A Wizard’s Secret

Outside the Runic Tower, all the Spell Casters were looking on nervously, including Wizard Leo. Those with stronger Mind Powers even extended their powers into the Runic Tower.

After all, in the history of over a thousand years in the Dark Magic Region, only a few had been able to break through to the sixth floor of the Runic Tower, including Kleis, the betrayer of the Dark Magic Region.

Amazingly, now Merlin too had managed to break through to the sixth floor of the Runic Tower. It unwittingly became an indirect showdown between Merlin and Kleis, the former genius of the Dark Magic Region. It was not surprising that even the powerful Spell Casters were interested in the outcome of the indirect showdown.

However, the wait eventually extended into hours as Merlin was spending a long time on the sixth floor. The passing of time was perhaps not felt by Merlin himself, but the many Spell Casters who were waiting outside were starting to get impatient.

“As long as he hasn’t been sent out from the tower, there’s still a chance!”

Wizard Leo mumbled in a low voice. Even the blood-red vertical eye in his forehead was blinking expectantly, its gaze set on the sixth floor of the Runic Tower. Then, the ray of light started to flash, showing that a change was about to happen on the sixth floor.

If the light was snuffed out, then Merlin would be sent out of the Runic Tower, which meant that he was defeated at the sixth floor, just like Kleis.

On the other hand, if the light ascended to the seventh floor, it would be groundbreaking. It would mean that Merlin was the first Spell Caster to break through to the seventh floor ever since the Runic Tower was built!

“Did he get defeated? Is he going to be sent out from the Runic Tower?”

“The fact that even Kleis got defeated on the sixth floor shows how difficult the challenge is! Can Merlin really clear it?”

Everyone was aware of the difficulty posed by the sixth floor of the Runic Tower, so no one was confident whether Merlin would be able to create a miracle!

“Whoosh.”

Suddenly, the ray of light on the sixth floor dimmed, but it was immediately followed by a brighter ray of light bursting forth from the seventh floor! At the same time, the giant glass dome on top of the Runic Floor also began to glow brightly, its light illuminating almost the entire Dark Magic Region.

Such an extravagant effect was never before seen by the crowd. Most importantly, it would only appear when a Spell Caster successfully stepped foot onto the seventh floor, the highest and final floor of the Runic Tower.

“The seventh floor – Merlin actually managed to step onto the seventh floor! The first person from the Dark Magic Region in over a thousand years, the honor now belongs to Merlin!”

“Kleis didn’t succeed, but Merlin did! Truly, the gods have been watching over the Dark Magic Region. Even though we have been betrayed by Kleis, now we have another genius Spell Caster who is more talented and shines even brighter than him!”

“The indirect showdown between Merlin and Kleis has been decided, and Merlin wins this round!”

Many of the spectating Spell Casters were overjoyed and excited, and there were even loud cheer and joyful shrieks outside the tower. It was important to note that the strong reaction was not just because Merlin was the first Spell Caster to set foot on the seventh floor in thousands of years after it was built.

The more important reason was the symbolic meaning behind Merlin’s successful conquest, which was winning the indirect showdown between Kleis and him!

Wizard Leo finally revealed a rare smile. Unfortunately, the smile was extremely terrifying, to the point that none of the Spell Casters dared to come near him. Nevertheless, it was a genuine smile, one that was filled with sincerity from the heart…

“Who would have thought that I would one day have such an excellent student!”

Wizard Leo raised his hand to caress the scary-looking blood-red vertical eye in his forehead, deep in thought…

…

“Swish.”

On the seventh floor of the Runic Tower, a bright white light suddenly appeared, followed by Merlin’s figure which slowly materialised into existence.

“Phew…”

Merlin exhaled lengthily. He had finally arrived on the seventh floor of the Runic Tower and won the indirect showdown with Kleis.

“I look forward to the day that I can defeat you in person!”

Merlin muttered to himself, and began to evaluate the final floor of the Runic Tower.

Despite being the final floor of the Runic Tower, the arrangement of the room was not particularly remarkable in any way. Most importantly, he had to locate the guardian spirit of the final floor of the Runic Tower.

According to the rules of the Runic Tower, the guardian spirit on every subsequent floor would have a level increase in their powers. Therefore, the guardian spirit on the final floor would definitely be exceptionally powerful, perhaps even to the point of a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Merlin, on the other hand, was still eons away from being capable of challenging a Seventh-level Spell Caster!

“Welcome, lucky Spell Caster. You’re the first person to step foot onto the seventh floor of the Runic Tower in more than a thousand years!”

At this very moment, a familiar voice called out to him. Merlin was stunned as he watched a familiar figure appear in the air.

It was an unequivocally graceful, pitch black, haughty-looking cat. The feline exuded an air of unbothered laziness like he was still half-asleep.

However, Merlin was extremely familiar with this black cat.

“Sir Didimoss? Why are you here?”

Merlin was astonished. This mysterious cat was none other than the black cat Didimoss, the spirit of the tablet outside the Dark Magic Region! How did he appear inside the Runic Tower, and even became the guardian spirit of the final floor of the tower?

“Oh… It’s you, newbie Wizard!”

The majestic black cat was originally taking a lazy stroll in the air. Due to his haughty attitude, he did not even spare a single look at the Wizard who had just entered the seventh floor. When he heard Merlin’s gasp of astonishment, however, he glanced down and spotted Merlin’s familiar face. In an instant, the majestic aura dissipated, and the cat reverted to his usual lazy self.

Merlin breathed deeply and bowed his head. “Honorable Sir Didimoss, my name is Wilson Merlin!”

