Advent of the Archmage

Chapter 640: Have I Summoned a God?

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Link simply stared at Romeon the Protector, not in any rush to make the first move.

Romeon’s throat felt dry. He too simply stood there facing Link.

The Magician Franklan and the other summoners had returned to their base camp, with Glyn and the other two demons trailing behind him. Once they were back in their camp, Franklan quickly sought out the army’s marshal.

“Marshal, we need to do something!” said Franklan immediately as soon as he found him.

The marshal was a middle-aged Level-6 Pinnacle Warrior. He was surprised to see Franklin in such a state. He then saw the demons behind him and could not help but shudder at the sight of them.

He did not recognize any of them, but these three demons were giving off incredibly dark auras mingled with a thick bloodlust. As someone who had seen countless bloodshed during his tenure as marshal, he was extremely sensitive to auras like theirs. He had a bad feeling about this.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he asked Franklan, “Master, are these three the ones you summoned from the Void?”

Slightly caught off guard by the question, Franklan nodded. “Yes. They are under my control. Protector Romeon knows of their presence here. He needs their power as well.”

This sounded reassuring. The marshal pondered this for a few seconds. Finally, he nodded and then, turning to his messenger, he said, “Mobilize every ballista and catapult in camp to launch an attack against the black dragon.”

“Yes, Marshal!” said the messenger, who then turned around and left.

“Franklan, I will require your magical assistance!”

“Understood, Marshal. We will head off to the Mage Tower presently,” said Franklan. There was indeed a Mage Tower in this realm, which architecturally resembled the one in Firuman.

He then said to Glyn, “Master, follow me.”

Glynn did not object to this. Suddenly, as if a thought had just occurred to him, he turned to the marshal and said, “These two are my subordinates. I think you will need these two in your upcoming battle.”

The marshal looked at the Bladed Demon, then at the Succubus. He nodded. “You two should be on the frontline then!”

The two demons seemed unsure about this. Being on the frontline essentially meant being first in line to face Link.

At that moment, Glyn’s voice rang out in their minds. “Go! Make yourselves useful. We need all the support we can get from these people!”

Left with no other choice, the two demons went off to take their positions on the forefront of the upcoming battle.

With everything settled, all that was left for everyone to do now was fight to the bitter end against the black dragon.

At that moment, Romeon the Protector was still looking warily at Link. He then said in a low voice, “Dragon, you possess extraordinary power. These people are no more than ants before you. What do you hope to gain from their deaths? ”

Obviously, he was trying to buy himself time.

Link could see the artillery weapons being lined out one by one in the base camp behind Romeon. Considering my current position and the fact that my scales have been enhanced to resist any magical attacks, these weapons probably won’t come close to hurting me, thought Link.

Since that was the case, Link might as well take advantage of Romeon’s attempts to stall in order to understand this new world and establish dominance at the same time.

Link remained motionless for a while. He then let out a terrible laugh and gazed coldly at Romeon. “Magician, the opinions of ants do not concern me in the least.”

Romeon was speechless. He shot a few panicked glances behind him. He then continued, “Dragon, you must also possess an extraordinary intellect to go with that extraordinary power of yours. Can’t you see that I’m just the first person the realm has sent out to stop you? If you continue on this path, you’ll soon have to face enemies more powerful than me. The mortals of this realm will also resort to underhanded tactics like poison and assassination in order to rid their world of you. Even if they can’t destroy you completely, you will lose all that you cherish along the way. You will lose.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Link, nodding.

Romeon was pleased by this. The beast did not seem like the unreasonable sort. If it could be reasoned with, there might be a peaceful way to settle things with it without shedding a drop of blood after all.

In one of the mountains behind him, the king of the Blacklan Kingdom began to panic as he listened to their conversation. “What’s with the Protector? Is he thinking about backing out now? Dadara, why isn’t he doing anything? Troym’s army is about to attack at any moment!”

Dadara did not know what was going on as well. He simply shrugged and shook his head. “Your Highness, the Protector’s wisdom greatly surpasses my understanding. Even I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

The people of Blacklan Kingdom could only stare helplessly at what was happening at this point.

At that moment, Romeon sensed an opportunity. “Dragon, please step down…” he said.

“No,” interrupted Link, shaking his dragon head. “I can’t violate my summoning contract. If I fulfill the terms of my contract, I will be rewarded with a huge amount of power. In return, I will simply need to perform a task for the Blacklan Kingdom. I am a dragon of my word, after all.”

Romeon was at a loss for words again. He could not seem to persuade the dragon out of this.

However, he did not need to exchange words with Link any longer. The army of Troym was now ready to launch an attack against him.

Before opening fire on him, Romeon said, “Dragon, if that’s how you want to do this, then expect no mercy from us!”

At that moment, Link was still sitting on his haunches. He then rose up and spread his wings out majestically. “Mortals, are you ready to take me on?”

There was a hint of glee in Link’s voice. Romeon’s blood froze. He’s already seen through everything. Still, he didn’t even make a move. Is he really that arrogant as to think that he can take on all of us by himself?

Romeon had a bad feeling about this. However, all the artillery weapons had been primed and was ready to mount an attack on the dragon. There was no backing out of this now.

“Fire!” shouted the marshal of the Troym army.

Whoo! A battle horn was sounded.

Boom! Boom! Boom! went the catapults.

Arrows whizzed out from the rows of ballistas behind Romeon.

All kinds of spells soared out from the Mage Tower, the most potent of them all being Level-9. From balls of electricity to beams of darkness, all of them hurtled relentlessly towards Link.

Romeon had also joined in the attack. The light radiating from his body was now blinding. He then pointed his wand at the sky. “Heavenly Sword!”

A 100-foot-wide golden cloud began to form and spin rapidly in the sky. A 30-foot-wide crack then opened up in the center of it, unleashing countless blades of light upon Link.

It was an elegant and potent Level-10 spell that Romeon prided himself in.

All these attacks were now coming at Link like an avalanche, threatening to swallow him up.

“We’re dead! Dead, I say!” cried the king of the Blacklan Kingdom, Morahan. Even a dragon like Link would be reduced to a pile of ash by such a fierce combination of attacks.

Glyn had his eyes glued on Link from the Mage Tower. He ignored everyone else’s spells and simply focused on Romeon’s, as he was sure that it would deliver the final killing blow to Link.

In the face of such an attack, Link simply spread out his wings and whipped up a gust of wind.

The catapults’ rocks, the ballistas’ arrows and any spell below Level-7 were blown off course by the sudden wind. All that remained within the volley of spells were those above Level-7, especially the golden blades that were still streaking down from the heavens towards him, unhindered by the wind whatsoever.

Strangely enough, Link stood his ground. He did not even bother setting up any defensive measures against the rest of the incoming spells.

“What’s going on?” Romeon, Glyn and everyone else was all perplexed by this.

“Is he trying to kill himself?”

“Has he gone mad?”

At that moment, all kinds of thoughts were running through everyone’s mind. Finally, the golden blades reached Link’s body. Then, the inexplicable happened.

Composed of highly-concentrated magical energy, these golden blades looked just like any other blade forged by human hands and might even be sturdier than the latter to an extent. However, as soon as they hit the black dragon’s scales, they simply went limp.

These 500-foot-long blades went soft like jelly before melting into pools of golden liquid.

The golden liquid then slid off Link’s scales and evaporated into a golden mist.

Not one blade was able to pierce through the black dragon’s scales.

Romeon’s spell was completely ineffective. So were the other spells that had accompanied it.

Looking at the golden mist wafting off of him, the black dragon shook his head. “That all you’ve got?”

A resounding silence was all that answered him.

“Arghhh!!!” Someone screamed. Then, the whole army of Troym descended into chaos. They were completely outclassed by the black dragon.

Glyn’s eyes widened at what he saw. The lord of Ferde was able to shrug off a Level-10 Legendary spell like it was nothing. There was nothing he could do against an opponent like that.

All the Magicians around him were running for their lives. Taking advantage of the ensuing chaos, Glyn managed to knock out Franklan. Hoisting him up on his shoulder, he then turned around to leave.

In the air, Romeon was now panicking as well. He turned around to look at the Troym army, which had scattered like ants beneath him. He then pulled on the reins of his unicorn and bolted like an arrow from the battlefield.

His opponent was just too powerful. Lingering on any longer would just result in his demise. He needed to become even more powerful in order to deal with a threat like Link. Yes, that’s right. He was not running away out of fear. He was simply making a tactical retreat. He could not afford to die here now!

“I need to run! I can’t die here!” Romeon began picking up speed as he fled for his life.

Back in the base camp, the two demons looked at each other for a moment. Then, they too turned around and fled the place with the others.

However, as they were about to leave, the air began to distort around them and became viscous. Soon, their feet were all trapped in the thick, ropy air.

The two demons looked at each other, then turned around and saw that the black dragon was glaring at them.

The Bladed Demon immediately fell to his knees. “Master, you are my one and only master. Your will is my command!”

The succubus Gamiwa stared at him, her eyes as wide as saucers. “Have you lost your mind? The master will kill us!”

“If we don’t surrender now, we’ll die too! I still have a lot to live for, you know,” said Gaulle from the corner of his mouth. He was now lying prostrate on the ground before Link.

The succubus’ knees gave way, and she too knelt down. “Almighty dragon, let me be your humble servant as well!”

Gaulle was right. Survival was the only thing that mattered now.

Glyn had already put a bit of distance between him and the battlefield. From afar, he could see that his two subordinates had surrendered themselves to their enemy. He felt nauseous just watching the two of them grovel before the dragon. However, he could not do a thing about it. He could still feel the dragon’s eyes searching for him. If he revealed himself now, he would also be as good as dead!

Link was now looking at the state of the Troym army with an air of satisfaction. He began walking briskly towards the Warriors of Troym, who were now crying and cursing their parents for bringing them into this world with only a pair of legs.

