Chapter 501: Control
Leon had been preoccupied with plotting against the Forgefire Clan and naturally had no time or energy to worry about what Thorne Merlin was up to. In fact, after leaving the council chamber, he immediately sought out Edgar Merlin and Uriel Merlin.
He had no choice. Leon had barely any real control over the Merlin Mage Legion. If he wanted to cooperate with the Black Tower and jointly confront the Forgefire Clan, he'd have to commit some military strength. Otherwise, the Black Tower would see him as insincere—or worse, suspect him of ulterior motives.
The whole situation was giving him a headache...
Although he was personally appointed as Commander of the Blazeforge Legion by the Ancestral Grounds, the Planar Legion currently stationed at Inferno Fortress had always been under Thorne Merlin's sole command. Over the years, Thorne Merlin had led countless battles in the Blazeforge Realm, fighting side by side with those men, earning unshakable authority within the Legion.
Now, Leon had barged in as the 'commander,' practically an outsider in the Blazeforge Realm. On paper, he'd taken over part of Thorne Merlin's authority, but in reality, Thorne's power hadn't diminished at all—most of the Planar Legion only answered to Thorne.
At this point, Leon had to come up with a solution. In a few months, when the Black Tower officially joined forces to attack the Forgefire Clan, if he couldn't field a decent military force, trouble was bound to follow.
From what he knew of the Black Tower, Leon understood why they'd agreed so readily. A big part of it was Heron's desire to minimize losses and risks, maximizing their gains. Partnering with the Merlin Family meant sharing the risks...
And during negotiations with Heron that morning, Leon had shamelessly demanded seventy percent of the entry slots for Specter Valley. If he couldn't produce a strong enough force, he'd honestly feel a bit embarrassed.
After all, both sides had to pull their weight...
At first, hearing the young mage's words, Edgar and Uriel both unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. But as Leon continued, something seemed off—he was talking about seizing control of Specter Valley!
How could that be possible...
Both had participated in more than a few battles over the Blazeforge Realm. They knew all too well that the Forgefire Clan had always coveted Specter Valley. If the Merlin Family could truly take it, would they have needed to station a garrison there year after year, locked in this endless stalemate?
What Leon proposed—seizing control of Specter Valley—seemed wildly unrealistic.
The Merlin Family had struggled for years and made little real progress in Specter Valley. They simply couldn't believe the young mage could pull it off.
They'd witnessed the young mage's terrifying strength, but the fight for Specter Valley wasn't something one or two people could solve. It required a massive military force, and Leon had never even participated in a planar war before; he clearly lacked experience in this arena.
"This legion has followed Thorne Merlin into battle for years. To reassign them under his nose is nearly impossible. But before we left the Ancestral Grounds for the Blazeforge Realm, a contingent was drawn from there—about four or five hundred men..."
Edgar and Uriel exchanged glances, shaking their heads and smiling bitterly. They truly didn't want to dampen Leon's enthusiasm. "That contingent from the Ancestral Grounds, we can indeed mobilize and put under your command. But, Merlin Magus, just those men alone may not be enough to wrest control of Specter Valley..."
They'd wanted to say that with only four or five hundred men, it was impossible to take Specter Valley. But after some thought, they softened their words.
In their minds, even if Leon had no experience in planar warfare, hearing this should make him reconsider.
But...
"Your Excellencies, please withdraw those men from Inferno Fortress and accompany me to Specter Valley. We need to prepare in advance..."
Edgar and Uriel could never have guessed that, at this moment, Leon was already quite satisfied.
Four or five hundred men might be few, but it was far better than none at all. He'd expected the entire Planar Legion to be under Thorne Merlin's control, leaving him with nothing to command. Yet now, to his surprise, he could mobilize four or five hundred, plus Edgar and Uriel—the two titled archmages—the three Merlin brothers, and the dragon-blooded orc, Shuban. That was already a respectable force.
The conversation ended there, without wasting much time. Leon led his sizable group toward Specter Valley, making a series of arrangements—sealing the valley, and more...
They'd witnessed the young mage's terrifying strength, but the fight for Specter Valley wasn't something one or two people could solve. It required a massive military force, and Leon had never even participated in a planar war before; he clearly lacked experience in this arena.
Now, only about five hundred men from the Ancestral Grounds were under Leon's command. Most were Grand Mages; only ten were Archmages.
Compared to the strength of Thorne Merlin's Planar Legion, the gap was immense.
Two months passed quickly. During this time, Leon made steady arrangements, running back and forth between Inferno Fortress and Specter Valley. The Forgefire Clan's attacks on Inferno Fortress showed no signs of stopping—over ten assaults, large and small. Though the fortress held, there were losses.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the council chamber at Inferno Fortress was tense. After issuing a series of orders, Thorne Merlin dismissed the legion's senior officers, leaving only Edgar and Uriel Merlin behind.
