Advent of the Archmage

Chapter 690: A Memory That Stood the Test of Time

Boom! Link crashed heavily into the ground.

After taking a hit from the Six-Winged Burning Angels, such an unceremonious entry into another realm was unavoidable. Though he was not hurt, the angels’ explosive attack had caused him to lose balance.

Link had left a human-shaped crater on the purple stone ground.

Link let out a breath. Climbing out of the crater, he dusted himself off and began surveying his surroundings.

Due to the Six-Winged Angels’ sudden appearance, Link had no choice but to plunge headfirst into the realm. He figured that he must be somewhere on the border between the Aragu and Yan empires. As for exactly where he was, that would require further observation of his surroundings.

The landscape around him was a desolate wasteland which stretched out as far as the eye could see into the distance. Straining his eyes, Link could make out a few small hills on the horizon.

Purple rocks jutted out from the wide expanse of yellowing grass around Link. The scenery immediately put him in mind of a yellow cloth embroidered with purple gemstones.

Purple rocks on the border between the Aragu and Yan empires… This must be the Slanda Plains, thought Link. He was finally able to confirm his position using the information that Razer had given him.

There existed only one continent in the Aragu realm. On the left side of this spindle-shaped continent was the Yan empire, which covered two-thirds of the continent’s total land mass, whereas on its right side was the Aragu empire. Not only had the latter’s land area shrunk considerably, but it also seemed to have lost much of its influence.

A year ago, both sides had clashed against each other on the Slanda Plains in a large-scale war that the Yan empire had called “The Infernal Crusade.”

Approximately 300,000 people had fought this war for four days and four nights. More than 200,000 had taken their eternal rest here. So much blood was shed during this war that a blood-red lake was formed in the middle of the plains. In the spring of the following year, blood-red flowers bloomed across the plains.

Smoothing his clothes, Link began walking away from the crater. He continued observing the geography of his current whereabouts.

At the same time, Link tried to recall every detail of the Infernal Crusade.

After the Infernal Crusade, both Aragu and Yan had taken heavy damage. However, due to their steadfast beliefs, the soldiers of the Yan empire proved to be even more resilient than Aragu’s forces as they fought on until their very last breath. Unable to hold out against the forces of Yan, the Aragu empire’s soldiers were forced to retreat.

Having lost a considerable portion of its military forces, the Aragu empire could no longer continue this war with the Yan empire. On the other hand, having exhausted much of its resources going after Aragu’s remaining forces, the Yan empire decided it best to abandon their pursuit and rebuild their strength in order to launch one final attack at their enemy. At that point, the Yan empire only needed to give Aragu a push and the latter would be done for!

In other words, if everything were to go as planned, the Aragu empire’s days were numbered. It would not be long before the Yan empire decided to strike again.

Link was now walking across the battlefield where the Infernal Crusade had taken place.

Numerous dirt mounds protruded from the ground. The grass and trees sprouting from these mounds seemed unusually lush. Broken pieces of bone were scattered around them as well. Link figured that these dirt mounds must be the resting places of those who had fallen during the Crusade, and that the bone fragments must have been dug out by the wasteland’s animal inhabitants.

Every one of these dirt mounds was five to six feet tall and around 20 feet wide. There seemed to be around fifty of these slipshod graves scattered across the wasteland.

There were also broken pieces of armor and weapons lying on the ground. They were all stained with dried blood. Wooo… A couple of wild dogs suddenly leaped out of a clump of tall grass nearby, their eyes glinting hungrily at Link. After living off of the corpses that were left to rot across the wasteland in the Crusade’s aftermath, they must have developed an appetite for human flesh, dead or alive.

However, Link simply ignored them and continued eastward towards the Aragu Empire.

The Crusade had taken place in the east of the Sland Plains. The Raging Dragon River is just 200 miles away in the east as well. The forces of Aragu must have used the river to their advantage to shake off its Yan pursuers. If I follow the trail that they had left behind during the war, I should soon be able to reach the Raging Dragon Fortress that the Aragu empire had set up along the bank of the Raging Dragon River.

Link quickened his pace towards the east.

Thankfully, the traces that the great war had left behind was as clear as day. Link was able to race across the wasteland without spending too much time trying to spot them on the ground. With the aid of a Dimensional Jump spell, he would probably be able to clear 200 miles in less than a minute.

Figuring that the sooner he reached the Aragu empire, the safer he would be, Link decided to activate Dimensional Jump to shorten his travel time.

Countless runes appeared around his body with a hum. With a flash of light, his body popped up 20 miles away. The same runes materialized once more around him, and with another flash of light, he was teleported across another 20 miles. All of a sudden, something happened!

Just as Link was about to perform a third Dimensional Jump, an overwhelming sense of danger tautened his every nerve.

A thought ran through his mind in an instant. A fluctuation in the space had appeared 1000 feet away behind me. Something’s coming… Not just one, there are three of them. It must be the Six-Winged Burning Angels!

Link’s body immediately reacted.

His Ode of a Full Moon sword was out of its scabbard. At that moment, nine golden rune circles appeared across its blade parallel to each other. Then, its upper portion vanished into thin air.

This technique was an improved version of the Despair Ball. Link had combined it with elements of other techniques such as the Time Sword and the realm technique, such that it now enabled its user to lock down both time and space.

In other words, Link could kill off any opponent below Level-16 with this new and improved version of the Despair Ball.

When the tip of his sword slipped into the fabric of space, Link immediately felt his sword piercing through something, which seemed to pop like a bubble.

An instant later, the distorted space returned to normal before him.

“Must have killed one of them.”

Though he had killed one of them, two of his pursuers managed to emerge into the Aragu realm. Their slender bodies were swathed by wreathes of fire—three pairs of wings of uneven sizes sprouted from their backs. Their faces were completely obscured by a dazzling light. There was no doubt in Link’s mind that they were the Six-Winged Burning Angels who had been chasing after him in the Sea of Void.

“Can’t they just leave me alone?” muttered Link. He was not afraid of these Level-15 Burning Angels. He was simply worried that their pursuit would draw the attention of the Inferno Archmage and his Fire Sect to him.

“Mortal, kneel and beg for forgiveness from the Infernal God!” said the two winged beings in unison from the sky.

Link did not respond. He decided it best to end them here and now.

He then stabbed his sword out at one of the Burning Angels.

As soon as he saw what Link was doing, one of the Burning Angels realized immediately that it was the same technique that had taken down one of his compatriots. The light obscuring his face began to intensify. Without a moment’s hesitation, the angel assumed a more defensive stance in anticipation of Link’s attack.

Seeing the opportunity, the other burning angel lunged at Link at breakneck speed with one stroke of his wings.

Both angels were acting in sync with each other.

Link would have a more difficult time dealing with them if he had not taken down the third angel.

The Ode of a Full Moon sword was still winding its way through space towards the defending angel in the distance. In the face of the incoming Burning Angel, Link extended his left hand, summoning a number of intersecting rune circles in his palm. He then pushed his hand out. In an instant, a golden dragon rushed out from the runes on his palm, roaring at the incoming Burning Angel.

Link’s magic had reached such a level that he was now capable of casting powerful spells at a moment’s notice.

For instance, the Level-15 Six-Winged Burning Angel that was coming after Link needed only less than a tenth of a second to traverse the 1000-feet distance between him and his target.

However, in that same span of time, Link was able to cast a powerful Level-15 spell to intercept the Burning Angel’s attack.

An instant later, Link’s sword finally pierced its mark. There was no way the Level-15 Burning Angel would be able to defend itself against a Level-16 attack.

In the next second, Link’s magical dragon collided with Link’s magical dragon, sending off ripples through the space. Both sides seemed to be equally matched in terms of power.

As soon as the ripples subsided, before the Burning Angel even had time to regain his senses, Link’s sword had already pierced his body.

With his Mana circulatory system severed by Link’s attack, the Burning Angel immediately lost control of its Mana. He then exploded into a puff of smoke in the air with a loud bang.

Link did not bother inspecting his own handiwork. Runes appeared once more around his body, and he was gone from sight.

Three minutes later, consecutive flashes of white light appeared in the middle of the wasteland, where around ten humanoid figures had appeared out of nowhere. The leader of this party was none other than the Fire Sect’s Holy Maiden and princess of the High Elves, Milda.

She was dressed in a golden red robe. After walking a few paces across the wasteland, she came to a halt before a gemstone which was glowing with a dim red light on the ground.

She then picked it up for a closer look. Her brows furrowed. This is a fragment of a Six-Winged Burning Angel’s heart. I could sense an unfamiliar realm power on it… We may be dealing with an extremely powerful intruder here, capable of taking down three Burning Angels in an instant.

Just then, an Inferno Priest approached her with a Memory Crystal in his hand. “Holy Maiden, I’ve collected traces of the battle that had occurred here into the Memory Crystal. However, the spatial fabric had been severely disturbed by a powerful presence. I don’t think we’ll be able to produce a clear visual on the intruder.”

This was one of the Fire Sect’s divine spells, which enabled its user to collect traces of an event and reproduced it as faithfully as possible in the form of a hologram.

“Good work.” Milda received the crystal from the Priest. From the blurry image, she could only make out an indistinct form, whose techniques were so fast and clean that none of the Burning Angels even stood a chance against him.

Milda was stunned by what she saw.

She thought she had long put him behind her. She thought she would no longer be influenced by him in any way. However, she did not think she would be this affected by just a blurry image of him.

“He’s really here?”

Chapter 691: The Dark Omen that Destroys the Sun and Stars

After defeating three six-winged Burning Angels, Link quickly left the scene. Half a minute later, he arrived at the new intersection between the Yan Empire and Aragu Empire: Raging Dragon River.

Crash, whoosh. The river’s crashing waves were thunderous like thousands of galloping horses. Standing on the riverbank, he could feel the ground trembling.

Upriver and downriver of the Raging Dragon River were vastly different. There were many cliffs and water was abundant, thus creating this scene as it tumbled down.

The river wasn’t just fast, but it was also very wide. From what Link could see, the surface was at least half a mile wide. Steam rose up from the surface, hiding the river.

Link sensed carefully and got a basic idea of the Raging Dragon River’s secret. He couldn’t help but sigh. There are signs of Mana operation. This is a perfect fusion of magic and natural principles. What a great representation of man and nature as one.

As soon as he thought this, he felt a slight energy surge from the near distance. It wasn’t malevolent though. He had an idea of the comer’s identity.

Link stood by the river and waited.

A few seconds later, dark blue light pierced through the heavy mist and landed by the river. It was a Warrior in dark blue crystal armor. Seeing Link, he saluted in the Araguan way and smiled. “Master, you have great vision.”