The entire army of Troym had collapsed entirely. After squishing a few Warriors beneath his feet, he then turned around and headed back into the mountains.

The people of the Blacklan Kingdom prostrated themselves before Link when they saw him striding back towards them. King Morahan shouted, “Almighty Protector, you truly are a god!”

The Magician Dadara was left speechless. At that moment, he too thought that he had actually summoned a god into their realm. How else could anyone explain what had just happened?

Link continued walking into the deeper regions of the mountains. Then he thundered, “Only my attendants can stay. The rest of you can go now. From now on, these mountains will be my domain. Trespassers will be killed!”

Silence fell upon the mountains once more when he said those words.

Link then returned to the valley back in the mountains. After a while, the two demons that he had intimidated into submission finally caught up to him. Looking down on the two trembling figures, Link asked, “I want to know everything about Nozama. I’ll be asking you two a few questions, one by one.”

Chapter 641: Sovereign of Light?

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

This is problematic.

Link sprawled on the ground of the valley, thinking of the information he’d gotten from the two demons. The Void Ferry actually had more than 3000 Legendary demons. Nozama wanted to come personally to deal with him. Even more shocking, these guys were still looking for the mysterious gear and had come here.

This place was extremely close to the mysterious gear. If they searched carefully here, they would definitely find it. What would happen if they found the gear?

Link didn’t know if they would receive undefeatable power or shocking wisdom. All he knew was that he couldn’t let Nozama find it.

But what should I do now? Link had no clue. While wracking his brain, his magic servant Dadara walked over with a thick magic book in his hands. “Master, I’ve prepared what you’ve requested.”

“Get closer and read for me.” Link’s eyes rolled and looked down at Dadara. He remained sprawled on the ground.

It wasn’t their first meeting, but whenever Dadara had to approach this huge beast, he would still get nervous. He forced himself to around 50 feet from Link and started reading.

“The realm we live in is called Fedara. In ancient times, it was a barren land. There was no water, no air, and no life. One day, a great god arrived. He saw that the world was so quiet and decided to add life to it. He spent seven days in total to create the creatures… Master, this is the myth spread all over the continent. I cannot ensure the validity. I personally do not believe it.”

Link didn’t agree or disagree. He huffed out some air, creating a breeze in the valley. “Keep reading. Don’t add your useless nonsense. Your knowledge isn’t enough to determine the truth of history.”

Dadara felt insulted, but he didn’t dare object. Licking his chapped lips, he continued, “After God created life, he stayed in Fedara for countless years. He arranged the order for the world to operate, and spread the written and spoken language. When he left, he pointed at the ancestors of humanity and said, ‘From now on, you will rule the world in my place. Magic is the scepter I give you…'”

The myth was very rough. There was a handful of myths similar to this in Firuman. Most of the details couldn’t be believed, but there were still some traces left behind by history. Here, Link asked, “What was the god called?”

“He never said his true name. However, the ancient people called him the Sovereign of Light. Whenever he appeared, he was covered in endless light. People couldn’t see his features clearly either,” Dadara said.

“Sovereign of Light?” Link was slightly surprised. The Sovereign of Light was similar to Firuman’s God of Light. Piasce had also said that the mysterious gear in the Sea of Void was enveloped by light. Could there be a special relationship between these three?

However, there still wasn’t enough information. Link couldn’t conclude anything yet. “Continue,” he ordered.

“After the god left, the ancestors used the God-given magic and quickly reached the top of the world. In the beginning, many believed that God would return and the ancestors were only temporarily protecting the world order for him. Thus, the world was very peaceful, and everyone lived happily. However, God never returned. Time passed, and the order broke apart. About 9000 years ago, the first magic war erupted in Fedara. Countless powerful Magicians crowned themselves as magic king. They fought each other to snatch the scepter given by the god. The dark ages lasted for 30 years. It was known as the War of the Kings.”

“Oh? Is this a legend or history?” Link was interested.

“This is true history,” Dadara said.

“Where’s the evidence?” Link asked.

Not only was Dadara a Magician, but he was also a learned scholar. He knew everything about Fedara’s history.

As soon as Link asked, he replied, “There are many ancient relics on the continent. The most well-known is the Stargazer’s Platform in the South. Ancient scholars observed the paths of stars there. There’s a famous wall painting called Dawn of the Gods. Beneath it is an epic poem of 5389 ancient words. It recorded the ancient war in detail.

“There are also three eternal magic seals on the Stargazer’s Platform and five fossilized bodies. This all proves that the War of the Kings had truly happened around 9000 years ago. According to my research, the specific time should be around 9155 years.”

It was a detailed reply. After hearing it, Link felt like he should visit the Stargazer’s Platform. Of course, he had to learn as much as he could about this world’s magic before that.

Thinking of this, Link said, “Continue the story. After that, I need to know about your magic.”

“As you wish, Master.” Dadara continued reading.

While Link was focused on learning the specifics of Fedara, Glyn was escaping with Franklan. He ran more than 1000 miles without stopping and finally took a breather after reaching the heart of the Troym Kingdom.

Just as he was about to rest, a voice came from the sky. “Stop, demon.”

Glyn looked up. It was Protector Romeon who had been running toward the same direction. He looked a bit pathetic now. His clothes were torn, and his previously flawless hair had become messy. His pretty eyebrows drooped rather than arching up. It was obvious what had happened was a blow to his confidence.

“Protector, I am only someone summoned from another realm. Why can’t you let me go?” Glyn was scared. The other was Legendary, after all. If they started fighting, he wouldn’t do well.

Romeon shook his head. “No, no, no. I know you have other plans, but I’m not looking for trouble now. I want to know details about the black dragon. His power is too shocking. He surpasses all creatures that have appeared in the history of Fedara. Even the ancient magic kings can’t reach his level. He can’t be a nameless figure. Demon, tell me his background.”

With that, Glyn was relieved. If this guy really wanted to find trouble, it would actually be hard for Glyn. This was much better. He couldn’t say much about the Ferde lord though. Otherwise, judging from their conversation earlier on the battlefield, who knew what would happen?

Thinking of this, Glyn said, “Protector, I’ve only heard of his name before. He is truly powerful, but that was my first time fighting him, just like you.”

“Oh?” Romeon squinted at Glyn, face full of suspicion.

Glyn had seen this kind of suspicion many times before. He cried out inwardly. That damn Ferde lord had perfectly destroyed the Protector’s confidence. The clash hadn’t been as intense as he had thought. The Protector had already started doubting Glyn and would try to prove his doubts. Adding the two demon traitors to the fact, they would probably be exposed soon.

At this point, Nozama’s mission would be impossible to accomplish. The wisest thing would be to give up on the summoning and return to the Void to restart. It was highly possible that he would be badly punished, but it was still better than failing and dying here.

Glyn was a decisive man. Once he made a decision, he would do it immediately without any delay.

Of course, he had to find the right time to leave this realm. But since he had a decision, he didn’t feel torn inside. “Protector,” he murmured. “Of all the rumors I’ve heard of the black dragon, he’s a cruel and tricky guy. Perhaps you think he’s okay and you can communicate with him. But when he kills more than 100,000 lives in this world, you’ll regret it.”

“But less than 20 people died because of him in that battle,” Romeon said, half trusting and half disbelieving. “Less than 100 were injured. This doesn’t match the name of a cruel tyrant.”

“Hah, I’m only telling you what I’ve heard. Whether you believe me or not has nothing to do with me. If you have the guts, you can go to the valley to ask him personally… Oh, I don’t think I can stay in this realm any longer. After all, I’m just a summoned guest from another realm.”

“Oh, then you can go. Thank you for the information. Also, this realm doesn’t welcome you. Don’t come back. If I meet you again, I will destroy you!”

Glyn shrugged. “I hope we’ll never meet.”

Romeon didn’t think much. The summoning spell had ended, so returning to the Void was normal. Thinking that he wouldn’t get more information from the demon, he turned to leave.

Perhaps it’s time to go look for that black dragon, Romeon thought. The other hadn’t caused great damage and instead went back to the mountains. The fighting could be put aside for now. He should at least figure out the other’s motive.

On the other hand, a short while after he left, Glyn grabbed Magician Franklan’s neck. “Mortal, I’m sorry, but I don’t need you anymore.”

“You—” Franklan was shocked.

Crack! Bone cracked, and Franklan’s neck was turned into mush. He was dead instantly.

He was Glyn’s main summoner. Once he died, Glyn felt the realm’s resistance against him multiply greatly. His Level-9 strength was now only Level-6.

It didn’t matter though. He wasn’t going to stay in this realm for any longer. Using the resistance, Glyn cast a realm portal spell.

Buzz. White light flashed. Using this power, Glyn felt himself shoot out of this damn realm. Everything blurred in his vision. A few minutes later, dark green vapor appeared before him. He was back in the Sea of Void.

Nothing was restricting him anymore, and his power returned to Level-15. The Void’s power rushed towards him, but he easily stopped it.

After a while, a huge disc appeared around him. There was a flashing spatial coordinate below it. Glyn immediately sent his location. The white light flashed, and he was back inside the Void Ferry.

Nozama’s voice came. “Glyn, you’ve disappointed me greatly.”

Chapter 642: God of Destruction (2/2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Glyn turned around and saw that Nozama was looking at him from his black skeletal throne. On both sides of his throne stood ten or so demons. These were all Nozama’s most trusted subordinates. Some of them even posed a threat to Glyn’s position as Nozama’s second in command.

The crowd of demons was smiling at him nastily.

Glyn’s heart was now racing in him. His knees gave way, and he fell to his knees unceremoniously. “Master, I beg you. Please allow me to explain what I had to go through in that realm before you punish me.”

“Speak then,” said Nozama, nodding. He had always been a reasonable man, and Glyn was also one of his most competent subordinates.

