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Chapter 526: Identity Exposed

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In the main foyer of the palace, four men dressed in polished armor stood still. On his throne, King Roger's eyes crinkled, and a smile lingered on his face.

When Merlin and the rest had reached the foyer, King Roger said hurriedly, "My four Captains, these six are the Grand Dukes I've personally conferred not long ago. They're all powerful Sky Knights!"

"Sky Knights?"

The four Captains' gazes swept across Merlin and the rest constantly. Merlin could sense that these four Captains were different from the rest, even intimidating him slightly.

Although it was a very faint sense of threat, this indicated that the four Captains could pose a certain threat to them. Among them, there must be formidable individuals on par with Ninth-level Spell Casters.

"Grand Duke Saturn, the six of you have mentioned that all of your strength combined is comparable to a Holy Knight. Although I have faith in all six of you Grand Dukes, it's quite an outrageous statement, after all. Therefore, I've invited my four Captains to carry out a demonstration with you six. I wonder what you think about this?"

King Roger looked at his four Captains and Merlin's group, a strange look flashing in his eyes. He had summoned the four Captains in order to see if Merlin and the rest were truly as powerful as a Holy Knight.

Saturn nodded curtly. They had already planned this. They would use Vic's puppet to fight against these four Captains hence there should not be a problem.

"Very well, if there are no problems, please come along to the training grounds. It's spacious there, and we won't have to worry about wreaking havoc."

King Roger appeared to be in buoyant spirits. After all, the Sky Knights were noble Captains, and it was rare to see them in action. Now, he was about to see so many of them in battle.

"Hold on!"

Just then, one of the Captains – a well-built, bearded man, bellowed deeply, following which his sharp gaze passed across Merlin and the rest, one by one.

"Your Majesty, these people aren't Sky Knights but troublemakers!"

With that, the four Captains promptly broke formation and subtly shielded the king behind them, their wary gazes directed unto Merlin and the rest.

Saturn furrowed his brows slightly, still unable to figure out what was happening. That strapping Captain who was at the lead laughed icily, then said, "The six of you aren't Captains but Spell Casters instead. Isn't that right?"

"What?"

On his throne, King Roger did not seem to know what "Spell Casters" signified hence his face flashed a surprised look. Nonetheless, Merlin and the rest felt a jolt in their hearts. These Sky Knights knew about Spell Casters. In that case, their plans were now thwarted.

With this in mind, Wizard Saturn did not hesitate in the slightest and growled, "Move now. Control them first!"

"Whoosh…"

As soon as Wizard Saturn spoke, Merlin was the first to move. His Darkness-type spell instantly covered the entire foyer. Everyone within was trapped in darkness, unable to even see their own hands.

"Crack."

Saturn and the rest each displayed their skills too. Every spell from these freakishly powerful Wizards was comparable to a Ninth-level Spell Caster's. In the blink of an eye, they had restrained those Sky Knights.

The only one who gave them a bit of trouble was the leading Captain, whose strength was in fact on par with a Ninth-level Spell Caster. Faint golden fighting spirit rose from his body, mildly dispersing the ice crystals on his body as well as Merlin's Darkness spell.

Nevertheless, Wizard Vic unleashed his puppet who dealt a blow to this Sky Knight, causing serious injury. Merlin obtained a more direct understanding of Vic's puppet. It was terrifying indeed that a puppet could be transfigured to this level. Even a Great Legendary Wizard would have to spend a lot of effort to do so.

"Alright, Wizard Merlin, cut off your spell."

Soon enough, Merlin and the rest had gained control of the situation. They were genius Wizards of Arcane City, the first-class prodigies among the myriad of dimensions of the Spell Caster civilization. At the Seventh-level, they were able to challenge Ninth-level Spell Casters, so it was a walk in the park to deal with a few Sky Knights.

After the Darkness spell was withdrawn, King Roger awoke. He stared, flabbergasted, at the four Captains who were restrained, and an expression of alarm worked its way across his face. He pointed at Merlin and the rest. "Sir Grand Dukes, what's this about?"

"Your Majesty, they're troublemakers! They're Spell Casters from beyond the heavens, here to annihilate our Kingdom of Seeden…"

The well-built Captain who was restrained now burst with grief and indignation. It looked like he had a certain understanding of Spell Casters, which made Merlin and the rest suspicious.

Spell Casters and the Rock Tribe had mutually agreed back then to not interfere with the matters of the Seely Dimension. Therefore, very few people, or perhaps no one in the Seely Dimension knew of Spell Casters or the Rock Tribe.

However, these Sky Knights evidently knew about Spell Casters. Some major developments must have taken place in the Seely Dimension.

"How do you know of our identities?"

Saturn asked in an icy voice.

"Heh, not just your identities. We also know the identities of the despicable Rock Tribe but their forces are too mighty. They are now capturing great dragons with the support of some puppets to give to certain greedy Sky Knights, making them into Holy Knights. They are brewing up a massive conspiracy."

The words of this sturdy man made Merlin and the rest stunned to their core, for he actually knew so much about the Rock Tribe.

"Your Majesty, we have some information to convey to you and your Captains. Therefore, we'll need to have you give the order to seal off the palace and not allow anyone in."

Saturn's tone carried a subtle threat. King Roger was powerless as well. Even his four strongest Captains were overpowered with barely a fight. What else could he do?

Therefore, Merlin and the rest brought the king and his Captains to a hidden room and began asking careful questions.

"Captain Thunderdragon!"

The burly man at the head of the four Captains was the strongest of them, comparable to most Ninth-level Spell Casters. If he was able to tame a giant dragon, Thunderdragon would become a powerful Holy Knight in an instant.

Thunderdragon was the person with the highest chance of becoming a Holy Knight in the Kingdom of Seeden.

"Speak. How do you know about us?"

Wizard Saturn asked, wearing a calm demeanor.

Thunderdragon was silent in thought and was no longer as incensed as he was before, and instead appeared rather subdued.

After a long moment, he slowly raised his head. "Although you may not have good intentions, only you can resolve this issue. I know of your identities because three years ago, I captured a Spell Caster who was just like you.

"At that time, the Spell Caster was extremely weak, having been injured grievously, and was easily captured by me. After I used my methods, that Spell Caster had no choice but to tell me everything he knew. It turns out that Spell Casters like you and the Rock Tribe are hidden among us. Our fates have been in your grasp from the beginning.

"That Spell Caster was being hunted down by the Rock Tribe, and he mentioned that nearly all of the Spell Casters hiding in the Seely Dimension were wiped out by the Rock Tribe. However, it wasn't the Rock Tribe who killed them but Holy Knights. Those Holy Knights are no more than puppets whom the Rock Tribe controlled from behind the scenes.

"The Rock Tribe is brewing their schemes. In each kingdom, Holy Knights appeared in twos and threes. The number of Holy Knights over the past decades has surpassed the total number of Holy Knights accumulated over a thousand years. This is extremely abnormal. This great number of Holy Knights led to a war between kingdoms. A fearsome battle now hovers above all the kingdoms like a dark cloud.

"I don't know what the Rock Tribe's plan really is but I can sense its danger. Perhaps only you Spell Casters can stop the Rock Tribe's plot."

Thunderdragon's tone was heavy. He had incidentally learned that the Seely people were being manipulated. Their destinies were not in their own hands but the hands of the two more powerful civilizations controlling them.

Even if he wanted to rebel against them, his strength was weak and pitiful. That powerless feeling was a great source of suffering. He could only watch helplessly as the dimension was used as a wrestling ground for two great civilizations. It might even become a battlefield in the future. A sorrow like this was hard to describe.

Merlin looked at Thunderdragon and his downcast face. The other Captains were the same, powerless in the face of everything. That heavy emotion roused some sympathy in Merlin.

This was the price the weak had to pay. If the Spell Caster civilization had not produced Honored Legends in the first place, and had no Honored Legends to lead the charge out of their dimension and into the Void Zone or if the Spell Caster civilization had not produced the three Ultimate Arcane Wizards, their fate would not have been much better than the Seely people's fate.

"Even if we didn't come, you would be under the gods' rule."

Merlin suddenly spoke. Thunderdragon trembled all over at his words as if he knew about the gods as well, and said nothing else. Still, Merlin was able to discern a glint of determination in his eyes.

"This is rather troublesome. The situation is much more serious than we imagined."

Wizard Saturn was not concerned with Thunderdragon and the rest. His face had turned gloomy. After hearing Thunderdragon's narration, he realized how severe the situation was in the Seely Dimension.

The Rock Tribe evidently was plotting something big. They had brazenly attacked the Spell Casters concealed in the Seely Dimension, and had utilized the forces of the Seely people to avoid the detection of Spell Casters.

When the Spell Casters had realized what was happening, it was too late. The Spell Casters who were hidden all over the Seely Dimension were generally wiped out over the past decades. Perhaps some of them had sent a message back but it would be incomplete.

As a result, Arcane City had sent Merlin and the rest to investigate this issue in the Seely Dimension but this was a mission of enormous risk.

"It's not surprising that everyone would obtain at least two thousand and five hundred Adventure points… The state of affairs in the Seely Dimension is so serious. We're in great danger."

Wizard Rael spoke with a solemn face. The most direct threat was naturally the Rock Tribe, who had plotted so actively, very likely to be brewing up some massive conspiracy.

"We still have a chance!'

Merlin suddenly interjected. "Since the Rock Tribe is acting surreptitiously, employing the forces of the Seely people, this means that they wouldn't dare to act hostile openly. At least for now, they wouldn't dare to start a war against Spell Casters! So, we still have a chance to get to the bottom of this issue and seize our moment. This time, it's our mission. If we leave now, we won't even get a single Adventure point."

Saturn and the rest were silent for a moment. It was true that if they returned to Arcane City now, it would mean that they had failed the mission, achieving not a single Adventure point.

After a long silence, Saturn asked, "Wizard Merlin, do you have a plan?"

"It's simple – we'll make the first move. We'll pretend that we agree to Princess Fleur's marriage to the Kingdom of Seeway but we'll request that they send their Holy Knight to escort her. Then, we'll take down the Holy Knight as fast as we can, after which we should be able to learn the Rock Tribe's plans. At that point, we'll return to Arcane City, and our mission would be considered complete. The following developments will be the dealings between the Great Arcane Wizards and the Rock Tribe, nothing to do with us."

"Not bad, a perfect plan!"

Wizard Saturn and Wizard Rael both nodded their approval.

