complex and would have more complicated healing, but at this speed, it would only take a few hours to grow back a new half of the palm.

This kind of astonishing recovery shocked even Melin. This was already beyond his comprehension, and beyond the knowledge of most Spell Casters too. A typical spell or potion would not be able to achieve this effect.

Merlin even had a bold guess that as long as he was not killed by a single blow, otherwise, even if he was seriously injured, he could still slowly recover by relying on the terrifying recovery power of the posture of the golden relief sculpture.

The thought in his mind flashed past then immediately vanished. Merlin turned his gaze toward Kleis and Wizard Leo again.

Kleis had a dignified look on his face. A pale color was faintly revealed on his face. Beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead as well.

It was unlike Kleis' previous invincible demeanor where everything was under his control. At this moment, in face of Wizard Leo, Kleis was clearly at a disadvantage.

"Kleis, back then, did you hide in the Dark Magic Region just so you could learn runology?"

Step by step, Wizard Leo edged closer to Kleis. The vertical blood-shot eye in his forehead glowed with a blood-red light. Every shot of the blood-red light could crumble the attacks from Kleis.

Perhaps the invisible Spatial Strength was very powerful and very peculiar, but under the illumination of Darkness Eye, even a mysterious power could not remain hidden, which was also the special characteristic of Darkness Eye.

Therefore, Wizard Leo was not worried that Kleis would launch a secret attack. If they were to clash head-on, the outcome now would be considered very normal still. As a Sixth-level Spell Caster, Wizard Leo still had the strongest fourth form of Darkness Eye that he had not shown yet. He was stronger than Kleis, so it was not too surprising that he was able to suppress Kleis.

Hearing Wizard Leo's words, there was a glimmer of surprise in Kleis' eyes, "Well played, Wizard Leo. With only one glance, you're able to figure out my motive for joining the Dark Magic Region. Yes, back then, I secretly constructed Spatial-type spells, but they weren't perfect. Spatial-type spells have special demands from the Spell Caster's body. If I constructed it forcibly, the Spatial Spell Model would eventually collapse.

"So, I found a way to completely resolve this hidden danger with some special and powerful Runic Magic Circles. For this reason, I've stayed in the Dark Magic Region for decades and studied runology. Finally, I've obtained the Runic Magic Circle of the Dark Magic Region!"

Kleis finally revealed some of his secrets of joining the Dark Magic Region. It turned out that he had been targeting the precious Runic Magic Circles in the Dark Magic Region all along, just so he could make up for his defects in building Spatial-type spells.

As a spell casters' organization specializing in runology, the Dark Magic Region naturally contained some very special and powerful Runic Magic Circles. They were the deepest secrets of the Dark Magic Region, but in the end, they were unearthed by Kleis anyway, who had remained hidden there for decades.

It was not surprising that the Dark Magic Region was so mad at Kleis' betrayal. It seemed that there was a deeper reason. The most precious Runic Magic Circle of the Dark Magic Region was lost, and it was taken away by Kleis. This was also a major blow to the Dark Magic Region.

The blood-red light of the blood-shot vertical eye in Leo's forehead was getting more and more grand, and the life force contained in it was getting more and more haunting. It almost made Kleis incapable of handling it.

If Leo had not cared and directly displayed the fourth form of Darkness Eye with force, Kleis' situation might have been very perilous.

"Kleis, you really should die! Not only have you betrayed the Dark Magic Region but also gave the Runic Magic Circle to Ozmu, damn you!"

Clearly, Wizard Leo knew some insider information. After hearing Kleis personally admitting his treachery, the murderous intent on Wizard Leo became even stronger.

"Ka-chak."

The repercussions of the battle between Kleis and Wizard Leo directly slashed off the stone pillars in the hall, which began to falter.

"Swoosh."

Seeing that he was not a match, Kleis abruptly retreated backward. Then, he let Silver Sword Heulier open the main door. Kleis stared deadly at Wizard Leo. "Darkness Eye is really powerful, it's indeed a special Pandora Demon Ability that can match Spatial Blade! However, today's not the time for an all-out battle. We'll meet again…"

After he finished speaking, Kleis flew out of the hall with Silver Sword Heulier and the others.

To Merlin's surprise, Wizard Leo looked dignified too and did not intend to pursue them at all. He hurriedly asked, "Wizard Leo, what exactly happened in the inner court?"

Wizard Leo glanced at the inner court, and then a baleful aura flashed on his body. "Heavy loss! The Wizards from Ozmu have prepared meticulously. Those who rushed into the inner court were all above the Seventh-level. There were even a few Ninth-level Spell Casters! Heusius, Wizard Nater, and Wizard Mills are all dead!"

"What? They're all dead?"

Merlin was in utter disbelief. The three of them were all core Seventh-level Spell Casters. Normally, they held high positions in the organization, so even the death of one of them would cause a huge shock in the Dark Magic Region, let alone the death of all three at once.

"Let's go, it's not safe here anymore!"

Wizard Leo threw a glance at the top of the hall. It was obviously going to collapse. Thus, he led the remaining Spell Casters from the Dark Magic Region out of the place. He opened a clear path with Darkness Eye and they rushed out of the hall right away.

"Bang!"

All Wizards rushed out of the hall, their faces completely soiled in the dust. However, the first thing that greeted their eyes was a shocking sight. On the ground, there was an incredibly humongous "spider" crouching on Blacksand Fort. Its body trembled a little, which also made Blacksand Fort vibrate in resonance.

"What's this?"

Wizard Envia had seen many things, but at this moment, he too could not help but wonder. He had never seen such an appalling scene. The giant "spider", which was as massive as a mountain, had two sharp horns on its head. Indeed, it seemed rather unsettling and weird.

The blood-shot vertical eye in Leo's forehead blinked slightly. It saw the giant spider too. Wizard Leo had a somewhat complicated look on his face as he whispered, "This is the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit of Blacksand Fort. It's an alchemy product comparable to a Great Wizard. It's the first time after so many years that Blacksand Fort has called it into action!"

Merlin nodded thoughtfully. He had long guessed that it was an alchemy product. After all, the metallic luster on the giant spider was very conspicuous.

Nevertheless, it was Merlin's first sighting of such a huge alchemy product which could rival a Great Wizard. He had never even heard of one before too. Hence, he could not imagine how anyone could produce such a petrifying alchemy product.

Chapter 389: Bloodshed Beginnings I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the air, the Black-White Great Wizard's face was slightly gloomy. Although he had heard of Holy Fort Guardian Spirit of Blacksand Fort, he had never seen it with his very eyes. Now that he saw the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, he could feel an enormous threat.

"Black-White Great Wizard, your Ozmu plotted to weaken the strength of our southern Spell Caster world? Haha, today, I'll make sure that none of you gets to go back alive. Go, Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, kill!"