His smile wasn’t submissive. His crystal-blue eyes sparkled with confidence.

Seeing the man’s appearance, Link already knew his identity. Since the man called him “Master,” he guessed that the man also knew him. They hadn’t met before, so the Snow Mountain Archmage must have told him.

This meant that the Archmage already knew of his arrival. Similarly, the Inferno Archmage must know too. Neither had appeared yet, so this could only mean that the Snow Mountain Archmage was fighting the Inferno Archmage so he couldn’t come.

Thinking of this, Link knew that he should be safe now.

With his current power, other than people above the Archmage level, he didn’t fear any Aragu Warriors. Even if many people surrounded him and he couldn’t beat them all, he could use spatial magic and escape easily.

He returned the Frost Warrior’s salute. “I heard that there are six powerful Frost Warriors in the Aragu Empire. Each one has top skills in the realm. May I know your name?”

The Aragu Empire and Yan Empire were opposites. The Yan Empire had Lava Knights while Aragu had Frost Knights. They were at the same level.

Hearing Link’s words, the Frost Warrior puffed up his chest even more and said seriously, “I am Therodeau Heather, the Absolute Zero. The Snow Mountain Archmage, Grandmaster Iyr told me about your arrival and guided me here. You came much sooner than I’d expected.”

“Grandmaster” was another name for Archmages because once someone reached Level-19, they would start a clan and have many students.

“Oh, you’re Therodeau. I brought the thing. Do I give it to you or hand it to the Archmage?” Link asked. The Divine Fragment was difficult. If he could, he would definitely toss it to the Frost Knight and get out of there.

But reality disappointed him. Therodeau shook his head. “The Grandmaster told me that you must give it to him personally. Our responsibility is to escort you there safely.”

This made Link furrow his brows. “Is the journey dangerous?”

If they were regular people, the Yan Empire might send someone powerful into the Aragu Empire to attack them. However, they were at the top level, and the Aragu Realm was their turf. How could anything happen?

Therodeau shook his head. “I don’t see any danger, but Grandmaster said that he feels a surge of darkness is corroding the realm. This darkness will cover the sky and earth, destroying the sun and stars. Unfortunately, he’s caught up with the Inferno Archmage. Otherwise, he would definitely come welcome you personally.”

This deepened Link’s brows. “Surge of darkness? Cover the sky and earth, destroying the sun and stars? Is there more information?”

Therodeau didn’t reply immediately. Looking at the Slanda Plains behind Link, he said, “Master, it’s not safe here. How about we cross the river first? I will explain to you on the road.”

“Sure.”

Therodeau whistled. The Raging Dragon River instantly calmed a lot. The mist that had covered the surface now showed a clear passageway.

“Follow me. Be careful not to touch the mist. The Grandmaster created it personally, and it’s extremely cold. It can freeze anything, even space. That’s why transmissions are forbidden.” With that, Therodeau activated his power and started walking through the water.

Every time he stepped, the water underfoot would turn to ice. With hard ground under him, he could jump forward. The ice would then get swallowed by the rapid current. On the other hand, Link used Void Walk to float behind. His expression was calm, but his heart was in tumult now—not because of the Raging Dragon River but because of the Snow Mountain Archmage’s words.

Archmages had extremely powerful souls. Their knowledge of spatial and chronological principles was far beyond Link’s grasp. The Snow Mountain Archmage had seen the darkness and described it as destroying the sun and stars. In other words, the realm would be destroyed.

Even more incredible was that the Inferno Archmage didn’t feel anything about the darkness and still wanted to fight. Didn’t he care that after the realm was destroyed, he wouldn’t become a god anymore?

Also, what kind of darkness could destroy a realm?

Many possibilities instantly flashed through Link’s mind.

The first was the Sovereign of Light from the Fedaro Realm. He was the only true god Link knew. He had the motivation and the ability.

The second was a magic accident. An accident had happened in Firuman that had split the realm into two. There was also the World Tree that could fuse the realms. If the tree made a mistake, it could also spell disaster.

The third… the third was a bit less certain. The Sea of Void was boundless. No one could say it wasn’t possible for some terrifying god to jump out somewhere.

Deep in thought, Link arrived at the other side of the river with Therodeau.

Rather than Raging Dragon Fortress, it was a remote place. The fortress was a few miles away, and Link could see it easily.

“This is a secret mission,” Therodeau explained. “There’s no need to let the mortals know. If they know, more trouble will appear.”

Link agreed. “Then where are we going?” he asked.

Therodeau whistled again. A while later, a figure appeared. They were also clad in blue crystal armor, but their figure was more graceful. They had long silver hair too. Getting closer, Link discovered that it was a female Warrior. She was around five feet and had a slim body for a Warrior. The huge sword on her back looked jarring in comparison.

Other than the long silver hair in the ponytail, this female Warrior also had dark blue eyes. They were deeper than Therodeau’s, and her gaze was more composed. As for her looks…she was better than the average, but she couldn’t be compared to the Red Dragon Queen or Celine.

“This is Lily, the Ice Queen and general of the Frost Knights. She is my commander.”

Link was a bit shocked. He didn’t think that this slim woman with the same name as his Tower Spirit would be the general of the Frost Knights. She didn’t look like it at all.

Lily smiled. Her features expanded, reminding one of a snowy plain under the sunlight. “Ferde Lord, it is my honor to meet you. I’ve heard many legendary stories about you.”

Her voice was clear like a breeze that brushed past the snowy plain. It boosted Link’s energy and left a deep impression.

Link nodded inwardly. With such a powerful psychological contagion, she must be at the pinnacle of Level-16. Her combat ability must be shocking too. No wonder she led the Frost Knights.

“They’re all insignificant experiences. Should we go now?” Link didn’t want to waste a second.

“Of course. Therodeau and I will accompany you. Please follow me.” Lily led Link while Therodeau stayed in the back. The three instantly started traveling.

On the road, Lily explained, “Master Iyr is at the Fortress of Eternal Winter in the northeast. He is around 2000 miles from us. If we travel at full speed, it will take around three hours.”

“I see.” Link nodded. Two thousand miles wasn’t far.

After that, they traveled in silence. An hour passed and the three were on the Verdant Plains in the heart of Aragu. There were no abnormal signs.

Because it was the heart of the empire, the three were slightly relaxed. But then Lily stopped abruptly at the front.

“What… That is…”

Link looked over and saw someone familiar.

Chapter 692: An Unwavering Spirit Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Verdant Plain

Before the three of them stood the petite figure of a fifteen-year-old girl. Link and the two Frost Warriors frowned at the sight of her.

It was none other than the daughter of Nozama, Saroviny.

It was not too long ago that she had barely escaped with her life from Firuman. She also seemed to have grown a lot more powerful since then.

Saroviny was standing before them in silence, with her black battle robe billowing about her. At a glance, the embroidery seemed to be squirming in the robe’s fabric, as if it had a mind of its own. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that there were actual human souls twisting and turning in it.

Her garment was like a dark abyss, inside which were trapped countless spirits writhing about in agony. No matter how much they struggled, none of them were able to flee from their imprisonment.

Link and the other two shivered at the sight of what was going on with Saroviny’s battle robe.

Gazing at Link, Saroviny asked, “Do you like my new outfit? My father gave it to me. I really like it.”

Link seemed troubled by this. He had seen a battle robe like hers back in the game world.

The only difference was that Nozama was its wearer back in the game world. Here, it would seem that he had passed it on to his daughter, Saroviny.

After merging with the God of Light to become the all-powerful Ruler of Light and Darkness, Nozama had certainly become quite generous with his belongings.

In the game world, the battle robe was called “the Abyss of Despair.” It could only be equipped by players who had completed their classes. As a Level-19 Legendary Pinnacle Equipment, it was also notorious for being extremely difficult to obtain.

During his time playing the game, Link had only ever seen it on Nozama himself.

In order to obtain this battle robe, a player would need to gather 300 Abyssal Fragments from Nozama by defeating him again and again, as he would only drop one to two pieces of these fragments every time he was vanquished.

It should be noted that Link and his party were the first players to ever defeat Nozama throughout the whole server.

Link remembered the first time the game announced the robe’s attributes. Just then, the game system pulled up a list of the Abyss of Despair battle robe’s properties in front of him.

The Abyss of Despair

Quality: Level-19

Special effect 1: Abyssal Power

Its user will have their power increased by 100 percent and their power recovery rate increased by 50 percent.

Special effect 2: Abyssal Corrosive Armor

When this effect is activated, the battle robe will provide its wearer with protection that can only be broken through by attacks above Level-15. Attacks which manage to bypass this effect will have its damage reduced by 90 percent.

Special effect 3: Foresight

The user will be able to open their third eye and see one second into the future.

Special effect 4: Abyss of Despair

Every time the robe’s wearer kills someone, their victim’s soul will be slowly ingested by the battle robe’s fabric in order to nourish its wearer’s power.

Link’s blood froze as he read through the robe’s special effects. How were they supposed to defeat a Level-16 Pinnacle master who was now equipped with Level-19 sacred gear?

The Snow Mountain Archmage had also given Link three Level-19 pieces of equipment as compensation for his troubles. However, the Abyss of Despair battle robe was in an entirely different level.

Link would have chosen to flee if he had to fight this fight on his own. Thankfully, he was not alone.

There were two Frost Warriors with him right now: Frost Queen Lily, who was currently a Level-16 midstage Warrior, and Absolute Zero Therodeau, a Frost Warrior in the early stages of Level-16. With their powers combined, all three of them might stand a chance against a Level-16 Pinnacle master like Saroviny.

However, it soon became apparent to Link that he was their weakest link.

After receiving the realm’s blessing, not only did Link have a faster power recovery rate, he was also endowed with a powerful realm in Firuman. This was the reason why he managed defeat Saroviny back then and decimate an entire fleet of Silver Storm Sparrow battleships not long after.

However, here in the Aragu realm, he was completely stripped of those benefits.

After his encounter with the Six-Winged Burning Angels, Link realized that his power recovery rate had dropped by half. Though he could still use his realm technique, its power had been reduced by 30 percent.

In other words, even if Saroviny was not wearing the Abyss of Despair battle robe, Link still would not be a match for her.

Her power and stamina had seen a drastic increase since their last encounter. Even without using any of the battle robe’s special effects, Saroviny could end Link’s life in an instant.

Even the trump card that he had conceived not too long ago with the Snow Mountain Archmage’s help would probably not do much damage to her, let alone kill her.

The two Frost Warriors had sensed the incredibly oppressive power that Saroviny was giving off. Frost Queen Lily stepped forward in front of Link. She then reached for the huge sword on her back as she said, “Maiden of Darkness, you dare trespass in the Kingdom of Aragu? Aren’t you worried you might get frostbite?”

