A Wizard’s Secret

Wizard Leo had spent three days producing this black bracelet, and it had a life-saving function for Merlin. Within the black bracelet, there was a portion of Darkness Eye’s strength. Merlin did not understand much about Darkness Eye, but he knew that it was even more terrifying than any of the Pandora Demon Abilities he possessed.

Merlin took the bracelet off to inspect it further. He was still uncertain whether the strength of Darkness Eye in the bracelet would help him surmount the third obstacle. Nonetheless, he did not have a choice now. If he did things the conventional way and kept to his usual methods, he would be unable to clear the third obstacle in this monument

Every obstacle required an unusual strategy, perhaps a method which involved “trickery” would work. Merlin had cleared the first two obstacles through such “trickery”.

“I want to complete the third obstacle!”

Merlin stood up and yelled out. He knew that the Flame Being was monitoring the situation here.

As expected, as soon as Merlin spoke, a blurred silhouette gradually appeared in the stone room. It was the Flame Being.

“You want to complete the third obstacle?”

The Flame Being furrowed its brows, a trace of doubt in its voice.

“That’s right, I want to complete the third obstacle!”

Merlin said, determined.

Looking at Merlin’s expression, the Flame Being initially wanted to say something, but it finally shook its head. A peculiar gust of fluctuations emerged around it.

“Awake, Flame Image!”

The Flame Being chanted an ancient incantation. The statue in the middle of the hall immediately began to glow with rays of white light. Following that, the light transformed into fiery wisps of flame, and the statue instantly “came alive”.

“Who wants to complete the obstacle?”

After the statue “came alive”, its gaze landed on Merlin. It was different from the guardian of the first obstacle, for this “resurrected” statue was not stiff nor lacking expression, but was instead like a genuine, powerful Spell Caster. Its eyes were filled with a sophisticated intelligence.

Under the attentive stare of the Flame Image, Merlin felt that it saw right through his entire being. He knew that if it really attacked, the Flame Image could kill him in a single blow.

The disparity in strength between them was far too wide. The force surrounding the Flame Image was much stronger than that of Wizard Heusius and other Seventh-level Spell Casters in the Dark Magic Region. This indicated that the Flame Image was indeed no average Seventh-level Spell Caster.

“You’re the one who wants to complete the challenge?”

The Flame Image spoke once more.

Merlin nodded with a solemn expression, yet a disappointed look washed over the Flame Image’s face as it said in a gruff voice, “How disappointing. In so many years, there are no Spell Casters who’ve been a threat to me… You have great potential, possessing many types of Pandora Demon Abilities. If you can cultivate until you’re at the Fourth-level or above, perhaps there might be a slim chance that I might feel some pressure. For now, you’re too weak. When Master left me behind, he wanted me to select a Spell Caster who was not inferior to him. He did not want me to kill people recklessly. You’ve awakened me, but I’ll give you a chance. Surrender voluntarily, and then work on cultivating yourself. Once you’ve become a Fourth-level Spell Caster or higher, then come wake me again.”

With that, the Flame Image prepared to fall into slumber once more.

“I’m here to complete the obstacle. Make your move!”

Merlin’s voice sounded rather calm. He casually raised the bracelet with a dignified expression.

“Hmm? A casting tool? Fine then, since you won’t give up, I’ll show you the real difference between us!”

The Flame Image lightly extended one hand, and instantly, the temperature of the entire hall rose up abruptly. Without warning, raging flames appeared all around Merlin.

These flames were able to easily turn Merlin, and the two robes he was wearing, into ashes.

At this moment, Merlin’s eyes were fixed on the ink-black bracelet. The Magic Power of the Darkness-type Spell Model in his body quickly and wildly surged into the bracelet.

His success or failure in clearing the third obstacle hinged on the power of the bracelet Wizard Leo had given him. Merlin did not have much faith that he would be successful alone.

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

Following the infusion of Merlin’s Mind Power, the ink-black bracelet began to vibrate violently. At the same time, an apparition of a giant, blood-red eye gradually formed above the ink-black bracelet.

As he looked at this apparition of a crimson eye, Merlin instantly thought of Wizard Leo’s Darkness Eye. He was feeling anxious as he had never truly seen how powerful Wizard Leo’s Darkness Eye was.

“Hmm? This… What’s this?”

When the apparition of the blood-red eye appeared, the gaze of the Flame Image, which had appeared relaxed, suddenly sharpened. Beside it, the Flame Being focused its stare as an appalled expression grew over its face.

“Darkness Eye, it’s actually Darkness Eye? How can there be anyone who could still cultivate Darkness Eye now?”

The Flame Being mumbled softly. Perhaps in these millennia, throughout the time it had spent in the monument, it had never been as astounded as it was now.

“Darkness Eye, delude!”