Wizard Utto of Blacksand Fort sneered. Then, he whispered to the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit. The humongous Holy Fort Guardian Spirit seemed to be able to understand Utto's words as its giant body started moving.

"Swoosh."

The Holy Fort Guardian Spirit extended a leg and directly kicked it toward the Black-White Great Wizard in mid-air forcefully. The leg was the size of a huge pillar. The whistling sound of the leg rushing through the air alone was scary enough that even the Black-White Great Wizard was also stunned.

"Boom!"

The Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's attack landed directly on the Defensive spells set up by the Black-White Great Wizard. This Defensive spell was also quite resilient, and it was released by the Black-White Great Wizard. However, in face of the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's attack, it only withstood briefly before it completely burst open.

The Black-White Great Wizard was shocked and hurriedly summoned the black-robed Great Wizard to him. The black-robed Great Wizard was his alchemy clone, and it was very powerful. Every time he was in danger, the Black-White Great Wizard would make his alchemy clone block in front of him.

"Chi."

Dense spikes appeared on the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's thick legs. It pierced the body of the black-robed alchemy clone easily. In the past, the alchemy clone was able to withstand any force, but now, it seemed so fragile.

The Black-White Great Wizard was astonished. Even Ozmu and he himself had far underestimated the power of Blacksand Fort. Nobody expected the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit to be so terrifying. Besides, Ozmu had only sent only one Great Wizard to Blacksand Fort. Even if Ozmu sent two Great Wizards, it would still not guarantee that they could inflict any damage on Blacksand Fort.

Every large spell casters' organization had its own trump card, which was a heritage that was inherited for millenniums, far from what ordinary forces could match.

The Holy Fort Guardian Spirit was the trump card of Blacksand Fort. As long as the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit existed, Blacksand Fort was safe!

"Zi Zi Zi."

At the same time, the two sharp horns on the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's head actually began buzzing with electric flashes. The silky electric lights contained terrorizing power, and even the sky had turned dark all of a sudden.

"Go, we can't stay here anymore. All Ozmu Spell Casters, retreat!"

The Black-White Great Wizard yelled. Thereafter, he grabbed the heavily damaged black-robed alchemy clone with one hand, and quickly retreated out of Blacksand Fort.

The black-robed alchemy clone sustained heavy damage, and it had lost its fighting power. Nevertheless, it was only an alchemy clone after all. Therefore, as long as it was carefully repaired upon returning to Ozmu, there was a possibility for it to recover. The Black-White Great Wizard would naturally not give up an alchemy clone that could rival a Great Wizard.

At the same time, the Black-White Great Wizard's voice spread throughout the entire Blacksand Fort. For a time, many unfamiliar Spell Casters flew out from all over the place, all of whom were Spell Casters of Ozmu.

Some of them were Spell Casters of the Fourth-, Fifth-, and Sixth-level. Of course, some were even scarier as they were the Seventh-level and above. Each of their attacks carried dreadful power. Ozmu had raided Blacksand Fort for so long, and so far, there were some injuries on their side, but not more than three of them had died.

With such amazing strength, it was not surprising that Ozmu could go against almost all spell casters' organizations. They were never in a disadvantageous position either. The reason was that their nest was extremely difficult to find or in other words, could not be located at all. Hence, no one was able to launch a devastating assault on them.

Another reason was that Ozmu's strength was way too strong. Each of their members was a genius, almost invincible even on the same level. They were even capable of cross-level challenges.

When such a group of geniuses gathered in Ozmu, every dispatch of a part of their Spell Caster base could almost subvert a powerful spell casters' organization.

Yet, they picked the wrong target this time. The Holy Fort Guardian Spirit was far too strong. Even the Black-White Great Wizard's alchemy clone was hit hard and fled in helter-skelter, not to mention the other Spell Casters of Ozmu.

"Swooz swooz swooz."

Finally, the two sharp horns on the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's head had accumulated enough electric power. Thus, with a strange growl from the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, bolts of thunder descended from the sky and locked target on every Spell Caster of Ozmu.

"Pom pom pom."

It was almost impossible for Spell Casters of Ozmu under the Seventh-level to resist the strike. It would be very difficult to escape the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit once they were targeted. Therefore, the Spell Casters of Ozmu started screaming one by one. They were dead before they could escape from Blacksand Fort.

"Haha, great, just great! Ozmu, since you guys have dropped by, leave us something to remember you then!"

Wizard Utto laughed aloud because this time, Ozmu launched a surprise attack where Blacksand Fort was completely unprepared. It could be considered a heavy loss on their side. If they had only sustained losses, it would be nothing really. Yet this time, Ozmu entered their place like there was no one guarding, and rushed into Blacksand Fort effortlessly without any resistance. This had greatly tarnished the honor of Blacksand Fort.

After all, Blacksand Fort was a large spell casters' organization, and it was they who proposed to deal with Ozmu. Yet now, Blacksand Fort themselves had been ambushed by Spell Casters of Ozmu, so it was a huge slap on their reputation. For this matter, Blacksand Fort would be ridiculed by other large spell casters' organizations for a long time.

Thinking of this, the Great Wizards Utto and Tumen were rather infuriated. Hence, even if they had to pay a big price in summoning the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, they must still make Ozmu pay an equally heavy price this time.

Merlin was awe-struck as he looked at the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's "slaughter". It was indeed a massacre. Under the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's lightning strike, there was simply no power that could defend against it.

These geniuses of Ozmu originally had the opportunity to promote to the Seventh-, Eight-, or Ninth-level, and even had the chance to become Great Wizards. These Wizards, each of whom was a true genius, was God's favored child in the groups which they previously stayed in. They carried the hopes of their respective spell casters' organizations.

Nonetheless, under the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit's "slaughter" now, one by one, they were bombarded to death by the lightning.

The immense power of the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit was undoubtedly revealed to the fullest. This was the trump card of Blacksand Fort. Merlin suddenly thought of the Dark Magic Region. The Dark Magic Region was once a powerful organization that can rival large spell casters' organizations. He wondered if there was a powerful trump card in the Dark Magic Region?

Maybe there was, maybe there was not. Such a card must be in the hands of the very core of the Dark Magic Region – the only one Ninth-level Wizard. It must be something that even Wizard Leo was not aware of.

Merlin scanned around. There was still a majority Spell Casters of Ozmu who had fled successfully. However, most of them were Seventh-level Spell Casters or above. As for the Spell Casters below the Seventh-level and those who did not have time to retreat, they were directly killed by the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit.

However, among these Wizards, Merlin did not see Kleis' figure. Clearly, Kleis had already retreated from Blacksand Fort from the very beginning and had dodged the attack. Facing the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit, not to mention the third form of Spatial Blade, even if it was cultivated to the fourth form or even the fifth form, he would still never match the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit.