"Your Honorable Majesty, we'll have to trouble you on this matter."

A smile stretched across Saturn's face but his tone indicated that there was no room for bargain.

Chapter 527: The Ambush

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ten days later, in the sky above the Kingdom of Seeden, a huge shadow appeared above the capital, accompanied by a loud howling noise. Many people were staring at the sky with their jaws wide open and a mixture of shock and stupor on their faces.

"Giant dragon, a giant dragon is coming!"

"That's a Holy Knight, a formidable existence who's able to tame a giant dragon… Holy Knight Deutz from the Kingdom of Seeway is coming to fetch Princess Fleur."

"Shame, this is a great shame. Our Kingdom of Seeden has no choice but to sacrifice our most beautiful princess in exchange for temporary peace… When will we finally be able to give birth to a Holy Knight?"

The giant dragon in the air was hundreds of meters long, and its huge wings nearly blocked out the sun and the sky. It was incredibly massive. In addition, it looked terrifying vicious, and exuded an invincible aura.

This was the most invincible creature in the Seely Dimension – the giant dragon!

At this moment, on the back of the giant dragon stood a middle-aged man wearing golden armor. His body exuded a powerful aura which was mixed with the aura of the giant dragon, thus forming an even more powerful and strange aura.

This was the Holy Knights' uniqueness. A lone Holy Knight might not be particularly powerful or at least not substantially different from the peak Sky Knights.

However, once they stood on the back of the giant dragons, they would be almost combined with the giant dragon where their abilities would immediately soar to a Great Wizard's level.

"Hoo…"

The giant dragon descended from the sky. The massive gust of wind almost knocked down some of the palace guards. Subsequently, the giant dragon landed on the main foyer and countless guards rushed forward to surround Deutz.

Deutz flew the giant dragon right into the palace, which was basically an act of provocation. The obvious arrogance in Deutz' eyes could be felt by everyone.

However, looking that the giant dragon underneath Deutz, who was able to blow the surrounding guards away with a mild snort as well as the reputation of the Holy Knights, none of the guards dared to take a step forward.

Holy Knight Deutz stayed on top with no signs of jumping off the giant dragon. Instead, he said with bristling arrogance, "I carry the king's orders to fetch Queen Consort Fleur. Quickly, go and summon Fleur. I'll safely deliver the queen consort to the Kingdom of Seeway!"

"Since you're here to fetch Her Majesty the Princess, naturally, you'll have to pay respects to the king first!"

Although the guards were afraid, they still shouted in a loud voice. As the palace guards, their foremost duty was to protect the sovereignty of the king.

"I'm only tasked with fetching the queen consort. As for the king, there'll be another opportunity to pay respects to him in the future."

Holy Knight Deutz frowned but still did not enter the palace. After all, he was a respectable Holy Knight. Even when he saw the king of Seeway, he did not have to salute him, what more to salute the king of Seeden.

Therefore, Deutz would not enter the great hall of the palace and instead waited quietly outside. The giant dragon would periodically shoot out a breath of hot air, causing all the surrounding guards to jitter.

At the moment, seated high up in the great hall, King Roger was looking cautiously at the six strangers below. In a whisper, he asked, "Grand Duke Saturn, that Deutz still refuses to come in. What should we do?"

Saturn also wrinkled his forehead and exchanged a glance with Merlin and the others. "If Deutz refuses to come in, it means that he's being vigilant. Look, he hasn't left the giant dragon at all. In fact, he has been vigilant, which is quite troublesome."

Since the moment Deutz arrived, Merlin and the others had been watching him closely. They could sense a strange aura emanating from Deutz that indeed could rival a Great Wizard.

The giant dragon underneath him, in particular its vicious aura was like a slap in the face. Despite being so far away, they could still sense it. It was not surprising that it was the most vicious creature in the Seely Dimension.

"This is indeed troublesome. Wizard Vic, can your puppet resist that giant dragon?"

Wizard Rael looked at Vic. The great dragon's threat far exceeded that of Deutz. In addition, the combination of the two was comparable to a Great Wizard, so they must think of a way to separate the two.

"The giant dragon's abilities should be equivalent to a peak Ninth-level, so my puppet is able to subdue it. However, we mustn't allow Deutz to combine with the giant dragon at all cost. Otherwise, we'll have to face the equivalent of a Great Wizard, which is very troublesome."

Vic considered it and felt that he could subdue the giant dragon, provided that the giant dragon and Deutz were separated and could not combine.

The reason why the Holy Knights were so powerful was that they were able to combine with the dragon, and instantly become comparable to a Great Wizard.

"Looks like we have to get Princess Fleur to help."

Merlin stepped forward, and stated his plan. Princess Fleur would have to make an appearance to separate Deutz and the giant dragon.

King Roger bit his lip and nodded reluctantly. "I hope you'll be able to fulfill your promise."

"Definitely. Our purpose of coming to the Seely Dimension is to investigate the Rock Tribe's conspiracy. After this incident, you'll be left unharmed and will no longer be subjugated by the Kingdom of Seeway."

After hearing Saturn's assurance, King Roger was finally relieved. He also understood that at this point, he could only obey the arrangements set by Merlin and the others.

"Go get Princess Fleur!"

Subsequent to the king's order, soon, Princess Fleur arrived in the great hall of the palace. She was astonished to see Merlin and the others with King Roger. Until now, she did not know that King Roger had been controlled by Merlin and the others. All she knew was that she had to cooperate with Merlin and the others to defeat Holy Knight Deutz outside.

"Father, what do you need me to do?"

Princess Fleur was somewhat excited.

"Fleur, go outside now and by hook or by crook, get Deutz to enter the palace. You must separate him from the giant dragon!"

King Roger grunted. Right now, Fleur was their last resort. After all, by concession, Fleur was already considered the queen consort of the Kingdom of Seeway. Since Deutz had come to fetch Fleur, he would not publicly reject her request.

Fleur's face was flushed with excitement. Standing up, she picked up her skirt and went outside the great hall. She lifted her head to look at Holy Knight Deutz on the giant dragon.

"Knight Deutz, Father wants to see you. After all, you're a powerful knight, and our Kingdom of Seeden has never yet produced a powerful Holy Knight."

Princess Fleur smiled and said to Deutz.

Deutz hesitated slightly. If the request had come from anyone else, Deutz would not pay attention but Fleur was already considered the queen consort of the Kingdom of Seeway in name. Thus, Deutz would have to regard Fleur's words carefully.

After a long delay, Deutz finally nodded. "Your Majesty Queen Consort, I'll pay respects to His Majesty the King!"

Deutz leaped down from the giant dragon and walked right into the great hall.

The moment Deutz entered the great hall, he heard a dull thud. Immediately, the entire great hall plunged into darkness.

"Not good!"

Deutz yelled, and the giant dragon outside seemed to have sensed the danger he was in. With a loud puff, its huge body began to slam furiously against the great hall. This resulted in a terrifying racket which seemed like the entire great hall was about to be leveled by the giant dragon.

"Wizard Vic, we're counting on you!"

Amidst the darkness, Wizard Saturn's voice revealed a sense of gravity.

"Don't worry. Black-armored Puppet, go and stop the giant dragon!" 1

A beam of black light rapidly grew bigger, and a tall puppet wrapped in black armor appeared before the giant dragon. Its small frame seemed to contain a fearsome power that caused even the giant dragon to tremble.

"Boom!"

The puppet in black armor did not hold back and collided against the giant dragon. Suddenly, the entire palace seemed to quake as an invisible shockwave flattened almost the entire surroundings.

"Such a powerful force!"

Gasps of exclamation abounded from within the darkness. The punch released by the black-gold puppet already packed a truly fearsome force, yet upon collision with the giant dragon, the black-gold puppet was not a worthy opponent. The puppet was sent flying into the air and landed heavily on the ground, forming a huge crater. This spoke volumes of the power of the giant dragon.

"Hmph, the Kingdom of Seedan wants to ambush me? Ambush a noble Holy Knight? Soon, you'll know what a foolish decision it is!"

Holy Knight Deutz remained conscious. A surge of golden fighting spirit enveloped him, and he retreated as fast as possible. Soon, he would be able to jump back onto the giant dragon.

When that happens, Merlin and the other would have to face a Holy Knight equivalent to a Great Wizard!

Chapter 528: Rock Tribe Gustia I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Leaving? Not so fast!"

At this moment, Saturn extended a finger. Immediately, fine strands of windstorm rapidly weaved together into a big net. This big net fell directly onto Holy Knight Deutz's head. The force was so formidable that even an average Ninth-level Spell Caster would not dare to tackle it head-on.

Moreover, Saturn was not the only one who attacked. Merlin's eyes also shined with a strange glow as he affixed his stare on Deutz. Subsequently, invisible Mind Power began to fluctuate.

"Nine Hit Strike!"

"Boom!"

One wave crashed after another. The invisible attacks caused Deutz to pale significantly. The golden fighting spirit around his body seemed almost useless. Although his abilities could rival a Ninth-level Spell Caster, he seemed a little short-handed compared to the joint forces of Merlin and Saturn.

On the other side, Vic's puppet leaped up fiercely. Its body emitted flashes of black light, and a strange power began to fluctuate.

"Foolish creature, get lost!"

A hint of madness appeared in Vic's eyes. Since he had obviously activated the puppet's secret powers, its strength was boosted mightily

"Bang!"

The puppet in the black armor swung another punch, and this time, even space collapsed. This punch had transcended the concept of space. In a flash, it landed on the giant dragon's head.

The giant dragon was covered with huge shiny scales which protected its gargantuan body. However, this one punch directly smashed all the giant dragon's scales. The huge force slammed violently against the giant dragon. With a painful whimper, it fell heavily onto the ground.

"What?"

Deutz was shocked. He had personally perceived the giant dragon's abilities, which was terribly fearsome and far stronger than him. Right now, however, based on the showdown of power, the giant dragon had lost to the "black armored person".

However, Deutz himself was in a precarious situation. After withstanding Merlin's Nine Hit Strike with each strike stronger than the last, at the fourth strike, he could no longer endure it. His face flushed red, and a spray of fresh blood spurted from his mouth. Immediately, he was restrained by Wizards Olga and Seddon in a single move.

"Hoo…"

The door of the great hall had been smashed into pieces. On the ground outside laid a wheezing giant dragon. A gentle breeze stirred and blew away the stench of blood inside the great hall.

