712 - 720

Chapter 712: Mobata World

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Master?"

The sphinx guardian seemed to be lost in his memories. A long time had passed before he slowly replied, "Master calls himself Aruba. It seems that he came here a long time ago. When I was born, there were still no Spell Casters. The entire dimension was very savage. I don't know the reason but Master stayed in this dimension for a long time until three thousand years. He always said that he was unsatisfied, and finally left, leaving us to defend this place."

Merlin looked at the sphinx guardian's memories. The word "Aruba" was quite extraordinary in the Molta language, meaning "origin" or "beginning".

What surprised Merlin even more was that there was someone already here when the Glorious Land was still an uncivilized territory. There would be tens of thousands of years ago or even longer.

Thinking about the large stone carvings from before, Merlin asked, "Were those stone carvings carved by Aruba?"

"Yes, Master made those stone carvings when he was bored. Back then, he seemed to pay close attention to you Spell Casters."

Merlin fell silent as he digested what the sphinx guard had said. It was truly shocking and incredible. If what he said was true, then Aruba was extremely terrifying. He had witnessed the development of the Glorious Land as well as the rise of Spell Casters.

"He left three thousand years ago. Wasn't that when the Molta Empire collapsed?"

The sphinx only knew about these things. He seemed to have been given "life" by Aruba. He did not have Elemental fluctuations, and could not cast any spells. He did not have divine energy fluctuations either, which excluded the possibility of him being a Spell Caster or a god.

Aruba was full of secrets. Merlin hated that he could not reveal the truth immediately.

"Merlin, before Master left, he said that he left some things in the Mobata world. As long as someone defeats me, they can choose to enter the Mobata world. However, the Mobata world is beyond my control. I don't even know how to get in or out, so it's very dangerous. Master said that you're free to choose to enter or not. If you don't enter, you can leave. Of course, you won't get any treasures."

Merlin smiled wryly. "If I don't enter, then what was the point of defeating you?"

"Alright, I'll lead you!"

The sphinx guardian seemed to have guessed Merlin's choice, and immediately took Merlin to another passage with a stone gate.

"Rumble."

The stone gate immediately opened, and this time, Merlin felt a more intense Dimension Origin force. His heart also felt excited. It seemed that this Dimension Origin was on the other side of the passage. Otherwise, there would not be such a strong force.

After walking for half an hour, Merlin saw a huge light gate. Around the light gate was a vast, powerful, and familiar life force. It was the Dimension Origin that Merlin yearned for even in his dreams. As long as he controlled it, he could control the entire Glorious Land.

Merlin's Mind Power quickly spread out and approached the Dimension Origin.

"Boom."

However, just as Merlin contacted it, he felt a hot force like a burning flame. Even Merlin's Mind Power started to burn.

"Oh no, Merlin. Cut off this Mind Power immediately!"

Titus suddenly emerged from the Illusory World and exclaimed.

Merlin immediately cut off the Mind Power, and his Mind Power world instantly shook. This was equivalent to him personally abandoning a portion of his Mind Power, and deeply hurt Merlin.

"What was that power? It can burn and attack the illusory Mind Power?"

This was the first time Merlin had encountered something that could cause damage to his illusory Mind Power. He used to be successful as long as he used the formless Mind Power but this time, he suffered a great loss. A part of Mind Power that he painstakingly cultivated was lost just like that.

"So, your goal was the Dimension Origin. Don't waste your efforts. This Dimension Origin had long been used by Master to connect the Mobata world and the Glorious Land. There's also the power left behind by Master. Even the unsurpassed Arcane Wizards among you Spell Casters won't be able to do anything, much less you."

The sphinx guardian laughed when he saw Merlin dare to touch the Dimension Origin. He knew the strength of his master, Aruba.

"Even Arcane Wizards who came before couldn't do anything?"

Merlin was in disbelief. In the entire Void Zone, Arcane Wizards were the ultimate existences. Apart from the unique creature that was born in the Void Zone, the Slothful Beast, what was more powerful than an ultimate existence?

Even the Slothful Beast did not exceed the category of ultimate existences.

However, now, Arcane Wizards could not control a mere Dimension Origin. Merlin found that difficult to believe.

As if seeing Merlin's thoughts, the sphinx guardian did not continue to argue about this issue, and instead pointed to the huge light gate of the Dimension Origin and said, "You'll reach the Mobata world that Master had created through this gate. Think carefully."

"The Mobata world…"

Merlin closed his eyes. He suddenly recalled the Molta Empire. In the Molta language, "Molta" meant "perfect" or "perfection".

However, in the Molta language, Mobata meant "defect", "imperfection" or "regret".

Was there any connection?

Merlin did not know but he wanted to enter and see what this world created by Aruba was like, especially the things that he left in the Mobata world. Merlin wanted to obtain those things.

"Say no more. I've already thought it over!"

Merlin took a deep breath, and looked at the Dimension Origin. He did not dare to try using his Mind Power to control the Dimension Origin again. Therefore, his figure flashed, and he stepped into the large light gate.

"Hum."

Like ripples, Merlin felt an irresistible force that viciously pulled him to the other side of the gate. Then, his figure disappeared from the light gate.

"He went in. I hope you can return…"

The sphinx guardian looked at the light gate deeply before returning to the stone room and turning into a sphinx statue. No one knew how long it would be until it woke again.

…

"Whoosh."

At the edge of a small river, a black hole appeared, causing a whirlwind. Then, a figure was flung out of the black hole.

"Splash."

The figure fell into the stream, covered in stones, completely soaked.

"Is this the Mobata world?"

The strange figure in the stream did not seem to care that he was sopping wet at all. He held out his hand, and his figure slowly rose to the air, and then fell back onto the riverbank.

This person was Merlin, who had just exited the light gate. He looked down at his soaked body, and a flame appeared.

Immediately, the hot temperature instantly evaporated the water, and the robe was dry.

"No Elements."

Merlin frowned. While he was familiarizing himself with this strange world, he realized that there were no Elements.

Fortunately, Merlin still had a large number of elemental crystal stones. There were unimaginable numbers of elemental crystal stones, especially in the warship. Besides, with Merlin's strength, he could still cast Hallucinating spells against an enemy even in a place without Elements. There was no need to consume Elements at all.

Spell Casters relied heavily on Elements but when they formed Maxims and became Great Legends, then Elements would no longer be essential. Great Legends could completely rely on their Maxims to fight against enemies. Besides, even if the Maxims were worn out, they could slowly recover. There was no need for Elements at all.

Therefore, Great Legends were claimed to be comparable to gods. As long as they were responsible and did not cause destruction, Great Legends were immortal. This was similar to gods where the most important thing to them was their divinity.

"Crack."

Merlin flicked his finger, and terrifying power immediately erupted from his multi-colored Wizard Heart. However, it was amazing that the space here was incredibly solid. Merlin could not break it even when attacking with all his strength.

After all, Merlin was now second only to Honored Legends. He was not below Legend Zado but he could not even break a bit of space. Although he could shake the space a little by attacking at full power, only Honored Legends who had formed an ultimate Maxim would be able to break the space at once.

"The space here is very solid. The person who created this world, Aruba, really is a mysterious existence!"

Merlin also felt somewhat regretful. Who knew how much effort was spent to make the space so stable.

Since he could not break the space, he could not travel via subspace, and could only slowly fly.

Thus, he slowly flew in the sky, and his Mind Power spread out to the surroundings. With Merlin's current Mind Power, it was easy to shroud a large city.

This mountain forest looked vast and boundless but under Merlin's Mind Power, it was completely clear. Through continuous exploration, Merlin had discovered some oddities.

The wild beasts in the mountain forest were especially strong. Their strength and speed were outrageous. Perhaps the reason why was because there were no Elements and could not cast Spells, so their bodies had to be more powerful.

Merlin spread his Mind Power to the extreme but was disappointed. He had not found the end yet. There seemed to be no end to the mountain forest.

"Hm? What a powerful life force!"

Merlin's Mind Power probed freely when he suddenly seemed to have detected a surging vitality that was as vigorous as fire somewhere in the mountain forest.

"Boom."

The surging vitality seemed to have sensed Merlin's probing. Then, the fierce life force immediately erupted, and a formless gaze quickly locked on Merlin.

"Interesting. It seems to be a powerful living creature of this world. Let's see how strong it is."

Merlin was not afraid but rejoiced instead. He swiftly flew in the direction of the strong force.

Chapter 713: The Savage Raptor

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Whoosh!

Merlin was hovering in the air when he saw something that was covered in warts, had a mouth full of sharp teeth, and two wings dotted thickly with spikes.

It was a huge bird, larger than the three-headed dragon, and Merlin could also feel that this beast was even stronger than the three-headed dragon.

The ferocious life force exuding from its body was comparable to Great Wizards'.

Skree!

The savage raptor screeched loudly and spread its wings, charging viciously towards Merlin. Its claws were powerful. It was a ferocious raptor that relied completely on the strength of its body.

"Silencing Ray!"

Merlin spread his hand out, and Darkness Eye appeared. A large crimson eye emerged behind him, and a ray of light shot immediately towards the raptor.

Tss.

The penetrating power of Silencing Ray was incredibly strong, and its power was comparable to those Great Legends who had formed at least one Maxim. If one was not careful, even Maxims could be destroyed by Silencing Ray.

As a result, a bloody hole appeared on the savage raptor right after it was hit by Silencing Ray. The bird went mad with pain, but Merlin realized that the fighting capacity of the creature did not weaken at all. It instead became even more aggressive, and the bloody hole on its body was recovering slowly.

"Interesting. It's not even afraid of Silencing Ray!"

Merlin used Darkness Eye to send out several more Silencing Rays, and the crimson light shot madly towards the savage raptor. However, the raptor seemed to have learned from experience this time. With a sweep of its wings, the incredibly large creature dodged the Silencing Rays one after another.

