Chapter 1432
Countless flame rule runes erupted from the Arcane Wheel, while crimson spells flew out from the Spellbook of Ages. All these forces converged before Leon, forming what appeared to be a simple flame rune—no different from the most basic kind.
As Leon chanted his incantation, cracks split the sky, and swirling vortexes of fire appeared overhead. Fire Sprites, their wings aflame, burst forth from these fiery whirlpools.
Hundreds of fist-sized Fire Sprites circled Leon, singing and cheering. Their grand, scorching hymn spread outward, washing over the human defensive line. Countless mages heard this sacred chorus—it was as if fire itself was singing. Though the melody was indecipherable, its meaning was deeply felt in every soul.
A Sky Rank Level 5 fire mage found his extraordinary power involuntarily manifesting. Flames swirled around him, his face flushed red, as if he might ignite at any moment.
“Gods, what’s happening? Why are the flame rules suddenly so clear? Damn, it’s burning—the burning rules—no, it’s the Fire Sprite Hymn! Gods, gods…
What kind of spell is this…?”
The fire mage was utterly stunned, babbling incoherently. After a few startled cries, he ignored everything else, quickly erected a protective barrier, and sat down to absorb the vast hymn.
The stronger the fire mage, the more intense the feeling. For a moment, the rules that had always seemed shrouded in mist were suddenly unveiled. As the grand Fire Sprite Hymn continued, everything became startlingly clear—it was as if fire itself was speaking.
One by one, fire mages sat down to meditate on the hymn of flames, while everyone else looked on in astonishment.
Rives hovered in midair, his eyes trembling as he gazed at the distant sky, now ablaze with crimson. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, a relentless storm of emotion.
I knew it. I just knew that Archmage Leon Merlin's power was terrifying—but I never imagined it could be this terrifying.
A Tenth-Rank Spell—this is a Tenth-Rank Spell! Gods, my gods, a Tenth-Rank Spell, and not even a lesser one.
He’s actually mastered a Tenth-Rank Spell already—this is the Anthem of Flame. Unbelievable, truly terrifying. Was that flickering shadow just now his Demi-Plane Projection?
Just the projection alone—was it tens of kilometers across? Elder King, is his demi-plane some divine realm? Even that projection nearly collapsed this entire space. Wasn’t he only Sky Rank Five?
Did he advance again? How much time has even passed? But even if he’s Sky Rank Six, how could he master a Tenth-Rank Spell—especially one so much stronger and wider in scope than the usual? Isn’t it said you need to be at least Sky Rank Eight for that?
How did he do it...
Rives was terrified. And everyone else was terrified too. Even with Sky Rank Seven powerhouses present, they felt that immense aura and knew none of them could ever unleash such a spell. Even from hundreds of kilometers away, the waves of mana were clear—an amount beyond imagination.
The mana used was easily dozens of times greater than what a Sky Rank Seven mage could muster...
And this was just a single spell!
Meanwhile, a spatial mage floated quietly in midair, hands trembling, terrified that even the slightest mistake would collapse the space here.
The laws invoked had pushed this channel space to its very limit, and the mana used was exactly what the channel could bear. Everything balanced on a razor's edge—one tiny slip could shatter this space entirely.
Yet as time passed, Leon continued to dance on the edge of the blade, perfectly in control.
Knox of the Sanctum of Light looked pale, forcing down his fear and dread. If anyone truly understood what was happening, it was the mages of the Sanctum of Light...
The Anthem of Elements—no, it’s the Anthem of Fire Sprites. Fire Sprites! He summoned a whole tribe of Fire Sprites. How did he do it? Isn’t that only possible after perfect mastery and resonance with a law? Isn’t it something only those at the peak of Sky Rank might possibly achieve...?
How did Archmage Leon Merlin manage it? Why are those Fire Sprites singing for him? Is he a reincarnated Elder King?
Why isn’t he dead? Damn it, we exiled him—how is he back? How could he come back, damn it, how could he possibly return...
Knox kept his expression calm, but his flickering eyes betrayed his unrest. Not far away, Rives glanced at Knox, a cold, mocking smile curling at his lips.
Foolish groundhog, now you’re in trouble. Archmage Leon Merlin’s potential is the greatest I’ve ever seen—greater even than a reincarnated Elder King. His strength is beyond imagining.
That idiot Knox probably doesn’t even know that Archmage Leon Merlin is Master Agalon’s disciple, does he? Hmph, fool. How have they survived this long, always spreading rumors.
Did they really think everyone believed them? Only the top powers know what happened in that meeting. The news about Archmage Leon Merlin’s sanctification spread, but the fact that he’s Master Agalon’s sole disciple—no one’s been talking about that.
Now, the truly powerful factions understand: Leon Merlin is much more than just the master of the Gilded Rose. As long as he and Master Agalon are alive, everyone must look at him in a new light.
Those idiots in the Sanctum of Light, ever since their founder descended into endless ascetic training, have fallen completely. Now they’re teetering on the edge of destruction, doomed to be ruined by fools like Knox.
Among a group of mages, all at least Sky Rank Five, only a few showed mild shock, as if this was nothing unusual. They waited quietly, while the slightly more clever ones glanced at the representatives of Northend’s strongest factions, then at Knox, seeming to understand something.
Hundreds of kilometers away, Leon’s incantation was nearly complete. The density of fire elements here now rivaled the depths of the Elemental Plane of Fire. Flames surged like ocean waves, flowing like rivers...
After five full minutes of chanting, with the Death Tome’s blessing, the Purple Dragon Avatar, the Fire Sprite King Avatar, the Arcane Wheel’s power, and the Book of Ten Thousand Spells supporting him, everything fused before Leon into a single, deceptively simple flame rune. Scarlet fire burned quietly on its surface.
The rune devoured the flames stored in the Book of Ten Thousand Spells, then absorbed all the fire elements nearby—like a bottomless pit. Mana streamed from the demi-plane projection, flowing into the rune like small rivers.
A few minutes later, Leon looked into the distance, gently tossed the rune forward, and spoke the final two words of his incantation.
Those last two syllables seemed to belong to some unknown, harsh tongue. Yet as they rang out, every fire element in the space echoed the word, and everyone who heard it found its meaning rising, unbidden, in their minds.