Advent of the Archmage

Twenty ghouls rushed forward up the hill. 　　　

Unfortunately, they had no experience in dealing with the Titan's Hand spell. Coupled with their low intelligence, they rushed forward in close proximity of one another, forming a cluster and rendering them easy targets of the spell.　

"Titan's Fist!"　　　

The Titan's Hand which just exterminated a Dark Dragon Warrior immediately turned into a fist, and with the sound of a loud explosion, the fist charged mercilessly towards the formation of ghouls.　　

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of collision sounds could be heard. The ghouls were all at Level-6 and simply could not withstand the impact of a Level-7 spell. They were thus instantaneously knocked into the air by this terrifying impact.

This scene was somehow similar to something one could see in a bowling alley. The moment the ball hit the pins at the end of the lane, the pins would scatter in all directions from the heavy impact.　　　

Whoosh. In mid-air, the Titan's Fist once again turned into a hand and started grabbing all the ghouls in the air. The moment it captured a ghoul. It would release a high-temperature heat wave to instantly melt those damned creatures.

"Ah! Oh my god! Arrghh!" Cries of despair rang through the snowfield.

At that moment, Link was truly using his full power. 　　

In his eyes, time seemed to be moving slower than ever. The ghouls who were knocked into the air were moving slowly through the atmosphere as though they were helium balloons, allowing him to take his pick as to which one he wished to burst first.　　

Under the effects of such focused and high-speed spellcasting, Link's eyes became a lot brighter and incomprehensible. A closer look would reveal a faint silver glow that surrounded his pupils. This was the brilliance of the soul that had escaped the chains of the physical body after the soul operated at its maximum capacity.　

From other's perspective, they could only see the many after images of a blue, giant hand 150 feet away. The speed at which the hand was moving was way too fast for the naked eye to capture. The hands even looked unreal, and through this tangible deception, the hand was destroying ghouls at a speed no one could ever have imagined.

Within three seconds, the after images suddenly disappeared and formed back into an unmoving one floating in the air. The ghouls who were knocked into the air also never landed back onto the ground again. They were all turned to ashes in the short period of time while they were airborne.　

You seem to be proud of your strong life force? What about your unlimited supply of Battle Aura? I can simply burn you to ashes with temperature that can even melt metallic substances!　

After the extermination of these ghouls, the ordinary scouts of the Death Hand were next.　　

These were elite scouts that were all at least Level-4 in strength. This was an extremely strong army by any standards. However, in the face of a terrifying Magician, they were all as helpless as a crying infant.　

"In the name of the Lady of Darkness, this is not happening!"　　

"This is not possible! How can a human attain such strength!"

"Run! We are no match!"　

Their leader Maule was already dead. They had also witnessed the Magician exterminate the Warriors blessed by the Lady of Darkness. These ordinary Dark Elves had lost all will to fight and ran for their lives.　　

On the other hand, the skeleton Warriors only retained their most basic cognitive skills and knew not what fear was. They hence continued charging up the hill in mechanical movements.

After eliminating the ghouls, Link was extremely relieved. He had placed great emphasis on exterminating the ghouls. If the fight got protracted and he did not manage to kill all of them, the result of this fight might have been entirely different.　　

However, these ghouls had already become a thing of the past.　

After killing these darned creatures, Link then withdrew from his extreme spellcasting state and canceled the Level-7 Titan's Hand spell.　

This was not due to the strength limitations of the spell, but due to its insane mana consumption. During the battle just now, Link's peak mana consumption shot up to 220 Mana Points per second and 55 Mana Points per second on average. If Link continued using the spell, he would only last for around two more minutes.　

Despite the disappearance of the Titan's Hand, Link continued to cast spells. He pointed the wand towards an escaping Dark Elf Scout and shouted, "Flame Blast!"　　

The Flame Controller Magic Robe increased the spellcasting speed of his fire elemental spells by 50%. His Burning Wrath of the Heavens Wand would increase his elemental charging speed by 200%. The combined effects of these two pieces of equipment gave Link an amazing spellcasting speed even without the Domingo Crystal.

It merely took 0.7 seconds for the Level-4 Flame Blast spell to take form. An incandescent fireball more than four feet in diameter emitting a blinding light then appeared.　　

"Explode!"

The 150% power boost to the Flame Blast spell was significant. The strength of the Flame Blast spell now was comparable to the one he released in Gladstone when under the effects of the Magical Murmurs potion.

In an instant, the fireball flew into the center of the group of Dark Elf scouts　　　

Boom!　

An earth-shattering bang reverberated through the snowfield. Unbridled flames and visible heat waves swept through the area where the explosion occurred. The thick layer of snow on the ground was also flung into the air together with pieces of severed limbs torn off from the great impact.　　

The Flame Blast spell was still a terrifying offensive spell even though the spell was considered somewhat low for a Magician of Link's level.　

Link's control over his Mana Points had already improved vastly from his time in Gladstone City. He only used 260 Mana Points in comparison to the original 320 Mana Points when casting a Flame Blast spell of the same scale of power.

This single blow at least sent half of the Dark Elf scouts into oblivion.　

Link the checked the remaining Mana Points in his body. He estimated that he had 5100 Mana Points left, which was a sufficient amount for any battle. If he merely cast Flame Blast spells, he should still be able to release 20 of them.

He then stared at the distant Skeletal Fort and thought, I don't believe you can still feel safe in the fortress after I made such a commotion.　　

He then moved forward and threw a Flame Blast spell while traveling.　　

Boom! Another earth-shattering explosion echoed through the open terrain. Anyone within a ten-mile radius should be able to hear such a loud, disturbing noise.　　　