The savage raptor was getting closer to where Merlinwas, and the strong gales caused by its wings billowed at his direction. While he was observing, Merlin estimated that this raptor was comparable to Great Legends with two Maxims.

Furthermore, it was incredibly swift. It had no way of attacking by using spells and only had terrifying close combat. One could guess how frightening its close combat prowess was just by seeing how it constantly tried to approach Merlin.

"Wind!"

Merlin saw that the savage raptor was getting closer and closer, and a multi-color Wizard Heart appeared behind him. Huge magical energy gushed out and formed a giant hand composed entirely of strong winds.

This giant hand covered almost half of the sky. A sense of terrifying oppressiveness could be felt upon its appearance. Even the menace of the savage raptor seemed to be suppressed.

Boom!

The giant hand made up of strong winds slammed down, and the savage raptor's body was immediately caught. No matter how hard the creature struggled, it was to no avail.

"Ice Seal!"

Merlin pointed again, and the savage raptor's entire body froze, leaving just the head unscathed. That was because Merlin did not want to kill the creature now.

Rumble…

Then, the savage raptor encased in ice smashed to the ground, and a large pit was formed as a consequence.

The multi-colored Wizard Heart behind Merlin also disappeared. He landed on the ground and watched as the savage raptor struggled. If Merlin did not withdraw the multi-colored Wizard Heart, those ice crystal would keep the raptor frozen until it finally died.

This savage raptor seemed to have some intelligence. After struggling for a while and finding it futile, it slowly quieted down and stopped its squirming. It fixed its eyes on Merlin.

It knew that this seemingly 'weak' person before him had defeated it.

Merlin then began to use his Mind Power to study the savage raptor's body. He swept its body and found every inch of it contained explosive power.

It was indeed a ferocious beast at close combat, similar to the Giant Tribe in the Void Zone. Of course, the Giant Tribe was incredibly powerful by nature, and their bodies were extremely robust. This savage raptor seemed to be comparable to a Great Legend Giant.

No matter how he looked at it, it had no connection to Spell Casters. After all, even if the three-headed dragon was comparable to a Great Wizard, it had to rely on releasing terrifying spells to become a fierce beast that everyone feared. It was completely different from this savage raptor.

"Are you willing to submit to me?"

Merlin directly projected his Mind Power into the savage raptor's head. This was the most direct way of communication. Generally, only beings that were above Legend would be able to master it.

Of course, Spell Casters used Mind Power. Other tribes such as the Giant Tribe used their own unique power to communicate in their minds without being bound by language barriers.

The savage raptor seemed to have retained some sort of intelligence. It assessed its current circumstances after having heard Merlin. Finally, it bowed its head to express its willingness to submit.

Merlin waved his hand lightly and removed the spell. The savage raptor immediately regained its freedom, but Merlin was not worried. The gap between the raptor and him was too large.

The savage raptor did not immediately 'turn against' him either. Fierce beasts like it were probably more loyal than anyone of this world, in the Void Zone, or even in the Land of Glory. They would never betray their masters unless they were abandoned once they have submitted.

The savage raptor crawled down and lowered its head to show its obedience to Merlin.

"Very good."

Merlin relied on the three-headed dragon to travel quickly in the Glorious Land and was used to having a fierce beast. This savage raptor was comparable to a Great Legend and was extremely fast. It was just what he needed. Furthermore, it was far stronger than the three-headed dragon.

"Let's go explore this new world!"

Merlin flew onto the back of the savage raptor. Its soft feathers were much more comfortable than the three-headed dragon's back. He grew more and more interested in this new world. It seemed to have endless secrets that needed Merlin to discover little by little.

Swoosh!

The savage raptor spread its wings and flew into the sky with a fierce flap.

…

On the bumpy gravel road, dozens of carriages escorted by hundreds of knights drove by slowly.

In the carriages sat mostly women and children as well as some sundries. It seemed like the entire family was migrating. Occasionally, the soft cries of the women and children could be heard.

Heroic knights guarded the entourage closely. This was the family of Count Mandela. The envoy was also flying the flag of Count Mandela.

However, Count Mandela, who owned a large territory, was sending his family out at the moment. This made everyone feel depressed, and a heavy atmosphere had permeated the air ever since then.

In the middle of the entourage was a luxurious carriage. A beautiful woman sat in the carriage wearing a light blue dress. She looked worried and would lift the blinds in the carriage from time to time to look at the sky behind her.

"The barbarians' attack this time was so fierce that father sent us away. I'm afraid he's preparing for the worst to happen."

Unpleasant thoughts flashed one after another in Mia's mind. The entire city would be reduced to ruins if those barbarians attacked and broke through Mandela City. The savage barbarians were not civilized and only know about wanton destruction and bloody slaughter.

"Sister, don't worry. I'll protect you! I promised father that I'll protect you until we arrive at Lombard City.

The person who had spoken was a boy around twelve to thirteen years old sitting in the carriage, but his body was very strong. There was a huge sword on his back, and a fearsome life force was permeating from his body. If one did not see his immature face, no one would have believed that he was just a teenage boy.

"Yes, my little Kevin has grown up and can protect his elder sister, but Lombard City is still very far away. We have so many families here but only a few hundred knights. It's still very dangerous."

Compared to Kevin, Mia was clearly the one who was controlling the entourage. She had taken a lot of things into consideration. Ruba City was a way out that Count Mandela had arranged for them, and they would only be safe there. There would be no invasions from barbarians and no attacks from fearsome beasts either.

There were even Sanctuary Contenders there. Ruba City was the safest and strongest city for the Mobatans. It was their greatest hope as well.

Barbarians and fierce beasts constantly attacked the cities of the Mobatans. The Mobatans split long ago and all fought on their own. They had to learn to fight barbarians and kill beasts since childhood. Even women had to take up arms to fight.

Being able to live a peaceful life was the wish of every Mobata person.

"Don't worry, elder sister. One day, I'll become a Sanctuary Contender. I'll expel those barbarians and beasts, and protect father, mother, sister, and save all the Mobatans."

Kevin patted his chest. Becoming a Sanctuary Contender and protecting the Mobatans might be the goal of all youngsters, but it was extremely hard to become one. There were only a dozen Sanctuary Contenders in the entire Mobata world. It was precisely because of the ten Sanctuary Contenders that the Mobatans had not been wiped to extinction.

They were the protectors and heroes of all the Mobatans!

"Kevin, you'll definitely have the opportunity to become a Sanctuary Contender as long as you work hard. You'll be able to protect me as well as the Mobata world!"

Mia looked at Kevin with an expression of gratitude. Kevin was only twelve years old, but he was already a stage-four contender. Perhaps he could become a stage-eight contender like his father, Count Mandela, one day.

A stage-eight contender was enough to support an entire clan. The burden of the family's future would eventually fall on Kevin's shoulders. He would become the hope of the clan in the future.

"Halt!"

Suddenly, the entourage was stopped. The sounds of hooves were heard outside, and a knight hurried to Mia's carriage and said in a hushed tone, "Lady Mia, something's wrong. There's a large group of fierce beasts in front of us. They're charging wildly at us for some reason. We're prepared to fight to the death to stop the herd."

"Fierce beasts?"

Mia paled. She quickly lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw the dust floating in the air outside. Her greatest worry had indeed come true. With just these few hundred knights, they could not do much even if they came across barbarians or ferocious beasts.

This was especially true when it came to this herd of beasts before their eyes. They rushed over like the tide, and there were even some stage-seven ferocious beasts among them. Those were master-level beasts and were extremely terrifying.

"Run, Kevin. Run away with the knights. Sister will buy some time for you. You're the hope of the family!"

Mia closed her eyes and made a decision quickly. She would stay here and command the troops to block this herd of fierce beasts and try her best to buy Kevin time to escape.

Kevin was the only hope of the clan!

Chapter 714: Sanctuary Contender?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Captain Auron, you're a stage-six contender as well as the strongest contender here. Take Kevin and leave. He's our only hope. You must teach him well…"

Mia waved her hand. Captain Auron gritted his teeth and ignored Kevin's struggles when he picked Kevin up with one hand. He bowed to Mia respectfully and turned away immediately, escaping with Kevin alone.

Without Auron, who was their only stage-six contender, the troops would find it even harder to defeat the ferocious beasts. Nonetheless, some kind of preparations must still be made.

"All knights, form ranks. Arms at the ready. Pledge your life!"

"Pledge our lives!"

There was not a trace of fear in the eyes of these knights. They were all elite knights who had fought barbarians and fierce beasts many times. They would not take a single step back for their honor as knights.

Rumble…

The ground began to shake and a cloud of dust rose from the distant horizon, blocking out the sun. It was enough to show just how terrifying the stampede was.

Mia closed her eyes gently. Her luck had run out at this point.

"I hope Kevin lives on…"

Perhaps that would be Mia's final thought.

"Spears at the ready!"

Mia has despaired. However, as brave knights of the Mandela family, as warriors who climbed out of the corpses of barbarians, they would never just sit and wait for death.

Hundreds of the knights raised their long spears. Their spears seemed to be made of a special kind of metal and were extremely heavy, but in the hands of these knights, it was nothing at all.

The tip of the long spears glinted coldly in the light, silently waiting for the first bloody contact with the herd.

Hoo…

All of a sudden, a gust of wind surged through the area, and the beasts seemed to grow even more frantic as if there was something terrible chasing them. These beasts who were supposed to be mercilessly vicious only looked fearful right now.

"There's something off about these fierce beasts."

That thought flashed in everyone's hearts, but they did not linger on it. No matter the reason, they would not be able to survive the first wave of beasts. These beasts would tear them up completely.

"They're coming!"

They could already envision the pungent and bloody scene…

…

Merlin was sitting on the huge raptor in the sky. Under them were a group of fierce beasts, charging forward and running away desperately.