Pandemonium reigned in the entire Blacksand Fort. There were some Ninth-level Spell Casters of Blacksand Fort who came out to restore order, but after Ozmu wreaked such havoc, it was only futile. In addition, the Wizards in so many spell casters' organizations had been killed, so no matter how the Spell Casters of Blacksand Fort assured them, it would still not rid those Wizards of their worries.

"Wizard Leo, what do we do now? Continue to stay in Blacksand Fort or return to the Dark Magic Region?"

Merlin hesitated for a moment but he still asked softly.

Wizard Leo started pondering. After a moment, he spoke, "We'll leave Blacksand Fort first. The mayhem here will probably last for a while. Ozmu's sudden attack had also been planned for a long time. This time, even Blacksand Fort themselves are in a huge mess. The entire southern Spell Caster world will continue to be chaotic for some time. If the situation isn't controlled, I'm afraid that Ozmu's plan will succeed. There's no way that the southern Spell Caster could be united to deal with Ozmu now, but these were rather unrelated to us. If the three major large-scale spell casters' organizations can unite and take control of the situation, then they'll naturally inform us about it. If they can't control the situation, it'll suffice for us to return to the Dark Magic Region and not participate in any of it!"

Wizard Leo's action was very appropriate. At present, it was necessary for them to rush back to the Dark Magic Region. After all, the Dark Magic Region had lost three Seventh-level Wizards, which could be deemed as a heavy loss. They could no longer continue taking part in this matter.

"Alright, since you're leaving, then we Blacksand Fort will not stop you. Open the Runic Magic Circle entirely!"

Finally, the Spell Casters of Blacksand Fort decided to completely open the Runic Magic Circle. There must be many among them who had similar thoughts as Wizard Leo. All of them wanted to leave Blacksand Fort as soon as possible and did not wish to remain here to participate in this matter.

Ozmu had left, and the loopholes in the Runic Magic Circle of Blacksand Fort had also been fixed. In order to leave, the Runic Magic Circle must be opened. There were so many Spell Casters asking to leave, so Blacksand Fort naturally could not force them to stay. Hence, they could only open the Runic Magic Circle.

However, after this disaster, the prestige of Blacksand Fort would plummet to the lowest. There was no guarantee of safety even inside Blacksand Fort itself, so who would dare to go to Blacksand Fort in the future?

As a large spell casters' organization, the intangible damage to reputation was more substantial a loss than the deaths of Spell Casters in Blacksand Fort.

Great Wizard Utto and Great Wizard Tumen also looked cold-eyed at the Spell Casters leaving Blacksand Fort. On the contrary, Wizard Utto was interested to continue pursuing Ozmu. However, there was not much power left of the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit currently, so it needed to continue its slumber.

Besides, did Ozmu only send these people? Blacksand Fort was not really clear. If there were still Spell Casters of Ozmu inside Blacksand Fort, they might still be in danger. Hence, Wizard Utto and Wizard Tumen decided to stand guard in Blacksand Fort just in case.

Seeing that many Spell Casters had left, Wizard Leo also sighed. "Okay, let's go!"

Thus, Wizard Leo led the way and left Blacksand Fort with Merlin and whoever was left of the Dark Magic Region.

Chapter 390: Bloodshed Beginnings II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

On the deserted mountain road, occasional rustling sounds could be heard intermittently.

"Stop!"

Wizard Leo's voice was slightly hoarse, so it sounded a little strange. He held up a hand and stopped everyone in their tracks. As he looked around them, the blood-red vertical eye in his forehead began to blink slowly.

Merlin was following behind Wizard Leo, together with Wizard Envia and the others. There were only five of them left from the Dark Magic Region. The loss of three Seventh-level Spell Casters was enough to cause a huge shock in the Dark Magic Region.

They were yet to arrive in the Dark Magic Region. They had just left the vast desert and had entered a dense forest. Normally, they would prepare to fly across the forest but Wizard Envia, Wizard Sarah, and Wizard Ilman were not yet Fourth-level Spell Casters and could not fly, so they had to rely on Wizard Leo to carry them.

If it was just one or two persons, Wizard Leo could probably carry them, but three was simply too strenuous for him. Thus, they decided not to fly and headed into the dense forest on foot, hurrying toward the Dark Magic Region.

Right now, however, there was a stench of death hanging in the air in front of them. That was why Wizard Leo stopped all of them in their tracks. Looking carefully ahead, they could see some mutilated bodies lying among the thick bushes.

Wizard Leo recognized their identities from the outfits on the dead bodies. In a low voice, he said, "These are Wizards from Fire City!"

"Fire City?"

Merlin took a careful look at the clothing on the dead bodies. True enough, they were dressed in long, fiery-red Wizard robes with the insignia of Fire City. They had probably just departed from Blacksand Fort and were rushing back to Fire City when they ran into misfortune at this spot.

"Who is it? Show yourself!"

Wizard Leo snarled deeply, and a crimson light shot out of Darkness Eye toward the dense forest in front of them.

"Thud."

True enough, there was a Spell Caster looking at Wizard Leo with a stunned expression. Then, his expression turned into disgruntlement as his body fell lifelessly onto the ground.

Darkness Eye wielded by Wizard Leo was not a power that could be easily withstood by an average Spell Caster. Looking at the dead body on the ground, Merlin and the others paled slightly.

"Ozmu! They are from Ozmu! Did they set up an ambush outside as well? They are really trying to cripple the entire force of the southern Spell Caster world!"

Inside Merlin's head, many thoughts began to swirl around as he pondered the various possibilities. He could vaguely guess Ozmu's plans. First, they invaded Blacksand Fort under the guidance of the Black-White Great Wizard.

However, that was merely the first group. The second group hid outside Blacksand Fort at every exit route so that almost every Spell Caster would be discovered and subsequently slaughtered by them.

Such crazy behavior from Ozmu was akin to a declaration of war toward the entire southern Spell Caster world!

Nevertheless, it was understandable since Blacksand Fort had discovered the old nest of Ozmu. If Blacksand Fort managed to combine the major forces of the southern Spell Caster world and attacked their base, then Ozmu would not be able to withstand the attack.

Thus, Ozmu's objective was to weaken or intimidate the mighty forces of the southern Spell Caster world, and this was the best opportunity for them. Since everyone was in one location, they did not have to expand too much effort to annihilate a large number of Spell Casters.

"What should we do? Wizard Leo, besides this route, is there any other way to return to the Dark Magic Region?"

Merlin knew that the dense forest before them certainly hid more Spell Casters from Ozmu. Even if they used flying spells, they might end up becoming live targets and be killed by Ozmu's Spell Casters.