Glyn let out a sigh of relief. He then began recounting the moment he and his two underlings were summoned by the Magicians of Troym into their realm; the Protector’s appearance, which was subsequently followed by the Black Dragon Link’s appearance; and finally, how the Black Dragon easily brought the Troym army to its knees. He did not leave out anything as he described in detail the power levels of all parties involved and what happened during the battle with the Black Dragon.

When he was finished, Nozama frowned. “You said that he just stood there, completely ignoring the Level-10 spell that was aimed at him. Are you sure he didn’t cast a defensive spell on himself beforehand?”

“No, I was closely observing him at the time. I did not sense any magical aura from him. I am sure of what I saw. The spell simply slid off him like rainwater.”

Glyn was a Level-15 Magician. Though his power had been heavily suppressed back then, his observational skills were not at all affected. He definitely could not have imagined what he saw with his own eyes.

Things did not look good. The fact that a Level-10 spell had no effect whatsoever on Link suggested that he was now more powerful than anyone had anticipated. Even Nozama could not achieve such a feat.

From Glyn’s account, Nozama estimated that his power would be reduced to at most Level-10 if he were to enter that realm without any summoner splitting the burden of the Dimensional Rejection with him. Even he would be decimated by a Level-10 magical attack at that point.

Nozama tapped a restless finger on one of the armrests of his throne. All the other demons were now holding their breaths, fearing that their breathing might distract their master. Glyn remained kneeling on the ground, not even daring to take a breath himself. His heart was now pounding in anticipation of whatever punishment Nozama had in store for him.

Seconds passed agonizingly. Ten minutes later, Nozama spoke once more, “The lord of Ferde never ceases to surprise me. I imagine he still has a few tricks up his sleeve if he thinks he can venture into the Sea of Void on his own. And now he’s holed up in this backwater realm. Knowing him, he may even stay there for a hundred more years if he has to. Picking a fight with him there may not be a wise move. If that’s the case, we’ll just have to return to our previous objective: finding the Seal of Light!”

“Yes, Master.” All the demons nodded around him.

Nozama then looked at Glyn again. “As for you, Glyn, you’ve been a loyal servant of mine, perhaps ten times more loyal than those traitorous imbeciles Gaulle and Gamiwa. You’re also a lot more intelligent than those two. You’ve proven yourself to be an invaluable asset. Stand up; you are not at fault for the failure of this mission.”

Glyn was overjoyed. “Many thanks, Master! Many thanks!”

In the past, Nozama would usually conjure some cruel punishment to deal with those who failed him. This was the first time he had forgiven someone for his failure. It would seem that Glyn had made the right choice.

Nozama then turned to look out of one of the portholes on the side of the Void Ferry. A vast realm flickered in the distance outside the Ferry. He smirked. “Another world waiting to be conquered. I’m coming, love.”

The Void Ferry let out a soft hum as it turned towards this new realm.

Just then, something happened.

The Dark Tutor Mysin shouted, “Master, something’s holding back the Void Ferry! We’re completely paralyzed!”

“What? What did you say?” Nozama was stunned. What the Void Ferry lacked in power, it made up for in size. Even he would not be able to restrain such a huge vessel by himself. Who could be powerful enough to bring the entire Void Ferry to a halt?

He immediately gave out his order. “Activate the Dark Inferno. We’ll burn whoever it is to a crisp…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a silky voice echoed in the vessel. “Nozama, is this how you treat a friend?”

As Nozama puzzled over who it could be for a while, a dark red image flickered into being inside the cabin. The image was blurry at first. Then, it began to solidify into the form of an Agatha Naga. The Naga somewhat resembled the Naga Priestess Molina. Swathed in layers of destructive aura, she had an air of austerity about her that Molina never had.

Looking at her, Nozama drew a sharp breath. He stood up, took a few paces forward and then bowed deeply before the Naga. “Exalted one, I did not expect to find you here.”

The Naga in question was the God of Destruction. She had appeared before Nozama in her true form. The faint aura she was giving off was enough to suffocate every demon onboard the Void Ferry. Even Nozama was under the impression that he would be disintegrated at any moment by her.

A mortal in the face of a Legendary was akin to an ant about to be stomped on by an elephant. In the Sea of Void, Nozama was now feeling just as insignificant as said ant in the face of a divine master like the God of Destruction.

“I did not expect to find you floating out here as well,” said the Naga, chuckling. She then turned to look at the realm outside the Ferry’s porthole. “I assume he’s somewhere in there?”

“Yes, yes he is.”

Nozama did not even have to guess who she was referring to.

The Naga smiled coldly. “This realm does feel potent. However, it is still young, and most of its rules are far from complete. It’s also not under the protection of any god as far as I know. I’ll open a portal for you, and all you have to do is go in there and get him out of it.”

Nozama was taken aback by her suggestion. “Won’t there still be a Dimensional Rejection?”

“There will be, but I’ll take on most of it for you. You will have Level-14 power inside that realm as a result. Don’t tell me you can’t even handle such a simple task?”

If the Naga had come to him sooner with such an arrangement, Nozama would not have hesitated to pluck the lord of Ferde out of the realm he was now hiding in. However, after hearing Glyn’s account, he was not sure if he could handle Link even with Level-14 power, especially when he had no idea how powerful the latter had become at this point.

The God of Destruction gazed at him coldly. “Cowardice is a quality most unbecoming of someone with 3000 Legendary demons at his disposal, Nozama.”

The demons on board the vessel looked at their master upon hearing this, waiting for an answer from him.

Damn it! Nozama grounded his teeth. However, he was not in any position to resist the will of a divine master. Finally, he nodded. “No, of course there won’t be a problem. I’m just thinking what kind of torture I should subject the lord of Ferde to when I get my hands on him.”

“No.” The God of Destruction strolled towards Nozama’s throne and seated herself on it. She then stared down at the Lord of Deep and said, “Your job is to capture the lord of Ferde alive. As for how he should be dealt with, that will be up to me to decide, not you.”

Chapter 643: Turn and Run

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fedaro Realm

Today was Link’s second day in this realm; he was still familiarizing himself with it. There wasn’t much in terms of history, and so, he’d learned most of it. Now, he was learning about Fedaro’s magic.

The magic here was unique, but Link was on the way towards the essence of power. Magician Dadara’s level was quite low. He was only around Level-8. Link had the advantage of his high level and was naturally fast at grasping low-level spells.

In one afternoon, Link already learned most of the commonly used runes in this realm. Now, he was learning a Level-6 flame spell.

Whoosh. A red fireball the size of a basketball appeared before Link’s eyes. Using his thoughts, it disappeared and reappeared a few times. He could now control the spell on his whim.

Beside him, Dadara praised, “Master, you learn so quickly.”

“A mere mortal’s trick.” Link’s voice was full of disdain, but it was an act. Inside, he thought this spell was very special.

In Firuman, a fire spell under the Legendary level would create an unstable and high-pressure ball of fire. To make a fireball, one had to use a spiral structure inside. Any relaxation would cause the spell to be cast incorrectly and have horrible consequences.

The structure of this fireball was completely different. It didn’t have any spirals inside. The outside was a transparent red sphere, like a crystal. At a glance, it looked like Dragon Power. While casting, it was easier to control than Firuman’s fireballs too. It made Link feel that it was a Legendary fireball that involved fire principles.

These magic runes are closer to the principles than Firuman’s elemental runes. They aren’t simple single-realm principles either and are instead the common principles in the Sea of Void… Interesting.

Disregarding the relationship between these spells and the mysterious gear, the characteristics were already enough for him to research deeply.

These were his inner thoughts. Dadara obviously didn’t know. Hearing his words, he lowered his head and said humbly, “Master, these are only a mortal’s spells. They can’t be compared to your supernatural power.”

Link didn’t deny it. “Continue,” he said. “Next spell.”

“Yes, Master.” Dadara lifted the magic book and flipped to a new page to show Link another spell.

Just then, Link suddenly said, “Wait, something happened.”

Dadara was confused. He looked up and saw that the sky was clear blue. Looking around, there were only thick forests. The wind blew past the trees, and occasionally, there would be some bright chirps from birds. Everything seemed normal.

“Master, it looks normal?” Dadara didn’t understand.

“Patience, mortal.” Link had been lying on the ground, but now he’d half-risen. Cocking his head, he listened. His eyes kept looking around, waiting for changes in the environment.

Dadara still didn’t understand, but he knew his power wasn’t enough. He could only hold his breath and wait.

The valley was silent and the seconds ticked by. After around ten minutes, the sky changed drastically.

It had been blue like a pure sapphire. Now, it suddenly had dark red clouds. At first, the clouds were sparse but thickened within a few minutes, covering the sun completely.

The clouds kept spinning like a huge vortex. After more than ten minutes, a giant dark red pillar of light suddenly shot out from it. The pillar connected the sky and ground. It was extremely similar to when the God of Destruction’s Saint had appeared. Link’s heart clenched, and the feeling of danger gripped him.

Just then, two figures sprinted over while yelling, “Master, something happened!”

Link looked over. They were the two demons who had signed the soul contract with him. Their original summoning contracts had been nullified, and the one bearing the realm’s resistance had gone. They were only at the beginning of Level-6 now.

Sprinting over, succubus Gamiwa, who was at the front, panted heavily and said, “Master, things are bad. I can feel Nozama’s aura. He said before that he’d come to deal with you personally. He’s here now.”

Bladed Demon Gaulle’s eyes were terrified, and his body shook. “Master, what should we do? We’re going to die. We’re really gonna die!”

Every demon from the Abyss knew very well how horrifying Nozama was. This lord’s power was undefeatable, and he knew countless ways of torturing someone. Demons were a mortal’s nightmare, but to the demons, Nozama was an eternal nightmare.

Now, they’d betrayed Nozama, but Nozama had come to them. The two demons were close to breaking down.

