Chapter 261: The Guardian Mage

The Dark Spirit Space was vast, and Master Hellsious continued to guide Merlin through its mysteries. Before long, they arrived at a section filled with dense runes. Sitting there on the ground was a tall figure clad in a black mage's robe, seemingly in deep meditation. The figure exuded no aura, as if they were lifeless—a still shadow within the enigmatic space.

Hellsious stopped and, lowering his voice, said, "This is the Guardian Mage of the Dark Spirit Space."

"The Guardian Mage?" Merlin asked, his curiosity piqued.

Hellsious's expression grew solemn. "Yes, the Guardian Mage. Nobody in the Dark Spirit Realm, aside from perhaps Didiomos, knows their name or origin. When I first joined the Dark Spirit Realm, the Guardian Mage was already here. They never leave this space, dedicating their existence solely to protecting it. It's said they might have a direct connection to the great Fiddel Archmage himself."

The respect in Hellsious's tone was evident, and Merlin felt a shiver run down his spine. This mysterious Guardian Mage didn't seem old, yet they had supposedly been here for an unimaginable length of time.

Hellsious gestured toward Merlin. "Now, Merlin, take out the Pandora Spell you wish to exchange. No one can take anything from this space without the Guardian Mage's approval."

Merlin nodded and retrieved the *Wind of Ruin* Pandora Spell he had acquired from Viss's ring.

Hellsious, without even glancing at it, handed the Pandora Spell to the Guardian Mage. Bowing slightly, he said, "Guardian Mage, this is Merlin, an official member of the Dark Spirit Realm. He wishes to exchange this Pandora Spell for another from the Dark Spirit Space. Please evaluate it."

The Guardian Mage, who had remained motionless until now, slowly opened their eyes. With an air of indifference, they examined the *Wind of Ruin* briefly before declaring, "This Pandora Spell does not exist in the Dark Spirit Space. It is eligible for exchange with another of equal value."

With a wave of their hand, countless runes appeared around the Guardian Mage. A portal gradually materialized in the space, shimmering with a mysterious light.

Merlin watched in awe as the Guardian Mage effortlessly conjured the runes and formed a rune array. Despite the Dark Spirit Realm's mastery of rune studies, the Guardian Mage's fluency was unparalleled—something even the most dedicated seventh-level spellcasters couldn't replicate.

The Guardian Mage's expertise in runes was undoubtedly profound, reaching an unimaginable level.

"Enter. Inside, you will find the Pandora Spells eligible for exchange," Hellsious said, a faint smile of admiration flickering across his face as he looked at the portal.

Merlin took a deep breath and stepped into the glowing portal.

---

As Merlin entered, he felt no discomfort. The space was bathed in radiant light, making it as bright as daylight. Floating around him were dozens of pristine white jade boxes, each exuding a soft, dreamlike glow.

A cold, emotionless voice interrupted his observations. "The thirteen jade boxes on the left contain Pandora Spells of equal value to the *Wind of Ruin.* You may choose one. However, you can only open a single jade box. Be cautious, for once opened, you cannot change your choice. You will have two hours to memorize the Pandora Spell inside before you must leave."

Merlin turned to see the Guardian Mage, who had entered the portal with him at some point.

The Guardian Mage extended a hand, conjuring another jade box. They sealed the *Wind of Ruin* within it, engraving runes on the box with a swift motion before placing it among the others. Now there were fourteen jade boxes in total, representing Pandora Spells of the same tier.

Merlin approached the jade boxes, each inscribed with mysterious runes. By channeling his mental energy into the runes, he could see a brief description of the Pandora Spell inside.

With three Pandora Spells already—*Ice Needle,* *Flame Destruction,* and *Heart of Darkness*—Merlin decided to look for a defensive spell this time. Both *Ice Needle* and *Flame Destruction* were offensive, and even *Heart of Darkness* leaned toward indirect offensive capabilities.

He began by focusing on the earth-element Pandora Spells. Among the jade boxes, three contained earth-element Spells. After some consideration, he eliminated one that was attack-focused, leaving two defensive Spells: *Impenetrable Shield* and *Melded Earth.*

The *Impenetrable Shield* could summon an enormous barrier of concentrated earth elements with formidable defensive power. Even its first stage offered protection comparable to a fourth-level defensive spell—making it a strong contender.

However, Merlin's attention soon shifted to *Melded Earth,* a Spell that seemed tailor-made for him.

*Melded Earth* allowed the user to fuse the Spell directly into their existing earth-element defensive magic. It functioned somewhat like the *Heart of Darkness* but was designed specifically for defensive spells. Unlike the *Heart of Darkness,* which required the user to reach the fourth level to fully integrate, *Melded Earth* could be fused at the first stage.

This meant that with *Melded Earth,* Merlin's defenses would receive a substantial boost, compensating for the loss of his butterfly-shaped augmentation tool. Its potential for enhancing defensive spells by three to six times made it an invaluable asset for Merlin.

"This is it," Merlin thought, his mind resolute. Turning to the Guardian Mage, he declared, "I choose the *Melded Earth* Pandora Spell."

The Guardian Mage glanced at the jade box and nodded slightly. "Are you certain? Once chosen, it cannot be changed."

"I'm certain," Merlin replied firmly.

"Very well. You have two hours. Afterward, the *Melded Earth* must be returned to its box."

The Guardian Mage's hand moved gracefully, releasing a stream of runes into the jade box. The runes shimmered and dissolved, unlocking the box.

Merlin eagerly opened it to reveal a red silk cloth wrapped around a glowing scroll—the *Melded Earth* Pandora Spell.

Though he had two hours, Merlin only needed minutes. Activating the Matrix embedded in his body, he began recording every detail of the Spell.

"Matrix, begin recording," Merlin commanded silently, his focus sharp.

The Matrix worked efficiently, capturing the Pandora Spell's contents. Merlin carefully absorbed the Spell's instructions, noting that it had two stages. The first required a basic earth-element defensive Spell, which he already possessed with *Runic Ward.* However, fully mastering *Melded Earth* required a rare resource known as **Molten Soil.**

Molten Soil was something Merlin had never encountered before, suggesting it was extraordinarily rare. While this added a layer of difficulty, Merlin felt confident that the Spell's potential was worth the effort.

With the recording complete, Merlin carefully re-sealed the Pandora Spell in its box. The Guardian Mage's cold voice cut through the silence. "Time is up. Return the Pandora Spell to its box and leave the portal."

Merlin complied without hesitation, ready to take the next step in his journey.