Chapter 220: Abyssal Fortress

Early the next morning, Merlin stood quietly outside Wizard Leo's chamber on the tower's top floor, waiting patiently.

With a faint creak, the door opened, and Wizard Leo emerged. Upon seeing Merlin, he nodded slightly and said in a calm voice, "Let's go. I'll take you to a place today."

Merlin nodded silently, refraining from asking further questions, and followed behind Wizard Leo.

Leo led Merlin out of the tower to a location filled with dense arrays of runic formations. Recognizing the teleportation platform that allowed departure from the Dark Spirit Domain, Merlin realized they were about to leave.

A low hum filled the air as Leo's immense mental energy activated one of the runic formations. Enveloped by a web of glowing symbols, both figures vanished instantly.

---

In a quiet valley, two figures appeared out of thin air, surrounded by lingering, mysterious runes that dissipated into the air.

Dressed in his black mage's robe, Merlin glanced curiously around the valley. He had felt an unusually intense pressure during the teleportation process, far stronger than before, signaling that they had traveled an extraordinary distance.

"Let's move. We still have some traveling to do," Leo said, his tone flat. With a wave of his hand, powerful wind elements surged around him and quickly coiled around Merlin, lifting both of them into the air.

Flying required at least Fourth-Level spells, and for someone like Leo to easily carry another person while flying demonstrated his immense reserves of magical power.

As they soared swiftly above the landscape, Merlin looked down at the sprawling mountains and forests below. A sense of awe filled him. To fly freely like this was the hallmark of a truly powerful spellcaster.

Although Merlin had already become a First-Level Spellcaster and could hold his own against some Third-Level Spellcasters with his Pandora's Magic, he knew there was still a significant gap between himself and a Fourth-Level Spellcaster.

A Fourth-Level Spellcaster's ability to fly alone was a monumental advantage, one that neither spells nor magic tools could easily counter.

As these thoughts raced through Merlin's mind, Leo began descending. They soon landed in a vast valley surrounded by dense forests, with a serene stream winding through its center. Strangely, there were no signs of wildlife anywhere.

Merlin's brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at Leo, waiting for an explanation.

Leo turned to him with a faint smile. "Do you notice anything unusual here?"

Merlin extended his mental energy outward but found nothing amiss. Shaking his head, he replied, "I don't sense anything unusual, Master Leo."

Leo chuckled softly and said with a hint of admiration, "To create an illusion this realistic, even without advanced runic techniques, it's an impressive feat using just spells."

With that, Leo waved his hand, unleashing an overwhelming surge of mental energy that swept through the valley like a tempest.

Merlin could only watch in awe as the valley's picturesque scenery seemed to unravel and fade away, revealing a barren, desolate slope far larger than the illusionary valley. At the base of the slope stood a massive stone monument, its surface engraved with the words *Abyssal Fortress* in the ancient Morta script.

"Abyssal Fortress?" Merlin's eyes widened in astonishment. The serene valley had transformed into a bleak and imposing landscape.

"Who approaches the Abyssal Fortress?" A voice called out.

From a large, dark opening behind the monument, a group of spellcasters emerged. Judging by their aura, they were only First- or Second-Level Spellcasters, likely tasked with guarding the fortress entrance.

Sensing the terrifying mental energy that had shattered their illusion, the guards approached cautiously. The ability to break through their fortress's illusion with sheer mental power marked their visitor as a formidable individual.

Leo's blood-red vertical eye flickered faintly as he spoke in an even tone, "Inform Wizard Hobbes that Leo from the Dark Spirit Domain has come to visit."

"Wizard Leo? The one who mastered the Dark Eye and hunted down Osium's Seventh-Level Spellcaster Oxius?" The guards exchanged shocked glances, their expressions filled with awe.

Leo's feat of defeating a Seventh-Level Spellcaster had sent ripples through spellcaster organizations, especially the Abyssal Fortress, known for its expertise in dark-element spells. Despite having the Dark Eye's cultivation method in their archives, no one in the Abyssal Fortress had ever succeeded in mastering it.

"Please wait, Wizard Leo. We will inform Wizard Hobbes immediately," one of the guards said respectfully before retreating into the fortress.

As Merlin studied the towering monument, realization dawned on him. He now understood why Leo had brought him here. The Abyssal Fortress, renowned for its mastery of dark-element spells, was the ideal place to acquire advanced dark-element spells or even Pandora's Magic of the dark element.

"Merlin," Leo explained, "the dark-element spells I've mastered cannot be passed on to you. They were obtained from the Abyssal Fortress, and I'm bound by contract not to share them. If you want spells above the Second Level, you'll have to acquire them here."

Merlin nodded, understanding the constraints. He also suspected that Leo had paid a steep price to obtain those spells and would likely need to make further sacrifices to secure resources for him.

Not long after, a frail, elderly wizard emerged from the fortress. His voice was raspy as he greeted them. "Wizard Leo, I never expected to see you here again."

Leo's blood-red eye flickered open as he smiled faintly. "Wizard Hobbes, it's been decades, yet you haven't changed a bit."

The elderly wizard's gaze shifted to Merlin briefly before returning to Leo. "Is he your student?"

Leo nodded. "Merlin, greet Wizard Hobbes. He's a Seventh-Level Spellcaster from the Abyssal Fortress."

Merlin stepped forward respectfully, bowing before retreating to the side.

Hobbes scrutinized Merlin before remarking with a wry smile, "The last time you came here, it was to acquire dark-element spells. Now, sixty years later, you return—for this boy?"

Leo smiled but didn't answer directly. Instead, he glanced around and said, "Wizard Hobbes, surely we won't discuss the *Dark Eye* out here?"

The mention of the *Dark Eye* caused a flicker of intensity in Hobbes's gaze. A palpable wave of pressure emanated from him, reminiscent of the overwhelming force of Leo's mental energy earlier.

"Wizard Leo, welcome back to the Abyssal Fortress. Over all these years, you remain the only outsider to have entered here twice," Hobbes said, stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter.

It was clear that the mention of the *Dark Eye* had piqued Hobbes's interest. Without it, even someone of Leo's stature might not have been granted entry.

Merlin followed closely behind Leo, stepping into the dark and mysterious depths of the Abyssal Fortress.