Nozama has actually come? Link looked at the dark red pillar in the near distance. It’s probably not just him. The God of Destruction is also looking from outside the realm. This is bad.

Nozama was at the pinnacle of Level-19, only one step away from the divine level. Now, he dared to come into this realm to find Link. Even if his power was somewhat restricted, but he would still be more powerful than Link. If they fought directly, Link barely had any chance.

However, he also had some advantages. As the mastermind behind Firuman’s catastrophe, people had researched Nozama’s power. He’d displayed many tricks in the game, such as Misfortune Curse, Finger of Death, Eternal Nightmare, and other Legendary techniques. People knew all about them; Link obviously did too.

Nozama was extremely powerful, but he still had flaws. As the Lord of the Deep for so many years, he had many followers and never had to fear anyone. Thus, his skills at escaping, especially spells at running, didn’t match his power level.

Seems like I should run now, Link thought. He couldn’t escape from the realm because the God of Destruction and Void Ferry were most likely waiting for him outside. He would die if he left. He could only run circles around Nozama in this giant realm.

Thinking of this, Link activated the Transmission spell. A few flashes of white light appeared. The six Magician’s who’d summoned Link were brought over.

The two demons immediately realized that Link was preparing to run. Terrified, Gamiwa collapsed and crawled on her knees. Clutching one of Link’s dragon toes, she cried, “Master, take me with. Wah…take me with. I’ll serve you with my all. I’ll do anything you want. Wah…”

She transformed while crying. She put away her scales, revealing crystal-white human skin. Her body had all the right curves and was extremely hot. Demons never had bad bodies, especially demons that mesmerized people with their looks. When they used all their power to attract people, they were enough to cause nosebleeds.

When the Bladed Demon saw how shameless the succubus was, he was furious. But as a Bladed Demon who focused on combat ability, he had nothing to show. He could only lament that his parents didn’t give him good looks. But he still tried his best. He rushed towards Link’s other dragon toe.

“Master, I’m willing to become your sharpest blade. I’ll kill anyone you want. If you want me to torture someone, I’ll make it so that even his mother can’t recognize him. Just take me with you please!”

Link glanced at the two demons. His eyes finally landed on the succubus Gamiwa who was purposely showing off her power. He didn’t care about her figure—it had no effect on him. He was thinking back to the Mana waves from her transformation.

The waves were obscure, hidden, and strange. It felt oddly familiar to Link. Thinking closely, it was similar to when he transformed into dragon form.

The dragon form is a type of magic form. Could a demon’s body be the same? Link was intrigued. He moved his claws and grasped the two demons.

With his current dragon form, these two weighed nothing. They wouldn’t affect his speed at all. After escaping and getting temporary peace, he wanted to study the structure of the demon body. Of course, right now, he had to run.

Ignoring the demons’ praises, Link spread his wings and flapped. At the same time, he activated the Void Walk. It had been created just for escaping. He shot into the air like an arrow. His speed was extreme.

After reaching Level-13, his maximum speed had lifted. He was also in dragon form now. His streamlined body was born for flight. Pairing these two, he reached about one mile per second.

Under this extreme speed, even Link felt his vision blur. Looking back, he saw the light pillar shrink quickly. It was about to disappear from his line of sight.

Fifteen seconds later, the light was gone. Then an indescribable sense of danger surged in Link’s heart. He knew that Nozama was watching him now.

Eyes turning, Link saw a flying black dot around 25 miles from him. Looking closely, he saw a middle-aged man with black hair and red eyes. He was also flying in the air at a speed just a bit slower than Link.

“It’s Nozama, it’s the Lord of the Deep! He’s coming!” Gamiwa yelled.

Link obviously knew it was Nozama. He’d dealt with this guy many times in the game. In the storyline mission, he’d even died thousands of times. Nozama’s appearance was carved into his mind.

The two chased each other like this for around three seconds. Then Link realized that if this continued, Nozama would definitely catch up.

The side effects from forcefully activating the time spell were still present; his power recovered too slowly. Flying at this extreme speed used up a lot of energy. Nozama’s power recovery rate was very high, and he wouldn’t feel any fatigue like this.

Estimating with his current speed, Link could fly at top speed for around ten hours. If he couldn’t lose Nozama within that time, it would be bad.

Nozama clearly knew this. He followed behind Link calmly. After three more seconds, the distance between them only widened around 300 feet. Link’s vision suddenly flashed. It was a mission.

Activate mission series: Danger: Lord of the Deep

Mission One: Escape

Mission Content: Temporarily escape from Nozama’s pursuit and find a safe refuge.

Mission Reward: 1 Energy Crystal

Energy Crystal

Level-18 Energy Core

Effect: It contains indescribably pure power and can help the user break through their current power limit.

Link sorely needed this. Unfortunately, he could only get it after completing the mission. It couldn’t help him now. He could only focus on flying.

He was waiting for the distance between them to increase before finding a place to hide.

While flying, the corner of his vision flashed with white light. Shocked, he looked over and saw someone running toward him at high speed. Looking closely, he saw that it was Romeon, the Protector he’d scared away earlier.

Why was he here?

While Link was confused, Romeon had gotten closer. He wasn’t as fast as Link, so he used a sound transmitting spell. “Dragon, if you trust me, take me with. I know a place where you can hide from that demon!”

Chapter 644: Have a Taste of My Abyssal Dish! (1/4)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Link eyed the Protector. There was a look of urgency on his face. He did not sense any hostility from him. After hesitating for a second, Link decided to believe him.

He then flew towards Romeon. When he was close enough, he extended out a claw and caught hold of both the Protector and his unicorn.

“Lead the way!” Beating his wings back powerfully, Link returned to full speed once more in the air.

“We need to go back. The hiding place I was talking about is behind us,” said Romeon.

Link tightened his grip on the Protector and said suspiciously, “Are you sure?”

He looked behind him. All that he could see was the hazy red sky. Nozama was nowhere to be found. Judging by the energy fluctuations the Lord of the Deep was giving off, Link estimated that he was now 60 miles away from his pursuer. Even if he was somehow able to avoid Nozama as he turned back, he would still need to expend a large amount of energy. This was no different from hurling oneself directly into the jaws of death.

Romeon could feel Link’s claw closing in on him. Fearing that he might be squeezed to death by the dragon, he quickly erected a force field around himself. He then said, “Dragon, I’m the Protector of the Fedaro realm. I have no reason to deceive you and less reason still to help those demons.”

Link was reassured somewhat by his words. Still, the question remained: How should they avoid Nozama in order to reach this hiding place that the Protector mentioned?

Not only did they need to circumvent Nozama, but they also needed to do so without spending too much energy or taking a hit along the way.

What should I do? thought Link as he considered his options.

He sensed that Nozama’s current power was probably around Level-13. There was no way he was Level-19 right now. If that had been the case, Link would already be dead by now. With Level-13 power, Nozama might not be able to break through his magically-resistant dragon scales with magical attacks. However, he might be able to do so if he came at Link with physical attacks.

One of the more intriguing qualities of Dimensional Rejection was that it only affected the energy output of extra-dimensional beings. It had absolutely no effect on one’s physical characteristics.

For instance, Link could only use Level-10 battle techniques and spells at the moment. However, his dragon scales still retained their Level-13 hardness and Level-18 magical resistance. Only an attack with a power which exceeded the level of his scales or underwent an elemental change would be able to pierce through his dragon body’s defenses.

The same could be said about Nozama.

However, Nozama’s demon body and the weapon he was equipped with was now at an overwhelming Level-19. Link’s dragon scales offered no more protection for him than a layer of paper mache would against either one of them.

Since that was the case, Link no longer saw the point in remaining in his dragon form. His dragon body was more of a hindrance to him at this point, as his pursuer would be able to hit such a massive target with ease from a distance.

Link then began to descend towards a more precipitous spot in the mountains, where the trees were also thicker.

When he was 50 feet in the air, Link retracted his dragon form.

Retracting a dragon form with a wingspan of more than 100 feet was a tricky affair which involved a meticulous use of spatial magic. Romeon saw the dragon’s scales begin to glow and then fold upon themselves rhythmically as the dragon’s body shrank. The entire process was so intricate that none of the Magicians present were able to keep up with its every step without feeling a throbbing headache in his or her head.

Romeon also tried to observe the folding of Link’s dragon scales. He was able to last a bit longer than Dadara. According to the ancient legends, dragonification is supposed to be a form of magic. A high-level one at that, apparently. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it, thought Romeon when he finally turned his gaze away.

Five seconds later, Link had retracted most of his dragon form. He was now in his half-dragon form, which was approximately 7 feet tall. Dragon scales still covered his body, giving the impression that he was wearing an exquisite set of armor. Link’s transformation had also extended to his Ode of a Full Moon sword. It was now covered in a layer of silver-black dragon scales. Only its sharp edge remained.

When his transformation was complete, the group of people he had been carrying with him landed in the forest beneath him

As soon as he landed, Link raised his sword and was about to cast an invisibility spell over all of them when suddenly Romeon said, “Allow me. My power has been recognized by the Fedaro realm. I can easily camouflage us here.”

Link stopped. Romeon stabbed his wand out and muttered, “Earth, sky, tree, open up your loving embrace and grant us protection.”

A red, golden and green light issued out from the tip of his wand. Like smoke, it rapidly spread out in the air before settling on everyone around Romeon.

When the radiant mist settled upon them, Link felt as if everyone had evaporated around him. He looked around him and saw that everyone was still visible. He could still see Romeon, the six summoners and his two demon attendants around him, but he could not feel any of their auras. Link soon realized that they were still giving off their auras. Romeon’s spell had simply camouflaged them such that they felt no different than the trees, animals, and rocks around them.

Seeing the look of confusion on Link’s face, Romeon explained, “This is the power of the elements. In order to receive their aid, one must first obtain their recognition.”

