Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“H-How… How could that be…?” Under the flash of the faint yellow light, Gryffindor’s smile froze on his face. He suddenly realized the mana in his body stopped flowing. No matter how he tried to stimulate his mental strength by recitation, he could not recall any bit of magical wave.
Gryffindor nearly went crazy on the spot…
F*ck, how could someone who was suffering from Mana Retroaction be able to freeze him?
Unfortunately, he did not have time to think much, because in the next moment, Lin Li already started reciting the Flaming Storm Spell. Flames rose up into the air wildly. The streaks were like fire dragons pouncing towards him viciously. Gryffindor had no choice but look at how the Flaming Storm exploded on his body. The radiant Elemental Shield turned dim almost immediately.
After the Flaming Storm, Lin Li showed no mercy and attacked Gryffindor with a Chilling Touch. The use of one fire element and one ice element magic was so complementary that they were like a rhythmic poem harmoniously written by both fire and ice. It blasted a magnificent elemental storm in the Aurora Square. Gryffindor could only back away from the raging magical waves. The retroactive effect brought over by the Arcane Wall turned the situation around. Gryffindor who was one second away from absolute advantage had become the one who had to deal with the beating.
Gryffindor could not help but keep stepping backwards and make use of unexpected movements to increase the difficulty of casting spells for his opponent to buy more time for himself.
“F*ck, how did he do that?” There were thousands of mages in the audience. Their eyes were open wide after seeing how the young man named Felic had managed to turn the tides. Despite suffering from Mana Retroaction, he could still unleash the two spells with force as though nothing had happened to him…
Could that be an inconceivable way of unleashing spells?
No, no, no. It couldn’t be…
No matter how incomprehensible the technique was, it would never allow a person to oppose the laws of magic. However, the situation now was very unreasonable. What was the difference between a mage who could not control Mana Retroaction and a beast without humanity? Goddammit, was another monster going to appear after these few hundred years?
Of course, it did not concern the two men who were battling. Neither Lin Li nor Gryffindor had time to think of other matters. One was trying to defend himself from all the attacks and overcome the awkward situation, while another was trying to find every opportunity to attack so that he could continue to maximize the chances of winning. The battle in Aurora Square became strangely delicate all of a sudden…
Lin Li unleashed another Flaming Storm as he saw Gryffindor backing away.
“POM!” A horrifying sound echoed in the arena like thunder. At that moment, at least half of the audience stood up. It was no laughing matter. Although he was an Archmage, Gryffindor could barely defend himself from the two Flaming Storms and one Chilling Touch with his Elemental Shield. If his luck was worse, he might lose the entire battle.
“Sigh…” Lin Li sighed softly while he waved his hand to put away a Wind Blade and prepare an Elemental Shield for himself. He knew that he did not have enough time left. Although he had compressed the time he used to cast the three spells, his speed was still lacking. When the second Flaming Storm was out, the Arcane Wall lost its effects. The seemingly terrifying splattering of sparks only bashed onto another Elemental Shield.
After a soul-stirring exchange, the two men got back to the starting line again.
Lin Li estimated it correctly. Three icicles shot out from the blaze and thick smoke right after he held his Elemental Shield up.
“You’re doomed, bumpkin!” Gryffindor hollered as he walked out of the thick smoke.
Gryffindor’s rage was justifiable. He was back to his usual self now. His delicate long robe had long become a mess under the strong flames and thick smoke. It looked crumpled and torn as though Gryffindor had just walked out of a rubbish dump. He had bruise on his face and dirt on his nose. A circus clown would have been more attractive than him.
How would the egoistic Gryffindor be able to tolerate such an insult? He really wanted to smash the Jarrosus bumpkin like an ant.
In fact, he had the confidence to do so.