Wizard Leo shook his head. "Even if there's another way, there will just be another ambush team from Ozmu waiting for us. Let's proceed and kill every ambush on the way!"

A murderous air began to stir around Wizard Leo.

Therefore, Merlin and the remaining Wizards from the Dark Magic Region followed behind Wizard Leo as he navigated through the dense forest. At all times, Darkness Eye in his forehead looked around vigilantly.

"Thud thud."

Wizard Leo's forehead flashed a crimson light, and another two hidden Spell Casters of Ozmu fell to the ground. They were about to sneak an attack on Wizard Leo but were discovered by Darkness Eye, so they were killed.

With Darkness Eye as a lookout, all the hidden Spell Casters were unearthed without any resistance! This was the power of Darkness Eye. Relying on Wizard Leo to lead the way, Merlin and the others managed to pick up speed and moved through the dense forest. In front of them, they could almost see the edge of the forest. As long as they exited the forest, there should be no more ambushes by Ozmu.

"Leo, I see that you indeed have Darkness Eye and the complete version at that! Now, I'm very interested in your Darkness Eye. Even though I can't cultivate a cursed power like this, I'd like to study it for myself!"

From the dark shadows under a tree, a purple-haired old man dressed in a black robe slowly appeared. The purple-haired old man's expression was exceedingly calm as he blocked their way.

Wizard Leo slowly came to a halt. For the first time, Darkness Eye in his head did not move to attack immediately. After a long pause, he opened his mouth. "Wizard Ghostfire! How unexpected of you to be waiting here."

Merlin had never heard of Wizard Ghostfire, but Wizard Envia's expression changed vastly. In a whisper, he explained to Merlin, "Wizard Ghostfire was a truly fearsome Spell Caster more than three hundred years ago. Back then, he was already a Ninth-level Spell Caster but because he offended a large spell casters' organization, he was under pursuit for many years until Ozmu stepped in to save him. Many years have passed since then, so I don't know how much more powerful Wizard Ghostfire might have become. Although he's still not a Great Wizard, I'm sure his powers have improved greatly. We're definitely in trouble!"

A Ninth-level Spell Caster! This purple-haired old man was a Ninth-level Spell Caster. It was not surprising that Wizard Leo was behaving cautiously. Previously, just facing against two Eighth-level Spell Casters, Wizard Leo already had to bear the danger and pay a huge price to wield the fourth form of Darkness Eye in order to kill them.

Right now, Wizard Leo was again forced to face against Ninth-level Wizard Ghostfire. Merlin and the others had found themselves in a dire situation. Ozmu had truly planned it well because even if someone managed to clear the entire path, there was a powerful Spell Caster waiting at the end.

Wizard Ghostfire smirked. "Hehe. Wizard Leo, you're a very important person to Ozmu. We at Ozmu are very interested in your Darkness Eye, so I'm not the only one waiting here for you!"

As he was speaking, Wizard Ghostfire shook his hand and cleared a path as if he was welcoming someone.

Soon, from within the shadowy trees, another Spell Caster emerged. When they saw his unique appearance, everyone including Merlin was shocked.

"The Black-White Great Wizard?"

Wizard Leo could not help but shout. This mysterious Spell Caster had a head full of half-white-half-black hair. It was not surprising that even a Ninth-level Spell Caster like Wizard Ghostfire showed respect to him.

It was the Black-White Great Wizard who had just escaped from the Holy Fort Guardian Spirit in Blacksand Fort!

…

Inside Blacksand Fort, the Great Wizards Utto and Tumen were directing the clean-up of the entire place. This time, Ozmu did not only disrupt the summit but also ripped Blacksand Fort's reputation to shreds. Both the Great Wizards Utto and Tumen were put to shame, so their hearts were naturally seething.

"Whiz whiz."

Suddenly, two Spell Casters flew into Blacksand Fort. These two were Seventh-level Spell Casters from a medium-sized spell casters' organization from the southern Spell Caster world.

The two Seventh-level Spell Casters looked horribly exhausted. Upon spotting the Great Wizards Utto and Tumen, they yelled, "Great Wizard Utto, Great Wizard Tumen, please save us. Ozmu set up ambushes outside Blacksand Fort to trap all the spell casters' organizations who are leaving from here. We're suffering a massive loss as we speak!"

"What? That damned Ozmu, they're declaring war against the entire southern Spell Caster world! They're crazy!"

Great Wizard Utto could hardly believe his ears. Ozmu's actions were simply too irrational. In the past, the most they had done was ignite a spark and fanned the fire or enticed a few prodigies from spell casters' organizations.

Although their actions back then were loathing to say the least, it was not the same as this time. They had publicly massacred Wizards from the entire southern Spell Caster world, which was as good as declaring war against the entire southern Spell Caster world. It was beyond crazy, even worse than invading Blacksand Fort.

"In any case, this summit was organized by Blacksand Fort. We cannot sit back and allow Ozmu's bloodshed to continue. Tumen, you hold up Blacksand Fort, I'll go out and save all the Wizards!"

Following that, Wizard Utto transformed into a colorful light and shot out from Blacksand Fort.

…

The Black-White Great Wizard's expression was extremely composed. His alchemy clone was nowhere in sight. Merlin had guessed that the Black-White Great Wizard must have hidden the alchemy clone somewhere to allow it to recover.

Even without his alchemy clone, the Black-White Great Wizard was still an impressive Great Wizard. Regardless of how powerful Wizard Leo's Darkness Eye was, it was still not quite comparable to him.

"Surrender the cultivation technique of Darkness Eye!"

The Black-White Great Wizard's cruel gaze was transfixed on Wizard Leo. As for Merlin and the others, he could not be bothered to spare them a look.

An ugly grimace carved out on Wizard Leo's face. He knew that this time, it would be difficult for him to escape. Since the Black-White Great Wizard had come in person, it was obvious that he coveted Darkness Eye.

Despite being a cursed power, Darkness Eye was still a special Pandora Demon Ability. Naturally, Ozmu was very interested in obtaining it. Even if they could not cultivate it, they would use it to study Darkness-type Pandora Demon Abilities.

"Darkness Eye, control!"

Without wasting another breath, Darkness Eye in Wizard Leo's forehead swelled in size and glowed crimson red like it was bleeding.

This was the fourth form of Darkness Eye. Every single time Wizard Leo activated it, it came with a huge price to pay!

"Humph!"

The Black-White Great Wizard snorted and stretched out a white palm into the sky.

"Boom!"

A huge glacial palm began to condense rapidly in the sky, stretching almost tens of meters wide above their heads. The cold air could be felt by Merlin and the rest of them far below, suffocating them.