“Do they also recognize extra-dimensional beings?” asked Link.

Romeon shook his head. “Maybe. I don’t know. It all depends on what the elements are thinking at the moment.”

Sensing Romeon’s reluctance to say anything more on the subject, Link decided not to press him any further. He then felt for Nozama’s aura and was able to determine that he was now 30 miles away from them. He needed to move fast.

Romeon said, “Let’s turn back. We shouldn’t move too fast, or we’ll give our locations away.”

Link did not object to this. Romeon was a native of this realm after all. Under his guidance, all of them began retracing their steps. After walking for half a minute, a sound like thunder rang out in the air above them.

It was a sonic boom, a phenomenon which usually happened in the wake of an object flying at top speed through the air. Nozama had arrived.

Link looked up in the air and saw a black dot flying over them 2000 feet in the air. Romeon’s elemental invisibility spell was extremely effective. Nozama did not seem to notice their presences on the ground as he sped past them. He then let out a sigh of relief.

However, Link noticed that Nozama had stopped moving forward and was now circling in the sky, just above the spot where Link and the others had landed moments ago.

The two demons had also noticed this. They were now trembling so fiercely that they could not even hold their weapons properly. Had it not been for the fact that Link had forced them to sign an inviolable soul contract with him, the two demons would have already run back to their former master at the drop of a hat in order to beg for his forgiveness.

Dadara and the others darted anxious looks at Link and Romeon from time to time. These two possessed power far greater than any of them. Whether they would be able to escape Nozama’s terrible pursuit would be entirely up to them.

“Ignore him. He won’t be able to sense us here. Let us move on,” said Romeon.

Link nodded. The group trudged on forward. During that time, Link observed Nozama’s every move from the corner of his eye as the demon circled in the sky.

He did not dare look at him directly, for fear of making eye contact with Nozama. Still, Link was able to see Nozama clearly from 2000 feet away without needing to strain his eyes, thanks to his dragon vision. Even the slightest shift in Nozama’s facial expression did not escape his notice.

Back in the previous game world, Link had confronted Nozama more times than he cared to count. Through his confrontations, he now knew exactly what the demon was thinking and what his next move would be. The game’s developers had even made painstaking efforts to give this final boss a more life-like quality. From his observations, Link could tell that this Nozama who was now flying in the sky before him was an exact copy of the Nozama back in the game world. Even their flight patterns were indistinguishable from one another.

Link was able to predict what was going through Nozama’s mind and what spell he was going to cast from his every move and every change in his expression.

As they walked on for another half-minute, Link noticed that Nozama had suddenly stopped moving in the air. In the next second, a sonorous voice called out from the sky.

“Link, I know you’re hiding in these woods. Since you still insist on playing this game of hide-and-seek with me, I guess I have no choice but to let you have a taste of this dish I’ve prepared especially for you, straight from the Abyss!”

Chapter 645: Is It Really Over Now?

As soon as he heard Nozama’s words, Link was instantly shocked.

Whenever Nozama said this in the game, it meant that he would cast the large-scale attack spell, Storm of Death.

Storm of Death

Level-19 Legendary Spell

Effect: Spell unique to Nozama. It uses the heavily chaotic power of the Abyss to create countless high-speed vortices. The countless vortices then form a giant magic vortex that stretches as far as one can see. Everything inside the vortex is crushed to powder.

(Note: When the windstorm appears, death follows!)

In the foreign Fedaro, this spell was only around Level-13, but it was still a terrifying force. Under this spell, around 5000 miles of forest would be destroyed. Even if they didn’t die, they would still have nowhere to hide.

Romeon saw Link’s strange expression and hurriedly asked, “What, is he really powerful?”

Link nodded tersely while his mind whirred. By now, Nozama’s body had already changed. Black light shone around him. The light surged from all directions and rushed towards his body. They were so fast that these lights seemed to form a whirlpool too.

In the game, it took three seconds to cast the Storm of Death. It didn’t give Link much time to react.

A second later, Link knew he couldn’t keep hesitating. He had to leave now. Turning towards Romeon, he asked, “Is it north?”

“Yes, that direction.” Romeon pointed somewhere northwest.

Link’s power surged, and he used a teleportation spell. White light flashed, covering them all. Buzz. The light disappeared, but they were still there.

“What’s wrong?” Romeon was shocked. He knew this spell, but it was actually ineffective now.

Link grew serious. “The space is locked… There’s no time. He’s going to cast the spell!”

While speaking, Link’s back trembled. A pair of dragon wings more than 30 feet wide opened. They curled around everyone present and covered them, forming a sealed dragon wing shield.

Almost at the same time, Nozama’s voice mixed with aggressive aura yelled, “Let death devour all!”

Link looked up. The entire sky was black. It was afternoon, but it seemed to be night. In the dark and sunless sky, Nozama suddenly reached out, pressing downward. Boom. Countless dark purple vortices appeared out of nowhere. They spread, covering Link’s vision.

Whoosh, whoosh… Death…destruction…devour… The wind screamed and had countless hoarse roars mixed in. Listening closely, one could hear many chilling wails. It was as if there was a deep abyss before them, filled with countless miserable souls trying to escape. Their freedom was restricted by something and could only reach a handout, grappling and dragging the creatures living in the light to the dark abyss to taste the misery together.

In this windstorm, mountains were flattened, trees were crushed, and stones were pulverized. An instant later, the wind pressed down on Link’s wings.

That moment, Link felt boundless pressure weighing down on him, trying to crush him. He couldn’t do anything or even budge. He could only grit his teeth and bear it.

The crystallized dragon scales were abnormally tough. They were immune to all spells under Level-18. This spell from Nozama was only at Level-14. Because of the large scale, Link felt pressure, but it still couldn’t break through the wings’ protection.

One second, two seconds, three… The windstorm was still raging. Outside the wings, tidal waves crashed, and the storm ravaged the world. Inside the wings, it was quiet and calm like a safe refuge.

The people protected by the wings—mortal Magician Dadara, the demons, and Protector Romeon—were all shocked by Nozama’s crazy power. They were also surprised by Link’s tough body. Both Nozama and the dragon all had a power unimaginable by mere mortals!

Ten seconds later, the windstorm started weakening. A bit later, the storm subsided. Link opened his wings and looked at its surface. It was covered with all types of dust. He shook his wings, and the dust fell down. The wings were completely undamaged. The surface was only a bit hot.

They’d been surrounded by tall mountains and forests. Looking around, he saw that it had now turned into a huge plain. All that remained was scorched black dirt with dark aura rising up from it.

The only living things were the grass and flowers in the six-foot-wide area around Link. But under the corrosion of the dark aura, they were quickly wilting. With nowhere to hide, Link’s group was exposed to Nozama.

Nozama slowly descended. He smiled faintly, but his blood-red eyes were still cold. “You hid well, Ferde lord. My spell couldn’t break through your scales. You always surprise me.”

As he spoke, a black sword appeared in his hands. It was thin and narrow—only five centimeters wide but six feet long. The sword’s back was black and didn’t reflect any light while the blade was silver. When he brandished the sword, one could only see a silver streak.

Link recognized it. It was the weapon Nozama was proudest of—Heroic Calamity.

Hero Calamity

Level-19 Legendary Weapon

Effect: Incredibly sharp! Incredibly light! Incredibly fast!

(Note: For millenniums, everyone who had died by this sword had once been praised as a hero.)

Seeing this sword, Link felt like he’d truly met a great enemy.

Lord of the Deep Nozama was at the pinnacle of Level-19, but he wasn’t the only one in the world. Later in the game, Glorious Warlord Avatar, Half-elf Eliard, and human Kanorse had all reached similar levels. However, of everyone at the Legendary level, Nozama was at the top. He was truly the first of all Legendary figures.

In the game, these three had all fought against Nozama. In the end, the Glorious Warlord had fallen, Kanorse had died, and Eliard had come away badly hurt. These great costs had only injured Nozama instead of killing him.

Nozama had lived for too long. He’d completely grasped the secrets of power. He was an expert in all spells and battle techniques. He could easily use any technique. Anything he had was precious and world-shaking. He also had countless demon followers.

In the realm, he could definitely be known as “invincible.” If he insisted on staying inside the realm, even a god couldn’t do anything to him.

Now, Link had to personally face this man. Even though he had so much battle experience, he still felt horrible pressure. The pressure came from the other’s power.

Link was at Level-10, while Nozama was most likely at Level-14. He was completely defeated in terms of power. He still had some Omni Points to buy higher level spells, but he didn’t have enough power to cast them. They were useless.

It was hopeless!

Thud. Nozama landed and looked at the people beside Link. “The six Magicians are probably your summoners, right? They help bear the realm’s resistance, so you can have Legendary Pinnacle power. Even so, there’s no reason for them to keep living.”

With that, the Magicians, including Dadara, collapsed. Not only that, their bodies instantly started decaying. Puss oozed, and maggots came out. They didn’t die yet; they could only watch their bodies rot. This was terrifying, and they all wailed.

“Master, save me, save me!”

Link was their last bit of hope, but Link was helpless. He didn’t even know how Nozama had cast the spell. Their difference was too large. Regardless of whether it was power itself or Nozama’s power, they couldn’t be compared.

Looking at Link, Nozama smiled. “Young man, there’s no need to feel sad for them. You’ll quickly be in the same situation—no need to feel humiliated either. When I was your age, I was still a loser in the capital who spent his days drinking and f*cking. But you’re already qualified to stand before me. That’s a great honor!”

Capital? Drinking and f*cking? Those two phrases made Link’s heart twitch, but he didn’t have time to think now. Once the summoners died, the realm’s resistance towards him would multiply tenfold. His power would be greatly restricted; he would only be at Level-6.

Faced with Nozama in Level-14, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree. There was no chance.