After a big battle, Deutz was finally restrained while the giant dragon had been injured and similarly suppressed.

"Who are you?"

Deutz glared at Merlin and the others coldly. He now saw that these six people before him were not the Sky Knights from the Kingdom of Seedan. He knew the four Sky Knights from the Kingdom of Seeden like the back of his hand, and these six people were none of them.

This meant that the Kingdom of Seeden might have produced new Sky Knights, and unbelievably, they were able to defeat a glorified Holy Knight like him.

Deutz tried to crack his brains but he was already a trapped prisoner. His arrogance disappeared and countless considerations to escape ran through his head. However, he took one look at the wheezing dragon on the ground and those hopes were dashed.

Merlin and the others exchanged a look. This battle might have appeared to be easy and lasted only for a short time, but all of them had wielded most of their techniques.

Especially invaluable was Vic's puppet that managed to block the giant dragon from combining with Deutz to become a real Holy Knight. Otherwise, the battle would not have ended so easily.

"Truly despicable. If I didn't leave the giant dragon, you would not have been able to handle me!"

Deutz was currently frustrated to no end. Once a Holy Knight left his giant dragon, his threat level would plummet downward in a straight line. At most, he would only be at par with a powerful Sky Knight.

Initially, he had been very careful and vigilant in the Kingdom of Seeden, but still, he got tricked into leaving the giant dragon. As a result, both of them were captured, which made him feel disgruntled.

Saturn and the others did not pay attention to Deutz's frustrations. Even if he became a real Holy Knight, they would still be able to capture him. At most, it would just cause a bigger spectacle and less favorable odds for them.

"Merlin, you do the interrogation."

Saturn said to Merlin.

Merlin did not evade and came to face Deutz. In a deep voice, he asked, "Holy Knight Deutz, as to how you became a Holy Knight, I'm sure that you know better than we do. Judging from your abilities, it's impossible for you to tame the giant dragon. Tell us, who helped you to tame the giant dragon?"

"Huh? How do you know that?"

Deutz's face blanched and a trace of fear rose up in his eyes. Even when he was captured earlier, he did not wear such a look.

Right now, upon hearing the question about who tamed the giant dragon, Deutz revealed a look of fear and terror. Anyone would know that there was more than met the eye.

Merlin sneered. "You still can't tell? We're not Sky Knights!"

At the same time, Merlin stretched out a hand and a small fireball appeared in his palm, emitting an incredible heat.

"You… You're Spell Casters?"

Deutz sucked in a huge breath of air, and asked in a trembling voice.

"Since you know that we're Spell Casters, we'll be honest with you. This is a matter between the Spell Casters and the Rock Tribe, even you'll not be able to interfere. If you talk to us, you can still go back and continue being a Holy Knight. If not… Well, you probably have witnessed some of the techniques of the Rock Tribe. Since the Rock Tribe is afraid of Spell Casters, naturally, our techniques aren't inferior to them."

Merlin was now certain that there must be a Rock Tribe behind Deutz. Those Holy Knights were most probably secretly controlled by the Rock Knight.

"You really want to find the Rock Tribe?"

After a long silence, Deutz asked slowly.

"Of course. We came here to investigate the Rock Tribe."

Merlin nodded, and Deutz ground his teeth angrily. "I do hope that you manage to clear out all those Rock Tribes. They're truly terrible. The Holy Knights who have appeared in the last few decades generally constitute giant dragons that were captured by the Rock Tribe, and they also control almost all the Holy Knights."

"Control the Holy Knights? How do they control you?"

Merlin and the others were jolted, sensing that they were getting closer to the truth. As long as they could investigate the Rock Tribe's conspiracy, they would be able to return and submit their mission.

"They're not controlling us but our giant dragons! These giant dragons usually obey us and fight alongside us, allowing our abilities to increase substantially and become real Holy Knights. However, when push comes to shove, he can control the giant dragon at any time. Without the giant dragon, our capacities are only on par with some powerful Sky Knights at best, which generally isn't a threat."

Merlin nodded to Deutz's words. Spell Casters also had some techniques that could be used to control a giant dragon, so it must not be too difficult for the Rock Tribe as well.

Although using the giant dragons to control the Holy Knights was a good plan, what was the true motive for the Rock Tribe to do so?

Regarding this, Deutz also shook his head helplessly. "All I know is that in each kingdom, wherever Holy Knights exist, the Rock Tribes would also lurk in the shadows. They're active in various kingdoms and are hidden in the dark. A few of us Holy Knights have met and exchanged messages with each other. We've discovered that the Rock Tribes are afraid of Spell Casters, probably people like you. The people that they instructed us to kill were actually Spell Casters. All the while, they're hidden behind the scenes, so we don't know what they're scheming."

The situation described by Deutz was largely similar to what Captain Thunderdragon had said. Although the Potential Wizards in the Seely Dimension were killed by the hands of the Holy Knights, in reality, the Holy Knights were being controlled by the Rock Tribe.

However, they were still unclear about the conspiracy of the Rock Tribe, so Merlin and the others could not go back to Arcane City to submit their mission yet.

"Deutz, do you know who's the Rock Tribe behind you? How many people are there?"

Merlin asked after some thought.

"How many people? The only Rock Tribe I've met is just one person. He's ever-changing but I can sense his aura. That's right, there's only one person. He calls himself Gustia."

After the interrogation, Merlin shifted his gaze to Saturn, and the six of them gathered to discuss.

"If we want to uncover the conspiracy of the Rock Tribe, I'm afraid we have to go one step further, and directly engage the Rock Tribe."

"How many people from the Rock Tribe has infiltrated the Seely Dimension? What about their abilities? We don't know anything. If we act rashly, it might be dangerous."

Some of them had agreed to engage the Rock Tribe while others had second thoughts.

Both Saturn and Rael did not make any statement. They were the ones who would be able to make the final decision.

The two men stewed in silence for a long time. Then, Saturn spoke suddenly, "Since we've already come this far in this mission, naturally, we cannot abandon it halfway. This so-called Rock Tribe's Gustia is most probably only one person. After all, they operate furtively behind the scenes, so they wouldn't dare to infiltrate too many in. Nevertheless, even though it's just one person, Gustia's abilities must be terribly formidable to be able to easily capture all these giant dragons. His abilities must be at least comparable to the existence of a Great Wizard."

"Yes, and this Gustia isn't like those Holy Knights. He's comparable to the powerful Great Wizards."

Wizard Rael added.

"So now, it's your turn to decide. Are you going or not? If we go, then don't hold anything back. This will be a dangerous mission, after all. We'll have to face the existence of a powerful Great Wizard."

Saturn looked at Rael and the others with a hint of excitement. It was the excitement to battle a powerful enemy.

"Hehe, so what if he's a Great Wizard? The three of us had joined forces and killed a Great Wizard before! This mission has such generous Adventure points as a reward so it would be a great waste to not go. So, what if we have to fight it out with the Rock Tribe?"

Wizard Seddon said with an expression of indifference. Apparently, he, Rael, and the others had joined forces to kill an ordinary Great Wizard before. This was a remarkable battle record.

"I've nothing to say. Saturn, we'll not abort this mission halfway. What about you?"

Rael said with a solemn expression.

"If all of you can go, why wouldn't we dare to go?"

Wizard Vic stood up. He also had a powerful trump card. Even if the opponent could not be defeated, he would not have a problem preserving his life. Hence, he was not afraid.

"If that's the case, we'll all go to meet the Rock Tribe!"

Saturn's words undoubtedly represented the final decision of all six of them. They would fight the Rock Tribe's Gustia, and unearth the conspiracy of the Rock Tribe, before returning to Arcane City to submit their mission.

Chapter 529: Rock Tribe Gustia II

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Hoo…."

Out of a sudden, a strong gust of wind whooshed across the barren hillside, and a few figures landed on the hillside. The hillside was unevenly scattered with ragged rocks and shallow ditches. Moreover, it appeared to be plain and unassuming hence there seemed to be nothing special about it.

"Where's the Rock Tribe?"

Saturn frowned. He looked at Deutz beside him. Deutz was currently being controlled, and did not bring his giant dragon. He had led Saturn and the others directly to this hillside.

Deutz looked around and said affirmatively, "This is the place. The last time I met Gustia, it was here. Follow me, just below the hillside, there should be a huge crypt."

Thus, Deutz led them down the hillside to an inconspicuous spot, and then gently pressed a boulder.

"Rumble."

The hillside began to quake. Subsequently, a huge crack appeared, and revealed a pitch-black staircase, which bottom could not be seen.

"This should be the place of the Rock Tribe. According to my information, the Rock Tribes are underground creatures. Regardless of where they are, they would choose to live underground."

Saturn had read some information about the Rock Tribe. Although they had never met the Rock Tribe, they were able to make some basic judgment based on this information.

"Let's go down."

Merlin and the others were just about to descend when suddenly, the entire hillside quaked. Especially near the huge crack, the quake was even more treacherous, like a horrible aura was awakening.

"We've been discovered! Soon, he'l come out… Might as well, saves us the effort to look for it underground. Let's fly up first."

Sensing this strong quake immediately put everyone on guard. The Rock Tribe's Gustia must have discovered Merlin and the others. In any case, Merlin and the others were not surprised because they did not intend to hide in the first place. They wanted to draw Gustia out.

The ground was still quaking but soon, from the staircase behind the crack, a black-robed human figure flew out. With narrowed eyes, it looked very sinister.

"Spell Casters? Where are you from? Don't you know that the Rock Tribe and the Spell Casters have a pact in the Seely Dimension?"

This black-robed figure questioned them upon emerging.

Saturn sneered. "Gustia, how dare you mention the pact? Does the pact allow a Rock Tribe like you who's comparable to a Great Wizard to enter the Seeley Dimension?"

"Oh? It seems like you know some things… However, I'm very curious. What do you actually know?"

Although he saw that Merlin and the others knew its name, Gustia did not panic but appeared to be unruffled.

"We don't have to know anything because once we catch you, we'll naturally find out everything."

"Catch me? Haha, that's ridiculous! Looks like you don't know anything at all but it's okay. Soon, the Seely Dimension will belong to the Rock Tribe. Even when you find out, you won't be able to do anything because the entire dimension will be transformed into a dimension suitable for the survival of Rock Tribe."

Gustia laughed gleefully. At the same time, his figure exploded into chunks of large rocks.