"Retreat, hurry!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Merlin yelled loudly. Dragging Wizard Envia and the others with him, he quickly retreated a few hundred meters away, all the while staring at the gigantic glacial palm in the sky.

With a howl, the glacial palm sped downward. Despite that, Wizard Leo did not move an inch. His already emaciated body was only skin and bones, a repercussion from forcefully activating the fourth form of Darkness Eye the previous time.

This time, he still had to activate the fourth form of Darkness Eye!

Darkness Eye in Wizard Leo's forehead glowed darker and darker, emitting an eerie sensation accompanied by strange child-like laughter.

"Whiz."

Darkness Eye shot a crimson light including a huge ghostly face, which soared into the sky to meet the huge glacial palm.

"Hiss."

The glacial palm sustained one hit after another, but that was all. The difference in power level was too great. Even the fourth form of Darkness Eye was unable to block the attack from the Black-White Great Wizard.

The huge ghostly face was smashed into smithereens by the glacial palm as it continued to descend with a loud howl. Wizard Leo appeared to age significantly. At the same time, his entire body trembled violently, and fresh red blood began to trickle out of his ears, nose, and empty eye sockets. He looked terrible.

Darkness Eye in his head exuded a brighter glow with faint screams in the background. It was as if Darkness Eye knew its predicament of being crushed by the glacial palm and came to life.

However, there was no use. Wizard Leo was no longer able to resist this huge glacial palm!

"The Black-White Great Wizard, you're digging your own grave!"

Suddenly, from deep within the mountains, an angry roar sounded. Simultaneously, an equally large fiery palm flew toward them and slammed into the glacial palm violently.

"Boom!"

As a result, there was a huge collision and Wizard Leo was thrown a few hundred feet back. Merlin and the others quickly ran forward to help him up.

"Utto?"

The Black-White Great Wizard frowned. Since Utto had arrived, it was meaningless to continue this bloodshed. It would only incur more losses for Ozmu.

Therefore, the Black-White Great Wizard did not linger. Once he saw Wizard Utto approaching, he quickly led all his men away. For a moment, the sky was filled with Spell Casters who were previously hiding in the dense jungle. If not for the arrival of the Great Wizard Utto, it was probable that all the spell casters' organizations and Spell Caster clans would be massacred by Ozmu.

Nevertheless, even with the Great Wizard Utto's intervention, the entire southern Spell Caster world still suffered a massive loss.

Circling high in the air, the Great Wizard Utto merely cast a sweeping gaze at Merlin and the others. After all, he was a highly-respected Great Wizard and was not overly concerned about a small, unremarkable spell casters' organization like the Dark Magic Region. Instead, he quickly flew back toward Blacksand Fort.

The forest gradually quieted down again. Merlin gently helped Wizard Leo up, and a troubled expression appeared on his face. He could clearly feel that Wizard Leo's life force was fading away as if it was being sucked by the blood-red vertical eye in his forehead. The blood-red vertical eye was also behaving strangely like it just came back to life. Merlin took another look at Darkness Eye and was almost entrapped by the blood-red vertical eye.

"Merlin!"

"Teacher Leo, I'm right here. What is it?"

Merlin's tone was very calm. He knew that Wizard Leo's current outlook was not promising, but there was nothing else he could do right now. As for Darkness Eye, not many people in the Spell Caster world understood it, let alone Merlin.

A grim smile appeared on Wizard Leo's face. "Merlin, I knew that this day would come eventually. Darkness Eye is indeed a cursed power, though I don't regret cultivating it. Even if I didn't forcefully activate the fourth form of Darkness Eye this time, I don't have much longer to live…

"The cultivation technique of Darkness Eye is in my ring. Take it. However, that's not important. The important thing is, I can pass Darkness Eye to you but remember that it's alive. Don't ever let it come back to life. You must always be able to suppress it, otherwise, the curse will strike you. The reason I'm suffering this outcome today is perhaps due to the curse, like all the other Wizards who had cultivated Darkness Eye before this!

"The decision whether or not to cultivate Darkness Eye is yours to make, but before I die, I won't allow Darkness Eye to achieve its goal. I'll seal the third and fourth forms of Darkness Eye. If you decide to cultivate Darkness Eye, don't open the seals of the third and fourth forms before you have absolute confidence of controlling it…"

Once he finished speaking, Wizard Leo's face flushed, and he slammed his bony hand forcefully against the huge blood-red vertical eye in his forehead.

It was indeed huge because the blood-red vertical eye started swelling in size.

"Hu hu hu…"

Darkness Eye cried out sorrowfully like a child, seemingly begging for Wizard Leo not to seal it. However, Wizard Leo was unmoved, and Darkness elements started to swirl all over his body.

"Phew…"

Finally, after an unknown period of time, the Darkness elements dissipated. When Merlin took another look at Wizard Leo, he discovered that the blood-red vertical eye was no longer in his forehead. All that was left there was a bloody gaping hole.

In Wizard Leo's hands rested a demonic-looking, blood-red vertical eyeball!

Chapter 391: Battle Again I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The demonic blood-red vertical eye laid quietly in Wizard Leo's palm, which Merlin gently picked up. He could feel that a strange power was sealed inside, like it was trying to break free from the demonic blood-red vertical eye.

This strange power was probably the third and fourth forms that were forcibly sealed by Wizard Leo. In other words, the demonic blood-red vertical eye was alive!

The moment Merlin touched Darkness Eye, he could clearly feel that it was alive. At the same time, several illusions began to appear before his eyes. Fortunately, he had Darkness Heart, so he was not susceptible to illusions.

"Darkness Eye!"

Merlin whispered softly. When he raised his head to look at Wizard Leo again, there was no more breath of life left in him. His body looked like a withered corpse, but at least his expression appeared serene.

Wizard Leo was dead!

Merlin had always been very grateful to Wizard Leo, and even regarded him as a real teacher. It was truly a pity that Wizard Leo had not been able to break the curse of Darkness Eye or become a Seventh-level Spell Caster, and had died with many regrets.

"The Black-White Great Wizard!"

Merlin looked up into the sky. He would remember this name until the end of time.

Wizard Envia and the others kept silent as Wizard Leo's death also weighed heavily in their hearts. After a few moments, he asked Merlin in a low voice, "Wizard Merlin, what do we do now?"

Merlin slowly stood up and stowed Wizard Leo's ring away securely. With a gentle wave of his hand, pale white flames appeared and started burning on Wizard Leo's body.

Soon, the blazing flames engulfed Wizard Leo's entire body and burned it to ashes. A light breeze wafted past, scattering his ashes into the dense forest.

"Let's go back to the Dark Magic Region!"

Merlin said in a sunken voice. Since the Wizards of Ozmu had left, it was safe for them to leave now. They would have to first make their way back to the Dark Magic Region and report what had happened in Blacksand Fort.