The heart-racing exchange looked as though it was Lin Li who gained the upper hand. However, Gryffindor was completely aware that it was just an accident. He just had not expected that Felic who got attacked by the Mana Retroaction could still turn the tides to control him. But, it did not matter now. An accident was an accident because it would not occur frequently. One time was enough—he would not allow himself to be fooled again. Apart from it being an accident, the difference between the two men were obvious. Gryffindor was already an Archmage who was at the peak of level-15. One more step, and he would surpass level-15 and reach level-16, a state where he could use the Four-element Shields.
On top of that…
Gryffindor was completely aware that he could do it. Although it was unrealistic to most people, he knew that as the student of the Legendary-mage Rosen, he could do it anytime he wanted to.
A rookie Archmage who rose to his level due to good luck would never expect him to raise himself by a level just like that. This made Gryffindor anticipate how exciting Felic’s expression would be when he unleashed his level-16 abilities. Would it be shock or hopelessness, torment or confusion…?
As he walked out of the thick smoke, Gryffindor started his recitation.
“Damn…” Lin Li exclaimed. He could tell that the spell Gryffindor was reciting was entirely made up of the High Elves’ language.
To a real mage, the language was like their second common language. In reality, there would always be some key characters written in that language in most spells. Since even Lin Li, a mid-life career changer, had already comprehended some of the common words, how well would the top mage of Felan fare in the utilizing of the High Elves’ language?
However, it was Lin Li’s first time hearing a spell that was formed entirely of the High Elves’ language. This could only mean that its effects were far off from what an ordinary spell of level-15 would create! Lin Li reacted quickly. After realizing the gravity of the situation, he opened the Ring of Endless Storm and fished out a Multicolored Potion he had prepared long ago…
Then, a strong wave of mana radiated in the entire Aurora Square.
“F*ck, Gryffindor has reached level-16!” The crowd cheered. Almost all of the mages had their eyes open in disbelief. None of them had expected Gryffindor to reach the next level in the Archmage realm like that!
“Sh*t, how could it be possible?” Hoffman’s eyes nearly fell off. He sprung up from his seat in shock. As he was too agitated, even his meaty cheeks twitched. He could not believe a mage around the age of 20 could have a level-16 ability!
Only people who truly understood the differences between the magic levels would know that the one level that separated level-15 and level-16 was a huge leap. Although a level-15 Archmage could master the Levitating Spell, he was not very different compared to a Magic Shooter at the peak of level-14. However, once he was able to reach level-16, the difference between the two levels would be widened as though there were no boundaries. That was because at level-16, he could learn the four signature spells, and use the Four-element Shields across the series—a near-perfect defensive weapon acknowledged by mages!
“Doomed, doomed! Felic is going to lose…” Even Hoffman, who always had great trust in Lin Li, had to bring out his hopeless side. The difference between a level-15 and level-16 was not what the technique of spell casting could breach. The only thing he could hope for was that Lin Li had enough potions on him to defend himself from a level-16 attack…
But, to be honest, it was an extremely slight hope…
Just when the crowd was stunned, Gryffindor’s magic staff began to emit a blinding light. A massive amount of ice element filled the entire Aurora Square. Even the mages sitting far away from Gryffindor could feel the chilling sensation very clearly.
At that moment, a cold white breeze blew at the Aurora Square, along with snowflakes as big as goose quills.
“Thousand Miles of Ice!” The audience gasped again.
Of all the level-16 spells, the Thousand Miles of Ice was definitely the most powerful. It had the ability to freeze everything instantaneously once it was unleashed. The scariest part was that before achieving the Legendary-realm, the Thousand Miles of Ice was the spell that would result in the largest impact. It was no joke.
In a battle that would concern a few thousand lives, a Thousand Miles of Ice could turn the tides for any losing party. Many skillful people from level-17 or level-18 could not help but feel intimidated by the spell. What was more for a young mage of the age 20?
“It’s a hopeless case…” Hoffman shut his eyes in resignation.