Saroviny’s mouth twisted into a mocking smile. “Oh, are you one of those all-powerful Frost Warriors I keep hearing about? I’m shivering in my boots right now.”

If Lily was not too careful, she could have herself killed by Saroviny before she even knew it. Link quickly whispered behind her, “Lily, be careful of her battle robe. It once belonged to the Level-19 Lord of the Deep, Nozama. Not only is he Saroviny’s father, but he has also claimed godhood by becoming the Ruler of Light and Darkness.”

Both Lily and Therodeau were taken aback by this piece of information.

Saroviny was already more powerful than any of them individually. The fact that she was the child of a god who had also gifted her with a powerful battle robe did not exactly fill Link’s party with optimism.

Saroviny looked at Link, who had shrunk away behind Lily. “Lord of Ferde, you seem to know a lot. However, I’m afraid there’s not much you can do with such information.”

She then began to stroll towards the three of them. “To tell you the truth, the Inferno Archmage knows just how powerful my father is now. He’s already chosen to side with him. Once the Archmage lights the Sacred Fire and ascends to godhood, he will become a god second only to my father. With my father’s help, the Snow Mountain Archmage Iyr will not stand a chance. Tell me, Frost Warriors, is the Snow Mountain Archmage still worthy of your loyalty?”

Link and the others were at a loss for words.

Lily muttered to herself, “No, this can’t be! This can’t be!”

Therodeau was standing behind the other two with a blank expression on his face, gripping the Frost Sword tightly in his hand.

Link’s brows were deeply furrowed, evidently searching for a way out of this.

Still languidly gazing at them, Saroviny continued, “You can’t think your way out of this, lord of Ferde. You’re a smart guy. Surely you must know that there’s no way to stop a god. Why bother resisting us? Come serve my father, and together we will rule the whole Sea of Void. Eternal glory will be yours to have.”

Link remained speechless.

Saroviny then turned towards Lily. “Lily, you’re a talented Warrior with royal blood running through your veins. Why should a noble queen like yourself stoop to sacrificing your own life for peasant scum like Iyr?”

Lily let out a long breath and shook her head. She then said, “Save your breath, Saroviny. Master Iyr was my teacher. He was a kind, generous man. You, on the other hand, are a psychopathic butcher who has killed thousands of people over the last hundred years, and I’m guessing your father isn’t that different from you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made you such a despicable battle robe! I’d rather die in battle than live to serve the likes of you!”

Lily drew out her huge sword and held it in both her hands, ready for battle.

“Oh, what a disappointment,” said Saroviny with a sigh. She then looked at Therodeau. “What say you, handsome one?”

Therodeau’s features were indeed handsome. This much was undeniable. If he had been born on earth, he might have been able to make a name for himself as a male supermodel. However, looks served little to no purpose here in this war-torn world.

After a moment’s deliberation, Therodeau finally made his decision. He began walking towards Saroviny. “I pledge my loyalty to your god!”

Even though she had not yet made her move, the aura she was giving off was enough to send a shiver down everyone’s spines. The fact that she was able to stay so calm even in the Aragu empire’s domain meant that she was confident she could deal with any of their attacks.

Therodeau had switched sides out of a sense of self-preservation. Blind allegiance had no place in this world.

Giggling at this, Saroviny pointed a long, white finger at Link and asked, “Link, I’m still waiting for your reply.”

Link still remained silent. He had come up with a solution for his current predicament. However, he would need to pay a huge price for it to work. He was now deciding whether he should go through with it.

Saroviny waited patiently for him to speak.

She was ordered by her father to capture Link alive. Being the obedient daughter that she was, she would try not to kill him unless she absolutely had to.

Lily suddenly spoke, “Master, I’ve chosen my path. You’re free to do whatever you want. If you choose to leave now, I’ll try to buy some time for you to escape. If you choose to side with this Ruler of Light and Darkness, I hope you won’t attack me from behind and at least give me the pleasure of fighting you in direct combat.”

Link could not help but let out a soft sigh. Obviously, the queen did not become the leader of the Frost Knights for nothing.

Drawing a deep breath, Link stepped out from behind Lily and looked straight at Saroviny. “We all could learn a thing or two from you about having an unwavering spirit like yours, Lily.”

Saroviny’s brows shot up in anger. The sky suddenly went dark. In an instant, the air was filled with the wails of despairing spirits.

“Not a smart move, Link, not smart at all. My father was wrong about you! Now you die!”

Chapter 693: Unwilling to be a Slave

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

Whoosh, whoosh.

Wind rose up on the Verdant Plains, and the clouds rolled. The sky darkened as a show of betrayal and loyalty was performed at once. Evil and justice, chaos and order were at a stalemate.

Buzzing slightly, Saroviny’s sword shook. Countless bolts of purple-black lightning flowed out of it while the tip pointed straight at Link. “This is the last chance. Life or death?!”

Link looked down but didn’t reply. This conflicted Saroviny. Her father wanted her to catch him alive. She also didn’t want to kill her old enemy so easily. It would be great if she could capture Link and make him her subordinate.

In this mindset, she didn’t move when Link didn’t reply. She still had the tiny hope that Link would turn back.

Clearly, this was impossible.

Taking advantage of this rare chance, Link’s thoughts whirred. In his vision, the game system showed him various spell cards while a mission popped.

Activate Ultimate Mission: Choice (After this mission, the Light System will be completely unlocked)

Mission Content: Choose your own path

Mission Reward: 1000 Omni Points (Can be given beforehand)

In the past, 1000 Omni Points could instantly boost Link’s power. But now, they could only raise his upper limit a bit.

In truth, he could use these points to buy Level-19 spells. However, they would be too inflexible, and he wouldn’t even have time to cast them. Even if he could, his current power wasn’t enough. Even burning his soul wouldn’t provide enough power.

Nozama was the incarnation of the God of Light’s darkness. He was also Saroviny’s father. Saroviny most likely knew Link had this system and also knew its weaknesses.

Indeed, after a few seconds of silence, Saroviny said, “It’s useless. Link, don’t struggle anymore. The God of Light’s blessing has ended. It can’t save you at all.”

Link sighed too. Saroviny was right, but she’d judged him incorrectly. She’d also missed a spell from the game system—a dark spell.

Link had bought this with a high price from an auction to learn just so he could have an unexpected hidden card.

Bright cards flew past his eyes. Soon, it stopped on a dark blue card. Its surroundings had blue flames rather than dazzling light. The flames kept changing, sometimes forming a howling skull, sometimes sketching a struggling figure. Its evil was obvious.

Level-18 spell: Flame of the Soul

Flame of the Soul

Cost: 0 points

Effect: Choose a target and ignite their soul. The light and heat from burning the soul will transform into the spellcaster’s own strength. This spell’s efficiency at converting power is above 80%. If the target cooperates, it can reach 95%.

Side Effect: After using this spell, the player’s Mana will completely turn into Dark Mana, and the player will be branded with the Dark Camp. The player’s mind will forever be affected by darkness.

(Note: Strong power must come at a high cost. Young man, are you ready?)

Link took a deep breath and chose to learn this without hesitation. The card in his vision dissipated, scattering into countless will-o’-wisps that floated into Link’s body.

He shuddered. When he raised his head again, black and silver flames were dancing in his pupils. He looked just like a Necromancer who could turn himself into a warlock.

Seeing him like this, Saroviny burst into laughter. “Good, good. You finally chose the dark path. Link, this is a wise choice. You won’t regret it!”

Earlier when Ice Queen Lily heard Link say that he wouldn’t change his heart, she’d thought that this Magician was pretty good. She didn’t expect that he would turn straight into darkness.

The world is filled with mist. I hope we will not change our hearts. She realized now that this phrase hadn’t been a vow but rather a helpless lament.

Lily’s eyes were dark, but her determination was stronger. “There’s nothing else to say. Just do it!”

Saroviny pursed her lips. She was ready to kill this stubborn woman, but before she could act, Link called out, “Let me do it.”

Saroviny instantly smiled. “That works too. Go for it.”

Link looked at Lily. “I know a spell that can burn one’s soul,” he said. “It will bring about endless pain, and I want to try it today.”

While speaking, he also used the Telepathy spell. There’s no way I can defeat Saroviny with my own strength. I was forced to choose the dark path.

At the same time, Link sent an image that clearly showed his plan.

The plan was good, but it also had a cruel part. It was the critical step and also the darkest one—igniting Lily’s soul to turn into power for Link to use. This was the only way for Link to counter Saroviny and give the Divine Fragment to the Snow Mountain Archmage.

The image was straightforward; Lily quickly understood. She stared at Link, and Link met her eyes confidently. The black and silver flames danced, but his eyes were as resolute as ever.

Clang. Lily tossed her sword onto the ground and closed her eyes, not saying a word. She chose to believe Link and sacrificed her soul without hesitation.

Link walked over and hoisted up the Ode of a Full Moon. He pierced Lily’s chest and activated the spell. Lily’s soul was ignited instantly, burning with frosty white flames.

Even the strongest person would lose their calm when their soul was suffering. Lily was the same. She grasped Link’s sword and cried out chillingly. Her body writhed uncontrollably, instinctively trying to escape from Link’s control.

Unfortunately, the spell was activated. Everything was over.

While the frosty white soul fire burned, pure dark silver power flowed across the Ode of a Full Moon and surged into Link’s body. It quickly bolstered his strength.

A Level-16 figure like Lily had extremely powerful souls containing incredible power. As the white flames died down, Link felt unprecedented power.

He checked his stats.

Link Morani (Ferde Lord, Dark Dragon King, Avatar of the Realm)

Level-16 Pinnacle Master Magician, Level-16 Pinnacle Assassin

Energy Type: Dark Realm Essence

Energy Limit: 52380 Points

He’d been at mid-Level-16, but now he was at the pinnacle with only a step away from Level-17. His power had increased by 30%!

By now, Saroviny finally felt something wrong. Furrowing her brows, she looked at Link. “You…”

Link indeed possessed dark power and even did something as cruel as devouring a soul. Only a Dark Magician would do that. But something felt wrong… Yes, the Ice Queen never protested!

Now, only a bit of Lily’s soul remained. Link stopped the spell and using his thoughts, the soul’s remnant entered his sword.

A determined thought from the soul entered Link’s mind. Darkness has fallen. I hope you do not change your heart.

I won’t, Link replied.

Looking up at Saroviny, the flames in his eyes stopped dancing. Instead, they became steady light. “Even if I join the darkness, I will be the ruler!”

Slave? No, he wouldn’t even become the slave of the God of Light!

Link’s voice contained unchangeable determination; his tone was indescribably ambitious. The dark power in him condensed and settled like the darkest night.

