Chapter 503: Catalyst
Originally, Leon estimated that these people would become Archmages in no more than three months. Now, after two months, they had all reached the level of Ninth Rank Grand Mage. In the final month, their breakthrough to Archmage was almost guaranteed.
But he couldn’t wait any longer…
To be precise, it was because of that collaboration with the Black Tower. When the real battle began, he would have to field a force with overwhelming military strength. Although the Black Tower would be the main force against the Forgefire Clan, the five hundred Grand Mages under his command were still rather unimpressive, making him somewhat embarrassed to show them off.
If he could add fifty Archmages, it would at least look a bit more respectable.
And these were no ordinary Archmages…
At this point, he didn’t disturb the meditating mages. Instead, following the route in his memory, he arrived at the central forest of the Natural Semi-Plane. Soon, waves of dense magical energy rushed toward him. After walking several hundred meters, a pond appeared before him, filled entirely with liquid mana. The pond’s bottom shimmered with light, and Leon knew well that it was now piled high with Mana Crystals.
Two Primordial Deity Soul Fragments lay quietly on the open ground, the area around them empty and silent. Every change in the Semi-Plane had been triggered by these fragments. As he approached, Leon sensed a terrifying fluctuation, making his heart pound and cold sweat bead on his forehead.
By the time he reached the Primordial Deity Soul Fragments, cold sweat had already soaked his back. Leon’s nerves were taut as he stared at the fragments, his face grave. Slowly, he bent down and reached out, grasping one of the fragments. He could clearly feel the terrifying power contained within—utterly indescribable.
Even with his current strength, Leon still felt utterly insignificant before the Primordial Deity Soul Fragments.
"My god, you know everything and you still dare to touch the Primordial Deity Soul Fragment..." Leon’s reply only added anger to Anderson’s fear. His voice now carried regret—he really was unlucky. He’d thought that following this promising young mage would help him regain his strength and a body one day.
But the longer he followed the young mage, the more naive that hope seemed. Just look at what this young mage had done—back in the Aurige Mountains, he left a Primordial Deity Soul Fragment in a demi-plane. Then, during the Turan Mountains expedition, the dangers never stopped, each one enough to make his heart pound with fear.
And today, he was actively provoking a dormant Primordial Deity Soul—was he trying to get himself killed?
If the Primordial Deity Soul ever awoke, it would undoubtedly be a terrifying disaster. Just think of that valley—everyone, not just the young mage, but Anderson himself and the fifty mages in the demi-plane, would be buried in that calamity.
At this moment, Leon couldn’t spare any attention for Anderson. His entire mind was on the Primordial Deity Soul Fragment. Large beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead; his nerves were stretched to the limit. Carefully, he injected a faint stream of mana into the fragment. Instantly, it radiated both scorching heat and icy cold. In a flash of realization, a towering figure, radiating overwhelming pressure, appeared in his mind...
At that moment, it felt as if all his strength had been drained; even the slightest movement was difficult. Vast clouds shrouded the entire demi-plane, winds howled, thunder roared, and the whole world darkened, as if the apocalypse was about to descend.
Yet the mana swirling around him was boiling, growing increasingly violent.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it..."
Amid Anderson’s terrified roars, the howling winds gradually faded, the thunder rolled away, and beams of light pierced the clouds, shining into the demi-plane. The wild mana receded like a tide, and at that moment, endless magical energy filled the entire realm...
Whew...
Having finished everything, Leon felt utterly drained—his face pale as wax, sweat beading on his forehead. He slowly loosened his grip on the Primordial Deity Soul Fragment, which now lay quietly on the ground once more.
He let out a long breath, feeling every trace of mana gone from his body. What he’d just done was, as Anderson said, incredibly dangerous—using his own mana to activate the Primordial Deity Soul Fragment could easily have awakened that terrifying being.
However, having survived thirty thousand years and countless dangers, his control over mana was now nearly flawless. With the help of his nearly omnipotent magical gear, he finally managed to cut off the mana injection at the critical point, just before the Primordial Deity’s power erupted.