The black cat Didimoss used two claws to scratch the back of his head. In a half-hearted voice, he said, “Very well, Wizard Merlin, since you already found out about me, then I’ll let you know that this was all pre-arranged by the Great Wizard Fidel. Within the entire Dark Magic Region, I can control any place that is engraved with runes, so I can also travel freely between them. As to the seventh floor of the Runic Tower, I occasionally visit and play guardian spirit to this place. After all, in all the years, no one except for you has been able to break through to the seventh floor…”

It turned out that the mysterious guardian spirit of the seventh floor of the Runic Tower was only Didimoss occasionally “visiting to play guardian spirit”. This discovery made Merlin unsure whether to laugh or cry, but most of all, he felt confused.

“Sir Didimoss, what’s the challenge on the seventh floor of the Runic Tower?

After a brief moment of hesitation, Merlin asked softly.

The black cat Didimoss took a long, measured look at Merlin. He brandished a claw and spoke in the human language, “Wizard Merlin, although you know me and have often gifted me with delicious elemental crystal stones, don’t expect that I’ll go easy on you and let you clear the challenge on the seventh floor of the Runic Tower. In order to find a suitable Spell Caster, the Great Wizard Fidel had spent a great deal of precious effort to build this tower. As a guardian spirit, I cannot deviate from the rules set by the Great Wizard Fidel!”

Merlin was already mentally prepared for this scenario. No matter how mysterious the black cat Didimoss was, it was still a spirit of the Runic Magic Circle. He was forever bounded to the Runic Magic Circle, obliged to obey the rules set by the Great Wizard Fidel.

“Please don’t worry, Sir Didimoss. In order to conquer the seventh floor, I’ll rely on my own abilities!”

The black cat Didimoss nodded. “Good. Actually, there’s only one challenge. Apply your understanding and findings in runology to quickly construct a runic tool from runes. Once you fulfill the requirements set by the Great Wizard Fidel, you can clear the seventh floor and receive the greatest treasure left behind by the Great Wizard Fidel!”

“There’s only one type of challenge?”

Merlin frowned visibly. True enough, this Runic Tower was built by the Great Wizard Fidel to nurture Spell Casters who were proficient in runes. However, no one had managed to reach the seventh level after so many years, not to mention fulfilling the requirements set by the Great Wizard Fidel!

Moreover, Merlin was not at all proficient in runes and only had a rudimentary knowledge of them at best. He was not even capable of setting up a Runic Magic Circle, what more to construct a runic tool.

“Sir Didimoss, is there really only one type of challenge? Is there any other way for me to clear this floor?”

Merlin asked with a bitter expression on his face.

“Any other way? Actually, there is, although at that time the Great Wizard Fidel had decided it somewhat off-handedly. Back in the golden age of Spell Casters, the top was often dominated by Demonic geniuses. Thus, he decided that if a Spell Caster like that appeared one day, even without any runic ability, he was willing to gift his treasure to the challenger.”

After a long, deep contemplation by the black cat Didimoss, he finally remembered the second type of challenge set by the Great Wizard Fidel. Whether or not it constituted an actual challenge was debatable as even the Great Wizard Fidel did not think that such a situation would materialize.

“What is it? Sir Didimoss, I don’t have much knowledge of runes. The first challenge you mentioned is completely out of my depth. I would like to attempt the second challenge.”

The black cat Didimoss reacted with surprise upon hearing Merlin’s confession that he did not know runes. Upon second thought, however, Didimoss realized that within a short period of joining the Dark Magic Region, Merlin had already progressed to become a Six-Elemental Third-level Spell Caster. In order to achieve this feat, the construction of spells alone would already consume a huge amount of effort. If Merlin also managed to grasp a proficiency in runes, it would be even more abnormal.

Hence, the black cat Didimoss continued speaking. “The second challenge is very simple, which is to defeat me! Wizard Merlin, even though I’m only a spirit of the Runic Magic Circle, with the support of the enforced Runic Magic Circle laid down by the Great Wizard Fidel, I can release powers equal to a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Hehe. If you chose the second challenge, then be prepared to duel a Seventh-level Spell Caster!”

“A Seventh-level Spell Caster!”

Merlin was not at all surprised, he had vaguely predicted this potential scenario to happen.

Since the Runic Tower only allowed Fourth-level Spell Casters and below to enter, it was practically unthinkable to defeat a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Perhaps in the Spell Casters’ glorious era, there also existed a Demonic genius; but they were so rare that their numbers could be counted on one hand.

Merlin had only heard of one occasion where a Fourth-level Spell Caster managed to defeat a Seventh-level Spell Caster. It was the tale of Great Legend Nikola which was told by the spirit of the Flame Maxim aboard the ship of Nikola.

Even then, the Great Legend Nikola only managed to defeat a Seventh-level Spell Caster when he reached Fourth-level. Prior to Fourth-level, Nikola, too, did not qualify as an opponent to a Seventh-level Spell Caster.

Therefore, the second challenge set by the Great Wizard Fidel was one that even he did not believe would be attempted by anyone.

However, if a Demonic genius actually did appear, the Great Wizard Fidel was willing to gift his treasure even if the Spell Caster was not proficient in runes. The reason was that a Demonic genius Spell Caster was so extremely rare and that they would eventually mature into one of the most powerful Spell Casters in the future!

“So, have you decided?”

The black cat Didimoss pressed for an answer, looking slightly impatient.

Merlin took a deep breath and nodded reluctantly. He steadied his tone and said, “I have decided. Sir Didimoss, give me your best shot!”

“Oh? I see that you chose to attempt the second challenge…”

The black cat Didimoss raised his head to stare at Merlin with an indecipherable half-smile.