The Dark Elf Scouts were basically exterminated. There were only a few of them left surviving. Even then, those who survived had already lost the will to fight, merely yelling and fleeing crazily into the distance.

As the skeleton Warriors saw this horrifying scene, all of them started charging towards Link. This included those that were originally guarding the Skeletal Fort.　

This then created lots of unguarded spaces at the boundary, giving an opportunity to infiltrate the previously impenetrable fortress.　　

On the hillside, Felina then whispered to the scouts, "I'll set off now; follow behind!"　　

Link had already done what he could. She would not pull him down. 　　　

Annie then exchanged glances with the scouts and nodded, "Let's go. We will act as well."　

The scouts then crawled out stealthily from their hiding spot and snuck into the Skeletal Fort.　

On the side of the battle, Link was running to prevent himself from being surrounded by the skeleton Warriors. At the same time, he fired Flame Blast spells at spots where the skeleton Warriors were clustered together.　

Boom! Boom!　

Every ten seconds or so, a Flame Blast spell would appear and shatter hundreds of brittle skeletons Warriors.　　　　

This was not all.

Link was not only attacking the skeleton Warriors but also closing the distance between himself and the Skeletal Fort. He appeared to be charging straight towards the base camp.　

This clear movement of aggression could be easily seen and even heard by the people around.　

Demon Warrior Bruttan was one of these people. He had witnessed the entire battle scene from afar on top of a slope.　　

He had seen the hyperactive Maule who had just made a bet with him being reduced to just a pile of ash. He also saw the Magician kill 20 ghouls, a terrifying group of opponents that even he would have problems dealing with, in less than five seconds. The Magician was slaughtering the Dark Elves and skeleton Warriors as though they were livestock.

This was simply incomprehensible.　　　

"Should I interfere?" Bruttan questioned himself. A few seconds later, the answer appeared in his mind, "I would rather not. I will definitely die if I charge forward right now."　

However, that was not a choice as well. If the bratty young girl in the Skeletal Fort were to see his nonchalance, he would still be in trouble. He then quickly thought of a plan and shouted to the ghouls and Death Hand scouts beside him, "This Magician is way too arrogant, to think that he would dare to attack the Skeletal Fort. Let's go and kill him!"　　

He brandished the sword in his hand and pointed it in Link's direction.　

The ghouls and Dark Elves behind him exchanged glances. They had also witnessed the entire battle scene and knew first-hand the inhuman strength of this human Magician. Wouldn't it be suicide to charge forward?　　

However, the leader had already charged forward. They had no choice but to follow as much as they didn't want to. After a while, though, they all felt something was amiss. The leader seemed to be running slowly today. They could actually keep up with him easily. This was strange. Oh, he's running slowly to avoid fighting the Magician...thought the scouts.

No one exposed Bruttan's dirty trick and simply followed behind him, heading slowly but steadily towards the Magician. 　

…

The Skeletal Fort　

In the musty dark hall in the basement, a shadowy figure of a graceful snake seemed to be entwined with a human man of a strong build. The man was stripped completely naked, and his limbs were constrained by ropes, hanging star-shaped from the wall.　　

The figure slowly crept along the man's body as a sinister but gentle voice constantly sounded, "Kanorse, listen. Someone is setting off fireworks. Those pathetic mortals have come to send you off."

Kanorse wheezed and panted heavily. His eyes were blood red, and a myriad of ominous black aura seemed to be drilling in and out of his body, looking as though countless small black snakes were crawling all over him.

Upon hearing the detestable sound, he shook his head slightly to remain conscious and spoke with a muffled voice, "I will not yield! I will never give in and become a demon! I will never…never…"

"Oh. Haha! What a foolish mortal. You really think that fireworks boy will be able to save you? No, no, soon his soul will become a beautiful display of fireworks as well."　　

As she spoke, she slithered down from Kanorse's body and headed towards the exit of the hall.

When she exited the hall and walked up to the first level of the Skeletal Fort, she raised her voice slightly and hollered, "My dearest, are you hungry?"

Sssssss

A venomous hiss replied to her bewitching voice. Following which, a giant black-scaled snake at least three feet in width and 80 feet in length slithered out from the dark corner of the hall. The moment the giant snake reached the figure, a blinding brilliance shone from its scales. By the time this light dissipated, a black whip with a snake head at its tip had appeared in the hands of the figure.

Wielding the whip, the figure headed straight for the entrance of the fortress. It was then she saw a black-robed Magician awaiting her arrival.　　

The black-robed Magician sniggered upon seeing her and said, "Master, the person outside is the Demon Slayer."

"Oh, Talon, are you sure?"　　

"Definitely. I have seen him in combat during his fight with Tarviss at the East Cove Higher Magic Academy. I am extremely familiar with his magic fluctuation." The person talking was Blood Demon Talon, the escaped prisoner from the Tower of Azula."

"Are you confident in defeating him?" The figure asked.　

"Previously, I wouldn't have been able to. However, now that I have received the blessings of the Lady of Darkness, coupled with the power of this powerful magic staff, I am more than confident in doing so."

"Alright then. Go ahead while I offer support from the fortress." The figure smiled at Talon with an alluring expression.

"Wait for my good news!"　　

Upon saying that line, a blood red miasma enveloped Talon's body. He then flew at breakneck speed out from the Skeletal Fort.　　　　

The figure watched as Talon prepared for battle, moving to the rooftop of the Skeletal Fort for a better view.

Upon reaching the rooftop, she saw the ball of blood red miasma already a mile away from where she last remembered. It was rapidly closing the distance between itself and the Demon Slayer.

She then sniggered, and she said, "Oh mortal, you have always overestimated your abilities. I shall wait and see which of you two is stronger, and more suitable to become my humble servant."

Her voice was still as bewitching and dreamy as ever.