A cold and detached voice suddenly came from the apparition of the crimson eye. At the same time, a beam of black light shone from the apparition, which enveloped the Flame Image.

“Haha, oh the Darkness Eye, the Darkness Eye of the legends…”

The Flame Image began to laugh maniacally. As soon as the black light enveloped it, frightening fluctuations which were beyond comparison erupted around its body. A wave of Mind Power, colossal to an extreme, immediately dispelled the Hallucinating spell of Darkness Eye.

Presently, the Flame Image was completely submerged in a blaze, looking like a god as it hovered in mid-air. It fixed its gaze onto the apparition of Darkness Eye.

“Darkness Eye belonging to the Great Legend of Darkness, Oflas. I didn’t think that I would still see it…”

In this instance, Merlin truly witnessed how powerful the Flame Image was. The sheer force of the formless energy surrounding its body was able to completely suppress Merlin. He dared not move even a muscle now. It seemed like he would be turned into ashes if the Flame Image had increased its force even by a small margin.

This was the true power of the Flame Image and its terrifying extent. Even if Merlin became a Fourth-level Spell Caster, he would still be no match for it.

Such a powerful Flame Image – Merlin was no longer able to think of anyone who could overcome this obstacle.

However, based on the Flame Image’s grave expression, it seemed that Wizard Leo’s Darkness Eye was not that simple. Even the Flame Image was treating it seriously.

“Darkness Eye, exterminate!”

With another cold command, suddenly, the apparition of Darkness Eye became more faint but the Darkness Element it had gathered became more frightening.

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, a massive beam of black light descended once again, and everywhere the light touched, the flames were extinguished. The entire hall was plunged into complete darkness.

It should be known that these were the flames of a Seventh-level spell, and it embodied the monument’s mysterious master’s understanding of flames, so these flames must be scarier than the average Seventh-level spell.

Even so, under the light radiated by Darkness Eye, these flames were extinguished without any resistance.

“Sizzle…”

The black light submerged the Flame Image, and loose clouds of smoke began to appear. The body of the Flame Image seemed to be melting.

This was the second attack by the apparition of Darkness Eye. Merlin had never witnessed Wizard Leo’s full demonstration of Darkness Eye’s powers, so he did not know Darkness Eye’s true strength.

However, as he watched Darkness Eye emitting the black light, Merlin could not help but feel unnerved. Merely looking at the beam of black light was enough to induce an icy sensation all over him.

The Flame Image was not able to withstand the second attack of Darkness Eye. The flames surrounding its body were almost extinguished completely, and half of its body was melting now.

Merlin thought of the rumors regarding Wizard Leo’s glorious military success of how he had hunted the Seventh-level Spell Caster Osseus from Ozmu over a long distance and finally killed him.

Moreover, Wizard Leo had only paid the price of one arm!

Merlin had already encountered a few prodigies of Ozmu. Among them, the strongest one was Bluebird, but even she was only a Third-level Spell Caster. In comparison, a Seventh-level Spell Caster was on a completely different level – a world of difference from a Third-level Spell Caster.

Osseus, being a Seventh-level Spell Caster from Ozmu, must have been powerful to an extent beyond the comprehension of most Spell Casters. Merlin, along with some other Spell Casters, had thought that Osseus was only an average Spell Caster in Ozmu, which was why Wizard Leo who had a mighty Pandora Demon Ability was able to kill him.

However, it seemed now that the capability of Darkness Eye far exceeded Merlin’s imagination. Most Seventh-level Spell Casters would be no match for it. Nonetheless, even with such powerful Darkness Eye, Wizard Leo still had to sacrifice an arm to kill Osseus. This was evidence of Osseus’ strength too.

Perhaps Ozmu had signed a pact with the Dark Magic Region and other spell casters’ organizations largely due to Wizard Leo’s killing of Osseus.

These thoughts flashed across Merlin’s mind one by one.

“Darkness Eye… Still, it’s not enough, far from it. Essence of Fire, burn away…”

Following the Flame Image’s booming command, its body, which had been half-melted, was now burning in licks of turbulent flames once again. These flames were no longer a fiery red but were somewhat akin to the third stage of Merlin’s Fiery Collapse, being almost transparent!

The near-transparent flames were even more petrifying. Merlin could not help but retreat further and further. He was unable to intervene in this battle between Darkness Eye and the Flame Image, for even the slightest fallout from this fight would cause Merlin to be annihilated.

The flames released by the Flame Image were almost transparent and immediately ripped apart the black light filling up the hall. The hall resumed its initial appearance, and there was only the Flame Image, burning with translucent flames, and the giant apparition of Darkness Eye, facing off in mid-air.

“Darkness Eye, disintegrate!”

The huge apparition of Darkness Eye began to tremble violently, and the endless Darkness Element condensed into a large hand. However, after the formation of the large hand, the apparition, which was already very faint, collapsed in an instant, vanishing in the hall.