Chapter 427: The Road Ahead
Leon possessed alchemical knowledge that eclipsed the entire era. After only a brief glance, he spotted flaws in the alchemical array, then ran calculations using his magitech device to confirm his suspicions.
The only real purpose of this alchemical array was to scare people...
If it were someone like Caron, a top-tier master, he might also notice the flaw in the array—but it would take him at least several days of calculations to reach the same conclusion.
"No way..."
Dalson stared at Leon in utter shock. He simply couldn’t believe it—the alchemical array that had stumped them for days was now being dismissed as a fake by this young mage.
He knew the young mage was powerful, but that didn’t mean alchemy was the same thing. Alchemy required years of accumulated experience—and Matthew Merlin was what, barely twenty?
Even if he knew some alchemical theory, at his age, the best he could be was a master alchemist...
And then there was Oraro in the team—a master. Even he couldn’t make heads or tails of the array. So how could Matthew Merlin manage it?
Of course, he wasn’t about to foolishly question Leon’s words.
After a moment’s hesitation, Dalson finally said, “Maybe we should study it a bit more…”
“Study it? Dalson, you’re not that old yet—your hearing isn’t failing, is it? Didn’t you hear what Cousin Matthew just said? That array is a fake, made to fool people…”
William Merlin rolled his eyes, not bothering to look at Dalson again. He used to think the vice captain was alright—over those two months, he’d looked out for them. But now, for some reason, he found him more and more irritating.
Saying we should study it more—wasn’t that just implying Cousin Matthew was wrong?
How could Cousin Matthew ever be wrong...
If Cousin Matthew was wrong, you could spend a hundred years studying and it still wouldn’t matter!
Besides, when has Cousin Matthew ever been wrong?
Without a second thought, William Merlin ran to the door. His staff gleamed with dazzling light, and in an instant, he cast an Ice Spike, nailing it into the alchemical array. After a few seconds, nothing happened. William grinned, “Well, Dalson? See? Cousin Matthew wasn’t wrong…”
But just as William finished speaking, he caught a faint change. The previously still door began to tremble ever so slightly, and a soft sound echoed out.
The sound was coming from inside the door!
Everyone jumped in fright, holding their breath and staring at the door, terrified that something powerful might burst through at any moment.
“Cousin Matthew, wh-what… what’s going on?” William Merlin was stunned, staring at Leon in disbelief. Could Cousin Matthew really be wrong? No, that was impossible…
“It’s got nothing to do with that array…” Leon knew what he was getting at and shook his head. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the tightly shut door was smashed open by a tremendous force. Only then did they see what lay beyond: ten separate paths!
But most importantly, alchemical golems burst out from within...
Ten in total, all modeled after Battlemages—clad in plate armor and wielding long spears. Their power varied greatly: the two strongest could rival a fifth-level Title Archmage, four more matched second or third-level Title Archmages, and the rest fell below that rank.
In a flash, all ten golems charged at the group and launched their attack.
No probing, no hesitation—the assault was fierce from the start. The Battlemage Golems swung their cold, gleaming spears and unleashed the spells embedded in their bodies. Chaos erupted in the hall, and the concentration of magical energy soared to its peak.
Battlemage Golems were notoriously hard to deal with. Their frames were forged from pure adamantite, making them incredibly tough, and each one had more than ten defensive spells embedded in its structure. Low-level spells barely affected them at all.
At that moment, Solan Monty was fighting one of the golems—the strongest of the bunch, with power nearly equal to a fifth-level Title Archmage. Its massive frame, swinging spear, and relentless spells made it a formidable foe. Yet, Solan Monty handled it with ease, casting spells effortlessly.
He was, after all, a fifth-level Title Archmage now...
At the start of the fight, Solan Monty was still getting used to his newfound power as a fifth-level Title Archmage. Even going all out, he could barely damage the alchemical golem.
But as the fight went on, his control over that power became sharper and more precise...
After twenty minutes, Solan Monty gained the upper hand. Spell after powerful spell slammed into the golem, thunder echoing through the hall. The adamantite chestplate was dented deep, and the embedded magical arrays were badly damaged.
Meanwhile, Solan Monty's mage robe had only picked up a bit of dust—there wasn’t a single tear. It had to be said: his strength was the real deal for a fifth-level Title Archmage.
Another high-level spell struck the golem squarely, sending a sharp sound of adamantite cracking through the air. The golem staggered, but then swung its spear and unleashed a barrage of magical rays, launching its fiercest attack yet at Solan Monty.
Ten more minutes at most, and this long fight would be over.
Solan Monty stole a glance at Leon’s side of the battle. To his surprise, the golem Leon was facing was still completely unscathed. Solan Monty narrowed his eyes.
When the fight started, everyone instinctively picked the golem they could handle. Solan Monty and Leon took on the two strongest; Dean, Dalson, Oraro, and Rolf faced the four with Title Archmage-level power. The remaining golems were split between the three Merlin brothers and the Dragonblood Orc. Coincidentally, there were ten golems and ten people present.
After watching Leon’s battle a bit longer, Solan Monty shook his head. He started to regret teaming up with Leon—maybe the guy wasn’t as strong as he’d thought.
He couldn’t even handle a single alchemical golem...
It seemed Matthew Merlin was only about as strong as a fourth-level Title Archmage—nothing compared to me. Once we get out of this cursed place, I’ll make sure to kill him...
Leon, absorbed in dismantling the golem’s parts, didn’t notice Solan Monty’s gaze. Battlemage Golems were truly formidable. His usual trick—quickly disconnecting the magic source or cutting the mana circuits—wasn’t working so well against a golem that could rival a fifth-level Title Archmage.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Battlemage Golem construction; it was just that this one had at least four or five speed-boosting spells embedded, making it incredibly strong and fast. Even at his best speed, it was nearly impossible to sever the mana circuits unnoticed.
That’s why the stalemate had lasted twenty minutes.
If he fought the golem head-on, he’d inevitably damage its structure. In this era, Battlemage Golems were hard to come by...
During those twenty minutes, Leon managed to extract quite a few parts—each one extremely useful to him. The golem he’d repaired in the Bone Plane was already formidable, but with these new parts, its power would reach a whole new level...
Piece by piece, he dismantled the golem, exposing its magic source. The golem’s speed slowed dramatically. Leon, boosted by a speed spell, moved like a phantom—he flashed behind the golem, moved his hand, and instantly, the golem froze in place.
A moment later, with a clatter, a pile of parts scattered across the floor.
Solan Monty’s fight was ending too—a high-level spell sent the golem flying like a broken kite. It got up, but was immediately drowned in a torrent of spells. Solan Monty happened to catch sight of Leon’s situation, and his gaze grew strange.
Leon bent down and pulled something from the pile. He knew this was the most valuable part—the power core that drove the golem in battle, its very heart. He planned to install this power core into the golem from the Bone Plane. If all went well, after the upgrade, that golem’s power would reach level thirty or above—and it would obey his every command...