Herza, who was beside him, also shook his head and sighed. “What a waste of talent…”
Amidst the violent, roaring wind, one could only see white particles at the areas the chilling wind passed through. Immediately, huge shards of ice were formed. A wave of crisp sounds could be heard when the stone slabs on the ground of the Aurora Square froze. At that moment, it was as though the air was frozen too.
Everyone was stunned. No one made a sound. The Aurora Square that was unusually boisterous just before became unusually silent now.
Gryffindor gripped his staff tightly. Because he broke into level-16 by force, fatigue could be seen on his handsome face. However, apart from tiredness, it was filled with more satisfaction and elation. To him, it was extremely important to get rid of the mage from Jarrosus. He would not hesitate to break into level-16 forcefully in order to achieve that…
Since Matthias was also a cripple, it would be easy for Gryffindor to kill him even if he was in a weakened state. It wouldn’t affect the next battle for him.
Although the chilling air from the Thousand Miles of Ice had dissipated, the furious snow continued. Amidst the mad winds, an ice sculpture stood in the middle of Aurora Square quietly.
“Mage Felic, how was it? I’m sure it doesn’t feel good to be frozen in the ice, does it?” Gryffindor jeered as he stood in front of the ice sculpture and laughed hysterically. He was beyond elation. He felt as if he had smacked dead an irritating fly that was buzzing around his ears for a long time. Although he knew that his opponent would not be able to hear him inside the ice, he could not help but stay there to soliloquize, venting all his emotions.
“What a pity! Although you have made it to the top three, you are still unable to return to Jarrosus alive. Yet, you can only blame yourself for this. It’s not that I didn’t give you any chance, but you took it for granted. Pfff… How clever do you think you are to even try to take away the presidential seat of the new guild from me? Go and have your grand dream in hell!”
“Aldwin, quick… stop that little bastard!” Macklin rushed up the VIP seats breathlessly. He urged, “If anything were to happen to Felic, then…”
This time, the old man was really anxious. He was extremely clear what a Thousand Miles of Ice entailed. Even though Aldwin had established four master-level mageweaths, and Felic was armed with an Elemental Shield, it was still the mightiest spell from level-16. If Felic was trapped in it for more than a minute, he would not be able to save himself even he become a divinity.
If Felic were to die here, Macklin would be the first to be doomed. It was not easy to negotiate with Andoine. Who knew what that old man would do if he turned crazy? And the two other fellas in the Pharmacists Guild… Macklin clearly remembered that Grimm Burnside had sent a message to the Guild of Magic before the battle, and it said that President Balbo had some matters to discuss with Mage Felic…
Holy…
God knew how long had Macklin not heard such a formal request from the Pharmacists Guild…
Macklin could use his knees to conclude that Lin Li must have established some connections with Balbo when he was at the gathering. If the fella were to get into any accident, what would the Pharmacists Guild do to them? If the potions that they had been providing to the Guild of Magic for at least a thousand years got stopped abruptly, not to say Macklin, the entire Guild of Magic would become sinners!
“Erm…” Aldwin hesitated. To be honest, it was really difficult for him to make any decision. How would he not know Macklin’s worries? But, both of them were in different positions. Macklin’s concern was on the consequences if Felic were to die. He, however, had to judge the matter as a whole. Aldwin had to weight the impact of his actions as the president.
It would be very easy to stop Gryffindor. But, what would come next? Were they going to continue the battle?
Strictly speaking, his interference in the last round already affected the overall fairness of the finals. He was thankful that Garat for being abnormal just now. The extreme undead energy gave him the reason to interrupt the battle. But, what explanation could he give if he were to do so for this battle? Although Gryffindor was a little extreme in his tactics, he had never gone against the rules from the start. As much as he wished to stop him, he had to think about the fairness of the battle. Or else, how could the battles go on?
Yet, Macklin was not wrong to be that frantic over it…
Felic’s background was really complicated. He was involved in too many things. If anything were to happen to him, it would be very difficult to explain to Jarrosus Guild of Magic.