Moreover, the further the raptor pushed, the more beasts joined the fleeing army. Therefore, Merlin had inadvertently created a stampede of beasts when he made the raptor fly onwards.

Like the creatures living in the water, they were extremely afraid of birds of prey and could not endure even just a little whiff of their life force.

"How interesting. This savage raptor seems to have a very high position. No other fierce beasts dare to challenge its status."

Merlin laughed and said to the savage raptor, "Is your position very high? These fierce beasts are all scared of you."

The savage raptor let of a cry of grievance. It looked at the horde of beasts below and felt wronged. Its status was not just 'high.' It was basically the overlord of this forest. No beasts dared to approach anywhere within a hundred miles from it.

Those beasts were unable to withstand the slightest bit of its life force, but the raptor could not speak and naturally could not tell Merlin about its 'noble identity.'

In reality, Merlin had already guessed that the raptor had a very high status when he saw how much panic it had caused among the fierce beasts. How could a creature comparable to a Great Legend not have a noble status?

Even in the Spell Caster civilization, Great Legends were people admired by countless others. They could occupy a dimension single-handedly and spread the knowledge of Spell Casters.

"Hm? There seem to be people up ahead. Is it a civilization or tribe of this world?"

Merlin's huge Mind Power was constantly spreading all over the surrounding area, so he had easily discovered that there was a 'tribe' similar to him in front.

It might be the dominant civilization of the Mobata world.

However, those people did not seem to be in a good situation. They were unable to resist the tide of beasts at all. Merlin finally found a tribe in the Mobata world after much difficulty, so he naturally would not allow the wave of beasts to destroy them.

"Hurry. That stampede was caused by you. We can't let those people be harmed!"

The savage raptor flapped its wings 'indignantly' and doubled its speed.

Whoosh!

The raptor was like a gust of wind. The howling wind resounded through the sky. All the beasts and the people heard it.

"What's that?"

The hundreds of knights who were prepared to fight to the death with the beasts suddenly looked up and saw a gust of wind in the distance sweeping towards them at a terrifying speed. The beasts charging their way seemed to become even more frenzied. Their expressions revealed a sense of unparalleled fear.

Mia's mouth fell open. Since she was too far away, she could not see what was hidden in the wind.

Soon though, the squall approached near enough for them to see what was hidden behind it. They could see now that it was a huge and terrifying beast covered in hideous warts.

"This beast is unusual. It's as if all the other beasts are afraid of it! Such an oppressive force too! Not even the Earl or the barbarian leader who attacked the city had such a powerful and oppressive force."

"A hideous beast covered in warts, has a pair of wings, and all other beasts are afraid of it… Could this be the king-level beast of the Lobase mountains?"

Everyone could not help but let out a gasp when they heard the words spoken by one of the most experienced knights.

A king-level beast. It would be the most supreme existence among all beasts and the overlord of a forest.

Beasts were divided into ordinary and master-level ones. A master-level beast was at least stage-seven and above, and most of the king-level beasts only existed in legends. Many people may not have the chance to see one their entire life.

King-level beasts of the Mobata world were comparable to the great Sanctuary Contenders. Although Sanctuary Contenders might be slightly stronger for a variety of reasons, they definitely belonged to the same level of existence.

If a king-level beast led the beasts from a whole forest and caused a stampede, no matter how strong the city walls were, it would be useless. Perhaps no other city would be able to withstand it except for Ruba City.

"Oh, heavens. There's always been a rumor about a king-level beast in the Lobase mountains, but it has never been seen for hundreds of years. Could that rumor actually be true? This terrifying stampede was caused by that king-level beast?"

Mia was shocked to the point of no return. She no longer paid attention to the safety of the family. A stampede of beasts led by a king-level beast was enough to destroy most cities.

The entire Mobata world would suffer heavy losses. These beasts were far more terrifying than the barbarians, and all of this was even caused by a king-level beast.

Everyone seemed to believe that the end of the Mobata world was coming. The Mobatans who were barely surviving under the attacks from the beasts and barbarians seemed to have forgotten the glory they once had from ruling over the entire world.

Mobatans today belonged to the weak side of the world. Whether it was barbarians or fierce beasts, their overall strength was far stronger than the Mobatans.

Just one wave of these beasts was enough to cause severe damage to the Mobata World. If they were to attack eight to ten times, the Mobatans might be facing grave destruction then.

The hideous raptor in the sky did not swallow the entourage whole but hovered above them in the sky instead. Then, the terrifying king-level beast turned around, opened its enormous mouth, and roared at the herd.

Boom!

The shrill roar seemed to shake the earth, and the endless tide of beasts suddenly halted in their steps. These fierce beasts prostrated on the ground, trembling and expressing their allegiance to the king-level beast in the sky.

Fierce beasts paid more attention to the difference in their statues. It was impossible for lower rank beasts to challenge high stage beasts. King-level beasts were the kings of the entire forest. No fierce beast would feel unafraid before it.

Seeing the tide of beasts had stopped, the raptor in the sky flapped its wings a few times. Immediately, those beasts stood up again, turned around, and ran back to the forest.

The terrifying stampede had disappeared in an instant.

On the deserted gravel road, the entourage with about ten carriages was unusually silent. There was no sound except for the neighing of the horses. They all looked at the large beast in the sky in horror.

Crash!

The king-level beast that just drove away the tide of beasts landed on the ground in front of the crowd. It slowly retracted its huge wings and stared straight at them with evil eyes. Its huge life force made the atmosphere unusually somber.

Mia's heart was also a mess. She had no idea how to deal with this situation that had already exceeded her understanding. No one would be able to stay calm in the face of a king-level beast comparable to a Sanctuary Contender.

"It seems that you're all uninjured, but you don't seem to be very welcoming to your rescuer."

A cold and unfamiliar voice sounded in their minds out of nowhere.

The crowd widened their eyes and stared at the ugly king-level beast in front of them. Was the raptor talking? It was too unimaginable. After all, there were no records of king-level beasts speaking even in the oldest books.

"No, there's someone on the king-level beast. Heavens, is it a great Sanctuary Contender who had tamed the king-level beast?"

Right then, someone finally saw that there was a small figure standing on the savage raptor's back. Only those who had tamed a king-level beast would be able to do that.

Such a person was, without exception, a great Sanctuary Contender!

All at once, everyone had their eyes fixed on the small figure on the raptor's back.

Chapter 715: Relief Sculpture and Training Drills

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"You saved us? Great Sanctuary Contender…"

Mia stood up and saluted Merlin.

The others also looked at Merlin with their burning gaze. The fear they were feeling before had disappeared.

Merlin was shocked. He had used Mind Power to speak directly in their minds earlier. Now, he could understand what the noble girl was saying. She spoke in the very familiar Molta language.

"This world was created by the mysterious Aruba and should have some connections to the Glorious Land."

Thoughts flashed in Merlin's mind. Then, he nodded and said, "I saved you."

These people seemed to regard Merlin as a so-called 'Sanctuary Contender.' They all looked at him with expressions of reverence, and Merlin did not correct them either. It seemed that the identity of a Sanctuary Contender was quite a pleasant one. At least he would not have any problems blending in.

Mia's expression overflooded with happiness when she heard Merlin's acknowledgment. This was a great Sanctuary Contender who occupied the peak of the Mobata world. One punch from him could destroy a mountain, one palm could cut off a river, him alone could eradicate countless cities. It was because of these Sanctuary Contenders that the Mobatan civilization still existed to this day. Otherwise, they would have been defeated by barbarians and fierce beasts a long time ago.

"Great Sanctuary Contender, what's your name?"

"Just call me Merlin!"

"Sir Merlin, thank you for helping us, but we have one more thing for you to help us with."

Mia bit her lip and looked at Merlin expectantly. This was her only chance.

"Say it. Your entire family is moving away. Did something happen to you?"

Merlin was still being amiable.

"Sir Merlin, despicable barbarians are attacking our Mandela City. My father, Count Mandela, sent us out of the city, hoping we can reach Ruba City. If you hadn't saved us, I'm afraid we'd all be in danger. Therefore, I implore you to save the people of Mandela City. Once those barbarians break into the city, they won't leave a single survivor."

Mia gently knelt on one knee, and the other knights including the women and children followed suit, kneeling on the ground and lowering their heads, asking Merlin to save Mandela City.

"Sister."

Suddenly, a young voice sounded from behind. Kevin, who had escaped earlier, realized that the stampede seemed to have retreated and had asked the captain to send him back again.

"Kevin, kneel down. Let Sir Merlin save our Mandela City. Sir Merlin is a Sanctuary Contender. He'll definitely be able to defeat those barbarians if we get him involved."

Mia did not have time to ask Kevin why he returned at the moment. She pulled him down onto his knees instead.

"Sanctuary Contender?"

Kevin raised his head sharply, his gaze burning. He puffed out his chest and said loudly, "Sir Merlin, please save Mandela City. Father often teaches us that the Mobata world is in grave danger, and every Mobatan should help each other. One day, we'll defeat those barbarians and drive those beasts out of the forest."

Merlin felt the rare qualities of strength and courage from the gaze of this twelve-year-old boy. He could become a powerful knight in the Glorious Land even if he did not have the qualities of a Spell Caster.

Merlin did not care much about the barbarians, but perhaps he could take this opportunity to understand the Mobata world thoroughly. The human civilization in this world seemed to not be doing so well.

"Do you want to feel what it's like on this big guy?"

Merlin smiled and said to Kevin.

"Sir Merlin, are you agreeing to our request?"

Mia was overjoyed. She never imagined that they would stumbled upon a great Sanctuary Contender half way to their destination. It was a godsend. After all, middle and lower-class nobles like them had absolutely no chance of ever meeting a lofty Sanctuary Contender even in Ruba City.

