Chapter 563: Silent Loss
"Master Merlin, you... you see..." At this moment, Hubert the Dragonblood Orc had no time to worry about Mark Watson's fate. He hurriedly dragged his great axe over to Leon's side, speaking with careful caution.
"That's enough, Hubert, you don't have to worry anymore..." Leon showed a faint smile and pointed in Mark Watson's direction. "Before you go to sleep, toss that guy out of the camp..."
After speaking, Leon turned to Larn Merlin. "Sir Larn, how did the refining of that batch of ore go?"
"Ah... ah, very smoothly, very smoothly..." Larn Merlin was snapped out of his shock by Leon's question. He truly hadn't expected the usually inconspicuous orc who followed the young mage to possess such overwhelming strength—just one swing, and a true Title Archmage was rendered defenseless.
"Good. In three days, deliver that Crimsonfire Mithril to the camp..." Leon nodded and turned to walk toward the barracks.
At this moment, Hubert, the Dragonblood Orc, had already reached Mark Watson's side. Just as he was about to drag him out of the camp, a hysterical roar erupted: "Leon Merlin, you're dead! You're a bastard! I... I swear, I won't let you get away with this..."
Immediately, Hubert could clearly see that Master Merlin, who was about to enter the barracks, stopped at the doorway. Witnessing this scene, even someone as simple-minded as Hubert knew what to do...
"Foolish idiot, how dare you insult Master Merlin—courting death... truly courting death..." As Hubert's voice rang out, a barrage of punches and kicks followed, each scream louder than the last. Only after Leon's silhouette vanished did Hubert wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, glancing at Mark Watson, who lay on the ground coughing up blood, and quietly shook his head.
Although Hubert agreed with what you said, he was left with no choice...
Still, you have to admit—saying things like that right in front of Master Merlin is practically asking to die...
Finally, Hubert gripped his great axe in one hand and grabbed Mark Watson's mage robe with the other. Like dragging a dead dog, he hauled Mark out of the camp and mercilessly tossed him aside.
The moment he hit the ground, Mark Watson genuinely wanted to cry...
But he knew he had to hold back his tears for now—he'd save them for when he saw his teacher...
Yes, he planned to tell his teacher about this, and ask his mentor, a long-time high-level Title Archmage, to make trouble for Leon Merlin!
"Leon Merlin, just you wait..."
Mark Watson turned back to glance deeply at the Merlin Family camp, a cold smile curling at his lips. Then, dragging his battered body, he returned to the Watson Family camp, grumbling curses all the way.
By the time he made it back to the Watson Family camp, more than ten minutes had passed. He quickly found the massive central barracks: "Teacher Reid..."
"Mark? What's the matter..." An aged voice called out from inside the barracks. "Come in..."
"Alright, teacher..."
Mark Watson entered the barracks, nervous and uneasy, his head bowed low. He was still wearing his white mage robe, but now it was stained with blood and mud...
Inside the spacious barracks, there was only one old man. He wore a gray robe, his beard was white, and his body thin and frail. He looked like any ordinary elder, but the way the young genius Mark Watson treated him, and the faint aura of authority he exuded, made it clear this was no ordinary man.
"What happened...?"
When the old man saw Mark Watson's current state, he couldn't help but furrow his brows deeply, his gaze turning cold and sharp. An overwhelming sense of authority spread throughout the room.
"T-teacher, the Merlin Family's commander, Leon Merlin, called me to their camp this afternoon to discuss something. But when I arrived, those damned Merlin people insulted the Watson Family right to my face. Of course I couldn't let that slide, so I argued with them, but they were unreasonable—and they didn't even show you any respect..."
Mark Watson was extremely humble toward the old man, keeping his head bowed as he recited his rehearsed story, painting himself as the victim.
Naturally, he wasn't about to admit he'd been beaten up by a mere Ninth-Tier Swordmaster-level orc.
That would have been far too humiliating...
After hearing Mark Watson's story, the old man showed no emotion, his face remaining calm as he stared at Mark for a good half minute before finally breaking the silence: "Mark, tell me honestly—did you go to the Merlin Family camp on your own initiative?"
Cold sweat broke out on Mark Watson's forehead and he grew visibly anxious, his words stumbling: "Ah... uh, teacher... you..."
He really hadn't expected that the lie he'd spent over ten minutes concocting would be seen through by Teacher Reid in an instant.
"Heh..."