Nozama didn’t hurry. He smiled at the two demons. “Gaulle and Gamiwa, you two didn’t disappoint me. Surrendering temporarily for survival is normal. Us demons are always like that. But since you surrendered, you must pay for it. You two…”

Plop, plop! Before Nozama could finish, the two demons had already fainted from fear.

“How embarrassing.” Nozama shook his head and prepared to act.

“Wait!” another voice said. It was Romeon.

Nozama looked over and chuckled. “The so-called Protector of the realm? You’re pretty handsome, much better than when I was young. Sadly, from my youth to now, I’ve always hated people who look better than me. So…I’m sorry.”

He waved his sword carelessly towards Romeon. But halfway through, a sword blocked it with a ding.

It was Link.

He’d used all his power to block this hit. He was pressed onto the ground by the sword’s power too. If his body wasn’t at Level-13, he would have died on the spot from this force.

Feeling the difference between their power, even the determined Link felt a shred of despair.

Will it really end now?

Chapter 646: I Will Give You a Most Honorable Defeat (3/4)

Nozama smirked when he saw Link blocking a hit from his sword. He then asked, “Link, you barely knew the man. What’s the point in saving him, anyway?”

Link was already prepared to die at this point. Even when he was about to be crushed under the weight of Nozama’s sword, he still managed to smile as he said, “I’ve always been there to stop you at every turn since the day I entered the Firuman realm, haven’t I? Why stop now?”

Nozama nodded, somewhat stunned. He did not expect such a reply from him, given the circumstances. “Indeed. You are also my daughter’s husband, which naturally makes me your father-in-law. If you ask me, you kneeling down before me is something that is long overdue.”

He uttered every word calmly, confident that Link would not be able to retaliate from such an awkward position even if he wanted to.

He’s not wrong, I guess, thought Link. “A shame really, that I wasn’t able to give you a grandchild.”

Anger slowly began to rise in Nozama. He pressed his sword down even more, making Link bend over backwards awkwardly beneath him. He then said coldly, “Who knows? Maybe you already have planted your seed. When the time is right, I might bring both mother and child to my palace. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to take good care of them.”

Link was still able to maintain a calm exterior. “That’s not too bad. Regardless of whether they end up good or evil, at least I’ll have a descendant. They also won’t have to live out their lives as mere commoners when I’m gone. Maybe when they’re of age, maybe they’ll even replace you as the Lord of the Deep.”

“Enough!” Nozama exerted even more pressure on his sword. There was now a manic glint of bloodlust in his eyes. “No one can replace me! No one can defy me! I am the Abyss’ eternal king, and soon, I will claim all the realms in existence as my own! As for you…”

The Lord of the Deep lowered his gaze at Link as the latter struggled to hold out against the weight of his sword. He smiled cruelly. “I won’t kill you. I will grant you the pleasure of experiencing eternal torment as the God of Destruction’s prisoner. I’ll even let you watch me subject your wife to every horrendous form of torture I can think of as I march on to glory!”

“You’re out of control, Nozama,” said Link. He now had difficulty saying his words. The power Nozama was exerting on him through his sword had reached an unbearable point. However, he was still able to remain calm inside. It was as if he had transcended the physical concerns of the living and no longer felt any fear towards Nozama’s threats on his life.

Seeing the crazed look on Nozama, Link went on, “During the ancient times of Firuman, masters like you used to be a dime a dozen. A wise man once told me that the physical is simply an extension of the mind. Pain is merely an illusion. A person’s rise and fall is as transient as any other experience in one’s life. If I fail now, there will be others who will succeed me. There will always be a new Lord of Ferde to replace me when I’m gone. Nozama, you will never win.”

Nozama was stunned. His grip slackened considerably around the handle of his sword. Through the silvery glow that Link’s eyes were giving off, Nozama could see that his eyes did not waver one bit. Link was not saying all this in an effort to put on a brave face. He actually meant every word.

“‘The physical is simply an extension of the mind.’ Have you really reached that state of mind? How is that possible?” Nozama was now too surprised to maintain a firm grip on his sword.

He had lived far longer and seen more than the average mortal. Though he had come across countless metaphysical concepts in his lifetime, he had yet to enact even one of them. He simply could not even if he wanted to.

For instance, the state of mind that Link mentioned was something Nozama had been trying to achieve for a long time. Unfortunately, all his attempts had always ended in failure.

As someone who was always quick to resort to violence and aggression, Nozama never could keep his emotions in check. His material desires had made him who he was today. However, they also constituted the greatest obstacle in his quest for enlightenment.

Seeing the tranquility he had long coveted in the eyes of a twenty-year-old man before him took Nozama completely by surprise.

Nozama was able to regain much of his composure at this point. He looked at Link. The glint of bloodlust now flickered uncertainly in his eyes.

“You do have a remarkable gift, I’ll give you that. There is a certain limberness to your mind which allows you to stay calm and focused, something my mind can’t seem to manage. A shame really, that you have to meet your end here. Otherwise, you would have been the first mortal ever to enter the divine realm. Such a shame…”

Nozama shook his head as if he was actually regretting what he was about to do to Link. “I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised about my daughter choosing you to be her spouse. After all, her bloodline ability allows her to make the best possible decision in any given situation. Oh, what a shame indeed…”

Nozama then took a step back, pulling his sword away from Link. He then looked at the young man before him and said, “Someone like you deserves an honorable defeat. Come, I’ll give you a chance to come at me with everything you have!”

Link planted his Ode of a Full Moon sword into the ground, leaning on it as he tried to stay upright. “Nozama, do you know why I’m able to stay this calm?”

“Hhm?” Instinctively, Nozama felt that something was not right.

In the next second, Link suddenly splayed his palm out behind him. A streak of light spread out from it, enveloping the Protector Romeon and the two unconscious demons. Link had cast a teleportation spell on them.

The most surprising thing happened. When the white light subsided, both Romeon and the demons had disappeared. They had been successfully teleported away.

“Impossible! I’ve sealed up the space here. You shouldn’t be able to do that!” said Nozama in disbelief.

“True, I wasn’t able to cast any spatial spell just now. But you were prattling on for so long I just didn’t have the heart to interrupt you!” There was a look of satisfaction on Link’s face. He was now ready to fight it out with Nozama to the bitter end.

“Oh, I see. So that’s how it is!” Nozama finally figured out what just happened. “It’s that Protector. He took on some of the Dimensional Rejection that had been weighing you down. He’s a Legendary master as well as a Protector recognized by this realm. By vouching for you, the realm naturally stopped rejecting you. If that’s the case, I assume you are now at your full strength?”

Pristine Realm Essence Power now flowed within Link. It then formed a thin crystalline layer around his body, giving him the appearance of a deified being.

His power had returned to the mid-stages of Level-13, while Nozama’s was around the early stages of Level-14. There was still a noticeable power gap between them, but Link was familiar with his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. There was still a chance for him to come out of this victorious.

“So it would seem,” replied Link. His voice had taken on a metallic quality as a result of his return to his full strength. “We probably can’t cast any spells on each other from where we stand. It all comes down now to whose blade is quickest, mine or yours.”

Nozama’s face did not show a hint of fear. He gently twirled his Heroic Calamity sword in his hand, tracing out a silver line in the air.

He let out a terrible laugh. “Hahaha, very well. As promised, I will let you experience a most honorable defeat!”

Chapter 647: You’re Great, but You Talk Too Much Translator: Vicky_ | Editor: Vicky_ /Nyoi-Bo Studio

The barren, dark plains that had been ravaged by a spell earlier

Link and Nozama stood before each other, staring at one another. They were completely focused, but no one acted.

Whoosh, whoosh. Wind blew by. The wind on the plains was dark. When it blew past the earth, it swept up a cloud of dark dust that obstructed their vision.

…

Sea of Void

The God of Destruction watched the situation in the realm. He couldn’t help but swear inwardly, That stupid demon! He talks too much!

It could have been done easily, but he just had to cause so many problems. Now, they two sides were practically equal. It was hard to say who could win.

A few miles from the battlefield, there were three flashes of light. When the light subsided, three people appeared. They all collapsed with a plop, including Romeon.

His face was horribly pale, and his lips were bloody. He was bearing the realm’s resistance to Link by himself so Link could use his full power. The cost was that he practically had no power himself.

Falling onto the ground, he immediately took out a runestone and added his remaining bit of power to it. The runestone glowed. Soon after, the wind rose around him, and his unicorn flew over.

The two demons beside him were still unconscious. They’d really been scared silly. Both of them were wet underneath and smelled like sulfur. Clearly, they’d both pissed and sh*t their pants.

They’re as brave as rats. So embarrassing. Romeon tied them up with a rope and hung them on the unicorn’s back. Finally, he climbed up and patted the unicorn’s neck. “Let’s go, my old friend.”

When they rose into the sky, Romeon glanced at the battlefield behind him. “Dragon,” he murmured, “don’t disappoint me.”

He would only be a burden if he stayed. Right now, he had to hurry back to the Protectors’ land. Only there would he be truly safe.

The moment the unicorn sped away, a gale appeared in Link and Nozama’s battlefield. Whoosh! It swept up most of the black dust. It instantly covered the sky, blocking their vision.

Almost at the same time, the two acted.

Link was disadvantaged. His soul wasn’t as strong as Nozama, but he knew more about Nozama than the man thought. His mind was also calmer. Both of their battle techniques had reached an extreme level.

It could be said that both had their advantages. It was hard to say who would win.

Link narrowed his eyes and lunged. He saw Nozama’s blurred image. Listening to the wind around him, he determined Nozama’s specific location from the changes in the wind.

He stabbed his sword with only 70% of his power so he could adjust as needed.

Suddenly, he heard a clang. Narrowing his eyes, he saw a silver light flash, coming at him like lightning splitting the turbidity.

So fast!