"You come as well. I need someone to show me the way."

Merlin pointed at Mia. This aristocratic girl looked weak on the outside but was actually very strong on the inside. She reminded Merlin of Charise.

Then, Merlin took Kevin and jumped on the raptor's back. It seemed to be displeased, but since it had already submitted to Merlin, it could only swallow back its dissatisfaction.

Mia regarded the raptor with trepidation. After they found their footing, Merlin patted the raptor's head gently and said, "Alright, let's go."

The raptor slowly stood up and stretch its huge wings. Then, with a flap of its wings, it flew to the skies with three people in tow.

Hoo… hoo…

The howling wind whistled past their ears as the raptor flew up above the clouds. Mia and Kevin were extremely nervous. They laid flat on the raptor's back, gripping its feathers desperately.

Fortunately, the raptor was extremely large. When it stood up, it was taller than a city. Its back was also very broad, so there was no need to worry about losing one's footing at all.

"Sir Merlin, is this a king-level beast you tamed?"

It was the brave Kevin who had asked in an envious tone. His excitement for being be able to sit on the fierce raptor was visible.

Merlin shook his head and said calmly, "I don't know if it's a king-level beast or not."

"What? Sir Merlin, you don't know either? How did you tame it then?"

Mia and Kevin were both curious. This raptor seemed extraordinary. A Sanctuary Contender like Merlin was clueless about its identity..

"Tame? It's not that complicated. I just happened to run into it in the forest and caught it. Maybe it was afraid that I would kill it, so it just submitted to me."

Merlin pondered and affirmed that that was exactly what had happened. He felt a life force so intense it was like a raging fire. Then, he met this raptor who tried to eat him, but was caught by Merlin .

"You just caught it so easily…"

Kevin's eyes were filled with admiration. This was the Sanctuary Contender in his heart. It was such a strong king-level beast, but he had caught it in such a nonchalant manner.

Mia mulled over what she had heard. To be able to catch a king-level beast at will was considered strong even by Sanctuary Contender standards. She could not help but feel relieved. They were very lucky to have met a powerful Sanctuary Contender like Merlin.

"By the way, sister. You've seen many things. Do you know what this beast is?"

Kevin clutched the raptor's feathers tightly, but he seemed less afraid of its huge and ugly warts.

Mia thought carefully before saying with uncertainty, "I've never seen a king-level beast before, but according to its appearance, it seems to be from the Lobase mountains. It should be the legendary king of the skies, the tyrant raptor that has a noble bloodline!"

"Tyrant raptor? That's a strange name…"

Merlin muttered the name carefully. He did not think that such a hideous raptor would have such a dignified name.

When the raptor heard the words 'tyrant raptor', it nodded and let out several cheerful cries.

"Sister, it's responding. It really is the tyrant raptor! According to legends, king-level beasts are as smart as ordinary people. That seems to be true…"

Kevin was very excited as he pointed at the tyrant raptor.

Mia waved her hand and pointed at Merlin. She then whispered to Kevin, "Kevin, haven't you always dreamed about becoming a Sanctuary Contender? This chance is a gift from heaven…"

Kevin was stunned for a moment. Indeed, he had always dreamed of becoming a Sanctuary Contender. Although the path would be very difficult, it was what he had aspired to be since he was young.

Now there was a great Sanctuary Contender right in front of him. How could he forget to ask for guidance?

Kevin prostrated himself before Merlin when he arrived at the thought and said, "Sir Merli, I've always dreamt of becoming a Sanctuary Contender, of becoming a true warrior to help my father, Mandela City, and all Mobatans. I want to defeat the barbarians and expel those beasts. Sir Merlin, please accept me as your disciple."

"Disciple?"

Merlin was taken aback, but he understood roughly what was going on then. Sanctuary Contenders were most likely equivalent to Great Legends. Although he was not inferior to a Sanctuary Contender in terms of strength, he was not a true Sanctuary Contender, so how could he accept a disciple?

Nonetheless, Merlin was curious about everything going on this Mobata world. To understand a civilization, one must first understand its power system.

Perhaps this was an opportunity for him to do so.

Thus, Merlin said right away, "How much have you cultivated? Tell me all the details. Even if I can't accept you as a disciple, I may be able to give you some help."

Mia and Kevin were both on cloud nine. Even Mia felt like the possibility of Merlin accepting Kevin as his disciple was too low, but just being able to receive a few pointers was already extremely fortunate.

Kevin then told Merlin all the details of his exercises as well as all the problems he had encountered.

Merlin did not care much at first, but the more he listened, the more shocked he became. Physical training drills were popular in this world. There were no Elements, no worshippers, and no divinity. Theywere all about the training of the body.

They trained their bodies to the point where they could break mountains with a punch and cut off rivers with a palm.

"Show me your training drill!" Merlin thought of a possibility and said eagerly.

Kevin nodded. It was just a training drill. The training drill he had cultivated might be a secret to others, but Merlin was a Sanctuary Contender. Perhaps Merlin would not be impressed with his training drill at all.

Therefore, Kevin did not think too much and began to demonstrate the training drill he had practiced.

After seeing Kevin's training drill, waves of emotions surged in Merlin's heart. It was familiar, too familiar. Although there were great differences in those movements, the familiarity he felt could not be erased.

Furthermore, what Kevin said about the training drill made Merlin even more convinced that the mysterious relief sculpture posture he had cultivated in the beginning was a kind of training drill from this world.

Moreover, the mysterious relief sculpture posture Merlin had received was an incomplete training drill. It was far from being comparable to Kevin's training drill.

"The relief sculpture was obviously passed down from the period of the Molta Empire. That architectural style is definitely correct. It has a fundamental difference from the Mobata world. How could the training drill be so familiar?"

Countless thoughts dashed past Merlin's mind. Although he had already given up on practicing the posture on the relief sculpture, he had to admit that it was indeed very mystical.

Merlin was not clear about the extent to which the posture in the relief sculpture could reach. After all, he had been unable to find the remaining relief sculpture.

However, Merlin already knew that if the mysterious postures on the relief sculptures were fully collected and assembled into a complete training drill, one could perhaps become stage-eight, stage-nine, or even a Sanctuary Contender, who were right below Legends and could be compared to the Spell Caster system.

Chapter 716: Barbarians

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Along the way, Merlin kept asking about training drills in a roundabout matter. However, Mia and Kevin were not very clear about the higher-class of this world.

They only knew that the strongest beings in this world were Sanctuary Contenders. They had never seen a Sanctuary Contender before, so they naturally could not tell the difference.

Merlin contemplated carefully. How far would he reach by relying on the training drill? If it was just to Great Legend, then it would not be very remarkable. Merlin was no longer a mere first or second-level Spell Caster. His worldview had widened a lot since then. He had even seen Ultimate Arcane Wizards.

The Spell Caster system, Mind Power system, and this training drill system all had different emphases and advantages. Relatively speaking, the Spell Caster system was the most perfect, and the Mind Power system had the most potential.

As for the training drill system, it was just to strengthen the flesh of the body. Perhaps there would be some advantages before becoming a Great Wizard, but when one began to form a Maxim to become a Great Wizard, it would no longer be advantageous. After all, once a Maxim was formed, a Spell Caster would not die as long as the Maxim was not destroyed.

This was an advantage that the training drill system could not compare to!

"I'll have to get in touch with the higher-ups of this world to learn more…"

Merlin glanced at the sky in the distance. He seemed to caught a looming city in front of him.

…

Outside Mandela City, a mountain of barbarians were fiercely attacking the city.

Mandela City was originally a fortress that had been gradually transformed into a city suitable for people to live in. Nevertheless, if a battle broke out, the city could be quickly transformed back into a fortress. Even a stage-nine contender would have to take a long time to break down the strong city walls.

This was also something unique to the Mobata world. Their city walls were extremely strong to the point of being ridiculous.

"Warriors, charge. Climb the walls, charge into the city, kill each and every one of those despicable Mobatans. Rob them of all their food. Kill them all. Kill, kill kill!"

The barbarian leader who exuded a murderous air was urging the barbarians madly to attack the gate incessantly. They had been attacking for two days and two nights.

"My lord, we can't hold on for much longer. They'll breach the gate before dark…"

A knight dressed in black armor and covered in blood carefully reported. He looked down at the swarm of barbarians that did not seem to be decreasing in numbers. Everyone knew that they would not last for much longer.

Even a strong city like Mandela City would only be able to last for three days without any support. Today was already the third day.

"I know. Tell everyone we're now surrounded by the barbarians on all sides. Even if they want to run now, it's already too late. The barbarians will kill anyone they come across. They must fight until the end even if it's to death!"

Earl Mandela's voice was hoarse. He had been commanding the battle on the ramparts for three days and three nights. Even a grand stage-eight contender like him was bound to be exhausted.

Count Mandela was more mentally exhausted than physically. Although he had already sent his family away early, he still felt helpless when he saw the men who had followed him for many years as well as the ordinary citizens of Mandela City who were about to be slaughtered by the barbarians.

He tried his best to resist, but there were just too many barbarians and there was nothing he could do. The only thing he could do now was to persist a little longer. Just a little longer.

The order was passed down. There were some optimistic people who hoped that they would be able to surrender to the barbarians and survive, but they all sobered up when the order arrived.

Yes, the barbarians only left behind death wherever they went. Once a city was invaded, everyone in the city would be killed. No one would be left alive. Even the corpses would be used as food by the barbarians.

It was precisely because of such savageness and brutality that they were called barbarians. They were fundamentally different from Motabans and were more similar to beasts.

Ka-cak!

Finally, a crack spread across the strong city gate. It was about to break at any moment. Mandela City had reached its final moment.

"Brave warriors of Mandela City, charge with me! Let those barbarians know our prowess!"

Covered in blood, Count Mandela majestically picked up the greatsword and rushed out the damaged gates with the remaining hundreds of knights.