As for Darkness Eye, Merlin had no plans to cultivate it right now. Instead, he would first obtain the techniques of cultivating Darkness Eye from Wizard Leo's ring.

Back then, Wizard Leo had accidentally stumbled across the technique to activate Darkness Eye but he paid a steep price for it. His eyes were blinded forever, and he suffered a horrible curse. He was unable to become a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Even consuming the Tear of God failed to help him.

The cultivation techniques contained in the ring were truly complicated but the foremost consideration was still the negative energy that Darkness Eye demanded from its host such as negative emotions, acts of murder, the stench of death, and many more. Cultivating every single form of Darkness Eye would require a large amount of these negative energy.

Therefore, cultivating Darkness Eye was extremely dangerous. Under the influence of a large amount of negative energy, Darkness Eye would be extremely powerful. However, if the negative energy was not controlled properly, it could potentially backfire.

Precisely because Wizard Leo had forcefully activated the fourth form of Darkness Eye, he had suffered its backlash. If it was only once, he might have been able to endure it but instead he had activated it twice. This time, he was unable to endure the backlash and ended up being consumed by Darkness Eye.

Thus, in his last moments, Wizard Leo had forcefully sealed the third and fourth forms of Darkness Eye.

If Darkness Eye were to be cultivated all over again from the beginning, it would of course be a very complicated and dangerous process. However, there was one major benefit that could be derived from Darkness Eye being alive and sentient, which was the ability to continue the cultivation of Darkness Eye from where its predecessor had left off.

Basically, merging Darkness Eye was quite simple. As long as Darkness Eye was infused with fresh blood, it would take root and firmly penetrate into the Spell Caster's body. With Dark Magic Power for sustenance and negative energy as power, it would grow stronger day by day.

On the other hand, if the host failed to suppress the power of Darkness Eye, then he would be consumed instead.

Once Merlin had thoroughly understood the special characteristics of Darkness Eye, his heart hesitated even further. Even Wizard Leo had warned him not to cultivate Darkness Eye unless and until he had no other choice.

After all, Merlin had witnessed Wizard Leo's aftermath from the legendary curse. Ever since the Spell Casters' most glorious era, countless Spell Casters had tried to cultivate Darkness Eye, and some had even cultivated it to the fifth and sixth forms.

However, without exception, all these Spell Casters had died from a variety of inexplicable reasons. According to legend, the power bestowed by Darkness Eye was cursed, and its fierce reputation was earned from the amount of bloodshed associated with it.

Curses were often illusory in the sense that those who believed tended to see its manifestation whereas those who did not believe tended to remain doubtful. Deep in Merlin's heart, he did not quite believe in cursed powers. On the contrary, he believed that the Spell Casters failed to control Darkness Eye.

Even the respected Wizard Leo was unable to control Darkness Eye especially after the cultivation of the fourth form. Perhaps even right from the start, Wizard Leo had been suppressing Darkness Eye with all his strength, and that was why he would not leave the Wizard Tower.

"Hurry, once we get out of the forest, there's a Runic Magic Circle of the Dark Magic Region nearby. We can use the Runic Magic Circle to return to the Dark Magic Region directly!"

Wizard Envia led the way as he was more familiar with this area, especially the Runic Magic Circle which was close by. He had been through this route, so naturally his guidance was trusted by the others.

Suddenly, Wizard Envia stopped walking and his expression turned thunderous. He fixed his gaze on a figure standing outside the forest. Under the sunlight, his entire body looked as if it was covered in a sheen of light.

"Kleis!"

Wizard Envia gnashed his teeth, anger spilling from his voice. Unexpectedly, even though the rest of the Wizards of Ozmu had retreated, Kleis was still waiting for them.

Merlin's head jerked up violently, a look of hatred flashed across his eyes. Indeed, the figure standing before them was Kleis. This time, however, there was only Kleis and Silver Sword Heulier.

"There's a Runic Magic Circle not far ahead, so I knew you would be passing through this route and deliberately waited here for you! Merlin, I've told you that we'll meet again. Last time, you were saved by Wizard Leo, but who's left to save you now?"

Kleis said to him mockingly. As a former Spell Caster from the Dark Magic Region, he was naturally very familiar with the Runic Magic Circle scattered outside the region, so he had deliberately waited here for Merlin and the others.

"Kleis!"

Suddenly, Merlin took one step forward and raised his head to meet Kleis' gaze.

"Kleis, when Wizard Howl was in the Dark Magic Region, I made him a promise, which was to kill you!

"Oh?"

A fierce look flashed across Kleis' eyes. He abruptly felt that the sky turned dark.

The sky did not in fact turn dark, it was just a feeling within Kleis' mind. He could sense that Merlin seemed somewhat different compared to when he was in Blacksand Fort. Back then, Merlin could easily be vanquished by him, but the situation felt slightly different this time around.

"Slash."

Without hesitation, Merlin unearthed a dagger and drew a long gash in the middle of his palm. Crimson red blood began to gush out of the massive wound, covering his entire palm.

However, there was a smile on Merlin's face. In his other hand, he held a demonic blood-red vertical eye. Upon contact with the fresh blood on Merlin's hand, the blood-red vertical eye immediately squirmed like a gigantic worm, trying to burrow itself into Merlin's palm.

"Darkness Eye?"

Kleis was shaken to the core. This time, he came to kill Merlin not only to take revenge for Bluebird, but more importantly, to obtain the cultivation technique of Darkness Eye.

Right now, however, he could clearly see that the demonic blood-red vertical eye resting in Merlin's palm was Wizard Leo's Darkness Eye!

Seeing Merlin's actions, Kleis immediately understood what he was trying to achieve. His face paled and he spread his five fingers. In an instant, the invisible Spatial power expanded.

However, it was too late. In Merlin's right palm, under the nourishment of his fresh blood, Darkness Eye had securely planted itself there, sucking greedily on Merlin's blood.

Merlin could clearly feel that there was tremendous power in Darkness Eye, and strange laughter was resonating faintly in his ears. It sounded dark and malicious.

He knew that these were the manifestations of the power of Darkness Eye. If he failed to suppress Darkness Eye, he would not be able to control it properly, and would end up with a fate even worse than Wizard Leo.

However, he did not have a choice. All his powers and abilities were powerless against Kleis. He had no choice but to merge with Darkness Eye!

"Darkness Eye, exterminate!"

Merlin could acutely sense the invisible Spatial power from Kleis which surrounded him. Back in Blacksand Fort, he had almost zero resistance to Kleis' power, but now, even though it was the same special Pandora Demon Ability and the same second form, Merlin felt completely fearless.

"Boom!"