Faced with such resolute will, Saroviny stepped back involuntarily. In a fight of will, she was defeated.

Afterward, she lost her cool. Realizing that she’d been played, anger seized her. “Link, you’re dead!”

Boom! The dark territory instantly expanded to its max. Black lightning cracked endlessly in the sky, and a heavy fog rolled out from the Abyss of Despair battle robe. Saroviny disappeared from her spot. She charged towards Link, sword pointed between his eyes.

Clang. With a huge sound, Link blocked Saroviny’s sword. Rather than clashing directly, he’d cut in from the side, shaving off Saroviny’s strength.

Scrape, scrape. Sparks flew under the grating noise. The two sides entered an intense fight.

Therodeau, having just joined the darkness, couldn’t participate in the chaos at all. He was Level-16, but he was only in the lower level. Both his skills and his will were far from the two fighting. He could only avoid the clash from afar.

In the chaos, no one noticed that the Divine Fragment hanging at Link’s waist suddenly rippled abnormally. A shred of light shone from the wooden box.

Chapter 694: I Now Proclaim You Ruler Over All!

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

Saroviny’s power and speed had improved dramatically thanks to the Abyss of Despair battle robe. With its Foresight ability, her offense and defense were now impeccable.

She was now the perfect Warrior!

On the other hand, Link had also received a great deal of power after absorbing Frost Queen Lily’s soul energy. However, he was still slightly weaker than Saroviny with her Abyss of Despair battle robe. Fortunately, his nigh flawless swordsmanship, complemented by various support spells that he had cast on himself, was enough to compensate for this difference in power level between them.

They had been going at each other for ten seconds, and still, their duel was no closer to a conclusion.

In the span of ten seconds, both sides had exchanged 325 blows with each other, setting off ripples of power which spread out in all directions. The ground undulated beneath them like the surface of a stormy sea. It was a truly horrific scene.

In the realm of Aragu, most duels between two Level-16 masters would not last for more than two seconds. As a rule, one blow was all it would take to end the other. This was due to the fact that Level-16 masters had access to various methods of execution, which most of them were usually not in the habit of advertising to the world. Any misjudgment on their opponent’s power level would prove fatal for them.

The outcome of a duel also hinged on the stamina of its participants.

For instance, with just five powerful swings of his sword, Frost Warrior Therodeau’s power reserves would be depleted completely.

Only combat masters of unmatched skill and power were capable of trading blows with each other for ten seconds!

Link and Saroviny were two such masters. One of them had the body of a dragon, while the other was a demon from the depths of the Abyss. One had full mastery of the essence of his own power, while the other was in possession of Legendary Pinnacle equipment. Both sides seemed to have come to an impasse right now.

Frost Warrior Therodeau had wanted to join the battle. However, the power released by both sides was so intense that he was pushed back 40 miles away from the action.

He watched as the duel raged on before him, a look of astonishment on his face. Both Warriors had attained power levels beyond his wildest imagination.

Therodeau had no trouble understanding how Saroviny came to become this powerful. She was the child of a god, after all. However, Link was a different matter entirely. On the surface, he simply looked like an ordinary-looking, if somewhat well-built Magician. The ferocity that he had displayed in his attacks had caught Therodeau completely off guard.

Still, waters ran deep indeed.

Three seconds passed. The duel before Therodeau seemed to have come out of its standstill. Link now had the upper hand, forcing Saroviny to assume a defensive stance. She lashed out a few times in retaliation but was ultimately pushed back by Link.

Heavy, sonorous clangs rang out from their swords every time they collided against each other, due to the huge amounts of power flowing inside them.

Every time Link stabbed his sword out, numerous black rune circles would appear around its blade, causing severe distortion to the space around it. The spatial distortion was the result of an invisible forcefield that Link had conjured around his sword.

As a result, every blow from Link’s sword was driven by the sword’s own power and the forcefield that had formed around it. Every time Saroviny swung her sword, her power was greatly weakened by said forcefield. Despite the power boost the Abyss of Despair battle robe had given her, Saroviny now found herself being driven into a corner by Link.

Thankfully, her combat abilities were not terribly affected by this sudden drop in her power. However, Saroviny soon realized that the battle robe’s Foresight ability was not as effective as she hoped it would be.

Foresight: During battle, its user would be able to see one second into the future.

If Saroviny’s opponent had been a Warrior or a typical Elemental Magician, with such an ability activated, she would be able to finish him or her off with a single blow. No matter how powerful her opponent was, she would be able to triumph over them with ease.

However, even though the ability was still in effect, the predictions she had received from it during their fight had become less accurate.

What made this ability so powerful was the precision of its predictions. If she could no longer predict her opponent’s movements accurately in such a tense battle, what was the point of having it activated at all?

Link’s swordsmanship was indeed flawless, but his accomplishments in the field of magic were what made him such a formidable opponent. Though he had yet to master time magic, he had learned enough of it to be capable of disrupting the flow of time and consequently rendering Saroviny’s Foresight ability useless.

Saroviny began gasping for breath as Link continued his assault, seamlessly combining his combat techniques with his magic.

She now felt as if she was stuck in a mire. The more she tried to struggle, the deeper she felt herself being dragged down into an invisible pit. Anger began rising in her until finally, she snapped!

“Argh!!!” screamed Saroviny. “Die!”

Taking advantage of the Abyss of Despair battle robe’s damage reduction effect, she decided to charge at Link with everything she had.

Reckless as it might seem, this technique was also extremely effective!

Link’s sword pierced Saroviny’s arm. The sword’s tip sank into the battle robe’s fabric, which managed to absorb much of its impact. Link felt as if the sword had plunged into a layer of thick, viscous mud.

Link’s sword had left a deep cut on Saroviny’s arm. To Saroviny, however, this was no more than a flesh wound. She could still fight. Her retaliation would be a hundred times more terrible than what she had received.

Ignoring her injury, Saroviny thrust her sword out towards Link’s heart. Link would definitely die on the spot if he were to take this hit.

Link immediately avoided the attack. However, this allowed Saroviny to turn the tables on him. Realizing that her self-harming tactic had paid off, she decided to continue with it until one of them finally collapsed.

For the next few seconds, Link managed to land a few hits on Saroviny. However, he was now in a precarious position himself as well. The moment he slipped up, it would be the end of him.

Five seconds later, Link had left 18 cuts on Saroviny’s body, which was now completely covered in blood. His sword had also left a hole through her abdomen.

Link was no better himself. Despite his efforts to dodge her attacks, her blade managed to land a few hits on his arms, thighs, and back. His flesh flapped loosely around his wounds. Blood flowed out of them profusely. He could also feel Saroviny’s Abyssal power lingering on his injuries, hindering his body’s ability to heal itself up.

His injuries were evidently more severe than Saroviny’s.

Her Abyss of Despair battle robe had managed to offset the difference between their combat powers.

The duel went on for another five seconds. Both sides had depleted much of their power reserves. Their attacks also became more erratic.

However, Link seemed even more ragged than Saroviny. The latter had decided to focus more on her offense, knowing that her battle robe would be able to reduce the damage she would receive from Link’s attacks.

Two seconds later, the sound of tearing flesh rang out in the air as Saroviny and Link flashed past one another.

When she finally came to a stop, Saroviny’s feet gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground. Her body was riddled with cuts. Link’s sword had left a particularly deep wound through her stomach. Portions of her intestine had been torn apart by it. The pain that now assaulted her entire body was more than even a demon with a sturdy physique like hers could handle.

However, the look on her face was one of ecstasy as she turned around to look at Link.

Link was still standing on his feet. However, he remained motionless like a statue. Seconds later, blood spurted out of his chest. It then flowed down his body, staining his battle robe along the way until it reached the soil beneath his feet.

Link fell to a half-kneel on the ground, with one hand pressed firmly against his chest and one hand holding onto the Ode of a Full Moon sword. His head was limply drooping over his chest.

He was unable to avoid Saroviny’s final attack. Her sword had pierced through his chest and sliced his heart in two. The fact that he was able to remain standing for so long was due to his own sturdy constitution.

“Hehehehe…” Saroviny was now laughing on the ground. Her laughter was punctuated by coughing fits which sprayed out blood from her blood. Though her injuries were severe, it did not change the fact that she had won this fight.

Finally, Saroviny had finally defeated Link, who had been the bogeyman in her dreams for so long.

“I’ve defeated you, Link! Your soul will be enslaved by my father for eternity! Hahaha… cough…” Saroviny coughed up even more blood.

Link remained kneeling on the ground. He did not hear what Saroviny was saying to him.

He was now looking back at everything that had ever happened in his life, from his time on earth to all that he had accomplished during his time in Firuman. Faces of those closest to him in this world flashed before his eyes: Celine, Herrera, Rylai, Gretel, Eliard, Vance, Nana, and even Ferde. Finally, every other face faded into oblivion, leaving only Celine’s before him.

His sight was beginning to blur. He could now feel his spirit leaving his body.

“Goodbye,” whispered Link. There was not a hint of regret in his voice. He was about to die a hero’s death on the battlefield. This was more than enough for him. He was simply passing on into the afterlife before everyone else in this bleak and empty world. As for his soul, he had no intention of handing it over to anyone. He had a plan in place to snuff his own soul out before anyone could lay their hands on it.

Link’s body relaxed, ready for the cold embrace of death.

At that moment, nobody seemed to have noticed the wooden box hanging from Link’s waist. It had been holding the Shadow Divine Fragment all this time. Due to the intensity of Link’s duel with Saroviny, a small crack had appeared on the box.

Link’s blood had seeped into the box through the crack and was now dripping on the Shadow Divine Fragment.

The black crystal skull’s eye sockets started to glow with a black light as it was gradually being soaked in Link’s blood.

At first, a few weak rays of this black light radiated from the skull’s sockets. Then, the light expanded across the entire black crystal skull. It then trembled for a moment. Without warning, the entire fragment evaporated into a column of silver-black smoke which burst out of its wooden container and dove into Link’s body.

In an instant, a jolt of electricity exploded in his head. The fog in his mind lifted, and he was once again back in the world of the living.

An ancient voice boomed out in Link’s mind moments later. “You who would rather die than be someone else’s slave, you whose veins are filled with the blood of a hero, shed off your mortal skin for I now proclaim you ruler over all!”

Chapter 695: Darkness Does Not Rule, I Rule Darkness

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

Boom!

Link felt great power burst within him. It swept through him like a wild flood, quickly healing his injuries. The wound on his heart started mending at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, a hymn-like voice rang out in his mind.

Darkness, our lord, is boundless. With shadows as his flag, murder as his sword, he destroys the weak and rules the Void!