Bang!

Count Mandela was like a beast in human form. No barbarians were his match. His strength was incomparably strong as he pushed forward crazily, cutting out a bloody path wildly with hundreds of knights behind him and temporarily holding the barbarians back.

Nonetheless, this was their final glory. More and more barbarians had surrounded them. Even the barbarian leader, a stage-nine contender, casted his eyes over.

"Count Mandela? It's said that he's a warrior among the Mobatans. I'll tear him up myself, haha!"

The barbarian leader was three-meters tall and extremely strong. He sat on a gorgeous but fierce tiger and suddenly jumped down with enough force that the earth seemed to shake. Then, he charged directly towards Count Mandela. That terrifying aura was enough to make anyone stare.

"My lord, watch out!"

Hearing the knight's warning, Count Mandela turned around to see the barbarian leader charging at him. An expression of determination came over his face.

Bang!

The barbarian's speed was extremely fast. His huge body exuded a powerful pressure. He slammed his fist down, colliding immediately with Count Mandela's greatsword.

The greatsword broke in an instant and even Count Mandela himself was smashed to the ground. The barbarian leader grabbed Count Mandela up and threw him back down again.

Bang! bang! bang!

The knights could not bear listening to the noise. Count Mandela's injuries became worse with each blow. Although he was a stage-eight contender and his body was incredibly strong, the gap between him and the stage-nine barbarian leader contender was too large.

"Father!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice entered Mandela's dizzy ears. His consciousness cleared a little as he looked up at the sky.

At that time, not only Count Mandela, but everyone else on the battlefield including the barbarians also looked up at the sky.There was an extremely ugly and huge beast roaring and charging towards them from the clouds. It then landed on the ground steadily.

It even 'accidentally' trampled several barbarians to death.

Plak!

Many barbarians became agitated. Their nature was extremely savage, so seeing their companions being trampled to death made them prepared to come forward to exact revenge.

Whoosh!

This enormous raptor was not simple though. It seemed to be looking at those barbarians with 'disdain'. It spread out its huge wings and flapped them once. A gale was formed and blew the surrounding barbarians into the sky. Half of them died after falling heavily back to the ground.

None of the barbarians could stop the savage raptor. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of barbarians had been killed.

An ominous glint flashed across the barbarian leader's face when he saw the three small figures on the raptor's back.

"Father, we've come to save you… Sir Merlin, please save father quickly." Mia and Kevin appealed to Merlin deperately.

Merlin looked at the densely packed barbarians on the battlefield and remained nonchalant. He patted the tyrant raptor's head lightly and said, "Since you're the tyrant raptor, the king of beasts, go. Let these barbarians know your prowess and drive them all away."

There was no need for Merlin to deal with these barbarians. The barbarians were nothing when this king-level beast was around.

However, what was more important was that Merlin could not act because once he did, the fact that he was not a Sanctuary Contender would be revealed. He was somewhat lucky to have met this tyrant raptor.

The tyrant raptor seemed to perk up. It raised its head high, and its huge body ran wild like a huge mountain. It was unstoppable. Everywhere the raptor went, the barbarians were sent flying. In the blink of an eye, there was an empty clearing on the ground.

"Where did that beast come from?"

The barbarian leader looked murderous as he tossed Count Mandela away. His huge body took a leap and arrived before the tyrant raptor.

The tyrant raptor spread its wings and swept them down like mountain peaks. Formless pressure descended on him all at once, and the barbarian leader was shocked and forced to release his full power to resist.

Bang!

The barbarian leader was smashed directly into the ground where a large crater was formed. Then, the tyrant raptor grabbed the barbarian leader's body with its sturdy claws and flung him into the sky before letting him fall again.

"King-level. That's a king-level beast. Run, run away…"

The battered and half-dead barbarian leader immediately issued the order to retreat. His eyes were filled with horror. Both the Mobatans and barbarians knew what a king-level beast meant.

If a king-level beast wanted to, it could summon countless fierce beasts from the forest. If that were to happen, all the barbarians here would be torn to pieces by the beasts.

Furthermore, a king-level beast itself was comparable to a Sanctuary Contender. No one here was a match for it.

As a result, the barbarian leader quickly gave the order for retreat, and the barbarians withdrew in the blink of an eye. Only corpses were left behind on the battlefield, showing the intensity of the fight earlier.

"Well done."

Merlin patted the tyrant raptor's head gently. The raptor laid down, and Mia and Kevin jumped down eagerly and ran towards the injured Count Mandela.

Chapter 717: Count Mandela

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Count Mandela was not seriously injured. He stood up slowly. Seeing that Mia and Kevin had returned, he scolded, "Didn't I send you to Ruba City? Why did you come back?"

"Father, we left Mandela City, but we encountered a hoard of beasts along the way. Fortunately, Sir Merlin saved us in time, otherwise…"

Kevin trailed off, but Mandela already knew that if it were not for this stranger, both Kevin and Mia would be dead.

Count Mandela looked at Merlin who was dressed in strange clothes. He had saved Kevin and Mia from the beasts, and that raptor could even defeat the barbarian leader.

With Mandela's insight, he naturally realized that this was a great Sanctuary Contender!

"Sir Merlin, thank you for your generous help. You saved Mandela City."

Count Mandela himself was very strong. Merlin could also feel a life force burning like fire from him. According to Kevin's introduction, Count Mandela was the strongest stage-eight contender in the world.

Stage-eight was equivalent to eighth-level Wizards among Spell Casters while stage-nine was equivalent to ninth-level Spell Casters. However, there were no 'Great Wizards' in this world, but there were Sanctuary Contenders instead.

Rumor had it that Sanctuary Contenders had all sorts of magical means. Merlin would like to meet one if he had the opportunity to but now was not the time.

"Count Mandela. I think we should clear the battlefield first." Merlin said with a smile.

Right now, Mandela City was looked devastating and cries of grief could be heard all around them. There were too many bodies that needed to be cleaned up. After a huge battle, while celebrating their luck at surviving, there were also many who were unable to hide their sadness.

Mandela ordered people to clean up the battlefield and took Merlin and the huge tyrant raptor into Mandela City. Fortunately, the barbarians had not reached inside the city, so there was no damage inside.

This was also the first time Merlin beheld a city in the Mobata world. At first glance, it did not seem particularly special. However, upon a closer look, he noticed some huge differences especially in the buildings of the city. They all had one thing in common. Without exception, every building had very thick walls.

Even the ramparts were no exception. The walls were much thicker than those in the Glorious Land and the Void Zone. If one thought about it carefully though, they would realize that it probably had something to do with the fact that almost everyone here cultivated training drills, had extraordinary strength, and a strong physique. If an accidental fight occurred and the walls were not strong enough, a large area would be destroyed in an instant.

This was the 'characteristic' of this world.

…

The sky darkened, and the city quieted down gradually, no longer as noisy as before. Although they had achieved a great victory today, many people did not sleep for the past few days. Therefore, it was a rare peaceful night.

Only Count Mandela's castle was brightly lit and very lively.

Count Mandela inquired about the dangers Kevin and Mia encountered on the road. After understanding what had happened thoroughly, he felt extremely fortunate and was even more grateful to Merlin.

"Sir Merlin, please allow me to express my most sincere gratitude on behalf of the Mandela family! Not only have you saved my son and daughter, but you've also saved Mandela City by driving away the barbarians…"

Merlin was not overly courteous and had graciously accepted the bow. He still had many questions regarding this world about the barbarians, the fierce beasts, the training drills and so on. He could not ask any of them right away though. Kevin and Mia were too young, and Count Mandela, who was experienced, would not be as easy to deceive.

Therefore, Merlin did not make any further inquiries.

"Are there many barbarians near Mandela City?"

Merlin hesitated for a moment before asking. This question would not arouse Count Mandela's suspicion.

Count Mandela shook his head helplessly, "Originally, there weren't many barbarians around Mandela City, but these barbarians came from the north. It's extremely cold there, and the barbarians couldn't survive any longer, so they came to Mandela City."

Merlin fell silent. That was not the answer he wanted. He had surveyed the battlefield earlier. The barbarians were no different from other Mobatans besides the fact that they looked more uncivilized.

How did they become such bitter enemies with the Mobatans?

Nevertheless, Merlin had buried these questions deep inside his heart. There would be opportunities to ask them in the future.

"Sir Merlin, did you come from Ruba City?" Count Mandela asked tentatively.

Even a stage-eight contender like himself had never seen a great Sanctuary Contender before. Even now, he felt like he was in a dream.

He would have doubted Merlin's identity if it was not for the violent and fierce tyrant raptor currently in the castle. He could not feel any particularly strong life force from Merlin's body.

Merlin also knew this. In this world, the people's life force was extremely large due to their strong physique. The stronger the person, the more intense their life force was. Count Mandela's life force was like a fire that constantly hung over the entire castle.

After chatting for a while, Merlin inadvertently revealed a hint of 'drowsiness', and Count Mandela finally ended the conversation and left.

Merlin did not sleep in the quiet room. In reality, he did not know how long it had been since he last slept. High-level Spell Casters would not feel tired unless they used up too much Mind Power.

"Merlin, this world is really wonderful. It's a completely different system…"

Titus emerged from the Illusory World. He could see everything going on in this world from the illusion bead. It was a brand new world, and there was also a brand new civilization.

"They're somewhat similar to the Giant Clan," Merlin said with conviction.

"No, no, they're completely different from the Giant Clan. Giants are born powerful, and the stronger their bloodline, the greater the power. They rely on the power of their bloodline and slowly enhance their power over time. It can be said the more than 99% of the Giants' strength is determined since birth. Only some special Giants can break the shackles and achieve a breakthrough.