"Your Excellencies, what a mess you've made..."
Over those two months, Thorne Merlin had learned of Leon's plans for Specter Valley. When he first heard, he laughed for a long time...
What kind of place is Specter Valley?
It's a place where mana is so dense it's almost like a mist. Not only does the Merlin Family covet it, but the Forgefire Clan would never give up the fight for it either. And now, Leon Merlin, with just five hundred Grand Mages, was foolish enough to set his sights on Specter Valley. To Thorne, this was suicide.
He'd made more than one attempt on Specter Valley during his decades of war in the Blazeforge Realm, but every time ended in failure. The Forgefire Clan guarded the valley fiercely. Unless you had overwhelming power, there was no way to seize control.
For two months, Thorne Merlin had watched Leon's every move, but hadn't bothered to intervene. He found it laughable—did Leon really think five hundred Grand Mages could take on the Forgefire Clan? If that were possible, the Merlin Family would have wiped them out long ago.
Still, he had no intention of warning Leon. Let him suffer a little—maybe it would teach him a lesson.
After so many years, Thorne Merlin knew the Forgefire Clan's strength inside out. The six Grand Prophets alone were enough to give anyone headaches—each possessed the power of a fifth-rank titled archmage or higher, and there was a mysterious chieftain besides. Not to mention the countless other prophets whose strength rivaled archmages, plus all their military might. Even if the Merlin Family gathered every force in the Blazeforge Realm, it wouldn't be enough to threaten the Forgefire Clan.
Leon leading five hundred Grand Mages was laughable. Thorne estimated that this force couldn't even handle a single Forgefire unit stationed near Specter Valley.
"Leon Merlin is still young and inexperienced in planar warfare. It's understandable he'd do something so reckless. But you two, Your Excellencies, have years of experience—why didn't you talk some sense into him?" Thorne's smile was polite, his tone courteous to the two titled archmages from the Ancestral Grounds, but his words were sharp as knives.
Thorne had always considered Leon's commander title to be little more than a formality, never a threat to his control over the Planar Legion. And indeed, that was the case.
But...
Edgar and Uriel Merlin, those two titled archmages from the Ancestral Grounds, had actually chosen to support Leon, withdrawing the Grand Mages from Inferno Fortress and placing them under his command. This secretly infuriated Thorne, but he couldn't afford to offend them—their backgrounds ran deep.
"Heh, Merlin Magus is the Planar Legion's commander—he has his own judgment."
At this moment, Edgar and Uriel, seated on either side, looked pale. They wanted to advise Leon, but simply didn't dare. Ever since they handed command of the five hundred Grand Mages to the young mage two months ago, he'd been obsessed—running to Specter Valley every day like a man possessed.
They were helpless, really...
Still, he had no intention of warning Leon. Let him suffer a little—maybe it would teach him a lesson.
After so many years, Thorne Merlin knew the Forgefire Clan's strength inside out. The six Grand Prophets alone were enough to give anyone headaches—each possessed the power of a fifth-rank titled archmage or higher, and there was a mysterious chieftain besides. Not to mention the countless other prophets whose strength rivaled archmages, plus all their military might. Even if the Merlin Family gathered every force in the Blazeforge Realm, it wouldn't be enough to threaten the Forgefire Clan.
Leon leading five hundred Grand Mages was laughable. Thorne estimated that this force couldn't even handle a single Forgefire unit stationed near Specter Valley.
"Leon Merlin is still young and inexperienced in planar warfare. It's understandable he'd do something so reckless. But you two, Your Excellencies, have years of experience—why didn't you talk some sense into him?" Thorne's smile was polite, his tone courteous to the two titled archmages from the Ancestral Grounds, but his words were sharp as knives.
Thorne had always considered Leon's commander title to be little more than a formality, never a threat to his control over the Planar Legion. And indeed, that was the case.
But...
Edgar and Uriel Merlin, those two titled archmages from the Ancestral Grounds, had actually chosen to support Leon, withdrawing the Grand Mages from Inferno Fortress and placing them under his command. This secretly infuriated Thorne, but he couldn't afford to offend them—their backgrounds ran deep.
"Heh, Merlin Magus is the Planar Legion's commander—he has his own judgment."
At this moment, Edgar and Uriel, seated on either side, looked pale. They wanted to advise Leon, but simply didn't dare. Ever since they handed command of the five hundred Grand Mages to the young mage two months ago, he'd been obsessed—running to Specter Valley every day like a man possessed.
They were helpless, really...