Chapter 283: Surging Mana
The Plane Path beneath Leon’s feet suddenly trembled, finally breaking free from the Apocalypse Plane’s shackles. In an instant, the surrounding space began to shift and warp—countless visions flashed before Leon’s eyes. He seemed to witness the newborn Apocalypse Plane as earth, water, fire, and wind first settled, life began to sprout, mountains and seas, grasslands and lakes—everything brimming with vibrant promise. Only the center of the world remained shrouded in death and solemnity...
It was an endless graveyard—the corpses of ancient gods and demons, five-colored dragons, pureblood elves. Buried there were not only the remains of every intelligent race of Northend World, but also a secret that might decide Northend’s fate...
Sadly, that secret will have to wait for another time...
Leon cast one last glance at the newborn Apocalypse Plane...
Then, as the Plane Path gradually receded into the distance...
At last, darkness—and then light—filled his vision.
A small group found themselves once again standing inside the vault...
“Huh? Leon...” Seth was the first to step forward. The Silvermoon Mercenary Company’s leader looked at the group, his eyes full of confusion. “How... how did you get back so quickly?”
“Quick?” Before Leon could reply, Salomon was already grumbling. “We drifted in that damned place for months—how is that quick?”
“Months?” Seth was visibly startled, then frowned. “But...”
“Captain Seth, how long have you been back?” Leon raised a hand to stop Salomon’s argument.
Leon wasn’t surprised by Seth’s reaction...
He knew that once the Plane Path entered the Apocalypse Plane, some time-space distortion was inevitable. After all, the Apocalypse Plane was no ordinary place—it was a dead world, its laws broken, space and time themselves ceased to function. What Leon wanted to know was just how severe the distortion really was.
“An hour...”
“Alright, I see.” Leon nodded, saying no more.
At this point, most of the other members of the joint exploration team gathered around, greeting them and reporting on the vault’s condition. Since Leon and his party had set out on the Plane Path, and Seth’s group returned, several days had passed. The magical materials had mostly been sorted, now just waiting for Leon to distribute them.
“Leon, as we agreed, you have first pick of these magical materials. Go ahead and choose your share.”
“Wait, I’ve got something to do first...” Leon didn’t even glance at the neatly sorted magical materials. Instead, he channeled a surge of mana into the Wraithwalker. “Lord Shaun, I need your help...”
“Help? With what?” Lord Shaun’s voice instantly grew wary at the word. “If it’s too much trouble, don’t even think about it!”
...Leon had complicated feelings about this cowardly, self-preserving artifact spirit. After a deep breath, he forced his tone to remain calm: “My cousin’s Soul Inheritance is nearly complete, but he needs your help for the final step...”
“Oh?” At Leon’s words, Lord Shaun finally looked up and glanced at William Merlin, standing beside Leon...
William Merlin was in a strange state—he’d been in deep meditation for over a month, never waking even once. Any ordinary mage would have been declared dead by now, but William Merlin was perfectly fine. His magical and life signatures were as steady as ever.
The only difference was...
William Merlin’s soul power remained constantly active.
Even Lord Shaun, a master of the soul arts, couldn’t help showing a hint of surprise. “Didn’t expect you’d really know the method for Soul Inheritance...”
Leon just gave a subtle, enigmatic smile—so mysterious that Lord Shaun grew uneasy...
In truth, Leon didn’t actually know any method for Soul Inheritance...
He only knew that the Merlin ancestors’ Soul Inheritance was meant for their descendants. If even William Merlin couldn’t inherit the badge’s soul legacy, then probably no one could...
Of course, that was something he’d never tell Lord Shaun...
“That’s right, this kid’s Soul Inheritance really is almost complete...” Lord Shaun’s eyes darted slyly. “I could help with the final step, but...”
“But what?”
“Well, you know I’m just a Relic Spirit. Every time I activate the Wraithwalker, it drains a huge amount of mana. You get what I mean, right?”
Leon nearly spat in Lord Shaun’s face...
If you’re going to make excuses, at least make them believable...
Even a mage apprentice knows that a Relic Spirit activating a relic is effortless—barely costs any energy. Now you’re telling me it takes a huge amount of mana? What, you think I’m dumber than a mage apprentice?
Forget it...
After sulking for a moment, Leon didn’t bother arguing with Lord Shaun. He just fished a Tier-25 Mana Crystal from his pocket and tossed it over. “Here. Plenty of mana, right?”
“More than enough! Perfect!” Lord Shaun gleefully swallowed the Tier-25 Mana Crystal, feeling the surge of power run through him. “Don’t worry, leave the final step to me. I guarantee this kid will get the Soul Inheritance, whole and intact!”
“Enough with the chatter...”
At that moment, William Merlin’s soul resonance peaked. Lord Shaun dared not hesitate—he dropped to the ground with a low growl, his half-formed body dissolving into a stream of light, plunging into the battered badge...
[Irrelevant system message skipped.]
Almost as soon as Lord Shaun vanished, William Merlin’s face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and the peaceful look he’d worn was twisted suddenly by agony...
Time ticked by, second after second...
No one knew how long had passed before Lord Shaun let out another low howl, bursting out of the battered badge as a stream of light. He landed, shifting back into his spectral wolf form, and his voice trembled with lingering fear: “Damn, what kind of Soul Inheritance was that? I nearly lost my life—this is outrageous! You owe me another Tier-25 Mana Crystal.”
“Keep dreaming.” Leon wasn’t about to give him another chance. He sent a surge of mana into the Wraithwalker, and before Lord Shaun could protest, he sealed him away.
“Despicable—ah...”
The instant Lord Shaun vanished, William Merlin opened his eyes.
His eyes looked the same as always, but Leon could see two blazing flames burning in their depths.
Leon knew that, with the Soul Inheritance complete, William Merlin had truly stepped into the realm of Archmage... just like him.