"This is troublesome. So, the conspiracy of the Rock Tribe is to make the first move at all cost in order to transform the Seely Dimension into a rocky dimension!"

The hearts of Merlin and the others sunk. They, of course, knew the meaning of transforming a dimension. The Rock Tribe excelled particularly in transforming dimensions. They were non-living entities so the dimensions that they lived in were nothing but desolate rocks.

Their so-called transformation plan was to transform the entire Seely Dimension into rocks. Anything and everything would be transformed into rocks, just like the rocks scattered around the hillside.

Once the transformation by the Rock Tribe was successful, then the elements on the Seely Dimension would quickly disappear. It would then turn into a place that was unsuitable for Spell Casters to dwell.

"Damn it. That horrible Rock Tribe is making the first move. Originally, the Seely Dimension has elements and is suitable for us, Spell Casters to live here. However, if their transformation is successful, then the Spell Casters will have one less suitable dimension to live in!"

"The Rock Tribe's abilities are similar to us, Spell Casters. If they really succeeded at transforming the dimension, I'm afraid we'll not wage war with the Rock Tribe for a dimension with no elements. Therefore, we mustn't let them succeed. We must pass this message to Arcane City as fast as possible and get the Great Ultimate Arcane Wizards to stop them."

The expressions on Merlin and the others had changed significantly thinking about the distressing implications caused by transforming the dimension.

"Hehe, thinking of leaving? You must be sent by Arcane City to investigate the situation in the Seely Dimension. Arcane City is known as the greatest holy place for you Spell Casters, and all Spell Casters there are prodigies among prodigies. Killing you can also reduce some future threats for the Rock Tribe."

Gustia revealed his true form, which was an incomparably massive Rock Giant, towering over a hundred meters, almost like a small mountain peak. His aura, too, was extremely formidable. Just a slight hint was enough to make Merlin and the others feel suffocated.

"Black-armored Puppet, go!"

Vic immediately released his puppet. Pitted against the Rock Tribe, his puppet should be able to subdue him for a short while.

"Smash!"

Looking the Black-armored Puppet, the Rock Giant merely gave a gentle wave of his hand, and the Black-armored was vehemently pressed into the ground. Then, with a single punch, the Black-armored Puppet was crushed into fine powder.

"How could he be so strong? My Black-armored Puppet had mobilized all its strength, which is basically comparable to a powerful Great Wizard. How was it unable to withstand even one attack?"

Vic was dumbfounded, his eyes filled with incomprehension.

"Haha, you won't be able to escape."

Gustia rumbled in laughter. In an instant, the entire hillside quaked strongly. Countless chunks of large boulders floated into the air and rapidly formed a stone wall which surrounded Merlin and the others securely.

This stone wall was extremely sturdy. Even their spells were unable to break it.

The most common ability of the Rock Tribe was to control rocks. The more powerful the Rock Tribe was, the stronger his ability to control rocks. He could even increase the hardness of the rocks many times over.

Taking into account the formidable defensive power and strength of the Rock Tribe, Spell Casters did not have any special advantage to combat the Rock Tribe. All they could do was to face them head-on.

"Sh*t, Gustia isn't an average Rock Tribe but probably has an existence that's infinitely close to a Great Legend!"

Saturn said with a grave expression. Even without Saturn's reminder, just by looking that the terrifying power that Gustia had demonstrated, and the suffocating aura he had emitted, everyone was well-aware of Gustia's threat level.

Their estimation had been wrong, and the price of being wrong was extremely steep. If he was just an average Great Wizard or even a slightly stronger peak Great Wizard, they would not be completely helpless and would still be able to put up some semblance of resistance.

However, Gustia was an existence infinitely close to a Great Legend. There was not even a trace of hope for them.

"Pathetic Spell Casters."

Gustia gently flicked his fingers, and all the Defensive spells on Vic's body as well as his robes, were immediately broken. Moreover, the immense power even slammed Vic viciously onto the ground until he was treading a thin line between life and death.

"How pathetic."

Gustia cruelly pressed down another palm. Rael's entire body roared, and a column of fire shot up into the sky, seeming to almost melt all the rocks around them. However, following Gustia's palm movement – Rael, Seddon, and Olga were all pressed onto the ground. It was only due to their respective special techniques that they were not immediately killed.

However, they were close. Just another attack from Gustia would surely kill them.

In the blink of an eye, this strongest team of six had lost more than half its force. All that was left was Merlin and Saturn.

"Will you be able to withstand it?"

Merlin glanced at Saturn. Saturn shook his head and said, "My mentor gave me some life preservation techniques, which might be able to resist Gustia temporarily, but still, we can't escape…"

After he spoke, a hexagon-shaped unique casting tool appeared in Saturn's hand. He pressed it firmly, and used his Mind Power to activate the power within it.

A pale white light orb appeared and covered Merlin and Saturn, which faintly contained the aura of a Maxim.

"Bang!"

Gustia used all his strength to hit the light orb but it only quivered slightly and resumed its original form.

"Hmm? This must be the power possessed by the Legends among your Spell Casters. Although all of you Spell Casters are pathetically weak, those Legendary Wizards are quite impressive. Nevertheless, you're not real Legends, so how long can you rely on this turtle shell?"

Gustia guffawed, and madly hit the light orb with consecutive punches.

Merlin and Saturn's expressions turned more and more grievous. They looked around, and there was truly no way out. They had been completely sealed in by Gustia. All they could do was withstand the attacks.

The attacks rained down one after another. Regardless of how strong the light orb was, there was finally a hint of loosening.

"No way, there's not a single way. We miscalculated. We didn't expect that the Rock Tribe sent such a powerful entity into the Seely Dimension. Other than a Legend, there's no way to conquer it."

"Crash."

At last, the light orb shattered. Gustia's large body began to make his way step by step toward Merlin and Saturn.

"Spell fusion, go!"

Merlin's Fire-type spell and Thunder-type spell fused together in an instant and hurled toward Gustia forcefully but Gustia did not even try to evade. He simply allowed the fused spell to land on his body.

The horrible shockwave generated by the explosion of the spell only managed to shake off some dust from Gustia. Regardless of whether it was Mind Occult Spells or spell fusion, none of them had any effect on Gustia.

The gap was simply too astounding!

"Looks like there's no way left. I didn't expect that we'll die at the hands of foreign tribes."

Merlin looked at the fallen Rael, Vic, and the others who were lying motionless on the ground. They had all lost their fighting spirit. Even if they were not injured, they were still powerless against Gustia.

The gap was too huge. There was simply no way out.

"It's over. The Seely Dimension will soon belong to the Rock Tribe. Haha…"

The small mountain-like body of Gustia raised his arm and locked his aim on Merlin and Saturn. Accompanied by the suffocating aura, his arm landed.

Chapter 530: Is This Still A Cat?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The gigantic rock arm swung down mercilessly. Merlin gently shut his eyes, no longer putting up any resistance. It was meaningless. Whether it was Darkness Eye, spell fusion or Occult Mind Spells, they were obviously powerless against this terrifying Rock Tribe, who was a powerful existence infinitely close to a Legend.

"Don't worry, when we're killed, the Great Ultimate Arcane Wizards will sense it… Every Spell Caster who enters Arcane City carries a mark on their bodies, which is overseen by the Ultimate Arcane Wizards. If any of us die, the Ultimate Arcane Wizards will be alerted. So, when we die, the Arcane Wizards will realize what had happened here. Perhaps, they'll still be in time to stop the Rock Tribe's conspiracy. This can be considered our last contribution…"

Saturn said with a grimace. At this moment, even he was unable to stay calm.

"Bang!"

A huge sound reverberated. Just the wind effect alone almost suffocated Merlin.

"Huh?"

Merlin waited for a long time but did not feel his body tearing. On the contrary, it seemed like nothing had happened. He hurriedly opened his eyes. Before him, unknown since when, there was a completely pitch-black, lazy-looking cat.

"Didimoss, you're awake?"

Merlin was surprised and overjoyed. Back then, Wizard Yatho had mentioned that Didimoss would require a long time to wake up. Perhaps it would take two to three months, half a year or even decades or centuries. Once awakened, Didimoss would most probably be transformed from a half-spirit into a living being, equipped with powers comparable to a Great Legend!

Right now, almost a year after Didimoss had fallen into his deep slumber, he had finally awakened.

Merlin carefully sensed the aura on Didimoss. He could sense a strong vitality as well as a powerful heartbeat, clearly indicating Didimoss' new status. He was a lively, organic creature that was full of life!

"A cat?"

A strange expression appeared on Gustia's face. Gustia's understanding of Spell Casters ran deep but knew nothing about this black cat. Gustia took another look at the crushed rocks on the ground. It was the appearance of this cat that had easily shattered his palm.

Fortunately, the Rock Tribe was extremely tough to kill, so his hand was restored in an instant.

"Boom!"

This time, Gustia clapped both his palms together. The sight and sound of this movement were several times more frightening than the last. Even Merlin who was isolated far away felt like suffocating.

"Careful!"

Merlin did not know what kind of powers the black cat Didimoss currently had. Though Wizard Yatho had mentioned that as long as a spirit transformed into a living being against the natural order, it would, at the very least, possess powers comparable to a Legend.

If some of the more powerful spirits managed to transform into living beings, then they could even potentially become an existence comparable to the Arcane Wizards. Of course, this was only based on speculation because even Wizard Yatho had never seen a spirit transform into a living being.

Right now, the black cat Didimoss had transformed from a half-spirit into a living being. In addition, taking into consideration his beginnings in the Dark Magic Region, the black cat Didimoss had indeed come a long way. From a spirit, he had transformed gradually, step-by-step, into a living being. After all, he had remained inside the main Runic Magic Circle of the Dark Magic Region for a thousand years.

Faced against the gigantic rock palms which blocked out the sun and sky, the black cat Didimoss' eyes glowed bright green and spoke in human words, "If we're comparing sizes, I'm bigger than you!"

Upon finishing speaking, the black cat Didimoss' body unprecedentedly began to expand. A few breaths later, he had turned into a gargantuan figure spanning hundreds of meters long. At this moment, the Rock Giant was reduced to a child-like existence before the black cat Didimoss.

"What ability is this?"

Gustia was stunned. His palms slammed heavily onto the black cat Didimoss' body but there was no effect. Instead, there was a huge backlash that once again smashed Gustia's palm into pieces.

"Hehe, the feeling of growing big is great! Why don't you also try the feeling of being smashed?"