This sound was as ancient and magnificent as before. It was as if millions of people were chanting at once. Under this prayer, Link saw the sky darken. The golden sunlight turned dark yellow, then red and dark red, until it finally extinguished.

After the sun extinguished, countless stars appeared in the sky. But it didn’t end. The stars faded and disappeared too. Finally, the entire world was pitch black, devoid of any light. Only the hymn from before remained. As time passed, the voice grew stronger and stronger. It felt like the hymn was getting closer to Link.

He felt instinctively that something was about to happen. Pushing down his shock, he waited patiently.

After who knew how long, when the hymn was booming around him, the pure darkness before his eyes suddenly formed an image.

Thy sky had already been dark before. But after this black image appeared, the sky seemed to have a shred of light in comparison.

Link felt that there was nothing blacker than this in the world. It devoured all light, almost devouring even Link’s mind and soul. Thankfully, Link’s soul was now strong enough. He felt the lure, but he could still anchor himself down. He wouldn’t get sucked in.

Then the figure spoke. “Mortal, I shall crown you!”

Link wasn’t sure what was happening. He didn’t get flustered by that sentence either. He remembered Morpheus’ words: the Shadow Divine Fragment wasn’t a blessing. It was a curse—a curse of misfortune.

He was still guarded against the Divine Fragment.

“Who are you? Tell me your background!”

“Ha, do you have any choice now?” the black shadow asked in reply. At the same time, a few shreds of light shone from behind him, illuminating the area around Link.

In that area, Link saw himself. He was still half-kneeling on the ground, supported by his sword. But he was surrounded by thick darkness. The space around it was highly distorted. Because of the chaos, rapid air currents kept appearing. It looked like a web of dense silver-black lightning.

Not too far from Link, Saroviny had sat up on the ground. She was badly hurt and couldn’t move. At the moment, she was screaming at Frost Knight Therodeau who had hidden away. He was now thousands of feet away and was flying towards Link.

With his speed, he could cross that distance in less than a second.

Under these circumstances, Link would get killed by Therodeau if he didn’t agree. He had no choice.

Link was very practical; he quickly calculated the costs and benefits. He would either get killed or choose this mysterious road. The former was a dead end. The latter had risks but also a sliver of hope.

It was obvious.

“I accept,” Link agreed.

As soon as he spoke, the black shadow laughed heartily. Then it quickly transformed, solidifying into a circular thing. Looking closely, Link saw a crown.

It floated towards Link’s head. That moment, the game system actually reacted and showed the specific stats of this crown.

Crown of Eternal Night

Level-19 (Can be upgraded to Level-29)

Effect 1: Boundless Darkness. The wearer’s max power will be increased by 200%, magic resistance increased by 80%, and physical resistance increased by 30%.

Effect 2: Dark Thoughts. The wearer’s mind will speed up, and their spiritual energy will increase. They can easily sink the enemy into panic and chaos.

Effect 3: Eternal Night Divine Authority. With the ancient dark contract as a witness, the wearer can easily control all dark creatures below their level.

Effect 4: Ultimate Incarnation of Darkness. After activating the power contained in the crown, the wearer will transform into the sovereign of Eternal Night for a short period (less than five seconds). In this state, the user will be immune to any spell and spirit attacks. Their power recovery rate will be increased by 300% and physical defense by 90%. This effect can be used once per day.

Side effect: Dark power will flow through the body, corroding the user’s mind. Finally, the user will become the representative of the Sea of Void’s origin of darkness and be ruled by darkness.

(Note: Ash to ash, dust to dust. All originate from darkness and will return to darkness.)

Seeing the dark attributes, Link sighed inwardly. He knew this was the Crown of Eternal Night’s use, but he still had no other choice.

Bowing his head, the crown—seemingly made of black glass and with an ancient yet majestic style—lowered slowly on Link’s head. In that instant, he felt something icy and cool settle in his soul.

This power’s invasion was unstoppable. After it entered his soul, Link instantly felt his thoughts turn indifferent. Everything that he’d treasured and loved seemed unimportant now. He could sacrifice them at any time.

This was the cost of choosing darkness.

Strangely enough, Link didn’t feel fear. His soul seemed to have split into two now. One of the souls became the bystander. He floated in the air, watching calmly as darkness invaded his soul. He could even see the process clearly.

The watching soul was the Link from before. Everything he cared for was preserved well. They weren’t affected at all.

The situation was strange, but it happened naturally. Link didn’t know how he did it either.

But the system gave him the answer.

This is Soul Dominator Thoreau’s blessing.

“Blessing? What blessing?” Link froze.

Thus, the game system displayed the blessing’s specific uses.

Soul Dominator’s Blessing

Unrated Soul Spell (Souls can be small or big, powerful or weak. It depends on a thought.)

Effect: This spell is for the one who received the Soul Dominator’s gift. With this blessing, the blessed soul will not be affected by any outer force.

(Note: Ask your original heart.)

For some reason, when Link saw this blessing, the dark hymn suddenly rang out in his mind.

Darkness, our lord, is boundless. With shadows as his flag, murder as his sword, he destroys the weak and rules the Void!

In this hymn, darkness was above all existences. It was the source of all, and it ruled the Void. But Link suddenly discovered that the ancient Soul Dominator seemed to have found a special soul cultivation method that could make the soul rule all.

In other words, Link, who had studied the Book of Revelations before, had somehow inherited the Soul Dominator’s truth. Whether a soul was strong or weak depended on a single thought. This was the special thing about a soul.

The hymn should change its first sentence for Link: I rule darkness.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but be impressed by the Soul Dominator’s boundless wisdom. He thought of the sovereign he’d seen in the ice cave. There had been endless wars. Even undefeatable strength had been useless. Only the soul could rule all and find refuge in the chaos, leaving quietly. That was true wisdom.

By then, Therodeau was close to Link, but he didn’t dare approach. Three hundred feet away, he raised his sword. Ice and frost gathered on the blade, and it instantly turned hundreds of feet long. Then he brought it down towards Link’s head.

Crack. The sword came down hard, but it couldn’t hack Link into pieces.

Under the frost sword, Link raised the Ode of a Full Moon horizontally. Silver-dark light flowed through the sword. It was subtle, but it easily blocked the shockingly powerful frost sword.

Crack, crack, crack. It was the sound of ice cracking. Threads of dark power whizzed through Therodeau’s sword, quickly undoing it.

Pieces of ice fell down. Therodeau maintained it with all his might, but it was useless. He felt irresistible strength come from his sword. He couldn’t block it at all.

On the other hand, Link rose from his kneeling posture. He easily lifted the huge frost sword as if it was a feather. When he’d stood up straight, his sword shook and there was a huge explosion. Therodeau’s frost sword instantly shattered. The pieces evaporated and disappeared in the air.

The unstoppable power forced Therodeau back. He also had very rich battle experience. While retreating, he immediately activated his frost territory.

Crackle, crackle, crackle. Instantly, everything inside the territory froze and crumbled into white powder. White mist rose up in the air. This was the strange phenomenon of space being frozen. Absolute Zero was quite powerful.

This power would be troublesome for someone at Level-16, but Link was way stronger than him.

When the cold swept past Link, he just ignored it. What was the coldest in the world? It was darkness, rather than ice. With the Crown of Eternal Night, Link had become the candidate for the ruler of darkness. He didn’t care about the cold at all.

He grabbed towards Therodeau and cast the dark spell, Flame of the Soul.

Therodeau screamed. White flames burst from his eye sockets, nose, and ears. After the flames reached the air, they turned into strands of white current that flew into Link’s body, transforming into dark Mana.

Therodeau’s soul was instantly gone whereas Link’s power increased again. He was only a sliver away from Level-17. Here, Link suddenly heard something. Turning around, he saw that the injured Saroviny was disappearing into the air.

Seeing that things were going wrong, she ran again.

Link frowned. He suddenly felt strong danger. His instincts told him that he must leave the Aragu Realm, or else something bad would happen.

He immediately prepared a portal, but then he discovered something wrong. It wouldn’t open.

He tried again and realized some force was obstructing him. This force seemed to smell of fire.

Thinking, Link immediately understood.

The Inferno Archmage locked the Aragu Realm, but he didn’t come personally. The Snow Mountain Archmage must be delaying him, but I can’t leave. I’m sure many will come to kill me soon.

Since he couldn’t escape, he could only get surrounded. This was dangerous.

Thinking more, Link realized he only had one choice—find the Snow Mountain Archmage. That was his only ally and the only force that could save him in Aragu.

With this in mind, he rushed towards the Isle of Eternal Winter in the northeast where the Snow Mountain Archmage lived.

While Link was looking for his ally, the Fire Sect also entered full battle mode. This time, they received the god’s oracle. They only had one target—the Legendary Magician, the lord of Ferde from the Firuman Realm.

The oracle said that the Ferde lord was close to Level-17 and had incredible combat ability. Thus, practically the entire Fire Sect was sent out.

Within five minutes, the five powerful fighters with territories (Saint Milda, Saroviny who’d just run back and finished recovering, the three remaining Lava Knights of the Fire Sect) set off. With the help of the Inferno Archmage, they opened a portal and entered the Verdant Plains.

When Saroviny didn’t see anyone, she sniffed the air and smelled Link’s aura. Deducing, she immediately said, “He’s gone to the Isle of Eternal Winter! Go!”

Chapter 696: You’re My Only Hope

Whoo… A cold, bitter wind howled from the North.

A young man was striding urgently across the frozen ground. He was clad in a black battle robe with a crystal crown on his head. It was Link.

The clouds in the sky above the Isle of Eternal Winter churned like the surface of a stormy sea. Snowflakes fell from the heavens like feathers. These hexagonal snowflakes were a hazard in and of itself. Not only were they colder than ice, but their edges were also so sharp that they could wedge themselves into one’s flesh. At any moment, these snowflakes could come tumbling down from the sky like shurikens.

The waves on the surface of the sea around the island were all frozen in place.

In any case, the island was unimaginably cold.

However, thanks to the Crown of Eternal Night, his power had been converted into Dark Power, and he now had a high resistance to such freezing temperatures. No matter how the wind howled at him, Link did not feel the slightest bit cold.

The spatial fabric in the island had been completely frozen, preventing anyone from using teleportation magic within its confines. Link had no choice but to make his way through the snow on foot.

The entire island was a 300 square-foot-wide circular disc. In the middle of it stood the Snow Mountain Archmage’s Frozen Palace. After striding for half a minute through the snow, Link finally saw the magnificent palace in the distance.

The Frozen Palace was made of huge blocks of ice, each of which seemed to be of a different color. The entire building stood out garishly against the snow-white backdrop.

