End of the Magic Era

“No!” Hogg cried out. ‘How could that Mafa Merlin get so angry from a few sentences? It’s normal to have fierce debates when discussing research. If you are unhappy, you can just curse back! Instead of coldly stewing in your dissatisfaction, how about you answer back? Damn, this is so troublesome.’

Hogg thought about Jouyi’s anger and couldn’t help wiping the cold sweat dripping from his forehead. This person had been able to supply four key pieces of data that had resulted in an unprecedented breakthrough! His importance to the Fanrusen Formula’s research was even greater than that of Jouyi himself.

If Merlin was offended because of Hogg’s arrogance…

The consequences would be far more terrible than Hogg could imagine…

That would definitely be a major issue!

Hogg felt the sweat trickling down his back. He didn’t care about losing his reputation and directly requested a transmission with the Sage Tower in Thousand Sails City. At this moment, he could only think of contacting Solomon…

The transmission went through, but when Solomon heard Hogg’s reasons for contacting him, he immediately got angry. “Hogg, is there something wrong with your brain? I spent so much effort, so much time, just to convince Merlin to participate in the Fanrusen Formula’s research, and now you tell me that you drove him away just because of a few alterations to your work? Who do you think you are? What qualifications do you have to look down upon Merlin? I’ll let you know, Hogg, ten of you can’t keep up with Merlin!”

“I… I didn’t do it on purpose!” Hogg looked very unpleasant after being scolded, but he couldn’t say anything back.

The two of them were both 9th Rank High Mages from the Cloud Tower, so in theory, they should have similar status, but when Solomon first became Jouyi’s disciple, Hogg was still nothing more than a Magic Apprentice. The difference in status because of this relationship was too great. Hogg didn’t dare to retort when facing Solomon’s anger.

“Look at the mess you created, and you still have the cheek to come ask me to clean up your mess? Why don’t you go to my teacher and see if he is going to kick you from the Cloud Tower?”

“It’s a misunderstanding High Mage Solomon, this is truly a misunderstanding…”

“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? Didn’t you say that Merlin, as a mere Great Mage, shouldn’t research the Fanrusen Formula with a 9th Rank High Mage like you? You still have the nerve to talk about it being a misunderstanding? If it really was a misunderstanding, would you have given him a task for a Magic Apprentice, like sorting papers? Nice try, Hogg, don’t play the pitiful card in front of me. Didn’t you come to me to ask for help with persuading him to come back? I’ll tell you now, I can’t afford to lose that person!”

After saying this, Solomon directly shut off the transmission.

“This…” Hogg didn’t know what to feel when the crystal ball shut down. ‘What should I do now, even Solomon doesn’t want to help. Do I have to watch helplessly as that Mafa Merlin withdraws from the research project? This isn’t funny.’

Hogg was on the verge of panic. If that actually happened, then Sir Jouyi really would act as Solomon had said and kick him from the Cloud Tower…

Hogg had been in the Cloud Tower for so long, how could he not know how much effort Star Sage Jouyi spent on the Fanrusen Formula in the past decades? It could be said that Jouyi spent all his time on it, and for that reason, he didn’t even hesitate to halt his own magic training, or else Jouyi might have already surpassed the Archmage realm.

‘If I become the one who destroyed everything…’

Hogg felt that taking the initiative to jump down from the top floor of the Cloud Tower would be more straightforward.

‘No, I have to think of another way! I absolutely can’t let that Mafa Merlin withdraw from the research, or I’ll be the one to bear the consequences. Right, I have to go to Thousand Sails City, I have to go now!’

Thinking of the serious consequences, Hogg didn’t dare to hesitate and quickly packed up his clothes and even prepared two precious magic materials to ask for forgiveness.

But, just as Hogg pushed open the door to the research lab in order to go to Thousand Sails City, a transmission request came.

“Fuck…” Hogg suddenly became angry. ‘This isn’t the time! Damn, I got scolded by Sir Jouyi, and then by Solomon, who dares to delay me now that I want to go to Thousand Sails City to apologize? I’ve already been kicked down, don’t you make it worse!’

Hogg accepted the transmission and loudly declared, “I don’t care who you are, if you have something to say, hurry up. I have to hurry to Thousand Sails City!”