Link grew serious. He went to meet it with his longsword. That moment, he realized he wasn’t fast enough. With his current speed, he would be stabbed before he could block. Changing plans, the sword’s surroundings blurred. He’d activated a low-level force field.

They were fighting physically, but both were still Magicians. These low-level spells were like instincts. They could cast them without too much thinking and create great effects with their battle techniques.

Link’s force field had two goals. One was to speed up his sword; the other was to disrupt Nozama.

An instant later, Nozama was affected. His usage of energy was no longer perfect. His sword slowed down a bit while Link’s sped up. Moments later, there was a piercing cling. Their weapons had clashed but didn’t separate. They’d “stuck” together. Link and Nozama’s power clashed within, and their weapons vibrated, creating rings of shockwaves in the air.

When the shockwaves appeared, they lifted the black dust on the ground. The dust in the air thickened; their figures were barely visible.

In the fight, Link was slightly weaker, but his heart was calm. He could multitask without making mistakes. Whenever he wasn’t strong enough, he would use some small spells to help himself and disrupt Nozama. So within one second, they’d clashed dozens of times but were at a stalemate.

One second later, Nozama realized he couldn’t win and instantly became furious.

He knew the fury would affect his mindset, but he couldn’t control himself. When faced with ordinary opponents, these emotions would make him more violent. He could intimidate his opponent and use that to his advantage. In countless fights through the millennium, he’d used his aura to win every time.

But this time, he knew it would be useless.

One’s so-called aura was just a mental image. Link was able to see through these psychological things. If Nozama lost his temper, his opponent would be unbothered while his own mind would be affected. If his mind was affected, he wouldn’t be able to multitask and use spells like Link.

In a short-range fight, using spells seemed fancy. But if there was a mistake and a spell backlash happened, it would be disastrous. He could get killed instantly!

His murderous intent grew; the bloody light in his eyes grew heavier. Nozama unconsciously let out guttural growls.

But Link was still as calm as ever. He sensed Nozama’s changes. The power from the man’s sword grew stronger, but they were less condensed. The threat towards Link decreased. He could easily block them with some battle techniques.

They clashed for one second, two seconds, three seconds… At eight seconds, they were still tied.

“I’m going to kill you!” Nozama growled like a beast. He brought his sword down to force Link away.

Link used this chance to retreat. At the same time, Nozama also stepped back and put his sword away to cast spells.

He’d lost in terms of battle techniques. He could only defeat Link with spells. Regular spells were ineffective, but he could use a spell to activate a large-scale physical attack. For example, a meteor shower could smash Link to bits!

But then something happened. Something moved in his vision, and a sword appeared. It was Link’s attack. He had the same thought as Nozama and had acted earlier!

Nozama had already retracted his sword. His sword was six feet long and couldn’t turn easily. Link’s sword appeared under his rib and he couldn’t block it even if he had a sword. Seeing that he was about to be stabbed in the heart, Nozama growled and grasped the sword tip with his bare hands.

Crack! He successfully grasped the sword, but blood flowed from the cuts on his palm.

“You’re looking for death!” Stimulated by the pain, Nozama’s emotions went out of control. He forgot all about the God of Destruction’s order to capture Link alive. As his hand flashed, a runestone appeared. He added in dark power, and the runestone glowed with a dark, watery halo.

But at that time, he vaguely saw a white light in the dust before him. Then the sword in his hand disappeared.

This discovery shocked Nozama awake. No, he’s going to escape!

Looking at the dark runestone in his hand, he immediately gave up on the destructive spell. Picking up his sword, he rushed forward. But 300 feet later, it felt wrong. He didn’t think that Link would keep retreating. Three hundred feet was enough for Link to use a transmission spell and escape.

As expected, when he finally rushed to Link, he only saw a shred of white light.

“Nozama, you’re strong, and you’re great, but you just talk too much.”

Crack. Nozama’s fury erupted, and he crushed the runestone to powder. After that, he composed himself and checked the spatial ripples left in the air.

Hmph, do you plan on running for your entire life?

Next time Nozama caught up, he planned on using a spell from afar to stop Link. He’d like to see what Link could do then!

Chapter 648: Creator’s Temple (1)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Link was finally able to catch up to Romeon’s unicorn in his dragon form.

Romeon seemed extremely weak. Cold sweat beaded his forehead, which was now as white as a sheet of paper. His snow-white unicorn also seemed to have reached its limits. Carrying Romeon and the two demons on his back must have taken a lot out of it.

Slowing down behind them, Link extended a claw out and gingerly closed his fingers around them.

Finally able to rest a bit on Link’s palm, Romeon asked, “Did you defeat him?”

Noticing that Link did not even have a scratch on him, Romeon figured that he must have somehow bested Nozama. However, having witnessed the demon’s incredible power personally, he had not the faintest idea how he was able to manage such a feat.

“Not really. However, I was able to figure out some of his weaknesses without taking a hit. That’s probably as good as it gets… So, how far are we still from our destination?” asked Link.

“At our current speed, we’ll probably reach there in approximately four hours.”

Four hours? Link estimated that he still had. It should be enough for now, though he would surely be completely wiped out at the end of their journey.

However, his current power level was now at Level-13, which meant that he was now able to fly even faster than before. However, maintaining top speed in the air would tire him out quickly. For now, he needed only to keep some distance between himself and Nozama.

Settling at a speed he was comfortable with, Link began flying forward.

He was at the moment flying at an altitude of around 30,000 feet in the air. Beneath him, he could see the occasional village and town, as well as a smooth highway which meandered across the landscape. Caravans and lone travelers dotted the road, inching arduously across it like ants. Trees spread out across the land in a lush sheet of green. Though the realm was torn by war, Link could see that it was also a place bursting with life.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” said Romeon.

“It’s alright,” replied Link, nodding.

Romeon then asked, “I could tell from your reply that you and those demons aren’t exactly on the best of terms. They called you the Lord of Ferde. Am I right to assume that Ferde is the dragon valley that you call home?”

“Dragon valley?” Link smiled. Romeon had probably mistaken him for the Black Dragon King of their legends, where any dragon king worth his salt naturally had a dragon valley of his own. “I suppose so. ”

“Can you tell me more about it?” asked Romeon.

Link lowered his gaze and saw that Romeon was looking up at him from his palm. The palor on his face was a side-effect of taking on part of the Dimensional Rejection that was intended for Link. At first, Link had wanted to refuse him. However, seeing Romeon in such a state, Link finally gave in. “Since you insist, I’ll just tell you what you need to know about the place.”

He then gave Romeon a succinct explanation of the dominant powers that ruled the realm of Firuman before going into some of the wars that had happened there in recent years. Finally, he told Romeon what his reasons for entering the Fedaro realm were. Throughout his entire account, Link made no mention whatsoever of the mysterious gear that he had set out to look for in the Sea of Void.

When he was finished, he casually said, “That’s the gist of it. It’s not something I’m proud to say, but the only reason I entered this realm in the first place was to evade my pursuers.”

Romeon did not say a word. There was a mingle of caution and curiosity on his face. He remained silent for a long while. Finally, he spoke, “Quite a coincidence, to stumble across each other despite how far apart our realms are from each other.”

Link sensed that Romeon seemed to be insinuating something to him. “It certainly is a coincidence,” replied Link without knowing what it was.

Romeon fell silent again. As Link flew on for another 30 minutes, Romeon suddenly asked, “May I know what you plan to do with these two demons? I should warn you. Demons are a crafty and treacherous lot. They are driven only by greed and an insatiable appetite for murder. You had best be prepared for when they turn on you if you still intend on subjugating them.”

Link glanced at the two demons in his claw. Thanks to their sturdy constitutions, both of them finally regained consciousness. Not daring to come up with a retort, the two demons dumbly looked at Link, waiting for him to decide their fates.

The soul contract that the two demons had signed with Link meant that he could simply end them with a thought if he wanted to. They now knew the dragon king well enough to know that he was not someone who would be easily moved by mere words. At the moment, their lives hinged on whether they could still prove themselves useful to Link.

Link turned away from the two demons and said, “The demon that we encountered is called Nozama, Lord of the Deep. Did you notice back then that he looked no more different from you and me, at least on the outside?

“Yes, if it weren’t for his eyes and aura, I would have assumed he was just an ordinary man,” said Romeon with a nod.

“He still has another form. When he loses his temper, he will take on the form of a burning seraphim. His combat capacity will receive a huge boost, and he will even be able to travel between realms. At a price, he may even gain the ability to travel through time. Nozama had once revealed his seraphim form in recorded history, back in my realm. In the aftermath of the battle, he had managed to slaughter almost all of the masters in my realm. Even though he too sustained heavy damage, he was able to travel back to the point before the battle even began, essentially negating all the damage he had taken and making it seem as if nothing had ever happened.”

Romeon frowned upon hearing this. “If it had never even happened, how on earth was it recorded in your history books in the first place?”

“I came across a record of the event in a Time Magician’s manuscript. Spells that disrupt the flow of time would always trigger some form of ripple effect on the realm, especially time-reversing spells, whose effects are usually of a more acute nature. Through these ripples, the Time Magician was able to witness past catastrophes that had escaped the notice of historians in the past. He then left coded entries of these events in the library of the dragon valley for safekeeping.”

In truth, he had received this information back in the previous game world. The Time Magician’s manuscript had been key to ending Nozama. With it, the player would be able to seal up all his escape routes through time together with the aid of any accompanying NPCs in order to put a definitive end to the Lord of the Deep’s tyranny. Otherwise, he would be able to simply slip back in time, smooth out all the kinks in his plans and storm the Firuman realm once more with renewed effort.

At that moment, Link realized that such a catastrophe might have happened before in Firuman. Maybe, just maybe, the dragons were not the only ones capable of navigating the Sea of Void… Of course, this was all just conjecture. He still needed to prove it somehow.