The black cat Didimoss waved his huge "claws" and ferociously clawed at Gustia. The huge Rock Giant encountered a powerful force. With a swipe from the black cat Didimoss, Gustia had turned into uncountable gravel.

"Rumble."

Soon, Gustia was reassembled into a Rock Giant. It was as if Gustia was unable to die but there was a look of distress on his face. Gustia could sense a strong threat from the black cat Didimoss.

"This is definitely not a Spell Caster technique. What are you, really?"

"After sleeping for so long, I'm actually a little hungry. Since you're so big, you should taste quite good."

The black cat Didimoss uttered some perplexing words, and then everyone witnessed an incredibly mind-boggling scene. The black cat Didimoss opened his mouth, which instantly grew incomparably huge like a giant black hole descending from the sky. Then, with a single gulp, he swallowed the huge Rock Giant.

Even a portion of the hillside appeared to have been bitten off.

"Swish."

The black cat Didimoss rapidly shrunk and resumed his original size. He even licked his scarlet tongue, and gnawed a few times, seemingly unsatisfied.

"The taste is mediocre, quite bad-tasting. Nevertheless, it was quite big so I won't have to eat for a few months, which is nice…"

The black cat Didimoss jumped onto Merlin's shoulder once again with droopy eyes, looking like it would soon fall asleep.

Merlin looked at the black cat Didimoss carefully. He found that after swallowing the Rock Giant Gustia, Didimoss' body seemed to be a lot plumper than before and could pass for a "fat cat".

Although the black cat Didimoss was no longer moving, the entire situation was deathly silent. Even the typically composed Saturn was looking at Merlin with a weird expression.

"Is that still a cat?"

The heavily injured Rael was dumbfounded. Despite his wide knowledge, he had never seen a "cat" so vicious that could swallow a Rock Giant in a single gulp.

Moreover, this was a Rock Giant that was infinitely close to the level of a Great Legend. Even if a real Legend was to battle Gustia, he would have to mobilize a Maxim just to suppress him. Killing him would require even more tedious effort.

"Merlin, we owe you one this time, and of course, this… Sir Didimoss!"

Saturn thought for a moment, and after a reminder from Merlin, called out Didimoss' name. The current Didimoss was no longer the same as before. His abilities rivaled a Great Legend, so no one would dare treat him as just a cat.

"Let's leave quickly, away from the Seely Dimension. We need to report our mission back to Arcane City. The situation here is extremely precarious and will require the involvement of the Great Legendary Wizards. Otherwise, we'll really lose the Seely Dimension."

Rael said solemnly. He must have some incredible techniques because he had suddenly recovered by leaps and bounds. As for Vic, Seddon, and Olga, they were gravely injured.

Luckily for them, all of them had some life preservation techniques, so no one died. As long as they returned to Arcane City to recuperate for a while, they would be fully healed.

"Let's not delay any further. Let's go."

Merlin and the others no longer dithered. In an instant, they took out their casting tools. Each of them turned into beams of light and disappeared on the spot, whooshing out of the Seely Dimension and back to Arcane City.

Chapter 531: Casting Components in Hand

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin was operating the Aurora Ship alone. He flew at top speed across the pitch-black Void Zone. On Merlin's shoulder, the black cat Didimoss was crouching lazily like he was sleeping.

Merlin looked at the black cat Didimoss, and could not help but ask, "Didimoss, you've really transformed into a living being?"

The black cat Didimoss opened its eyes blearily and nodded. This transformation was truly hard to grasp. A spirit turning into a living being was like a stone-cold rock suddenly having a breath of life. It was unbelievable.

"Didimoss, earlier, you've swallowed the Rock Giant. Are you okay?"

Merlin looked at the black cat Didimoss with concern. Right now, Didimoss obviously looked a lot fatter, and was supporting his protruding belly with a sluggish demeanor. Merlin wondered if swallowing the Rock Giant was causing Didimoss any discomfort.

The black cat Didimoss shook his head and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. When I awoke, I felt that I have a special ability, which was to swallow up things. I can swallow up everything, including spells. As long as it's a tangible object, I can swallow it. This ability is probably derived from the Runic Magic Circle arranged by the Great Wizard Fidel.

"I'm originally the spirit of a Runic Magic Circle. Back then, the most unique characteristic of the Runic Magic Circle that protected the Dark Magic Region was its ability to swallow the power of spells. As long as any spell attacks the big runic circle, more than half of its power would be swallowed by the big runic circle so that the spell would not threaten the Dark Magic Region. Now that I've become a living being, this special ability must've been based upon my original ability to swallow spells. Now, I've progressed one step further and have grown to the point that I can swallow everything."

Merlin heard the explanation and nodded silently. Back then, Wizard Yatho also mentioned that once a spirit had transformed into a living being, it would possess a unique ability.

The black cat Didimoss' ability was derived from the Runic Magic Circle, so now it could swallow all kinds of things. An ability like this was indeed impressive. Furthermore, the black cat Didimoss could rely on his swallowing ability to slowly increase his powers. Although the process would be time-consuming, to be able to strengthen himself just by swallowing others was as good as it gets.

Therefore, swallowing the Rock Giant in a single gulp was not harmful to the black cat Didimoss. Instead, it would help strengthen his powers a tad more.

After flying through the endless Void Zone for a few months, Merlin and the others finally returned to Arcane City. It was only upon arrival in Arcane City that the strongest team of six could heave a long sigh of relief.

This time, they had sustained heavy losses. Out of the six strongest prodigy Wizards in the same batch, four of them were gravely injured. Only Merlin and Saturn were unharmed but Saturn had to use his precious life-preserving trump card to save both of them.

This mission could be considered as using up all their nine cat lives. If not for Didimoss finally awakening and possessing powers comparable to a Legend, they would not have been able to return.

"Let's quickly submit the mission. This is a matter that cannot be delayed."

Saturn and the others also knew the importance of this matter. If the Rock Tribe had successfully transformed the dimension, even the Ultimate Arcane Wizards would not be able to do anything.

Hence, they had to quickly submit their mission, and report their findings.

So, despite their extreme fatigue, the six of them rushed toward the Mission Tower. Along the way, many looks were directed at them. After all, quite a number of them were in a bad condition but the most unique sight of all was the black cat perched on Merlin's shoulder. The cat had a regal, arrogant look, which attracted a lot of attention.

In that regard, Merlin was also quite helpless. How could he tell others that this was not a normal cat but a Legendary cat?

After thinking about it, Merlin shook his head. The black cat Didimoss had quite a temper, so he better not stir up trouble and focus on submitting the mission first.

When they had entered the Mission Tower, Saturn found the Great Legend that had allowed them to receive the mission. When the Legend saw some of Saturn's records and understood the danger faced by the Seely Dimension, his expression turned abnormally grave.

"Everyone gets two thousand five hundred Adventure points. You've all done very well. Don't worry, since the Rock Tribe hasn't transformed the Seely Dimension, they'll just have to dream on. Arcane City will handle this matter."

The Great Legend said with a sneer. He had no fondness for the Rock Tribe. Back then, before the ceasefire between the Rock Tribe and the Spell Casters, there were several small-scale battles. Although they did not lose any Legends, many Great Wizards were lost.

After submitting the mission, Saturn turned to look at Merlin and the others. With a smile, he said, "Great, the mission has been submitted. I believe Arcane City will handle the problem in the Seely Dimension properly. We almost ran out of our nine cat lives, but at least it's not for naught. Everyone gets two thousand five hundred Adventure points, enough to do a lot of things in Arcane City."

"Yeah, two thousand five hundred Adventure points is a lot. Even Potential Wizards who had been in Arcane City for tens of years may not have accumulated so many Adventure points."

Upon mentioning the two thousand five hundred Adventure points, a smile appeared on everyone's face. They had risked their lives and traveled to the faraway Seely Dimension to investigate the conspiracy of the Rock Tribe, all for these Adventure points.

This much Adventure points would be highly useful in Arcane City. If they were used to redeem casting tools, then it would be enough to redeem some of the most sophisticated casting tools. Even if they wanted some life-preserving item, it should not be a problem.

If the points were used to enter the Mind Tower, every attempt only required one hundred Adventure points, so there would be enough points to enter the Mind Tower a total of fifteen times. This would allow one's Mind Power to improve significantly.

In short, with so many Adventure points, Merlin and the others would be able to live comfortably in Arcane City for a very long time.

…

"You really want to purchase the four casting components of the God-Binding Disc?"

Looking at this unassuming young Potential Wizard before him, the Great Legend guarding the treasure vault could not help but frown. It was such a humongous sum to spend two thousand Adventure points in one go that even he felt heavy-hearted.

The God-Binding Disc was merely a famous item, and its condition was quite shabby. Moreover, with only four casting components, they would only combine to become an ordinary peak-level casting tool.

Spending two thousand Adventure points to redeem these four casting components of the God-Binding Disc was truly too wasteful.

"I've made my decision. I'll redeem the four casting components of the God-Binding Disc!

Merlin did not hesitate and declared firmly. Hearing the resolution in Merlin's tone, the Legendary Wizard did not offer any further advice and directly retrieved the four quaint-looking casting components.

The four casting components had not been combined, and looked like they were broken in some places. There was not a trace of powerful aura on them. They did not resemble the renowned God-Binding Disc that managed to suppress the gods.

Merlin received the God-Binding Disc with a serious expression. He did not examine the casting components of the God-Binding Disc, but quickly kept it inside his spatial ring and left in a hurry.

…

"Hum."

Merlin returned to his room. At this time, he quickly took out the four casting components of the God-Binding Disc which had cost him two thousand Adventure points.

Earlier in the treasure vault, the reason that Merlin did not examine them was that he was afraid of revealing some clues. In reality, upon receiving these four casting components, he could sense a strong vibration from the Bell Space in front of his chest.

This was a phenomenon that would occur upon approaching similar types of casting components. This also proved that the Bell Space was indeed a component of the God-Binding Disc.

The God-Binding Disc had a total of nine components, and Merlin's Bell Space was already a combination of three casting components. Added with the four newly-redeemed casting components, Merlin would have seven components of the God-Binding Disc.

Once the seven components of the God-Binding Disc were combined, even with some damage, it would still hold at least half the original power of the God-Binding Disc. Considering the original power of the God-Binding Disc, just half of that formidable power would far exceed any peak-level casting tools.