Link was about to resume his path towards the palace when suddenly he noticed a wizened man standing before him in a white robe which matched his equally white hair and beard. Link knew who he was. It was the Snow Mountain Archmage who had sent his double to Firuman. He was also known as Iyr, and here in Aragu, he was widely recognized as the grandmaster of the mystic arts.

As soon as he saw the old man, Link suddenly felt a pang of guilt. He had intended to deliver the divine fragment to the Archmage as promised. Instead, he was the one who ended up using it. Though he did not really have a choice on the matter itself, Link still felt somewhat guilty for not being able to keep his promise.

Upon seeing the remorseful look on Link’s face, Archmage Iyr said with a wistful smile, “Lord of Ferde, do not beat yourself up over it. I already know what happened. The divine fragment wasn’t even mine to begin with. It wasn’t your fault that the fates have deemed you worthy of it. The fates have also informed me that my life is about to come to an end, and that destruction will come upon the Sea of Void soon.”

“Are you talking about the Ruler of Light and Darkness?” asked Link. Even though he had already been mentally prepared for such an eventuality for some time, his body trembled still, somewhat unnerved to hear it straight from the Archmage’s mouth.

Iyr nodded. “At first, all I saw was darkness. I did not know why. However, you have revealed the truth to me during your duel with Saroviny on the Verdant Plains. The Inferno Archmage has chosen submission. An unprecedented catastrophe will soon beset the Aragu realm… I thought all hope was lost for all of us until the day I met you.”

Iyr turned towards Link with a grave look on his face. His dark blue eyes were fixed on him. “The light of hope burns bright in you, Link. You will soon gain power which rivals even that of the Ruler of Light and Darkness. Only you will be able to stop his genocidal campaign against all life in every realm. You must not die. Leave the Aragu realm now. Return to Firuman and become strong enough to vanquish the Ruler of Light and Darkness once and for all!”

Just then, Link felt a sudden warmth in the air. Then, he noticed a red glimmer spreading out from the horizon as if the sun had finally sunk into the ocean and left the last rays of its light in the sky.

Before Link could even make a remark, the Snow Mountain Archmage muttered, “The Inferno Archmage, Sastor, he’s coming!”

This was the first time Link had heard the Inferno Archmage’s real name being spoken out loud. With his thought processes accelerated by the Crown’s Dark Thoughts special effect, he was able to quickly predict what was about to happen soon.

He’s probably after me. Saroviny had said that her father wants to make a slave out of me. She’s also said that the Inferno Archmage has chosen to side with the Ruler of Light and Darkness. From the looks of things, the entire Fire Sect must be coming after me in full force. With the Aragu realm completely sealed shut, escape may be all but impossible…

Even with the Crown of Eternal Night and his supposed potential for further growth, the fact remained that Link’s power was still at Level-16 and that the only ally he had right now was the Snow Mountain Archmage. With the enemy coming in fast, Link might not be able to make it out of the Aragu realm alive.

Archmage Iyr waved a hand, conjuring countless Frost runes around it. The runes sparkled for a few seconds in the air. All of a sudden, they fizzled out. “Sastor has sealed off the entire realm with the power of his followers’ belief. As long as his spell is in effect, even I will not be able to break out of this realm. We’ll just have to fight our way out of this!”

He began walking towards the Frozen Palace. “Come with me, Lord of Ferde. Time is of the essence. The Aragu army will not be able to come to our aid in time… Even if they do, they would not be of much help. Our only course of action right now is to help you attain more power.”

The old man was walking so fast that Link had to jog after him.

The two were soon inside the Frozen Palace. The Archmage’s footsteps did not stop. Once they reached the middle of the palace’s main hall, the Archmage waved a hand. As if in response, the rune circle beneath their feet glowed, revealing a secret storage space.

“Rise!” The Snow Mountain Archmage waved his hand again. An ice pillar began rising from the middle of the storage space with a sound of ice breaking. A crystal box was set on the pillar.

The Archmage opened the box with another wave of his hand. A colorless crystal as big as a pigeon’s egg floated out of the box. As soon as it came into contact with the air in the outside world, it was immediately surrounded by a milky white mist. The temperature in the hall instantly dropped to negative 30 degrees. Link could not help but shiver in the sudden cold.

“Swallow this, quick!” The Snow Mountain Archmage quickly gave Link the crystal. The cold was so intense that it was as if there were hundreds of cold needles piercing his face right now.

Link could not imagine how his stomach would react to being forced such an ominous-looking thing. He had no idea what the Snow Mountain Archmage was making him eat.

Game system, do you know what this is? thought Link. He knew the Archmage would not try to harm him. He just wanted to know a bit more about the crystal before he put it in his mouth.

Scanning… Scan complete. It’s a Flawless Frozen Essence.

Flawless Frozen Essence

Quality: Level-19

Effect: The Essence is made of pure concentrated Frost Power. Anyone who takes it will experience an intense cold. If they manage to survive it, their power level will be increased by one level. Otherwise, their body and soul will be frozen solid.

(Note: Great power comes at a great cost!)

After reading through the crystal’s effects, there was no doubt in Link’s mind what he was supposed to do right now. These were dangerous times. Link had to take a leap of faith. He opened his mouth and bit into the Flawless Frozen Essence. Ignoring the growing numbness in his mouth, he let the crystal slide down his throat and into his stomach.

Link’s thoughts flashed through his mind so quickly that the Snow Mountain Archmage did not even detect Link’s initial misgiving about swallowing the crystal.

He did not think that Link would take it so willingly. He then laughed out loud. “Good man, Good man! Seeing how much faith you have in me, you have my word that I will do whatever it takes to get you out of Aragu alive!”

Link could barely hear what the Archmage was saying. The only thing he was feeling right now was the indescribable pain in his stomach. It was as if hundreds of knives were now cutting up his intestines into ribbons. The coldness had also spread to every corner of his body, threatening to turn him into a human-sized popsicle.

The pain was excruciating. However, Link’s mind still remained somewhat lucid. Heh, I could still feel pain, which means that the crystal’s coldness hasn’t completely ruined my body yet.

If his body were to go completely numb, he would have to activate the Crown of Eternal Night’s Ultimate Darkness Form in order to boost his own magical resistances and mitigate the damage done to his body. However, the situation seemed a lot better than he had expected.

Link was now in so much pain that he could barely stand up. He plopped down on the ground, fighting off the biting cold in his body.

The Snow Mountain Archmage was silently watching over him in a corner.

At that point, the red glimmer in the sky had intensified. The snow and clouds in the sky outside the Frozen Palace had somewhat cleared.

Half a minute later, a terrible voice exploded like lightning in the air. “Iyr, hand over the intruder and pledge your allegiance to the Ruler of Light and Darkness or die!”

The Inferno Archmage, Sastor had arrived.

Chapter 697: Nemesis After Hundred Years

Inferno Archmage Sastor was the god of the Fire Sect, the mastermind behind the Yan Empire, and an undefeatable figure at the pinnacle of Level-19.

Nozama was at the pinnacle of Level-19 too. In the game, he’d almost upended the Firuman Realm. The World Tree of the High Elves was a magic item at Level-19. It was powerful enough to fuse two separate realms.

In this realm, the pinnacle of Level-19 was a synonym of “incredible.”

The pinnacle of Level-19 was also the highest level a realm could contain. Any further and one would enter the divine state. Anyone in that state would either get repelled by the realm, or they would cause the realm to burst.

Of course, there hadn’t been any god who’d forcefully burst a realm yet. Even the frightening Ruler of Light and Darkness couldn’t.

To someone at Level-19, anyone below their level—even someone at the pinnacle of Level-18—could be killed with just a bit of strength.

This was why people at the pinnacle of Level-19 had “arch” before their title. Warriors were Archwarriors while Magicians were Archmages.

After Sastor arrived at the Isle of Eternal Winter, Snow Mountain Archmage Iyr did two things. One was to activate a defense spell, sealing his palace. The second was to leave the palace and fight Sastor thousands of feet in the air.

Sastor hadn’t come alone. Some of his men had come, but they were at Level-16. To Iyr, they were as insignificant as flies.

Of course, they were flies now. But if he kept fighting Sastor and used up a lot of energy, these “flies” could still influence the game.

That was alright though. Iyr didn’t care about life or death now. He had one simple goal, which was to send Link to the Firuman Realm so he had enough time to mature and counter the Ruler of Light and Darkness!

“Sastor, I used to respect you because you were the most talented Magician I’ve met. But now, I’m disappointed. No matter how talented or lucky you are, you’re just a dog.”

Iyr was calm as he spoke. Rather than insulting Sastor, he seemed to be stating an obvious fact.

To the proud Sastor, Iyr’s words were like an arrow to his heart. He felt his face heat up, but he just couldn’t utter any refutation. The fire simmered in his heart, and it felt so uncomfortable.

After many seconds, he finally gritted out, “Iyr, you don’t know what you’re facing at all. You—”

Iyr waved, cutting him off. “Cut the nonsense. Let’s start!”

Before he finished, beams of light already flashed around Iyr. The dozens of arrow-like crystal cones appeared out of thin air. They spun around Iyr in a complicated yet precise way. The iciness in the air thickened.

Sastor’s expression grew serious. “Retreat from the isle!” he called to his believers.

This was the battlefield for the Archmages. Everyone else would be swept up by the storm and be crushed easily. This time, even Saroviny didn’t delay. She was the first to turn and escape. Milda and the three Lava Knights quickly retreated too.

They’d been far behind the Inferno Archmage. After getting the command, they ran at full speed and quickly exited the Isle of Eternal Winter.

When the last Lava Knight retreated, deafening cracks came from the 200-mile-wide island behind them. The island and the frozen sea around it were instantly covered in a web of cracks.

The cracks deepened and widened. Less than ten seconds later, the entire island disappeared from the sea surface. The frozen sea also turned into warm water. In the distant horizon, there was a red and white ball of light. They entangled and collided, setting off ripples of shockwaves.

Under the colliding power, the members of the Fire Sect could feel the ground shaking despite being hundreds of miles away. The sea had started roaring too. Mountainous waves crashed towards all directions, creating tsunamis going towards land.

The furious waves forced the people back further.

This kind of power made one speechless. Milda and the Lava Knights had lost their words. Even Saroviny who called herself the daughter of a god was floored. She couldn’t believe a mortal could reach this level.

The battle went on for 16 seconds. At 17 seconds, the ball of white light at the horizon was scattered by the red light. However, the red light also paid greatly. His light was much dimmer than before.

If his light had been comparable to the sun before, he was now like a star at night that glowed a bit brighter than the others.

Inferno Archmage Sastor was extremely talented, but Iyr was a grandmaster too. Their skills were at the same level. The main reason why Sastor won was because he had the Divine Fragment and the support from his believers.