"This world is completely different. I don't know if you've noticed, but newborns have the same amount of life force as the ordinary people in the Glorious Land. They're different now because they've cultivated the unique training drills that gave them powerful bodies. This kind of system is really amazing. It's completely different from the Spell Caster system and the Mind Power system. I do wonder what the limit of this system is."

Titus's analysis was deeper than Merlin's.

"Limit?"

Merlin shook his head. He did not encounter any higher-ups of this world. It was still unknown if there were contenders who were comparable to Honored Legends here. Therefore, although Merlin knew that there were Sanctuary Contenders in Ruba City, he did not plan to go there himself.

Otherwise, Merlin would have left for Ruba City a long time ago to speak to the Sanctuary Contenders directly in order to understand this world. There were still so many things he did not know, and that was why he had to be very cautious.

"Merlin, you should practice more Hallucinating spells. If you don't comprehend an ultimate Maxim, you can't become an Honored Legend nor would you be able to comprehend a Wizard Heart. It'll be even more difficult if you want to increase your strength."

Titus had 'tactfully' persuaded Merlin to devote more of his attention to Hallucinating spells. After all, once he understood the second main stage of the Illusory Heart, his strength would have gained a qualitative improvement. Not only would he be able to 'control' the hearts of others, but even Honored Legends would also be tricked.

Then, Titus returned to the illusion bead, and the room quieted down again.

Merlin looked out the window in silence. Indeed, he was facing a bottleneck right now. He did not seem to be making any progress in the Spell Caster system nor the Mind Power system.

"I heard the sphinx guardian said before that Aruba had left some things behind in this world. Perhaps they might be helpful to me."

Merlin could only put his hopes on whatever the great existence who could create life had left behind. After all, whether it was comprehending a Wizard Heart or forming an ultimate Maxim, it could not be done in a short period of time.

Perhaps, if there was no special opportunity, it would be impossible to break through even in ten thousand years.

Ha!

Suddenly, Merlin heard a soft cry in his ear. A shadow appeared behind the castle.

Merlin's Mind Power silently extended and discovered that it was Kevin. He was currently secretly practicing training drills behind the castle.

Judging from his expression, practicing training drills could be quite painful.

"He wanted to become a Sanctuary Contender.."

Merlin smiled. This little boy who aspired to become a Sanctuary Contender was very hardworking. With that kind of determination, he would definitely achieve something.

However, this training drill seemed to be capped at stage-nine. Even Count Mandela did not know what was above stage-nine. If he did not encounter any extraordinary fortune, Kevin would never become a Sanctuary Contender in his entire life.

"Kevin!"

Another shadow stepped slowly into the night.

"Father, I…"

Kevin felt scared upon seeing this appearance of the figure and fell speechless.

This figure was Count Mandels. The stern Count Mandela did not rebuke Kevin this time and said calmly instead, "Kevin, Mia already told me everything. You did well. In the future, Mandela City will need your protection. I'm very proud of you for returning without hesitation at the critical moment."

"Father, I'll definitely become a Sanctuary Contender. I'll protect you, sister, and the entire Mandela City." Kevin clenched his fists tightly and said resolutely.

Count Mandela laughed from the bottom of his heart and said gently, "Good. You want to become a Sanctuary Contender, but secretly practicing training drills like this won't do you much good. What's more, your training drill posture isn't right. Our family's training drill should be like this…"

In the room, Merlin could see Count Mandela teaching Kevin meticulously using his Mind Power. The two began to practice the training drills in the quiet night. Merlin could not help the small smile from appearing on his lips.

He remembered his father, Old Wilson…

Chapter 718: History

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

History. What Merlin needed to understand most of all right now was the Mobata world's history.

He had stayed in Mandela City for a few days before finally getting his hands on a book which contained the history of the Mobata world. The book was written in the Molta language, so Merlin could read it effortlessly.

The Mobata world, according to the history book, has existed since a very long time ago. Even the appearance of the Mobatans appeared to be a haphazard occurrence. The historical records began with the establishment of the Mobata Empire.

From the very beginning, their history began with the establishment of the Mobata Empire. The records about history before the Mobata Empire could not be found. There were only rumors.

There was an abundance of records about the history of Mobata Empire though. This gigantic empire once ruled over the entire world, and the term of its reign spanned innumerable years. It was more than ten thousand years, at the very least.

However, no matter how ancient an empire was, there had to be a day when it collasped. In an attempt to escape from this eventuality, the last emperor of the Mobata Empire had used his hefty strength to capture dozens of king-level beasts and transfused their blood together in a brazen bid to break through to a whole new realm.

His plan had ultimately failed. For this reason, he paid an excruciating price. The Mobata Empire collapsed.

After the collapse of the Mobata Empire, chaos reigned, thousands of years of chaos. During this period, many Mobatans had no choice but to flee to the forest and live amongst the beasts.

Over time, this group of people could no longer return to the civilized world. They turned into horrific barbarians instead and were constantly in conflict with the Mobatans.

The beasts and the barbarians. These two forces were the greatest threats faced by the Mobatans. Their entire world was split and divided. The strength of the Mobatans was diminishing. In the end, they could only rely on the protection from Ruba City, the former capital of the Mobata Empire, to defy the beasts and the barbarians.

This was the history of the Mobata world that Merlin managed to piece together.

This was a legendary empire that had existed for tens of thousands of years. Even the Molta Empire in its older days was not as glorious.

Nevertheless, Merlin had also made some significant discoveries. The last emperor of the Mobata Empire had fallen because he tried to break through the limit. At that time, he was the number one contender in the entire world. His fearsomeness could be surmised from his ability to capture dozens of king-level beasts all by himself.

The reason for the last emperor's attempt to break through the limit was to rip open space. He had a feeling that there was a vaster world behind the unknown space.

The scribes of history all painted the last emperor of the Mobata Empire as a lunatic. Otherwise, he would not have tried to attempt a breakthrough so madly and caused the downfall of the Mobata Empire.

It could be said that the current forsaken state that the Mobatans were in was caused by the emperor who had foolishly tried to force a breakthrough.

While others might not comprehend the foolish emperor's decision, Merlin understood him entirely. In any other world, or even in the Void Zone, ripping space was easily achieved by anyone who was near the level of a Great Legend.

However, the space composition in this world was just too sturdy. It was impossible for an ordinary Legend to rip it. According to Merlin's conjecture, only an Honored Legend, at the very least, could influence this space enough to shatter it.

According to this line of thought, he deduced that the most powerful contenders in this world were probably the Sanctuary Contenders, and that they were comparable to Great Legends. Perhaps, among the Sanctuary Contenders, there were also differences in strength. Regardless, no matter how strong they were, probably no one could surpass an Honored Legend.

"Phew…"

Merlin finally released a long breath of relief. He had felt pressured ever since he entered this world. Master Aruba in particular, as told by the sphinx in the secret place, has exerted a persistent pressure on him.

This so-called Aruba person was a fearsome existence who could create life. This was a feat that even the Ultimate Arcane Wizards could not possibly achieve. Since this world was also created by Aruba, Merlin had been extremely cautious and dared not act as brazenly as he did in the Glorious Land.

Right now, however, he finally understood the general workings of this world. At Merlin's current level of abilities, he was the most preeminent existence in this world. Even if he did encounter an existence comparable to an Honored Legend, he still had the Atlan civilization's empire-level warship, so he should be able to escape unscathed.

Thus, he could embark on the next step of his plan, which was to find the item left behind by Aruba in this world. This was Merlin's primary goal.

"Time to leave!"

Merlin put down the book and looked outside the castle. Kevin was still practicing the training drills diligently. Despite his sweat-drenched back, he had no intention of stopping.

This twelve-year-old youth already had a steadfast determination.

…

"Sir Merlin, you're really leaving?"

Count Mandela's face was filled with reluctance, but he had long since expected this day to come. Merlin was a Sanctuary Contender. The fact that he could spend a few days in Mandela City was already demanding enough. How could they expect him to stay on?

Merlin smiled and said, "That's right. I'm heading to Ruba City. Thank you for your hospitality over the past few days."

Kevin and Mia were back. Kevin, especially, had a miserable look on his face.

"Come on, Sir Merlin is leaving soon. Let's go and see him off."

Count Mandela, Mia, and Kevin walked out of the castle where the tyrant raptor was already ready to move on. It lowered its proud head and allowed Merlin to jump onto its back when it saw him coming out.

Whoosh!

The tyrant raptor gently flapped its wings and flew into the sky. Merlin's heart rattled. He could feel Kevin's burning gaze on him. The twelve years old youth was giving Merlin a tingling sense of familiarity.

Perhaps, he was just like Merlin years ago!

Hum!

Merlin gathered his Mind Power forcefully and projected it into Kevin's mind. Kevin's expression turned vacant, and his mind turned blank. After a while, unforgettable pictures began to appear in his mind.

The training drills had originally been very hard to remember. Right now, however, every posture and movement played in his mind in a lifelike manner. They would appear at will as soon as he calleed for it.

Many people failed to remember the sequences entirely even after spending a lot of time and effort on them. Kevin was also agonizing about this problem because if he could not remember the complicated training drills, he would not be able to improve on his strength quickly.

Now, on the other hand, the training drills had been seared into his memory. They were so clear that even pictures appeared in his mind. The speed of his training would certainly improve in the future.

"Little guy, since we've already met each other, I'll leave you some benefits. Practice well, remember your dreams and become a great Sanctuary Contender…"

A familiar voice spoke inside Kevin's mind. Then, the voice gradually faded and disappeared.

Kevin whipped his head up, but could only see the tyrant bird turning into a tiny black speck in the sky.

"Sir Merlin, I'll definitely become a Sanctuary Contender. I will!"

Little Kevin clenched his fists tightly. This was the most precious gift a Sanctuary Contender had given to him in order to help him achieve his dream…

…

Merlin did not know that his impulsive action had further strengthened the resolve and determination of the youth. From his perspective, using Mind Power to commit an unforgettable picture to memory was a common feat for Spell Casters.