After all, the God-Binding Disc was able to suppress the gods, and the gods were comparable to the Great Legendary Wizards. With such a powerful God-Binding Disc, even half its power was enough to combat the Great Wizards.

This was also why Merlin was so fervent to redeem the four casting components of the God-Binding Disc. Despite the steep price, they were highly suitable for Merlin, so any price would still be worth it.

Merlin gradually calmed down his excited emotions. He removed the Bell Space from the front of his chest and began trying to combine it with the four casting components that he redeemed.

Assembled casting tools were very easy to assemble. As long as two casting components were close to one another, they would automatically combine with one another.

Merlin took out a casting component and put it with the Bell Space. In an instant, there was a burst of light, and the casting component had rapidly combined with the Bell Space.

"Boom!"

The Bell Space swiftly began to vibrate. Its space began to widen, and it was no longer filled with darkness. There was a faint hint of "life".

"Combine again!"

Seeing the changes occurring in the Bell Space, Merlin could not wait any longer. He put the three remaining casting components next to the Bell Space. Instantly, countless beams of light glowed and intertwined together, gradually encapsulating these few casting components.

The process of combining took a long time. The different beams of light gradually merged together, finally converging into a pale white ray. Merlin reached out and grabbed the newly combined Bell Space in his hands.

At this moment, the Bell Space had vaguely formed a small round disc. However, the small round disc seemed to be missing two corners. It was incomplete, probably lacking the last two casting components. Only with all nine casting components assembled together, it would form the whole God-Binding Disc.

However, on the round disc, the words "God-Binding" could already be seen, proving that it was indeed the legendary God-Binding Disc.

"God-Binding Disc, it truly is the God-Binding Disc! I wonder how the God-Binding Disc which only lacks two casting components look like?"

Merlin was looking forward to seeing the changes in the Bell Space, so he directly mobilized his Mind Power. He extended his Mind Power inside the God-Binding Disc and began to explore the space inside it.

Chapter 532: The Bloodshed Universe

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

When Merlin's Mind Power had entered the space inside the God-Binding Disc, he discovered that there was a substantive difference compared to the former Bell Space. Now, it was no longer pitch-black darkness but a stark white space. Although it was space, it was now immensely large and endless. In addition, there was also a clear sense of the concept of time and space.

In other words, this was a more perfect space that could be occupied by living beings. Even Merlin, if faced with any danger in the future, could hide inside the God-Binding Disc.

The Defensive power of the God-Binding Disc was relatively strong, at least far exceeding an ordinary peak-level casting tool. It could be classified as an extraordinary casting tool. Extraordinary casting tools were those which could only be transfigured by a Great Legend or even an Honored Legend who had achieved the highest understanding in alchemy.

Even Bell, who had achieved an extraordinary understanding of alchemy, was only able to transfigure one God-Binding Disc. This was a testament to how difficult it was to transfigure an extraordinary casting tool.

Instead of the defensive powers of the God-Binding Disc, Merlin was more concerned about its binding powers.

The most important component of the God-Binding Disc was the "binding" component. Back then, the God-Binding Disc had been able to bind several natural gods consecutively. Naturally, it contained some form of uniqueness. Deep inside the God-Binding Disc, Merlin could feel a terrifying force raging. As the owner of the God-Binding Disc, he could distinctly sense that if all its powers were released, even a Great Wizard would not be able to resist it.

"This is truly the God-Binding Disc. Right now, I can even bind an average Great Wizard inside the God-Binding Disc. If I can find the remaining two components and complete all nine casting components, we might even witness the absolute supremacy of the God-Binding Disc."

Merlin muttered in a low voice. The last two casting components of the God-Binding Disc were especially important because they would determine whether the God-Binding Disc would be able to restore its past glory.

However, even Arcane City only had four casting components of the God-Binding Disc, so finding the last two components would certainly be difficult. Perhaps, the final two casting components had already been destroyed.

Fortunately, Merlin was able to own the God-Binding Disc assembled from seven casting components. He was very satisfied to own an extraordinary casting tool as even many Great Legends would not get the chance to own it.

Merlin kept the God-Binding Disc carefully. This was one of his trump cards so it should not be easily revealed. Just like the black cat Didimoss, who should not be used simply.

"Whether it's the God-Binding Disc or the black cat Didimoss, these are all external powers, not my own powers. I still have to quickly improve my own abilities!"

Merlin also felt some pressure. In Arcane City, the Potential Wizards were improving themselves, almost every moment of the day. Especially Saturn and the others who had also received two thousand five hundred Adventure points, they would definitely use the points to improve their abilities.

In the outside world, Merlin was a prodigy among the prodigies. Even in Arcane City, he was considered a demonic genius. However, he did not slack and instead felt pressured because his own abilities were not stronger than Vic or Saturn. Therefore, he still had to work hard to improve his abilities.

At present, Merlin had not yet made up his mind to construct Sixth-level spells. His Mind Heart had achieved the limit of a Seventh-level Mind Heart. After receiving the instructions from the ninth floor of the Mind Tower and training his Mind Power, he would now have to integrate his Mind Power with his instincts.

Currently, Merlin's Mind Power was still far from being integrated into his instincts. Even if he was to enter the Mind Tower, it would be useless as he would not be able to break through to the Eighth-level Mind Heart yet.

Even so, Merlin's Mind Power was generally sufficient for him to construct all the Sixth-level spells. Although he had enough Mind Power, deriving new Sixth-level spells would require huge amounts of Maxim.

Compared to Fifth-level spells, the Sixth-level spells would require consuming even more of the Maxim. Right now, Merlin had only constructed Immense Thunder and Endless Flame. If he was to construct the four remaining spells, he was afraid that he would have to completely deplete the Thunder Maxim to derive them.

The disadvantage of using the Matrix to derive spells was that it required the consumption of precious Maxim power. If it was someone else, who was unable to obtain a single Maxim, what then could be used to derive spells?

Nevertheless, right now, Merlin had reached the same predicament. Even if he managed to derive all the Sixth-level spells now, then for him to become a Seventh-level Spell Caster in the future would not be as simple anymore.

After considering for a long time, Merlin decided to temporarily delay the spell derivation. Especially since he was in Arcane City, there were many more ways to improve his abilities. For now, Merlin had two options at least.

The first option was to deep-dive into researching spell fusion. If he could fuse three or four types of spells together, then his abilities would instantly be increased several folds. However, this was a difficult process, which might take a very long time.

So, he should tackle spell fusion slowly, without rushing into it.

The second option was to level-up Darkness Eye, especially the fifth form of Darkness Eye. For a long time, Merlin's Darkness Eye only had the fourth form, which was cultivated by Wizard Leo. However, Wizard Leo had failed to suppress the fourth form of Darkness Eye and died from its backlash.

Merlin, on the other hand, was different. He was a Mind Power Master and had an extraordinarily large Mind Power. His formidable Seventh-level Mind Heart now contained Mind Power which was comparable to some of the powerful Ninth-level Spell Casters.

Therefore, Merlin could easily suppress the fourth form of Darkness Eye. Even the fifth form of Darkness Eye, Merlin should be able to suppress it, albeit with some effort. Once Merlin had successfully achieved the Eighth-level Mind Heart in the future, then it would be easier for him to suppress the fifth form of Darkness Eye.

Merlin's current plan was to cultivate the fifth form of Darkness Eye in order to improve his abilities.

Although Darkness Eye was already very powerful, once he had cultivated the fifth form of Darkness Eye, he would have a much easier time fighting against a Ninth-level Spell Caster. Even pitted against the peak Ninth-level Spell Casters, Merlin would be able to triumph by relying on Darkness Eye.

"Darkness Eye needs negative emotions, and in large amounts. Only endless bloodshed can produce enough negative emotions to level-up Darkness Eye!"

Merlin knew clearly the way to level-up Darkness Eye, which was both simple and complicated at the same time. It would require large amounts of negative emotions. Bloodshed would give rise to a lot of negative emotions, so it was the best way to cultivate Darkness Eye.

Incidentally in Arcane City, there was exactly a place filled with bloodshed called the Bloodshed Universe. The place had been specially prepared for some unusual Spell Casters. Each entry only required two hundred Adventure points, and one could only stay for ten days.

Ten days later, the Bloodshed Universe would automatically send the person back into Arcane City.

Right now, the place that Merlin was headed was Bloodshed Universe. The Bloodshed Universe was the most suitable place to cultivate Darkness Eye.

…

There was a tall tower in Arcane City which was usually deserted. At most, there would be two or three people walking by. Compared to other places, this place was a lot less frequented.

However, every Spell Caster who came to this place was fierce and bloodthirsty, and their bodies exuded a thick stench of blood. This was the most dangerous place in Arcane City – the Bloodshed Universe with never-ending bloodshed!

When Merlin arrived, he saw two black-robed Spell Casters. Their auras were somewhat undetectable and well-hidden, so it was difficult to gauge them. Merlin had guessed that they were no less than Ninth-level Spell Casters, so they must be Potential Wizards who had been in Arcane City for a long time.

Generally, for Potential Wizards who were new to Arcane City, unless they have previously cultivated some special Pandora Demon Ability which required bloodshed to level-up, they typically would not choose to enter the Bloodshed Universe.

After all, the Bloodshed Universe was dangerous. Anyone who entered the Bloodshed Universe without a strong ability might find themselves killed by their targets instead.

Merlin walked up to the Great Legend who was guarding the entrance to the Bloodshed Universe. There were many Legendary Wizards in Arcane City who stood guard over the important places. Whether it was the Mind Tower, the force fields or the Bloodshed Universe, all of them were guarded by a Legendary Wizard. Thus, if anything was to happen, the Legendary Wizard would be able to deal with it immediately.

The abundance of Legendary Wizards had indirectly demonstrated the deep-rooted foundations of Arcane City. The number of Legendary Wizards here far exceeded any other forces.

"Honorable Great Legend, I wish to enter the Bloodshed Universe."

Merlin came to the Legendary Wizard and requested respectfully.

"Show your identity card."

When the Great Legend took Merlin's identity card, a strange look appeared in his eyes. Most probably, he saw from Merlin's identity card that Merlin had just entered Arcane City a few months ago.

"The foreign tribes in Bloodshed Universe are vicious and savage. Although it may help mold a Spell Caster, if your abilities aren't strong enough, you'll risk being killed by those savage foreign tribes. You should think twice."

"Honorable Great Legend, I've decided to enter the Bloodshed Universe!"