The fight between the two Archmages had ended. Sastor quickly turned and ran from the battlefield. At the same time, a voice rang out in the minds of his believers. Iyr is dead while the Ferde lord is still unharmed. I will continue to lock the realm so he can’t escape. You all work together to kill him!

By the time he finished, the Inferno Archmage had already vanished.

Milda and the others all had reverent expressions. Only Saroviny looked in the direction Sastor went in deep thought. “He ran so quickly. He must have been hurt badly and is too scared to face the Ferde lord now.”

Iyr may have died, but the Inferno Archmage had paid greatly for it.

“Let’s go,” Milda said. “Let us go meet that Ferde lord… Saroviny, are you okay?”

Saroviny’s injuries were healed by a divine spell, but it had been a serious wound. It would still affect her combat ability. Milda didn’t want something to happen at this critical time.

Saroviny never liked this High Elf. If Milda wasn’t here, Saroviny would be the most powerful in the Fire Sect and be worshipped by the thousands of believers. After Milda came, she took all this glory away. No wonder Saroviny hated Milda.

She scoffed. “Worry about yourself, Milda. I heard that the Ferde lord’s your old lover. Don’t get soft and cause trouble!”

Milda smiled thinly. “Since you’re arguing with me, I guess you’re fine. Let’s go.”

This annoyed Saroviny. She wanted to tear apart this pretty and clever High Elf, but she still knew her place. She was much more powerful than Milda, but the three Lava Knights were all on her side. Milda’s Prophecy Staff was powerful too. Saroviny might not be a match if they got into a fight. She would get reprimanded by her father too.

She never did things with no benefits.

Huffing, Saroviny opened her territory and rushed towards the palace in the heart of the island. Milda and the others followed.

The Isle of Eternal Winter had completely sunk. All they could see was the blue sea surface. After flying for more than 100 miles, they finally saw something different.

There was a lonely stone pillar in the middle of the sea. The pillar had the damaged palace. At the entrance, there was an elder holding a staff with both hands. He stood there quietly. It was Iyr, the Snow Mountain Archmage.

“Ah, Iyr isn’t dead!” a Lava Knight yelled.

“Oh my god, what do we do?”

At the front, Saroviny’s pupils constricted. Her heart skipped a beat too. She’d just witnessed an Archmage’s power. No matter how brave she was, she didn’t dare fight an Archmage. That was suicide!

But she quickly realized that even though Iyr was standing, he had no power aura. His body was completely frozen too. This was a lifeless corpse.

“Don’t freak out. He’s dead!” Saroviny called.

Everyone looked carefully and was relieved when they realized it was true.

“This damn old guy. He’s scaring us even when he’s dead,” a Lava Knight cursed.

As soon as he spoke, footsteps sounded from the ruins of the palace. Clack, clack. A few seconds later, a young man with black hair, black eyes, the Crown of Eternal Night, a silver-black battle robe, and a long sword walked out.

He stopped at the door and bowed to the Snow Mountain Archmage Iyr rooted there. Then he raised his head and looked at the Lava Knight who’d spoken. “Everyone will die. Some die without any meaning. Others should be respected, even in death. Knight, kneel and apologize.”

The Lava Knight shuddered under Link’s gaze. Then he realized the opponent was alone while his side had five people. It boosted his courage. “I am the Blazing Fire Lauste. I’ll say what I want!”

Link wasn’t looking at him anymore. The sentence before was announcing the other’s end. There was no need to say more to a dead person.

He turned to Milda.

A century had passed, but as the Fire Sect’s Saint, she had top skills and maintained her beauty well. In fact, she looked more graceful and elegant now. If Milda had been like a lily growing beside a creek before, she was now like a blooming rose being cared for in a royal garden.

Thinking back, the past had become smoke. The smoke now transformed into a faint smile. “After so many years, we’ve become rivals. We’ll meet with our weapons later. I can only say sorry.”

Milda opened her mouth. She wanted to speak but found herself speechless. Now that she actually faced Link, her calm disappeared. All that remained were complicated feelings.

Seeing this, Saroviny pulled out her sword. “Link, you won’t defeat me even if we fight again! Come at me!”

Chapter 698: What A Shame Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Saroviny’s goals had always been to go out of her way to please her father by becoming stronger and winning her battles. This had made her the sole recipient of her father’s affection.

She could not care less about the constant struggle between light and darkness, good and evil.

The only thing on her mind right now was defeating Link!

In an instant, the sky went dark as her realm unfolded around her. Her movements had become so fast her body was a blur.

A moment ago, Saroviny was a mile away from Link. The next second, she reappeared right in front of Link, her sword aimed directly at Link’s forehead.

Ever since she received the Abyss of Despair battle robe from her father, she had become so powerful that no one in the Aragu realm would be able to survive a direct hit from her, not even Milda. The two Archmages were the exception to this rule.

Saroviny’s sword was now a foot away from Link. The disturbed air in its trajectory managed to stir a few strands of his hair. Still, Link remained motionless.

Something’s wrong… not good, it’s a magical decoy! she thought.

Saroviny finally realized what was going on at the last possible second. She immediately swung her sword to her side.

In the next second, an intense cold washed over her. She then felt her sword coming into contact with immense, concentrated power.

Upon impact, Saroviny could feel the needle-like power flow through her blade and into her hand, causing it to go numb.

The current of power continued working its way across the entire length of her arm. There was now a sharp pain in her forearm.

The Abyss of Despair battle robe immediately reacted to this intrusion by blunting the penetrating, needle-like force.

Bang! Saroviny’s body flew off three miles in the opposite direction, as if something had slammed into her hard.

There was a dazed look on her face. This is Level-17 power!

If she was not already a Level-16 pinnacle master and if she did not have the Abyss of Despair battle robe on her, Link’s attack would have killed her instantly.

She turned around, frantically searching for Link. Suddenly, a terrible cry pierced the air. It had come from Lauste, whose chest had been stabbed by Link.

Dark, cold power flowed from the Ode of a Full Moon sword into Lauste’s body. Despite being given the title “Flaming Sky,” the man only had Level-15 pinnacle power. The power flowing out of Link’s sword would have easily put out any fire he was able to summon.

Kaccha… Kaccha… Black crystalline frost began spreading across his body until he was frozen solid.

“Kneel!” Link activated an area-of-effect spell with a swing of his sword, forcing Lauste to kneel down. He then sent Lauste’s frozen body flying through the air until it landed on its knees before the Snow Mountain Archmage’s ice statue.

A shiver ran down everyone’s spine when they saw what just happened.

However, as seasoned fighters, everyone soon recovered from their shock and immediately leaped into action.

Milda was the first to attack.

She pointed her Prophecy Staff at Link and muttered, “The lord has decreed that your legs be ensnared in mud, your body become so weak that you would not be able to hold your sword upright for the rest of your life, and your mind be thrown into the pits of madness!”

Restriction of movement, emaciation, and delirium were the three effects that Milda had prophesied for Link.

Ordinarily, these effects could be induced by normal spells. Unfortunately, they could also be resisted by anyone with a high enough magical resistance. On the other hand, prophecy spells could rarely be dispelled. They also tended not to leave any trace. Its target would have to endure its effects for as long as the spell was in effect.

Hum… Hum… Black waves of power radiated from Milda’s staff and into the Void. In the next second, Link began feeling the effects of her spell. His strength was fading, his feet felt as if they were stuck in a mire, and countless thoughts had filled up every inch of his cranium, threatening to drive him mad!

If Link was just a Warrior, even with his Level-17 power, he would not have been able to deal with such a powerful prophecy spell while being surrounded by his enemies.

Fortunately, he was an accomplished Magician who had dabbled in all sorts of magic, including elemental, spatial, time, and even soul magic. He managed to brace himself mentally for Milda’s attack in time.

Let the heart be still as the moon in the raging ocean of one’s consciousness, let it focus the spirit. This was a soul spell from the Book of Revelation. It read like a passage from a martial arts manual.

Before, even though Link understood what each word in it meant, he never could put the spell into practice. Having reached Level-17 power now, the spell’s usage came to him naturally.

Wisdom and power had always been closely connected to each other in this world. Some things could only be understood from a high enough point of view.

With the soul spell activated, his mind was now able to withstand the onslaught of thoughts that raged on still inside his head. Regaining composure, Link then activated the Crown of Eternal Night’s Dark Thoughts effect and began using time magic.

Time magic was not one of Link’s strongest suit. However, this was alright. Prophecy spells usually had to follow a set path until they reached their targets. By disrupting the spell’s path, he would be able to neutralize it completely.

Link’s eyes began to glow with a silver-black light. He could now clearly see the flow of time in front of him.

Link then brandished his sword about, leaving silver arcs of light in the air.

Link’s movements had seemed completely random to Saroviny and the two Lava Knights. However, Milda’s eyes widened with surprise as soon as she realized what Link had done. Her Prophecy Staff had cracked, and her spell had been neutralized.

Her opponent had managed to counter her most powerful technique.

Just how strong have you become, Link? Milda was now looking at Link in fear. A hundred years ago, they had entered the Aragu realm, still wet behind the ears. A hundred years later, she had become the Fire Sect’s Holy Maiden. She had always believed that she had far surpassed Link in terms of power. Little did she know that he had become even more powerful than her in such a short time frame.

Even though her spell had been broken by Link, it had lowered Link’s defenses enough for Saroviny and the two Lava Knights to move in for the kill.

Three blurs of light came at Link from all sides. All three of them knew that they could not hope to beat Link individually. Only by attacking him simultaneously did they have any chance of defeating him.

This was their last chance to strike Link down!

After beating back Saroviny, killing Flaming Sky Lauste and dispelling Milda’s prophecy spell, Link’s mind was now clearer than ever. There was not a single shred of fear in him as he watched his assailants closing in on him. If anything, he was even more fired up right now.

With the Dark thoughts effect activated, his thoughts were now zipping through his mind so quickly that all three of them seemed to be in slow motion.

He was able to counter Saroviny’s Abyss of Despair battle robe and defeat her before by severing the flow of time.

The crown’s Ultimate Darkness Form effect was activated. Countless black crystals began spreading across his body until they formed a black crystalline battle robe around him. His body was now enveloped in silver-black flames.

At that moment, all three of Link’s attackers were moments away from plunging their swords into his body.

Link’s right hand was now brandishing his sword in a blur, while rune circles appeared around his empty left hand, summoning a net of black vine-like shapes into existence. Not only did these “vines” serve as a shield for Link, but they had also conjured a long blade for him as additional offensive power.

This was the scene that had unfolded before Milda: Before any of them could reach Link, black shapes burst forth from where he stood. In an instant, the two Lava Knights were sent flying off in the opposite direction at breakneck speed. Saroviny only managed to hold out against Link’s attack for half a second before she was beaten back as well. Seeing no point in fighting a losing battle, Saroviny decided to turn around and run for her life.