“Thousand Sails City?” On the other side of the crystal ball, Lin Yun was rather stunned. ‘Is that High Mage holding that much of a grudge? A small argument during the research and he wants to come over for revenge? He wouldn’t go that far, right…?’

“I’m going to Thousand Sails City…” Hogg didn’t finish his words before his fierce eyes became wide open in surprise. “Eh! Mafa Merlin… No no no, Great Mage Merlin, weren’t you… weren’t you…?”

“Ah? I was away.” Lin Yun looked suspiciously at Hogg as he wondered, ‘Did that High Mage think that I would withdraw from the research team because of that argument?’

Thinking about that possibility, Lin Yun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

‘Isn’t this High Mage Hogg a bit too foolish? Having arguments during magic research is quite normal, how could I withdraw just from getting angry? I’m not a 3-year-old child that won’t play with you if you don’t agree with me…’

The reason Lin Yun left his alchemy lab was to run a few errands while giving this 9th Rank High Mage some time. After all, this data modification and formula replacement would cause a huge change to the spell matrix calculation. Lin Yun felt that this 9th Rank High Mage would most likely need some time to digest it.

Moreover, after he shut down the transmission, William came over and informed him that the alchemy workshop had finished the framework of the six mining puppets, so he came to ask if Lin Yun had any special requirements or additions.

Thus, Lin Yun remembered that the mining puppets that he had custom made should also need some fighting abilities. This would be a backup in case the Battlemage puppet from the Black Tower was’t enough to protect them from the countless Skeleton Warriors.

Lin Yun went to the alchemy workshop, made a design and had the workshop’s workers follow it.

But when he returned, it actually turned out this way.

“Right, High Mage Hogg, I was away for a bit. I hope I didn’t delay your work?”

If it had been before, Hogg would have flown into a rage when told that Lin Yun left without warning. But after what had happened, would Hogg still be troublesome? He immediately answered while waving his hands, “No, no, Great Mage Merlin, if there is something you need to take care of, you can take care of it anytime. You definitely didn’t delay my work…”

“Eh…” Lin Yun nodded, reassured.

“That…” After seeing Lin Yun’s attitude, Hogg secretly relaxed. But after thinking for a bit, he still felt worried. After hesitating, he lowered his head and said, “Well, Great Mage Merlin, my reaction earlier… My reaction was a problem. I have to apologize to you. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”

“It’s normal to argue and debate about magic research.” Lin Yun chuckled. Although he was a bit doubtful as to why this Hogg’s attitude had changed so much, regardless of the reason, it was a good thing. After all, no one wanted to work with an overbearing companion all the time. “Oh right, High Mage Hogg, besides that, do you need help with other tasks?”

“This…” Hogg hesitated when he heard this.

Hogg started to think of all kinds of ways to mend this relationship. He felt that it wasn’t suitable to give Merlin too much work, but he had second thoughts after thinking about it. This Great Mage Merlin was different from himself… Perhaps what was heavy work to himself would only be trivial matters to Merlin?

Thus, Hogg nodded.

“There is some, Great Mage Merlin. I have a total of 18 spell matrices that need to be computed. How about I give you two?”

“Okay.”

Hogg quickly handed over the two spell matrices.

Lin Yun took a glance at them and quickly did the calculations. Computing the spell matrices of the Fanrusen Formula was no trouble for Lin Yun, and only a dozen minutes later, he sent back the results.

“Eh? So fast…” Hogg froze. ‘It shouldn’t be this quick?’

After all, Hogg would need at least a day to calculate these two spell matrices, how could it be done in a dozen minutes?

Feeling doubtful, Hogg spent some time inspecting it, and as a result, he almost had a heart attack.

Because Hogg could clearly see that not only had the completed spell matrices been computed, but completely new matrices were established. In fact, expounding on how a mistake could appear was already not within the scope of Hogg’s job. To be more precise, in a dozen minutes, this Great Mage Merlin had already completed the work of Star Sage Jouyi.

‘Is this even human?’ Hogg gazed sluggishly at the work. It took no less than ten minutes for Hogg to recover from the shock.

Then, that 9th Rank High Mage transmitted two more spell matrices to check if it was a fluke.