Chapter 371: Another One
It was only at this moment that Owen Merlin finally understood the real reason behind that chilling sensation in his back earlier...
Damn it, being targeted by a cold-blooded lunatic like him—how could I not feel a chill down my spine?
And he’s not just any lunatic...
As a master alchemist himself, Owen Merlin knew all too well—the spinning disk in the opponent’s hand was absolutely a terrifying magical artifact...
That power was horrifying. In an instant, it had swallowed two Archmages with a torrent of spells. Aside from an Essence Relic, Owen Merlin couldn’t imagine any other possibility...
Just thinking about it made Owen Merlin’s hands and feet go cold. He knew that the true avatar of this Essence Relic hadn’t even revealed itself yet—the power on display was probably less than half of its potential.
Just imagine...
Less than half its power had already devoured two Archmages—what would happen if this Essence Relic unleashed its full might?
“Matthew Merlin, you...” Owen Merlin gripped his staff nervously, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, and when he looked at Leon, his eyes were filled with terror and despair...
However...
At that moment, after losing two allies, Lurgan suddenly slammed the table, gripping his staff and pointing at Leon from afar: "Matthew Merlin, what exactly are you trying to do? Do you realize where you are? You'd better surrender now, or you'll face the full wrath of the Merlin Family!"
Lurgan was completely consumed by rage...
It had taken Lurgan decades to build his influence in the Elder Council and gain enough sway within the Merlin Family. But today, in what was supposed to be a routine council meeting, Forrest Merlin and Hayden Merlin both died—his most capable aides, not only powerful but also able to echo his views in council, greatly enhancing his authority.
Who could have guessed they'd both die today...?
How could Lurgan not be furious?
Too arrogant, too reckless! Matthew Merlin, this is Auckland, not Sail City. If you think you can do whatever you want here, I, Lurgan, will be the first to oppose you!" Lurgan's beard trembled with rage.
But...
Perhaps it was precisely because he was so angry...
That Lurgan seemed to have forgotten something...
Lurgan seemed to have forgotten that he was one of the candidates too...
"It's nothing, Elder Lurgan. I just think the dead shouldn't be managing the Gilded Rose..." Leon smiled, channeling another surge of mana into the Arcane Wheel. The dimmed light flared up instantly, as the red and blue gems spun faster, releasing an even more terrifying magical aura...
Moreover, the target of that magical aura... was quietly shifting...
"What do you mean by that?" Lurgan, furious, had just finished his sentence when he suddenly realized something was wrong. The magical aura that had been locked onto Owen Merlin instantly shifted—its new target was none other than himself...
And so, all of Lurgan's anger instantly turned to panic...
"Damn it!" Lurgan screamed, almost instinctively casting four or five protective spells. "Matthew Merlin, what are you trying to do!"
Then, with a deafening boom...
The Arcane Wheel erupted once more. Beneath its blinding, scorching light—like a blazing sun in the sky—countless spells surged forth in a torrent, engulfing Lurgan's figure in an instant...
No struggle. No screams...
All that remained was a deathly silence.
The entire council hall was silent as the grave...
Everyone looked at Leon with deep, unmasked fear...
Only now did everyone finally understand what Leon had meant earlier.
The dead can't manage the Gilded Rose...
He meant to turn everyone qualified to manage the Gilded Rose into corpses...
And he really was doing exactly that...
Earlier, five candidates had been named.
Forrest, Hayden, Owen, Leon, and Lurgan...
Now, three of the five candidates were dead.
In the thousand-year history of the Merlin Family, there had never been such a terrifying blow. In just one day, three of the seventeen elders had died...
What does that even mean...
And this was far from over...
Because, right after that, everyone watched in terror as the impossibly young man once again activated that terrifying magical artifact—and this time, his target was Owen Merlin!
"I've warned you all before, don't let greed blind you..." At this point, Hoffran had no choice but to step forward. After giving everyone a stern look, he forced a bitter smile at Leon. "Alright, Matthew, that's enough..."