Link then activated the Flame of the Soul technique.

The two Lava Knights were now glowing with a red light. The light then left their bodies and rushed into Link’s body.

Bang! Bang! The two Lava Knights hit the seawater beneath them. Straining her eyes, Milda saw their bodies mangled beyond recognition by the impact. Both of them were gone.

The two Lava Knights were killed, while Saroviny had managed to escape with her life. Only Link remained standing without a scratch on him.

Wind howled past. Link was now standing before Milda. He knocked her staff out of her hands with a flick of his sword and rested its tip beneath her chin.

With her most powerful spell easily countered by Link, Milda now stood powerless before him.

“Are you going to kill me?” asked Milda.

“Is it too late for you to renounce the Fire Sect?” asked Link.

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” replied Milda, shaking her head. She had devoted a hundred years of her life to the Fire Sect. There was no way she could turn her back on it now.

“That’s unfortunate.”

In one clean motion, Link swung his sword through Milda’s neck, sending her head flying into the air. He then caught it in mid-flight and immediately activated the Flame of the Soul technique.

Like the two Lava Knights before her, the red light of Milda’s soul flew out of her head and then entered Link’s body. After converting the souls of Milda and the two Lava Knights into Dark Power, his power level had reached Level-17 Midstage.

Milda’s headless body began to fall out of the sky. With a few strokes of his sword, Link was able to reduce it into fine dust from a distance.

He let out a sigh. After floating in the air for a few seconds in contemplative silence, he tried to open a realm portal. However, nothing happened.

Link frowned. Sastor still has the realm under lockdown. Once he regains his full power, I may be in deep trouble… What should I do?

All of a sudden, a mad idea popped up in his head. Since you’re still dead set on keeping me here, you leave me no choice!

The plan he had was indeed mad. However, the line between madness and greatness had always been blurred.

I still haven’t had the chance to use my new Level-16 spell… From the looks of it, there’s still room for improvement. I could make some improvements to it along the way, thought Link as he flew towards the Yan empire. Who knows, an opportunity to use it might present itself while I wipe out all of Sastor’s followers!

Chapter 699: Endless Bloodshed Translator: Vicky_ | Editor: Vicky_ /Nyoi-Bo Studio

What did Sastor use to lock the realm? He used the strength of his believers accumulated through the years.

This move used up much of his stored Belief Power. If not for the Ruler of Light and Darkness’ orders, he definitely wouldn’t do something so crazy.

He was badly injured from the final battle with the Snow Mountain Archmage Iyr and was forced to go rest in the Yan Empire. However, an Archmage’s body was abnormally strong. Once hurt, it required a great amount of energy to heal.

Where did this energy come from? From the millions of believers in the Yan Empire. The Belief Power from regular believers was weak and impure. The purification process took a lot of time. Thus, to quickly replenish his power, he had to rely on the hardcore believers.

This time, Sastor was truly hurt. He lived in the Fire God Palace, which was built in the mortal temple of the Isomeric Realm. Sastor went to the center and lay directly onto the ground. A fiery crystal hovered quietly around ten feet above him.

Threads formed by countless runes stretched from the crystal. Like smoke or fog, they extended out and disappeared in the air. These threads weren’t still. They would vibrate occasionally, and tiny balls would rush out of the air, entering the fiery crystal.

It looked like countless water pipes reaching out from the air, connecting to a pool in the end—the fiery crystal. “Clear water” flowed in without stop, but the crystal never became full. Its light just grew brighter.

Drip, drop. Suddenly, a drop of fiery liquid dripped from the crystal. Inferno Archmage Sastor opened his mouth to catch it. He instantly felt warmth go from his throat to his organs, warming his icy body.

This fiery crystal was his Divine Fragment. It absorbed the Belief Power and converted it into pure Infernal Power for Sastor, strengthening him. Of course, it was also the thing helping him recover quickly now.

If no accidents happened, he would receive 5,000,000 drops of pure Infernal Power around a month later. This should help him recover to his top state.

One month is still too long. Sastor was a bit anxious. If he was in his best state, he could definitely use a Divination spell to find the source of the anxiety. He couldn’t do it now. He just wished time could pass a bit faster.

God? God? Are you there? A thought suddenly rang out in Sastor’s mind. It was a prayer from a believer in the mortal world. His voice was hurried, and it trembled. It contained great fear.

Sastor froze. The bad feeling in him grew stronger. His power was limited now, but he still replied.

In an Infernal Church in the mortal world, the eyes of Sastor’s statue lit up with faint red light. This meant that God’s consciousness had arrived. He was ready to listen to his believers.

A horrible demon is blaspheming you. He is very powerful and cruel. He keeps killing your children and absorbing their souls after destroying their bodies. Ah, no, he’s coming! Ahh…

Instantly, the prayer turned into cries of terror.

A portion of Sastor’s mind was still on that mortal statue. In that moment, he saw a black-haired man with a black crystal crown rush into the temple. It was indeed the Lord of Ferde. He grabbed the praying believer.

Sastor recognized the believer as the archbishop of this church. The poor mortal was raised in the air, and he struggled like a rabbit caught by a lion. He cast various divine spells on the Ferde lord, but these were just like scratches to a lion. Other than nice lighting effects, they were useless.

Amidst the useless struggling, the Ferde lord suddenly applied pressure. Wriggling fiery-red light was pulled out of the archbishop’s body. It entered the Ferde lord while the body in his hands turned into a lump of dead meat.

Plop. The Ferde lord tossed the archbishop’s corpse onto the ground. He looked up at the statue and suddenly brought his sword down. In the last moment, Sastor felt sharp murderous intent rush towards him, shaking his heart. Then the statue was destroyed, and he lost connection with the church in the mortal world.

Sastor was still an Archmage. Though physically weak, his mind was still strong. He wouldn’t get scared by an upper Level-17 Legendary Magician. After the shock, anger rushed out from his heart. It was like a volcano spewing furious lava.

“Ant! Maggot! You’re taking advantage of my crisis! I shall crush your soul!” Sastor gritted out. But the anger only lasted an instant. Afterward, his physical weakness reminded him cruelly that he could only face ordinary fighters now. Level-14 was his max. The Ferde lord was in upper Level-17 with a Level-19 pinnacle magic tool. Sastor wasn’t his match at all.

In other words, he couldn’t do anything now.

He’s killing my believers. This is destroying my source of power. I must stop him, or else everything will be over!

He’d managed the Fire Sect for 100 years. He’d established the Yan Empire and received thousands upon thousands of converters. This was the foundation for lighting the divine fire and becoming a god. It was also his source of power. If this foundation was destroyed, his speed of recovery would slow drastically. He might even die.

Who knew that the damn Ferde lord would reach Level-19 after absorbing so many souls? If he really did, the Yan Empire would be over.

But the Lava Knights have all died, as well as Milda. Saroviny escaped with serious injuries, and I don’t know where she is. How do I stop him? Do I ask the Ruler of Light and Darkness for help?

Thinking of this, Sastor realized it was his only option.

The Ferde lord’s speed of killing was shocking. The rate that Infernal Power dripped from the fiery crystal already slowed by three seconds. This meant that his recovery would take much longer… No, he wouldn’t have the chance to recover if the Ferde lord kept killing.

There was no time. He must ask for help!

Ruler of Light and Darkness, majestic true god of the Void, I beg you to save me. If you help me through this crisis, our contract from before will be voided. Your thought will be my order. I will serve you for eternity, fighting for you until the end of time!

There was no reply from the Void, but Sastor didn’t give up. He kept repeating it. After the fifth time, he suddenly felt the space in the palace shake. Then he felt a horribly powerful consciousness descend into his palace.

A voice soon rang out in his mind. Your loyalty isn’t enough. If you want me to save you, you must catch the Ferde lord. I want him alive. You can destroy his physical body, but his soul must not be harmed at all.

“Why?” Even crushing Link into dust could only slightly alleviate his anger.

Because he is thousands of times more valuable than you! To me, you are dirt. I won’t do something as idiotic as losing a pearl to receive dirt. The Ruler of Light and Darkness was very straightforward. He straightforwardly ignored Sastor’s dignity. With his strength, he didn’t have to care about Sastor’s feelings anyway.

Sastor felt like he would explode from anger. After the fury, he felt jealousy and finally, helplessness. He couldn’t refute it.

The threads from the fiery crystal reduced. The Infernal Power flowing from it slowed down too. Forced by the situation, Sastor had no choice but to submit. “Your wishes are my commands. As long as you can save me, I won’t disappoint you.”

I like dealing with Magicians. They’re all so wise. The Ruler of Light and Darkness laughed. An instant later, a silver-white beam of light appeared. It shone on Sastor’s body and then entered it.

This phenomenon lasted for around ten minutes. Then the beam disappeared. Sastor climbed up from the ground and bowed. “My master, I will bring him to you.”

Go now, but don’t be careless. He’s growing much faster than you can imagine. With that, the Ruler of Light and Darkness’ consciousness exited the palace.

Sastor scoffed. So what if he was fast? Only around ten minutes had passed, and Sastor’s power was back to his optimal state. How powerful could Link be?

With this in mind, he glanced into the mortal world. His pupils constricted instantly. Earlier, Link had only been at upper Level-17. Now, he’d already destroyed more than 20 large temples, killing all the believers in them and taking their souls. This wasn’t all. He’d killed every living thing along the way and absorbed their souls. Everywhere he passed had turned into zones of death.

In around ten minutes, more than 20 temples had been destroyed, and five large cities had been wiped out. At least one million souls had been ignited and absorbed.

Crazy! Crazy! This guy has gone mad. He’s turned into a complete demon!

There were strong figures among those one million souls. This meant that the Ferde lord was now at the pinnacle of Level-18 and would soon reach Level-19. Once he did so, he could fight with Sastor. Then it would be hard to say who would win.

Seeing that the Ferde lord was still massacring, Sastor didn’t dare dally. He rushed over immediately.

…

Mortal world

Link reached another city. This was a mid-sized city with 100,000 people. There was also a mid-sized temple. If he could absorb all the souls here… No, he only needed half to reach Level-19.

It was cruel, but he had no other choice. He would either become the Ruler of Light and Darkness’ puppet and destroy countless realms, or he would choose his own road of darkness.

Rest in peace, mortals. Link jumped towards the temple in the city center. Along the way, thousands of souls flew into his body, turning into power.

Just as he was about to reach the temple, it suddenly lit up. Horrible power forced Link away, and a resounding voice rang out. “Demon, halt!”

Inferno Archmage Sastor had arrived.