This had all come as a complete shock to Romeon. He stammered, “Is… is there really someone this powerful? So that’s why he’s also called the Nightmare Demon…”

“What Nightmare Demon?” asked Link suddenly.

“Ah?” Romeon jolted. He did not expect Link to be able to hear him. Composing himself, he then said, “Oh, I was just thinking to myself that Nozama’s power is truly terrifying, like something out of a nightmare.”

Link could tell that Romeon was hiding something from him. However, he did not press him for answers.

After a while, Romeon asked, “Dragon, do you think your realm will be able to best this Nozama?”

“I don’t know, but I will do everything in my power to defeat him.”

“He seems to hate you a lot. I guess you’ve been a hindrance to his plans for quite some time.”

“Nozama’s not the only enemy the Firuman realm has. The dark red vortex that transported Nozama into your realm back then, did you see it? That’s the work of the God of Destruction. He too sees me as a threat.”

Romeon smiled bitterly. “Are you saying that you’re being hunted by a god and a Legendary-level Lord of the Deep at the same time? Looks to me you’ve got a lot on your plate at the moment.”

Link laughed out loud. “Well, on the bright side, I’m still alive.”

Romeon then fell silent. However, Link could see that he was deep in thought, trying to process everything that he had told him. He also had a feeling that when the time was right, Romeon would speak to him again.

Three hours passed in silence. Suddenly, a massive column of clouds appeared in front of them, stretching as far as the eye could see into the high heavens.

“What’s that supposed to be?” Link was stunned by the sight of the cloud wall. His 100-feet-long dragon form was but a speck of dust before it.

The two demons were gaping at it as well, amazed that something so majestic existed in this realm.

Romeon said with a hint of pride, “Don’t just look at part of it. Really take in everything. What do you notice?”

Following Romeon’s advice, Link tilted his head back in order to get a better look at the entire cloud wall. “Wait, is this…”

A six-toothed gear pattern was impressed upon the cloud wall. Its design echoed every engraving on the surface of the actual thing in the Sea of Void. It looked exactly like the sketch that the Omirian Piasce had provided Link with.

There must be a connection between the two gears existing simultaneously in the Sea of Void and in the Fedaro realm.

Then, Link heard Romeon’s voice close to his ear. “Can you see it? Behind the cloud lies the Creator’s temple. The marking you see before you is the Creator’s Insignia!”

Chapter 649: Creator’s Temple (2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Creator’s Temple?

That moment, Link thought of what Magician Dadara had told him about Fedaro’s history.

God created the world and taught humans magic so they could manage the world.

Did God really create this world? Link couldn’t help but wonder.

Dadara was only a mortal. He could only provide Link with some historical facts while Link didn’t agree with any of Dadara’s opinions. Romeon was different though. He was practically at the same level as Link, and he was very familiar with the Fedaro Realm.

Link had thought that he would get a definite answer. Unexpectedly, Romeon shook his head. “I don’t know. Or rather, I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?” Link slowed down slightly. He felt that the temple before him would solve a great mystery for him but could also throw him into a greater mystery. No matter what, his understanding of the world would probably be upended.

“Ten thousand years is too long. It’s impossible to prove the ancient legends. Since I could remember, I’ve lived in the region outside the Creator’s Temple. Everything I’ve seen told me that the owner of the temple is an unmatchable Magician. You can even say he’s a legend. But if you say that he created this realm… I can’t give you a definite answer with my knowledge.”

Evidently, Romeon’s knowledge was limited too.

Link could only continue forward. After flying for more than 20 minutes, Link was before the cloud cluster. From here, all he could see was boundless whiteness. Inside the cluster, there was a tunnel of around 900 feet wide.

“Enter the tunnel. There’s a maze inside. Listen to my orders and don’t make a mistakes. Otherwise, you will be lost until you die,” Romeon said seriously.

Link didn’t believe it. “This cloud cluster…can keep me there until I die?”

Romeon nodded. “The clouds are only a disguise. Inside, it’s actually a principle maze. For thousands of years, people have tried to forcefully cross it, but no one has succeeded. There are more than 1000 dried skeletons inside. Each one had once been a genius of Fedaro… Okay, go left.”

Link obeyed. If Romeon was right, this maze really could help him temporarily escape from Nozama. As for whether Nozama could get lost, Link couldn’t be sure. Nozama as the Lord of the Deep. His wisdom and power definitely surpassed anyone in Fedaro. Others couldn’t do it, but it didn’t mean that he couldn’t.

Link just hoped the maze could delay Nozama for a while.

“Go straight for around half a mile. Yes, okay, go right, go straight… Go up, right turn…”

Romeon kept directing Link. The maze was three-dimensional and unimaginably complex. After flying for ten minutes, Link was unsure about the path he’d gone. If the game system wasn’t helping him record, he would definitely get lost here. He had no clue how Romeon memorized it and could determine each move without hesitation.

Seeming to sense Link’s thoughts, Romeon explained between directions, “The scariest thing about the maze is that the path keeps changing at least five times per day. There are no patterns at all. I can find the correct path because the Protector’s insignia is guiding me.”

With that Romeon reached out and lifted his sleeve. Link saw a six-sided gear on his wrist. It glowed with a faint Mana aura.

This way, Link was even more assured. After that, he stopped memorizing his path and just kept flying. Half an hour later, he’d traveled more than 1000 miles when Romeon suddenly said, “Slow down. The exit is up ahead, but it’s special. You can’t exit it easily. You must pass some special tests.”

Link followed the instructions. Around half a minute later, he turned a corner, and a long straight path appeared. At the end, there was a six-sided gear glowing with multicolor light.

The gear was semi-transparent and spun slowly. Each tooth of the gear had a different color—indigo, red, blue, purple, black, and white. Every time it moved, the colors would change once. The magic runes on the gear also displayed extremely complicated changes.

“We’re here. This is called the Gates of the True Self. When you face it, it will interrogate you about your heart. This may be a very painful process. If you can withstand it, you’ll pass through. If not, you’ll stay here and hide from the demon. I’ll go now. I hope I can see you on the other side.”

Riding the unicorn, Romeon left Link’s dragon claws. He sped up and crashed against the glowing door. Then he disappeared; even his aura was gone. It was as if he’d evaporated.

Link wasn’t in a hurry. Moving his talons, he lifted the two demons. “Did you hear? This is the Gates of the True Self. Go try.”

Ignoring the demons’ protests, he flicked his finger and sent the two poor fellows towards the glowing door. They fell in instantly.

Three seconds later, there were two horrible screams, and two figures shot out from the door. It was the demons. They didn’t have any physical injuries, but their eyes were wild, and they shook violently. They looked scared out of their minds.

Link waited patiently. After more than ten minutes, succubus Gamiwa was the first to recover her senses. She still looked out of her mind, but she could finally talk.

“Tell me what happened inside,” Link said.

“I saw my end. A more powerful demon cut off my head, sliced open my stomach, tore off my lower body, and ate me.” The succubus started shaking again as she spoke.

“Oh, so that’s what you’re most afraid of? That’s why you destroy your opponents whenever you get the chance?”

Link was surprised. He didn’t think a demon’s soul would be so weak. Gamiwa was at the Legendary level. She shouldn’t be so afraid of being destroyed.

“What about you, Gaulle?” Link asked.

“I was cut into tiny pieces. I could even feel the iciness of the blade. No, this is too scary.” Gaulle clutched his head again.

Link shook his head. The soul contract between them told him that the two cowards weren’t lying. He wasn’t impressed, but he was now sure that the glowing door wouldn’t harm his body. Grabbing the demons, he flapped his wings and rushed into the Gates of the True Self.

There was a weak flash of light, and then Link felt his surroundings change. He saw Firuman. From looks of things, it wasn’t present day. Rather, it was the Firuman from the game that was close to falling to darkness.

The entire realm was lifeless. The earth corroded by darkness seemed to have ringworms or scabs. There was misery, murder, and fighting everywhere. He saw Celine—she’d lost and was stabbed onto a demon’s spear and taken everywhere to show off. She hadn’t died completely. Her blood flowed, and her body convulsed. Her features were twisted in pain.

Link saw Gladstone City, which he’d once saved. The entire city was on fire; the river was crimson red and filled with bodies. A few Dark Elves were still killing, summoning divine gear… There were many similar scenes, all of which he feared the most to see.

Even worse, Link had now forgotten about the Gates of the True Self and how Firuman was now. In his mind, this was happening now, and he was helpless. He could only watch.

This is your fear. How will you face it? a voice rang out in Link’s mind.

Yeah, how will I face it? Link asked himself.

Then another voice in his mind said, Let fear burn into anger and burn my enemies!

And another voice, In that case, what difference is there between you and the demons you hate?

Link froze. He quickly answered, I kill for my goal. Demons kill to kill.

What is your goal?

Link didn’t reply. He thought back to the innocent times of learning magic in Creekwood Village of Grinth Forest. He thought of the warm afternoon sunlight, the soft chirps from birds in the forest, the villagers’ greetings in the morning, and the occasional carriages clattering outside the window.

During that time, Link had been the most focused and the calmest. Thinking of that, Link’s mind also became as serene as a morning in the Grinth Forest.

Without needing more words, the scene before him changed. The hallucination faded, and a figure appeared before Link. It was Romeon, Protector of Fedaro. Link glanced at his claws. The two demons were gone.

Link froze. At the same time, a message flashed in his vision.

Mission Complete: Danger: Nozama, Lord of the Deep!

Player Received: 1 Energy Crystal

Unlocked Epic Mission: Ancient Epic

Mission Content: Face the Stone of Creation, understand the ancient epic, and choose the path you wish to walk down.

Mission Reward: Blessing of Immortality (also known as Curse of Immortality)

Do you accept?

On the other side, Romeon looked at Link and sighed. “I was right. You are the outsider who activated the Stone of Creation. Come with me, dragon.”