Seeing Merlin's insistence, the Legendary Wizard did not continue to dissuade him. He deducted two hundred Adventure points from Merlin and told him calmly, "You only have ten days. After ten days, you'll be sent back to Arcane City! Of course, if you would like to come back earlier, you only have to recite it in your heart and the Bloodshed Universe will send you back."

Merlin nodded. He took a deep breath and stepped into the brightly glowing entrance.

"Whoosh."

An unknown period of time later, Merlin opened his eyes. Passing through the passage earlier, he felt as if time was stretched abnormally long.

Thereafter, when he opened his eyes, he discovered that he was already inside an unfamiliar world. The sun was shining in the sky, and across a vast field, lush green grass was swaying gently to the breeze. On the plains, there was even a herd of elk. The scenery was extraordinarily mesmerizing, lulling any observer into relaxation.

"This is a complete dimension?"

Merlin was a little taken aback. He had never come to the Bloodshed Universe before, so naturally, he did not know how it looked like. Right now, after stepping into the Bloodshed Universe, Merlin was shocked to discover that the Bloodshed Universe was a completely foreign dimension.

"Is this your first time to the Bloodshed Universe?"

Suddenly, an icy voice resounded in Merlin's ear.

Chapter 533: The Dora Demon Tribe

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Merlin turned his head and discovered that following behind him was a black-robed Spell Caster from Arcane City. This black-robed Spell Caster's face was deathly pale, and his figure was gaunt but his eyes were vividly alert. There was an aura of blood-spill surrounding his body, so obviously it was not his first visit to the Bloodshed Universe.

"Yeah, it's my first time to the Bloodshed Universe."

Merlin answered truthfully. In the Bloodshed Universe, Spell Casters were forbidden from killing one another, therefore, Merlin did not have to fear the other Wizard's intentions.

"The Bloodshed Universe is riddled with dangers. Many Wizards who enter the Bloodshed Universe end up not killing the foreign tribe but instead be killed by them. You must be a Potential Wizard who has just arrived in Arcane City. Follow behind me, you can pick some of the weaker foreign tribe to kill.

Both the tone and expression of this black-robed Wizard was ice-cold, but judging from his words, he was not a heartless Spell Caster.

Merlin's heart thumped. He was indeed unfamiliar with the Bloodshed Universe. Therefore, having a Spell Caster who was well-versed with the Bloodshed Universe beside him would help him to adapt to the Bloodshed Universe, and understand some happenings here. Hence, he did not hesitate. He nodded in agreement.

"How do I address you?"

Merlin asked with a smile.

"Midnight!"

The black-robed Wizard replied coldly.

It was such a peculiar name. Merlin had some doubts but looking at Wizard Midnight's stony expression, Merlin suppressed his own questions and did not open his mouth. Quietly, he followed behind Wizard Midnight.

Along the way, Wizard Midnight was taciturn, and almost did not speak at all. Since Merlin did not know Wizard Midnight's propensity, he did not simply ask questions. The two of them began to fly in silence for a long while.

The Bloodshed Universe was immensely vast. Below them were rolling fields that sprawled endlessly, their boundaries could not even be seen. The scenery was picturesque, evoking a sense of joy and admiration in its beholders. It appeared to be completely disconnected with any semblance of bloodshed.

Even Merlin began to wonder – were they really in the Bloodshed Universe?

"Danger lurks underneath the calmest waters."

Before him, Wizard Midnight suddenly halted his steps. Casting an unfathomable gaze at the fields below, he uttered those words out of the blue. Merlin was still trying to decipher the meaning of Wizard Midnight's words when the very next moment, the happenings in front of his eyes immediately gave him a deep understanding of Wizard Midnight's words.

"Hurricane, burn!"

"Boom!"

Looking at the endless fields, Wizard Midnight suddenly pointed toward the herd of elk. Instantly, green flames shot up into the air and formed a pillar of flames unlike any other. The flames rapidly spread toward the direction of the herd of elk.

The green flames burned like a hurricane, exploding in an instant. The speed was also incredibly fast as it surged across the fields. Wherever the green flames passed by, the lush green grass was burned into ashes.

Merlin's eyes widened slightly. This green flame was not a type of spell but a fusion of Wind-type and Fire-type spells. However, this was different from Merlin's spell fusion because Wizard Midnight's spell stemmed from the combination of Spell Models. In other words, Wizard Midnight was already half a step into becoming a Great Wizard.

Generally, when Spell Casters reached the Ninth-level, their test was to attempt spell fusion. Once they had successfully combined all their Spell Models into one, they would level-up to become a Great Wizard. Nonetheless, this process was extremely challenging. It was also the step that had the highest rate of casualties.

In the process of spell fusion, many Ninth-level Spell Casters experienced a direct collapse of their Spell Models. So, when their Magic Power exploded, the Spell Casters were blown into smithereens, leading to a high death rate. Therefore, without absolute confidence, a Ninth-level Spell Caster usually would not attempt to combine their Spell Models.

Otherwise, it was those Spell Casters who had reached their limits but still desperately wanted to try to become a Great Wizard. However, for this type of Spell Casters, the success rate is relatively minuscule.

Wizard Midnight in front of him had already successfully fused Wind-type and Fire-type spells, so he could be considered a quasi-Great Wizard.

The raging flames burned wildly, and the temperature of the entire grass field soared. Merlin was curious as Wizard Midnight's actions were so flamboyantly aggressive. Was it just to slaughter these elks?

Soon enough, Merlin realized his big mistake. The creatures which he had initially perceived to be normal elks, upon sensing the green flames raging toward them, began to screech loudly. Then, these elks swiftly transformed into big, burly, single-horned, vicious-looking creatures.

"Foreign tribe! These elks are actually the foreign tribe?"

Merlin was stunned that the foreign tribe was disguised as elks as he had not discovered it at all. The ability of this foreign tribe to conceal their auras was truly startling. Only seasoned Wizards who had visited the Bloodshed Universe before, such as Wizard Midnight, knew the true colors of this foreign tribe.

"It's another abominable Spell Caster. Kill, kill, kill these abominable Spell Casters!

"Despicable Spell Casters, enclosing us in this dimension to provide training for your prodigy Wizards. We, the Dora Demon Tribe, curse you eternally. One day, you'll suffer a fate ten thousand times worse than us!"

Amidst the green sea of flames, the bodies of these foreign tribe members emitted faint glimmers of light that tried to resist the burning of the flames. However, this was Wizard Midnight's fused spell. The spell fusion of a powerful peak Ninth-level Spell Caster far outstripped the force of an average spell, and could not be withstood by the foreign tribe. Wherever the flames spread, the curses also ended abruptly as they turned to ashes.

Soon, hundreds of foreign tribe members were turned into ashes, and peace was restored onto the field. Wizard Midnight's expression was very calm. Only the Darkness Elements on his body were looming in and out of sight as if they were trying to perceive something.

Any Spell Caster who could enter the Bloodshed Universe would not shy away from bloodshed, and instead, use it to enhance their abilities. Merlin's objective was to cultivate Darkness Eye whereas Wizard Midnight's objective seemed to be to gain an understanding of Darkness-type spells.

Wizard Midnight was also a rare Darkness-type Wizard.

"Hum."

Merlin also did not stand around idly. He immediately wielded Darkness Eye, and a huge ghostly face appeared above his head. At the same time, faint traces of cold air began to seep into Darkness Eye in his palm.

These were all negative emotions that were absorbed by Darkness Eye. Merlin could even sense the "excitement" of Darkness Eye.

"The negative emotions are really strong. The grudges held by the foreign tribe are so strong that even after their death, it can excite Darkness Eye to this extent."

Merlin felt the negative emotions left behind by the foreign tribe after their death. It was so vicious that it made Darkness Eye "excited", which was not a simple feat. Earlier, Wizard Midnight's attack had provoked such an unparalleled degree of grudge from the foreign tribe that it could not have accumulated overnight. This amount of grudge must have accumulated over countless years.

Merlin was very unfamiliar with this Bloodshed Universe. All he knew that there was a foreign tribe called the Dora Demon Tribe. Besides that, Merlin knew nothing else.

"Wizard Midnight, how much do you know about the Dora Demon Tribe in the Bloodshed Universe?"

Seeing Wizard Midnight opening his eyes, Merlin immediately asked.

"The Dora Demon Tribe was discovered over two thousand years ago in the Dora Dimension. They were then controlled by the Spell Casters, who even imparted some knowledge to the Dora Demons. Of course, due to their natural disposition, the Dora Demons were unable to construct spells. However, based on the knowledge imparted to them, the Dora Demon Tribe created a set of cultivation system that was suitable for them.

"It was only later when the Spell Casters fought against another civilization that the Dora Demon Tribe revealed their cruel and vicious side. They betrayed the Spell Caster civilization, and helped another foreign civilization to vanquish hundreds and thousands of powerful Wizards. In that war, the Spell Casters suffered massive losses. Thereafter, the enraged Ultimate Arcane Wizards got directly involved and defeated the foreign civilization. Originally, they were about to wipe out the entire Dora Demon Tribe but then, a Legendary Wizard suggested to create a Bloodshed Universe dimension and make the Dora Demon Tribe the training targets of Spell Casters. So, the Dora Demon Tribe cannot leave the Bloodshed Universe forever, until this tribe completely disappears.

"Hehe, but the Dora Demon Tribe is also incredible. Their reproduction rate is extremely fast. Although two thousand years have passed, and Spell Casters have been killing them in succession, the Dora Demon Tribe is yet to be exterminated. In fact, their numbers are growing steadily. In any case, this is good because the Bloodshed Universe is very helpful to some Spell Casters."

Merlin digested this information in silence. He did not expect that the Dora Demon Tribe in the Bloodshed Dimension had such a tragic history. If even the Ultimate Arcane Wizards were enraged, then the damage suffered by the Spell Casters must have been catastrophic.

This was also the cruelest punishment for the Dora Demon Tribe!

"Does this mean that access to the Bloodshed Dimension isn't restricted to Spell Casters from Arcane City only?"

Merlin had heard another meaning in Wizard Midnight's explanation. It sounded like the Bloodshed Universe was not owned by Arcane City.

"Of course. The Bloodshed Universe can be connected to hundreds and thousands of Spell Caster dimensions throughout the Void Zone. However, because there's no time and space in the Void Zone, the special techniques of the Ultimate Arcane Wizards are needed to bridge to the Bloodshed Universe. It's very simple to enter the Bloodshed Universe from Arcane City but if you want to enter the Bloodshed Universe from another place, it will cost you dearly. A Great Legend will have to diminish some Maxim to be able to send a Spell Caster here."