Most of the Great Wizards could achieve it easily. Merlin, who was a powerful Mind Power Master, was not an exception.

The tyrant raptor flapped its wings happily and flew towards Ruba City. This was probably its first time traveling to such a distant place, but this tyrant raptor who had submitted itself to Merlin still appeared very delighted.

Some of the wild beasts underneath obviously felt a trace of the tyrant bird's aura, so they fled in multiple directions. This reminded Merlin of the animal stampede caused by the tyrant raptor.

"I wonder what would happen if the tyrant bird led all the wild beasts to form a stampede and head towards Ruba City?"

A smile danced on Merlin's lips. Of course, this was just a thought. If he really made it happened, then the Sanctuary Contenders of Ruba City would definitely try to stop Merlin at all cost.

Merlin only wanted to find out about the item left behind by Aruba in the Mobata world. He did not intend to make enemies with the Mobatans.

The tyrant bird's speed was incredibly fast. As a king-level beast that was comparable to a Great Legend, its speed was, needless to say, impressive. Merlin observed the scenary below from above along the way.

He saw some barbarians and beasts, as well as some Mobatan cities. Whenever some of the people saw the tyrant raptor, there would be a flurry of panic. Nevertheless, the tyrant raptor left in a flash and did not pose a threat to anyone.

About two days later, Merlin could finally see a huge city in a distance. Unlike the other cities, Merlin could feel the weight of its history even from afar. This was an ancient city that had existed for tens of thousands of years.

"I've finally arrived. I wonder how will the Sanctuary Contenders treat me?"

Merlin was now quite relaxed and not too worried. His identity as a Sanctuary Contender would surely be exposed upon meeting the real Sanctuary Contenders.

However, what does it matter? Merlin might not be a Sanctuary Contender, but he possessed powers exceeding the Sanctuary Contenders!

…

Inside the watchtower of Ruba City, just as the soldiers were growing drowsy, a black speck appeared in the distant sky.This black speck then grew larger and larger, bringing the rustling of the wind with it.

"Giant… Giant raptor beast?"

The soldiers on the watchtower were no longer feeling drowsy when they saw the black speck for what it was. This was Ruba City, so no beast had ever came to attack this place before.

Nonetheless, just because it never happened before did not mean it would not happen forever. The Mobata world had not been faring well in recent times. People were fearing that the beasts would attack them inside Ruba City.

Hence, the watchtower was built.

"Sound the alarm. There's a ferocious beast!" the soldiers on the watchtower yelled to the people below loudly.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The crisp alarm sounded for the first time in this ancient city with a ten-thousand-year history…

Chapter 719: Special Force Field

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"What's happening? The alarm was sounded?"

In a lofty tall tower, all the Contenders who guarded over Ruba City woke up. Only those who were at least a Ninth-level Contender were qualified to enter this tower.

There were even a few real Sanctuary Contenders among them!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three figures flew out of the tower out of nowhere like a single beam of light. These three figures hovered in the air, eyes fixed on the huge tyrant raptor approaching from a distance.

"Tyrant raptor? It's a king-level beast according to the legends."

"Someone had actually tamed the tyrant raptor, but we don't know whether he's a friend or foe yet."

Each of these three figures seemed to be emitting a special kind of force field from their bodies. They stood in the air and stared at the tyrant raptor in the distance with bright eyes.

Only real Sanctuary Contenders like them were able to maintain their composure in the face of a king-level beast.

Swish!

When the tyrant raptor came to a stop, Merlin's gaze also landed on these three figures.

"Sanctuary Contenders?"

Merlin had finally met the real Sanctuary Contenders. Even without any external prompting, Merlin knew immediately that these three people stood at the pinnacle of this world. They were the Sanctuary Contenders.

This was because they were completely different from the ordinary people in the Mobata world. Judging from Merlin's perspective, he could tell at once that there was a special force field around these three people.

Among these force fields, one was chaotic, one was weighty, and one was about speed. This represented the different abilities of each Sanctuary Contender. The 'sanctuary' in Sanctuary Contenders denoted the special force field each of them owned.

Once somebody had been shrouded by a Sanctuary Contender's force field, their abilities would begin to weaken. This was also the most terrifying thing about the Sanctuary Contenders. Almost no one could stand against them under the influence of their sanctuary.

Merlin was observing these three Sanctuary Contenders. In turn, they were also observing Merlin as well. As real Sanctuary Contenders, they had naturally discovered Merlin's peculiarity.

"No, you're not a Sanctuary Contender!"

"But why is he giving off such a strong threat? And even a king-level beast has submitted to him?"

Although these three Sanctuary Contenders could see that Merlin was not a Sanctuary Contender, they were still perplexed as to who this 'uninvited guest' was due to the limitations of their knowledge.

"Who are you? Anyone who could tame a king-level beast is definitely not an average person. What is your purpose of coming to Ruba City?" one of the burly middle-aged Sanctuary Contender asked.

A faint smile appeared on Merlin's lips as he said softly, "Nothing much, but since the Sanctuary Contenders are the pinnacle of your world, I have merely come to take a look at you all. I also want to ask you some questions. That's all."

"Our world?"

There was a significant change in one of the Sanctuary Contenders' expression. He asked with a shocked look and a trembling voice, "So, you're not from the Mobata world?"

"Oh? You also know about the other worlds?"

The Sanctuary Contenders' gazes sharpened considerably when they heard Merlin's reply. A sliver of excitement crept into their terror.

"A foreign world. You're actually from another world… It has long since been speculated that besides there must be a vaster world outside of this world. I can't believe it's actually true."

The Sanctuary Contenders were truly the pinnacle existence of the Mobata world. They were considered powerful even in the outside world. There were also many other civilizations in the Void Zone that could not produce a Great Legend. Hence, they were unable to step into the Void Zone.

On the other hand, these people had achieved the level of a Great Legend but were instead confined by the unusually sturdy space in this world. Therefore, they were unable to leave the Mobata world nor could they enter the Void Zone.

Based on the classification of civilizations in the Void Zone, the Mobata world would not be considered weak but a relatively powerful one. This was because although they had no Honored Legends, they had given birth to many existences that were comparable to a Great Legend.

Of course, they would turn out mediocre if they were compared to the powerful civilizations with ultimate existences. Once a civilization gave birth to an ultimate existence, they could be classified as a powerful civilization.

However, there were just too many civilizations in the Void Zone, maybe up to billions of them. Among these innumerable foreign tribe civilizations, how many powerful civilizations could there be?

Thus, giving birth to an ultimate existence was simply too challenging. The fact that the Spell Caster civilization managed to achieve this feat was considered a miracle among miracles.

"Yes, I belong to a foreign world. I came to your world by accident. This is quite a unique world, but it seems that you're not in a favorable situation at the moment."

Merlin admitted frankly because it would not matter much if he did not do it. These people could definitely see what was wrong. The three men before him were not as easily fooled as those Eighth- or Ninth-level Contenders.

"Someone from the foreign world… So you must know about that vast world outside. We must go out. Only by going out, we'll be able to find our way. You're a guest from afar. You should've been a guest under usual circumstances, but the situation is too critical right now. Sorry about that. Attack!"

The Sanctuary Contenders actually attacked him on the spot. They wanted to break through the barriers of this world and find the vast world outside. All they wanted was to find a viable solution for the situation they were facing in this world.

If this were to persist without any miracles gracing them, then the Mobatans would soon be destroyed by the barbarians and the beasts. They were uncertain whether there was even a foreign world in the beginning, so how would they be willing to search for a solution there?

Nonetheless, Merlin's appearance seemed to have opened a wide window of opportunity for them, a window that they could not refuse.

Boom!

In an instant, a terrifying weight descended. The tyrant raptor underneath Merlin howled pitifully and fell heavily onto the ground. It seemed like an overwhelming power was needed to overcome this tremendous weight.

This was a weighted force field, which was also one of the most common force fields among the Sanctuary Contenders.

"Chaos!"

Another Sanctuary Contender had also released a force field. This chaotic force field of his had shrouded Merlin and the tyrant bird in the speed of light. It was as if an invisible force was tearing Merlin apart from all directions.

The tyrant raptor was suffering horribly.

It growled helplessly.

Nevertheless, the tyrant raptor was still a king-level beast. Although it did not possess any special force field, its physical attributes were no weaker than these Sanctuary Contenders. Therefore, it gathered all its might with a loud roar, stretched out its wings, and flapped them once.

Hoo… Hoo… Hoo…

A strong gale materialized out of thin air and gained momentum instantly. The surrounding buildings were all torn apart by this monstrous gale. Even the sturdy ground was lashed to the extent where spiderweb-like cracks appeared densely across the ground. It was an unbelievable sight.

"Laggard!"

The last Sanctuary Contender performed his special force field. Suddenly, the tyrant bird found it difficult to even walk. This was a force field that could slow everyone under its influence down to the maximum.

"Special force fields, how unique!"

Merlin was not flustered. He wanted to learn more about the uniqueness of this world's most powerful abilities which seemed to only be possessed by the Sanctuary Contenders. Indeed, it was quite astounding.

In fact, the main focus of their cultivation would be on these special force fields once they have become a Sanctuary Contender. A more powerful Sanctuary Contender basically meant a more powerful special force field.

The biggest difference between the Sanctuary Contenders and the king-level beasts was precisely these special force fields. Only the Sanctuary Contenders had special force fields, whereas the king-level beasts did not. Consequently, the king-level beasts were ultimately weaker than the Sanctuary Contenders in this respect.

However, there were just too many king-level beasts in this world, so even the Sanctuary Contenders were quite helpless against them.