The invisible collision between the power of Darkness Eye and Spatial Blade caused a strong ripple effect in every direction. The tall trees in their vicinity were snapped in half, and trees closer to the chaotic power were even shredded into pieces.

The space around Merlin and Kleis had turned into a huge open space, and neither Silver Sword Heulier nor Wizard Envia dared to go close to them.

"Darkness Eye can be directly passed on to someone else?"

When Kleis saw that Merlin was able to wield the powers of Darkness Eye, a glimmer of interest sparked in his eyes. Now, he was even more interested in Darkness Eye.

Although Kleis was not a Darkness Wizard and would not be able to cultivate Darkness Eye, such a special Pandora Demon Ability could be studied in detail and might give him an edge in cultivating Spatial Blade further.

Therefore, Kleis was staring at Darkness Eye in Merlin's hand with a look of pure greed.

"The second form of Darkness Eye is probably the strongest power you can wield right now, am I right? You've yet to become a Fourth-level Spell Caster, so you can't control the third form of Darkness Eye. This means that you're still not fit to be my opponent! Die, Merlin!"

Kleis knew very well about the special Pandora Demon Ability because it was the same as his Spatial Blade. It was impossible to control its third form before becoming a Fourth-level Spell Caster.

Since Merlin was not yet a Fourth-level Spell Caster, if he forcefully wielded the third form of Darkness Eye, he might be killed by the backlash instead of Kleis.

"Spatial Blade, slash!"

Kleis sneered as he swung his palm downward mercilessly. Invisible Spatial power immediately began to fluctuate and flew toward Merlin.

"Backlash? Even if it backlashed, I'll kill you!"

A hint of madness appeared on Merlin's face, and he began injecting a crazy amount of Dark Magic Power into Darkness Eye.

The seal left behind by Wizard Leo was inherently fragile in nature. Under the impact of Merlin's large amount Dark Magic Power, the seal on the third form of the Darkness eye collapsed immediately.

"Crack."

Once the seal on the third form of Darkness Eye was broken, Merlin's mind was filled with a cold, dark aura. Vaguely in his mind, there was also a gigantic blood-red vertical eye which appeared to be emitting a demonic crimson light, trapping Merlin within its glow.

There was also creepy child-like laughter which raised goosebumps.

As soon as the third seal had collapsed, the backlash from Darkness Eye began!

Chapter 392: Battle Again II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Hu hu hu…"

A creepy, bone-chilling weep began to sound. The blood-red vertical eye in Merlin's palm was swelling faintly like it was dripping blood.

At the same time, horrible illusions began to appear in Merlin's mind one after another. His mind collapsed instantly as his Fifth-level Mind Power was not enough to resist the backlash from Darkness Eye.

The backlash from Darkness Eye contained strong negative emotions which made Merlin lose almost all conscious thoughts in his mind. The power was so impressive that even Merlin's iron-clad willpower was unable to resist it.

It was at this very moment that Merlin remembered Wizard Leo's advice to him, which was not to open the seal unless it was necessary. Otherwise, he would suffer the backlash from Darkness Eye.

Now, Merlin was about to be consumed by the backlash from Darkness Eye.

Merlin let out a low growl and his entire body became cocooned in a dark aura. His gaze was twisted and his expression was distorted, which looked extremely scary.

However, the backlash from Darkness Eye was not something that could be resisted by mere willpower. Merlin's consciousness sank further, and even his spirit was about to be extinguished.

Once his spirit was completely extinguished, Merlin would become a walking corpse. His body would become mere feed for Darkness Eye and would eventually be consumed by the backlash.

Most of the Spell Casters who had cultivated Darkness Eye died due to the backlash from Darkness Eye.

"Flick."

Suddenly, inside Merlin's Awareness, the previously inert Flame Maxim flickered slightly. Its flame burned steadily, re-illuminating his entire Awareness with a bright light.

That was not all. The quiet, unassuming strength of the Flame Maxim also extended to Darkness Eye, causing all the negative emotions released by Darkness Eye to dissipate in an instant. It was as if the negative emotions were being burned away by the flames, releasing waves after waves of ear-piercing shrieks.

At this moment, horrible ghostly faces were appearing one after another in Merlin's mind. The ghostly faces looked and sounded like they were being tortured, with distorted expressions and ear-splitting shrieks.

Around Merlin, a burning hot aura rose like a layer of ferocious flames covering his body. The dark, cold aura of Darkness Eye disappeared instantly.

Merlin's consciousness was restored. When he saw the brightly burning Flame Maxim inside his Awareness, he immediately realized the implications.

"The Flame Maxim can suppress Darkness Eye?"

The backlash from Darkness Eye was truly formidable. Merlin's consciousness had almost sunk to the bottom and was close to turning him into a walking corpse until he was completely consumed by Darkness Eye.

However, with the appearance of the Flame Maxim, it appeared to be capable of suppressing Darkness Eye. In addition to saving Merlin, it also allowed him to easily control the third form of Darkness Eye.

"Oh? Darkness Eye, disintegrate!"

Merlin did not have time to think. The time that he had spent trying to defeat the backlash from Darkness Eye might have seemed like a long time, but in reality, it was only a short moment. This meant that Kleis' Spatial Blade was about to fluctuate into Merlin's body.

Thus, Merlin immediately wielded the third form of Darkness Eye.

In an instant, a crimson light shot out from Darkness Eye, covering the front of Merlin's body. Once again, the two mysterious forces of power collided.

"Boom!"

The disintegrating power of Darkness Eye was comparable to the slashing power of Spatial Blade. Both powers were the third forms of special Pandora Demon Abilities so neither was stronger than the other.

"Huh? You can actually wield the third form of Darkness Eye?"

Kleis' expression changed rapidly with a look of astonishment on his face.

Since Kleis had cultivated a special Pandora Demon Ability like Spatial Blade, he was naturally aware of how powerful it was. It was downright impossible for a Spell Caster to cultivate a special Pandora Demon Ability to its third form before becoming a Fourth-level Spell Caster.

If its third form was wielded forcefully, then the Spell Caster would face a terrifying backlash force. However, Merlin seemed to be even braver than before, and did not seem to suffer any effects.

"Is it because Darkness Eye was passed directly from Wizard Leo to Merlin?"

Kleis' heart hesitated for the first time. When Wizard Leo wielded the third form of Darkness Eye previously, it had already shaken him to the core. He was well-aware that Wizard Leo was also capable of wielding the fourth form of Darkness Eye.

Kleis was extremely averse to Wizard Leo as Wizard Leo was one of a small handful of Wizards who had been able to stand against his Spatial Blade.

The reality of Merlin's situation was hard-pressed even for an experienced Spell Caster to interpret as no one in his wildest dreams would have guessed that a mere Third-level Spell Caster possessed a Flame Maxim inside his Awareness.