Seeing Mark Watson's expression, Reid Watson already had his answer. He shook his head helplessly—he knew his student's temperament better than anyone. There was no way the Merlin Family had invited Mark; it was almost certain he'd gone to their camp on his own, looking for trouble.
"Teacher, I... I was wrong..."
"Enough, Mark. I understand what happened. No one can bully my student and get away with it—not even the Merlin Family..." Reid Watson looked at Mark with a blank expression, waving his hand dismissively and showing a hint of disdain. "The Merlin Family's commander is that young Leon Merlin, right? I heard he's just a Sixth-Tier Archmage?"
Though Reid Watson had many students—some of whom had been Title Archmages for years—Mark Watson was undoubtedly his favorite.
To reach the rank of Title Archmage at just thirty-five years old—such a prodigy is rare even in the entire Andalusia Kingdom.
For his most valued disciple, becoming a high-level Title Archmage was only a matter of time.
In fact, within a century, Mark Watson could easily surpass him...
How could he not be furious that his most cherished, future successor had been beaten like this...
Though he didn't show it, inside he was already furious beyond measure...
"Yes, Leon Merlin is just a Sixth-Tier Archmage..." Mark Watson was briefly stunned, but then his young face lit up with joy. Suppressing his excitement, he tried to answer his teacher in a calm tone.
Just from that one sentence, he knew Leon Merlin was in real trouble...
Maybe only he truly understood just how terrifying his teacher's strength was.
Decades ago, Teacher Reid had already reached the heights of a high-level Title Archmage. Even ten years back, during a planar conflict, he crushed two enemy high-level Title Archmages and single-handedly turned the tide of battle. Since then, he naturally became a member of the Ancestral Parliament.
But as Mark Watson basked in his joy, he suddenly remembered something, and his expression changed abruptly: "Teacher, this Leon Merlin seems to have a good relationship with the Black Tower..."
To be precise, he recalled the encounter with Weiss in the Inferno Fortress lounge a month ago...
Back then, Lord Weiss of the Black Tower seemed quite friendly toward Leon Merlin.
It made him wonder about Leon Merlin's ties to the Black Tower...
If there were no special connections, Leon Merlin—a mere Sixth-Tier Archmage—would just be a minor character. Even if Teacher Reid killed him, it wouldn't cause much trouble.
But there's always that slim chance...
"Heh, that's nothing you need to worry about..." Reid Watson glanced at Mark, a cold smile at his lips. "Even if Leon Merlin really does have ties with the Black Tower, it won't help him. These days, everyone puts profit first. As long as the reward is big enough, I doubt the Black Tower would protect him. All right, Mark, leave this to me. You're badly hurt, so go get some rest..."
As he spoke, Reid Watson was already brewing a plan in his mind...
In fact, he'd only arrived here after the three major powers captured the Horn of Plenty, so he was well aware that the Merlin Family occupied the richest land there.
To be honest, he had his own designs on that most fertile land...
If the Watson Family could seize that land, it would mean a steady stream of resources, rare mineral veins, and alchemical materials. Their strength would skyrocket in no time, leaving rival powers far behind.
Still, he had some concerns...
Setting aside the joint expedition to the Flowfire Mountains to explore the ancestral ruins, the Merlin Family's ancestral power alone was enough to make him wary—especially Orren Merlin, who had lived nearly a thousand years. A century ago, Orren had battled one of the Watson Family's top-tier experts and hadn't lost...
If he rashly attacked the Merlin Family's planar legion in the Horn of Plenty, the consequences could be severe—the Merlin Family's ancestral powerhouses might mobilize...
In that case, it might not be worth the trouble...
So, he needed a plan—one that could seize that resource-rich land, weaken the Merlin Family, and leave them suffering in silence.
But finding such a perfect solution was easier said than done...
However...
Mark Watson's earlier comment—"Leon Merlin seems to have a good relationship with the Black Tower"—suddenly gave him an idea. Right, how could he have overlooked the Black Tower?
The Watson Family could easily join forces with the Black Tower to target the Merlin Family's hold on the Horn of Plenty, and then divide up that fertile land.
He didn't much care about the spoils; the real prize was weakening the Merlin Family.
Just imagine...
If the powerful Black Tower struck at the Merlin Family, no matter how strong their ancestral forces were, they wouldn't dare retaliate against the Black Tower, would they?
They'd be forced to swallow the loss in silence...
As for whether Leon Merlin actually had good relations with the Black Tower—honestly, he didn't care at all.