"Almost there. Added with the power of these special force fields, they are probably on par with a one- or two-Maxim Legend. There might perhaps be stronger Sanctuary Contenders out there, but these three people certainly aren't them."

Merlin had already learned quite a bit. These Sanctuary Contenders were merely comparable to a one- or two-Maxim Legend at most. They posed zero threat to Merlin.

"Illusion!"

Merlin did not use his spells but had instead employed his Hallucinating spell. With his current achievement in the realm of Hallucinating spells, entrapping an ordinary Legend was a simple feat.

"Huh? Mind control?"

The three Sanctuary Contenders' faces went blank but recovered soon enough. Then, they let out a large roar together. The terrifying sound waves reverberated in every direction and had unleashed destruction of massive proportions.

Regardless, it seemed like they had some special technique to avoid being ensnared by Merlin's illusion.

"Interesting. I see that this world also has Hallucinating abilities like me. This is not the first time these people had come across an illusion."

Merlin was not too surprised. If he mobilized the Illusory World, he could easily trap these three Sanctuary Contenders in an illusion. Nevertheless, he abandoned the idea after some consideration.

Since he was here to search for Aruba's item, then he should let everyone know his true power and flaunt his authority as much as possible!

"Fire!" Merlin whispered.

In an instant, blazing flames appeared out of thin air. These pale white flames did not seem hot at all but contained a chilling aura that made the Sanctuary Contenders gulp in fear.

Chi! Chi! Chi!

The flames burned wildly. The weighty force field, chaotic force field, and laggard force field were all destroyed by the flames completely. Thus, the tyrant bird was freed.

The three Sanctuary Contenders were astonished. Their combined special force fields were actually unable to defeat Merlin. The thought of retreating entered their minds.

Nevertheless, retreating was not as easy as they thought.

"Ice Seal!"

A huge multi-colored Wizard Heart took shape behind Merlin. An overwhelming sense of oppression descended in an instant. The three Sanctuary Contenders could feel the substantive gap in power between themselves and Merlin now.

"Is this the power of the foreign world? Your body is incredibly weak and fragile, yet you possess a powerful ability that was comparable to us Sanctuary Contenders. No, you're even more powerful than Sanctuary Contenders!"

The moment they saw the multi-colored Wizard Heart behind Merlin, these three Sanctuary Contenders knew that they were defeated. The gap between them was simply too pronounced.

Ka-chak!

The three of them were imprisoned by solid layers of ice, and only their heads were left exposed. They were not even able to wield their special force fields. Falling onto the ground, they could only watch as Merlin drew closer.

Chapter 720: Ruba's Monument I

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"He's too powerful. I'm afraid only Sir Veron will be able to defeat him!"

The three Sanctuary Contenders looked at one another. They had all become Merlin's prisoners and had no way to escape.

"You're all my prisoners now. Anyway, I don't intend to kill you. The reason I came here is to obtain an item left behind by a supreme existence."

"Supreme existence?"

The three Sanctuary Contenders glanced at one another. Then, one of the Sanctuary Contenders spoke up uncertainly, "What is the name of that supreme existence?"

Merlin thought about it. Aruba was not a secret. Not only did he create this world, but they had also named a city after him. That was Ruba City, the ground upon which they were standing on at the moment.

So, he replied calmly, "That supreme existence calls himself Aruba!"

"Aruba? Surely, it would be Ruba's Monument. It was left behind by a great existence. However, many years have passed, but no one had been able to decrypt it."

"Yes, countless powerful contenders had been trying to decrypt it over generations, but all of them had failed. It's surprising that someone from the foreign world would come for Ruba's Monument. What's more, the great Sir Veron is also trying to decrypt Ruba's Monument at the moment."

These people had mentioned Veron a few times. It seemed that Veron was a Sanctuary Contender, and these three people did not even attempt to hide his identity. Apparently, they were all very confident in Veron's abilities.

"Very well, we'll bring you to Ruba's Monument!"

The three Sanctuary Contenders acquiesced to Merlin's request.

"Just like that?"

Merlin was slightly taken aback. He was actually planning to employ some of his special tricks because he did not imagine that they would agree to it so easily. Merlin had grown hesitant all of a sudden.

Nonetheless, they explained by saying: "Ruba's Monument is not really a secret. It has always been there ever since the Kingdom of Mobata was established. There have always been rumors saying that it contains an earth-shattering secret. Once the secret is decrypted, it would be possible to break through our limitations. That's why anyone can go and study Ruba's Monument as soon as someone they become a Sanctuary Contender. But no one had been able to decrypt its unfathomable secret after so many years."

Merlin mulled it over. Perhaps this Ruba's Monument was really left behind by Aruba. In regard to why no one has been able to decrypt it, there might be some mystifying tricks to it.

Merlin wanted to try to decrypt it, as per his nature. However, he also knew that the reason these three had agreed to bring him to Ruba's Monument was not only because it was a widely-known secret, but because there was a powerful Sanctuary Contender at Ruba's Monument right now, which was the Sir Veron they had mentioned.

However, the ever-confident Merlin could not care less about Veron. All he wanted was to get to Ruba's Monument.

Subsequently, Merlin gave a gentle wave of his hand and withdrew the spells on these three men. All of them had returned back to normal. Their gazes on Merlin turned a bit more respectful.

Earlier on, the three of them were unable to put up any resistance before they were trapped by Merlin. Although he did not kill them, they knew that it was simply because he still needed them to lead him to Ruba's Monument.

"How should we acknowledge you?" one of the Sanctuary Contenders asked.

Despite launching an attack on him previously, they did not know their opponent's name.

"Merlin," Merlin replied nonchalantly.

"Sir Merlin, this way, please. Ruba's Monument is not here but somewhere outside Ruba City."

"Outside Ruba City?"

Merlin nodded. The tyrant raptor flew over to him instantly with a wave of his hand. Right now, the tyrant raptor was even more in awe of Merlin. Before this, it had been painfully overpowered by the three Sanctuary Contenders. The effects of the special force fields were eternally etched into its memories.

Now, the tyrant raptor finally realized that it was merely the king of the forest. Once it had left the forest, regardless of how weak the Mobatans might appear to be, they were still a force to be reckoned with.

However, those powerful Sanctuary Contenders were still inferior to its master. They had been defeated easily by Merlin. Therefore, the tyrant raptor was very thrilled about all these as well. With a flap of its wings, it followed the three people and flew out of the city.

Throughout the journey, the three Sanctuary Contenders flew in the front. Their speed was not slower than the tyrant raptor.

Nonetheless, their hearts felt extremely conflicted.

"Are we really bringing this Merlin to Ruba's Monument?"

"Do you have any better ideas besides this? It would not be difficult for him to destroy the entire Ruba City. We might as well fulfill his request. Moreover, Ruba's Monument is truly not a secret. Any random person from Ruba City would know its general location."

"Sir Veron should be at Ruba's Monument, right? When we get there, we'll report this matter to Sir Veron and let him deal with him."

The three Sanctuary Contenders discussed but seemed to have run out of ideas after a while, so all they could do was to lead Merlin towards Ruba's Monument located outside of the city.

Following behind the three of them, Merlin did not use his Mind Power to investigate what they were talking about. The special force fields of the Sanctuary Contenders were truly magnificent. Even the tiniest trace of force entering the periphery of their force fields would be discovered.

This meant that even Merlin's invisible Mind Power could not escape being detected by the special force fields. As such, he might as well leave them alone. He was sure that they would not act recklessly when they were confronted with his absolute power.

After flying for half an hour, Merlin soon spotted a dazzling palace on the top of the hill. However, the most attractive structure was not the palace but the huge stone monument.

It would be difficult for this huge stone monument to escape anyone's attention. Its height spanned up to a hundred meters, even higher than the palace itself. The monument also emitted a silvery-white glow that could be seen from afar.

"That must be Ruba's Monument, right?"

Merlin's eyes flashed with excitement. This stone monument looked unendingly extraordinary. Furthermore, there was also a familiar aura about it. Merlin searched his mind and decided it was similar to the aura on the sphinx back in the secret place.

Merlin would not know whether it had any life force. Nonetheless, it was confirmed that this stone monument was indeed linked to the secret place. It was most probably left behind by the mysterious Aruba.

"Yes, that is Ruba's Monument. It has existed since a very long time ago, perhaps even before the Kingdom of Mobata was established. Moreover, even the most powerful Sanctuary Contender from the days of the Mobata Empire was unable to destroy Ruba's Monument."

These Sanctuary Contenders harbored complicated feelings for this monument. This Ruba's Monument was truly magnificent. It was just that they had studied it before and failed to decrypt it.

They were not the only ones. Throughout their long history, countless powerful Sanctuary Contenders had come to decrypt Ruba's Monument, but none had succeeded. It could be said that every new Sanctuary Contender would first and foremost come to Ruba's Monument.

Swish! Swish!

The entourage landed before the palace on top of the hill. This was a palace specially constructed by the Mobata Empire back in the olden days for the sole purpose of studying Ruba's Monument. Back then, only members of the royal family were allowed to rest here and decrypt Ruba's Monument.

After the Mobata Empire collapsed, this place had been open to the public. Now, anyone could enter.

However, the palace had already been worn down after so many years. They barely managed to maintain the original outlook of the palace after numerous attempts of restoration. This stone monument, on the other hand, maintained its appearance despite the passing of time. There was no change to it whatsoever.

"Sir Veron!"

Upon landing, the three Sanctuary Contenders rushed up about ten meters in front of Ruba's Monument to meet a middle-aged man dressed in plain attire.

Swoosh!

This middle-aged man was Sir Veron mentioned by the three Sanctuary Contenders. He opened his eyes gently and did not look at the three Sanctuary Contenders. Instead, he stared directly at Merlin.

A powerful force shrouded Merlin.

"You're not a Mobatan!"

As soon as Veron spoke, his words caught Merlin by surprise.