With that, he’d achieved his goal...
At this moment, nearly tangible mana flowed slowly through the Natural Semi-Plane. Under its influence, mountains and rivers rapidly expanded, trees grew wildly before the naked eye, and the mana pond sparkled with light. One by one, crystal-clear Mana Crystals formed and settled at the bottom of the pond.
The entire Natural Semi-Plane was undergoing a stunning metamorphosis.
Of course, the fifty Grand Mages were no exception. All were deep in meditation, unaware of Leon’s arrival. When the Primordial Deity’s terrifying power erupted, they were all jolted awake, gazing skyward in panic. For a moment, they were utterly terrified—their first time witnessing such overwhelming power.
Fortunately, that terrifying power vanished after just a few seconds, replaced by surging mana. The fifty Grand Mages were ecstatic—they knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Without needing a reminder, they quickly entered their optimal meditative state...
In just a few minutes, a surge of magical energy erupted. One of them was undergoing the transformation from Grand Mage to Archmage—a whirlwind formed above his head, endless mana converging into a massive vortex. Nine fiery illusions floated above him, radiating intense heat. The spectacle lasted over three minutes before the nine flames merged and shot into his body.
As the first mage fused the Archmage Rune of Flame Storm and stepped into the Archmage realm, waves of magical energy erupted one after another. From Leon’s vantage point, countless fiery illusions filled the air—a truly magnificent, awe-inspiring scene.
One by one, the Ninth Level Grand Mages began their transformation into Archmages...
This day, the Natural Semi-Plane was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Leon’s Magic Core and both Alchemical Mana Cores were completely drained. He sat by the pond, basking in the dense mana, and entered a meditative state. Wisps of mana from the void flowed into his body. Anderson, in his magical artifact form, gazed at Leon with three faces full of resentment, but finally said nothing and dissolved back into the Arcane Wheel.
The meditation lasted a whole day, washing away all exhaustion. By then, all fifty mages in the Natural Semi-Plane had completed their transformation, fusing their Archmage Runes and stepping into the Archmage realm. Many were already sparring, clearly getting used to their newfound power.
After finishing his meditation, Leon didn’t linger in the demi-plane. Uttering a series of cryptic runes, his figure vanished. Arriving at his residence, he didn’t stay at the Inferno Fortress, but instead set out for Specter Valley. It took about half an hour to reach the vicinity.
Surrounded by dense forest on all sides, this was an extremely secluded place. The legion of over five hundred Grand Mages—including Edgar Merlin, Uriel Merlin, and the three Merlin brothers of Dragonblood Orc descent—had been stationed here for the past two months.
Dense forest surrounded them, making this place almost impossible to find. The mage legion, numbering over five hundred, had entrenched itself here—including Edgar Merlin, Uriel Merlin, and the three Merlin brothers of Dragonblood Orc heritage.
For two months, they’d waited, training and preparing for the coming war. The air was thick with tension, every mage acutely aware that the next battle could change everything.
Leon stepped out from the shadows, his presence immediately sensed by the sentries. They saluted, eyes full of respect and anticipation.
He nodded in return, his mind already racing through tactics and contingencies. There was no room for error—not with the Black Tower and the Forgefire Clan lurking on the horizon.
Edgar Merlin approached, his robes billowing with latent magic. "Commander Leon, the Planar Legion is ready. All units await your orders."
Leon glanced at the assembled mages. Their faces were determined, some pale with nerves, others resolute. The weight of leadership pressed on him, heavy as ever.
He cleared his throat, voice steady despite the exhaustion still lingering in his bones. "Prepare for movement. We strike at dawn. Every second counts."
Uriel Merlin and the Dragonblood Orc brothers exchanged glances, their loyalty unquestioned. They began relaying orders, the camp springing into motion as magic shimmered in the air.
Leon lingered for a moment, watching the legion mobilize. The fate of the Merlin Family—and perhaps all magic—hung in the balance.
He turned away, his heart heavy yet resolute. Tomorrow, everything would change.