Just when Aldwin was still hesitating, Sendros and Hoffman stood up from the VIP seats almost at the same time. One took up his skeletal staff, started to recite a spell, and generated some thick black smoke in his palms.
These two people had zero concern for the fairness of the battle. From their occupations and status—one being a necromancer and the head of the Darkness Shrine, the other being a conjurer of dark magic and the decision maker of the Glittergold Trade Union—anybody would know that rules would not matter to them at all. They did not have to care about the Guild of Magic in their daily lives. To them, Gryffindor and fairness would never be as important as a talented pharmacist.
Unfortunately…
The situation changed again just when both of them stood up from the VIP seats.
“C-crack…” Amidst the roaring winds was a crisp sound. Although it was gentle and soft, it was extremely deafening to Gryffindor. It was as though a thunder had sounded right above his head…
Cracks could be seen appearing on the ice sculpture. These few lines were like plague, spreading uncontrollably. In the blink of an eye, they had multiplied furiously like nobody’s business. A crystal clear ice sculpture looked as though it was covered in worms. Then, it exploded instantly. “POM!” The shattered ice flew in all directions, forming vapor in the air…
Gryffindor stared at the scene blankly. He saw how the cracks formed on the ice sculpture, and how it exploded thereafter. He was in disbelief. How could the Jarrosus mage escape from the Thousand Miles of Ice? Did he see a ghost? The temperature of the Thousand Miles of Ice was close to zero degrees Celsius. It would be as tough as steel once it got frozen.
How could a human mage be able to break free from it? At this point of time, it was as though Gryffindor saw a beast escape by prying open his own trap…
“So, Mage Gryffindor, you look very surprised?” Lin Li asked. Although he was standing in the vapor and had many ice shards on his Rune Robe, the smile on his face had never been so bright. The temporal entrapment brought about by the Thousand Miles of Ice nearly cost him his life, but it also allowed him to think through many things.
Gryffindor’s true ability was one of them.
Frankly speaking, Lin Li had a shock when Gryffindor unleashed the Thousand Miles of Ice. He knew very well what a level-16 Archmage entailed. The appearance of the four signature magic spells had become the divider of the abilities of Archmages. To be exact, although they were all Archmages, a level-15 Archmage had no chance to battle a level-16 Archmage at all. It would be better to just surrender immediately…
However…
When the Thousand Miles of Ice was unleashed, Lin Li started to suspect Gryffindor’s true abilities. Gryffindor could have used the Four-element Shields on him from the start. Even if he had Mana Retroaction and the Arcane Wall with him, it would not be any threat to Gryffindor.
There was no choice too. The defense mechanism of the Four-element Shields would be too mighty to counter any attack below level-16. If Gryffindor had that ability, why would he have toiled so hard to cope with Lin Li?
When the crucial stage was over, everything that was abnormal became reasonable at once.
That was right. Gryffindor must have used some method to level himself up unnaturally. Like Cromwell, who raised himself to level-14 using a mystical spell of the High Elves. Lin Li did not have to worry about anything. There was no free lunch in the world. Since Gryffindor broke into level-16 unnaturally, he would have to pay for it.
Hence, when Lin Li walked out of the foggy mist, he was extremely light-hearted.
“H-how could this be…!” Gryffindor exclaimed as he fixed a deadly glare on Lin Li. It was as though someone had fixed his body in cast. He stood rooted to the ground for at least a minute before screaming in agony.
“Nothing is impossible, Mage Gryffindor. Since even roosters lay eggs, how can’t I escape from the Thousand Miles of Ice?”
“You—”
“Stop it. You can leave your words at the cemetery…” Before Lin Li speak finish, he had already unleashed Mana Retroaction.
Almost immediately, Gryffindor started his recitation too. But, before he could recite another word, the mana in his body got disrupted. He felt a strong heat flying towards him. It was a fireball as big as his face, dragging a tail of flame towards him…