Merlin nodded. It seemed like in this Bloodshed Universe, he might meet with Spell Casters from other dimensions. Moreover, any Spell Caster who could persuade a Great Legend to diminish some of his Maxim's power in order to send him into the Bloodshed Universe would surely be the pride and joy of their respective Spell Caster dimensions. Merlin could not help but hoped that he would encounter some Spell Casters from other dimensions.

"Alright, let's continue walking."

Wizard Midnight straightened himself. He appeared to have gained some understanding. Thus, he led Merlin to continue to wander around the vast Bloodshed Universe.

Chapter 534: The Grand Alliance Wizards I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

On a sprawling field, there were a group of young men and women dressed in Spell Caster attire. About a dozen of them were currently surrounded by the Dora Demon Tribe.

The Dora Demons were large in number and possessed relatively strong abilities. Each Dora Demon possessed powerful abilities that were at least the Fourth-level and above. The strongest Dora Demon was dark red, and there was a long, sharp horn protruding from his head. He was the Greater Demon among the Dora Demon Tribe. Judging by the length of his single horn, this Greater Demon's ability would be at least comparable to a peak Ninth-level Spell Caster.

At this moment, this Greater Demon was commanding the powerful Dora Demon Tribe to attack the young Spell Casters in the middle. All the Dora Demons appeared to be almost demented with a blood-red glint in their eyes.

"Dora Warriors, go, rip these abominable Spell Casters to shreds. They're the ones who had caused us to be homeless. They're the ones who had caused us to be trapped in this huge bullpen forever. Go on, release your wrath, and tear them into shreds…"

The completely dark-red Dora Demon with a golden horn on his head shouted provokingly. Instantly, the tightly packed Dora Demons in the surroundings became even more demented. It seemed that they could not be killed, looking at their immensely durable bodies and incredible speeds.

Fortunately, the dozen or so young Spell Casters also had their own arsenal of techniques. Basically, they consisted of Sixth- to Seventh-level Spell Casters, so they would be able to withstand for a moment at least.

However, it would be just for a moment. The number of Dora Demons was truly too many. Battling against the continuous attack made them extremely exhausted. If their Magic Power ran out or their Runic Magic Circle was broken, then their situation would turn precarious.

Additionally, the most terrifying Greater Demon had yet to attack. Once he had attacked, even all of them combined would not be a strong enough opponent against the Greater Demon.

"Damn it, how is it that we encountered a Greater Demon? Isn't this the outer realm of Bloodshed Universe? If we continue this way, sooner or later we would be torn into shreds by these demented Dora Demons."

"The Galaxy Grand Alliance's competition is jointly organized by the various Great Legends from tens of dimensions once every hundred years in order to select the most outstanding young Wizard in the Grand Alliance. We've undergone many selection rounds and finally entered the final round. For this reason, we're sent into the Bloodshed Universe to complete our last challenge. Who would have thought that we would be so unlucky? Upon entering the Bloodshed Universe, we've immediately encountered this bloodthirsty Greater Demon. Since it hasn't been ten days, we're unable to leave."

"Even more despicable is that Hugo. He's completely indifferent and doesn't intend to help us at all!"

"Damn that Hugo. Doesn't he know that after we die, he'd have to face this group of Dora Demons by himself?"

Regardless of the curses strewn by this group of young Wizards, another young Spell Caster dressed in sky-blue Wizard robes nearby was staring at this group of Dora Demons with indifference.

Although the dozen or so young Spell Casters were in grave danger, he had no intention of extending a helping hand. Instead, he was silently staring at the Greater Demon behind the demented Dora Demons.

According to the Galaxy Grand Alliance's competition rules, killing a Greater Demon was almost equivalent to killing a thousand ordinary Dora Demons. If Hugo wanted to perform well in this Grand Alliance's competition and fight for first place, then he would have to hunt and kill that Greater Demon.

However, the Greater Demon was also not an easy target that could be easily killed. Hugo was merely a Five-Elemental Spell Caster, so killing a Greater Demon would be quite difficult. Therefore, he would have to preserve his energy until there was an opportunity for him to make his killing shot.

As for the other young Wizards in the same Grand Alliance's competition as him, Wizard Hugo was completely uncaring. Whether they were dead or alive did not affect him. His only concern was whether he would be able to shine in this competition and rank at the top ten.

"Even the top ten isn't reassuring enough. Only the first-place winner would be recommended by the Great Legend into Arcane City. As for the remaining nine Spell Casters, they'll only be recommended by the Grand Alliance to Arcane City. It'll then be up to Arcane City whether to invite these Spell Casters in. Therefore, the safest way to enter Arcane City is still to emerge first place!"

Hugo's heart burned with fervor. He wanted to emerge at first place in order to prove to the Grand Alliance that he was the real number one prodigy among the Alliance. Only he deserved to enter Arcane City.

Hugo was waiting patiently. He did not know why the Greater Demon had not issued any commands to attack him. Perhaps, the Greater Demon was slightly cautious of him. That would be even better because then, Hugo was more confident that once he found a suitable opportunity, he would be able to kill this Greater Demon.

The Greater Demon in a distance had of course, discovered Hugo. This young-looking Spell Caster gave off a very threatening aura, so his abilities must be quite strong.

Nevertheless, the Greater Demon was not afraid. The more talented the Spell Caster was, the higher the sense of accomplishment he would feel upon killing him. The entire Dora Demon Tribe held high esteem of anyone who managed to kill a powerful Spell Caster, so he would be respected by all the Dora Demons.

Before that, however, the Greater Demon wanted to kill most of the other Spell Casters first. Thereafter, he would direct all his strength to attack this young but threatening Spell Caster. Although the Greater Demon did not understand why Hugo did not step forward to rescue the others, he was obviously delighted with Hugo's indifference.

"Foolish Spell Casters. You're atrocious, selfish, and pathetic. I really don't know how you managed to step out of your dimension and entered the Void Zone as well as conquered hundreds and thousands of dimensions?"

Seeing the indifference displayed by Hugo, he snickered in his heart. He focused his attention on the large number of young Spell Casters. The reason he had not attacked them was to guard against Hugo.

Nonetheless, even without his interference, the resistance of this group of Spell Casters was already beginning to shake under the continuous attack from hundreds and thousands of Dora Demons. Not too much longer, they would be ripped into shreds by countless Dora Demons.

Numerous golden glowing runes began to shift about, their lights flashing as if they would soon be destroyed.

"We're done for. The Runic Magic Circle can't hold up anymore."

"We're all going to die here… Damn that Hugo. If we somehow survive this, we must spread the word about his despicable character all over the entire Galaxy Grand Alliance. I didn't expect that he would be so heartless."

"We won't be able to hold on any longer. How unfortunate, we've waded through so many hardships, and multiple layers of competition until we reached the final round that will be observed by the Grand Alliance, but we're going to die at the hands of a foreign tribe…"

Among this group of Spell Casters, there were anger, frustration, and various manifestations. All these emotions reflected the turmoil inside their hearts. Following the destruction of the Runic Magic Circle, they were in a dire situation.

"Crash."

Another Dora Demon slammed viciously onto the Runic Magic Circle. The next instant, the Runic Magic Circle was smashed into smithereens like a piece of fragile glass.

"Dora Warriors, their Runic Magic Circle has collapsed. Go on. Rip all these abominable Spell Casters into shreds…"

A smile appeared on the Greater Demon's face as he ordered the countless Dora Demons to charge dementedly at the dozen Spell Casters.

"Escape, everyone, wield your escape techniques. Even if only one can escape, you'll be the lucky one…"

Once the Runic Magic Circle had collapsed, the Spell Casters could no longer resist the attacks. The leader of the Spell Casters asked everyone to escape but judging by the dense formation of Dora Demon enclosing them, escaping was simply impossible!

"Swish swish."

Suddenly, from a distance away, two rays of light flew toward them at lightning speed.

From within the light, two figures emerged, dressed in Spell Caster attire. Immediately, a look of joy appeared on the faces of the Spell Casters who were trapped, and facing imminent death.

"Sir Wizards, please save us. We're Spell Casters from the Galaxy Grand Alliance…"

These Spell Casters immediately asked for help from the two strangers. Although they did not know whether their pleas would be useful, they were desperate, and this was their last remaining hope.

"The Galaxy Grand Alliance? Sounds like a huge faction from far away."

The more stoic-looking, middle-aged man frowned as he spoke. Just as he was about to step forward, the younger black-robed Wizard beside him stretched out a hand to stop him.

The young Wizard smiled slightly. "Wizard Midnight, you've just killed a Greater Demon. This time, you should let me try. After all, I've been in the Bloodshed Universe for three days and gained a sufficient understanding of these Dora Demons."

These two Wizards were coincidentally Midnight and Merlin who had been wandering around the Bloodshed Universe. The two of them did not have a clear destination or direction, and simply wandered around aimlessly. Whenever they encountered any Dora Demons, the ruthless bloodshed began.

Of course, it was Wizard Midnight who had done most of the attacking. They had also encountered a Greater Demon before but he too, was killed by Wizard Midnight. Wizard Midnight's secret abilities had astounded Merlin. Most probably, Wizard Midnight was already infinitely close to becoming a Great Wizard.

This time, they bumped into the Dora Demons swarming around some Spell Casters in the Bloodshed Universe. This was a fresh situation for Merlin. Moreover, in the past three days, he had gained an understanding of the Dora Demon Tribe. Even without activating the God-Binding Disc, his abilities should be comparable to an average Greater Demon.

Therefore, this time, he was ready to make a move.

Wizard Midnight hesitated for a moment. He glanced at Merlin. Then, he nodded faintly and took a step backward. When he first met Merlin, he only thought of Merlin as an average Potential Wizard. Since they had both came from Arcane City, he decided to give Merlin a leg-up and help familiarize him with the Bloodshed Universe.

Up to this point, Merlin should be relatively familiar with the Bloodshed Universe. Furthermore, Wizard Midnight also wanted to see Merlin's abilities.

Merlin took a deep breath, and swept his gaze across the demented Dora Demons in front of them. Numbers, to him, meant nothing.

"Hoo…"

A cool breeze wheezed by. Merlin stood motionless in the same place but his entire body was emitting an invisible, harrowing fluctuation…