The powers of maxims were only ever possessed by the great legendary Wizards!

Although Merlin was unable to directly utilize the power of the Flame Maxim, it was possible that the Flame Maxim was also sentient. Thus, when Merlin's consciousness was about to sink completely, it reacted to suppress Darkness Eye and stopped its backlash.

It was precisely this combination of coincidences and strange occurrences that allowed Merlin to wield the third form of Darkness Eye and to fend off Kleis' attacks.

Merlin raised his hand to examine Darkness Eye lodged in his palm. He could still faintly see the strange ghostly faces changing inside Darkness Eye. Among the ghostly faces, Merlin was astonished to spot Wizard Leo's face as well!

Merlin knew in his heart that these ghostly faces belonged to victims who were vanquished by Wizard Leo using Darkness Eye. Somehow, they were absorbed into Darkness Eye via a special method and became part of the negative emotions that were used to affect and control whichever Spell Caster who tried to cultivate Darkness Eye.

The more people who were killed, the stronger the negative energy of Darkness Eye, hence more forms of Darkness Eye could be wielded. However, the Spell Casters would have to resist a stronger attacking force, and could potentially be consumed by the backlash from Darkness Eye in a moment's notice.

This was the foremost difficulty in cultivating Darkness Eye. With just a momentary lapse in concentration, the Spell Caster risked being consumed by the backlash. Therefore, no one dared to regard it lightly. Back then, Wizard Leo was able to wield the third form freely, but once the fourth form appeared, he did not even dare use it. At last, he had only managed to use it twice before he was killed by its backlash.

Regardless, at this point, Merlin was already at the brink of insanity. His entire body glowed with Wind Element fluctuations, and he glared steadfastly at Kleis.

"Kleis, it's your turn to die!"

He said in an icy tone. Following that, Merlin raised his palm, and from Darkness Eye appeared a huge ghostly face that hung in the air. It was heart-stopping to watch.

Merlin truly was on the brink of insanity. Leveraging on the opportunity while the Flame Maxim was suppressing Darkness Eye, he intended to break open the seal placed by Wizard Leo on the fourth form.

The fourth form of Darkness Eye was exceedingly strong. Even Merlin could not be sure that he would be able to walk away unscathed. With his current abilities, without the suppression of the Flame Maxim, he would be consumed by the backlash from Darkness Eye in an instant.

Even with the suppression from the Flame Maxim, the fourth form was a completely different beast, so Merlin was not entirely sure whether the Flame Maxim would be able to suppress it.

His desire to kill Kleis was too strong that Merlin threw away all rational thoughts and decided to risk one more time!

"The fourth form? You're crazy!"

Finally, on Kleis' calm face, a trace of horror appeared. He had always liked to be in control of the situation, so he had full confidence in every battle no matter the opponent.

Even the Miracle Child was not a noteworthy opponent!

This time, facing against a crazed Merlin who was wielding the fourth form of Darkness Eye without any regard for his own safety, Kleis began to consider retreating from the battle. He remembered that Wizard Leo's powers were far stronger than him even without wielding the fourth form of Darkness Eye.

Kleis was extremely familiar with the fourth forms of special Pandora Demon Abilities. Even though he was already a Fourth-level Spell Caster and possessed above average abilities, still he did not dare wield the fourth form of Spatial Blade.

Therefore, this time, Kleis retreated!

"Whoosh."

Kleis retreated quickly due to his proficiency in Spatial spells. Among all types of spells, Spatial spells were considered the most secretive and the most special of all. Even during the Spell Casters' most glorious era, Spatial Wizards were rarely found.

Therefore, following Kleis' use of a strange Spatial spell, both he and Silver Sword Heulier slowly faded away like a thin veil of smoke. Soon, both their figures had disappeared completely.

All that was left was a disembodied voice from the forest. "Darkness Eye is a cursed power, Merlin. You've lost the chance to become a Seventh-level Spell Caster, much less a Great Wizard. You're no longer worthy to be my opponent!"

The voice reverberated continuously in the dense forest but was still inexplicably clear to their ears.

"Tsss."

Merlin's movement also came to a screeching halt. A look of pain flashed on his face, and he took in deep breaths. Now that Kleis was no longer a threat to him, he also stopped trying to remove Wizard Leo's seal on the fourth form of Darkness Eye.

That was the power that even Wizard Leo could not control. He only managed to wield the fourth form twice before he died. Forcefully using Darkness Eye without grasping its power properly would only lead to horrible after effects.

Fortunately, Merlin's Magic Power was slightly weaker than the seal placed by Wizard Leo on the fourth form. Otherwise, if the seal was broken and the fourth form of Darkness Eye was released, Merlin would have to rely fully on the Flame Maxim to suppress its backlash.

If the Flame Maxim was not enough to suppress Darkness Eye, then once the Flame Maxim was exhausted, Merlin would be consumed by the backlash from Darkness Eye!

Merlin checked the seal on the fourth form of Darkness Eye. It was not broken yet but there was a slight crack, and Merlin could already sense the horrifying power awaiting inside the fourth form of Darkness Eye which was slipping through the cracks.

Just this small trace of leaked power was enough to shake Merlin to the core. It was not surprising that even Wizard Leo had failed to withstand the backlash from the fourth form of Darkness Eye.

The fourth forms of special Pandora Demon Abilities could only be wielded safely by Spell Casters who were the Seventh-level and above without being affected by the backlash. On the other hand, if the fourth form was wielded forcefully, the Spell Caster would end up with a similar fate as Wizard Leo.

Merlin had hoped that with the suppression from the Flame Maxim, he could try to break the seal on the fourth form of Darkness Eye. However, after removing the seal on the third form, the Flame Maxim was still continuously suppressing Darkness Eye. Merlin was shocked to discover that the Flame Maxim was diminishing little by little.

Even though the process was extremely slow, it was definitely diminishing. It was the price to pay for using the Flame Maxim to suppress the third form of Darkness Eye. Judging by the condition of the Flame Maxim, Merlin feared that it would only be able to sustain for another few years.

If the Flame Maxim was completely diminished in a few years' time, and Merlin had not yet become a Fourth-level Spell Caster, then Merlin would be facing mortal danger.

"Wizard Merlin, are you alright?"

Seeing that Kleis had left, Wizard Envia and the others hurriedly came to check on Merlin's condition. They had seen Merlin used the power of Darkness Eye.

The power of Darkness Eye was so powerful that even Kleis had been scared into retreating. Therefore, Wizard Envia and the others held a trace of envy on their faces. Although they knew that Darkness Eye was a cursed power, they also desired for a stronger power!

Perhaps that was why in every generation, there were Spell Casters who were still eager to cultivate Darkness Eye. With control over Darkness Eye, the Spell Caster would possess formidable power!