"Sorry, Patriarch Hoffran, but a man must keep his word..." Leon shrugged helplessly. "I said I'd turn them into corpses, so I have to turn them into corpses. Otherwise, people might think I don't keep my promises..."
A simple sentence...
Yet it sent chills down everyone's spine.
"Matthew, forget about Lurgan and the others, but Owen—he's one of the few promising young talents the Merlin Family has produced in decades. Especially in alchemy, his achievements are vital to the family. Matthew, you carry the Merlin name too. You should know the family can't withstand such a loss..."
"Especially for a merchant, trust is everything."
...Hoffran took a deep breath. "I know that what happened today is the Merlin Family's fault. But everything we did was for the family's interests. We had no idea you possessed such astonishing power; after all, you really are so, so young. Please, Matthew, just hear me out. Let it end here, alright? As Patriarch of the Merlin Family, I promise—no one will pursue Lurgan's death, and no one will interfere with your Gilded Rose again."
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"Yes, yes, Matthew Merlin, I promise too—if anyone ever dares to go after the Gilded Rose again, I'll break their legs for you!" Leon Merlin couldn't care less about drawing attention; he jumped up from his seat without hesitation.
If there was anyone who wanted this whole affair to end right now, it was undoubtedly Leon Merlin.
There was no helping it—Leon Merlin knew all too well just how terrifying his cousin Matthew was...
Just a few months ago, when Matthew was still a Grand Mage, he could already lock down Leon, a Mage, with a single Mana Lock...
Just think about it...
A Mana Lock!
It's a spell only high-tier mages use to crush lower-tier mages, but in Matthew's hands, it was completely reversed. Just that alone showed how terrifyingly strong he was...
Now, his cousin Matthew had advanced to Mage, his power at least ten times greater than a few months ago!
And let's not forget—behind Matthew stood the Star Sage, Joey...
Leon Merlin had no desire to relive that old tragedy.
After all, he was one of the five candidates too...
What if, in the heat of the moment, Matthew killed Owen Merlin and then, without thinking, killed him too?
At this point, Leon Merlin had no choice but to step forward...
"Who dares harm Owen!" But just then, a voice thundered through the hall like a tidal wave...
In an instant, a terrifying power filled the family council chamber.
That power, to some extent, even offset the pressure of the Arcane Wheel.
"It's Thorne Merlin!" The previously silent council chamber erupted.
Yes, it was Thorne Merlin's voice...
One of the Merlin Family's three Sword Saints, wielder of the Crimson Flame Sword, commander of the Legion of the Fury Plane, and truly one of the family's strongest. In a hundred years, he'll surely have a place in the ancestral hall.
Owen owed everything he had today to being Thorne Merlin's son.
Sigh... As that terrifying power filled the air, Hoffran couldn't help but sigh quietly to himself.
Thorne Merlin really was back...
"Matthew, you can still stop now. I'll personally explain things to Thorne. As Patriarch, I promise you: if you let it go now, Thorne won't seek revenge. But if you insist on going through with this, honestly, I don't think you can escape Thorne's wrath..."
"That's right, Matthew Merlin! Don't think that just because you have a powerful magical artifact, you can do as you please. If you so much as touch a hair on me, my father will tear your Gilded Rose out by the roots. Then, you'll have nowhere left to cry!"
Owen Merlin instantly recognized that familiar power. The fear that had drained all color from his face was replaced by a flush of confidence. When he spoke again, his voice brimmed with newfound certainty.
"Is that so..." Leon gently turned the Arcane Wheel in his hand, countless mysterious runes flickering between the two gems...
Perhaps sensing Leon's hesitation in the shifting rune-light, Owen's face grew smug. "Matthew Merlin, you'd better think carefully. My father commands the entire Merlin Family's Legion. Do you know what that means? Honestly, with a single word, my father could wipe your Gilded Rose off the map.
If that happens, your family, your friends, your followers—they'll all be ruined by your recklessness. Who do you think you are, challenging the entire Merlin Family just because you have a magical artifact?"