Chapter 520: A Thorough Conspiracy
As for what the young mage said about that patch of clearing being dangerous, he barely paid it any mind. It wasn’t that he was blinded by joy, but rather a confidence born of his own formidable strength.
Dangerous?
To a Seventh Rank Title Archmage like himself, that was nothing short of a joke—unless someone of equal or greater power showed up.
But there was no way such a powerful being could appear in Specter Valley...
"If I give up that clearing, then I have to be responsible for the safety of Black Tower’s people. How about this, Councilor Suville: you take your people over there first. If nothing happens to you after three days, the clearing is yours. But if anything goes wrong in those three days, don’t blame me. I hope you’ll remember that..."
Leon Merlin tapped his nose and pointed east. "It’s about two kilometers that way."
Truth was, Leon could barely keep from laughing at this point...
"As for the rest, you don’t need to worry about it..." Councilor Suville gave Leon a blank look, then glanced in the direction Leon had pointed. A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.
After that, it was clear Suville had no intention of lingering. He turned and left, his silhouette gradually fading under Leon and the others’ gaze.
"Archmage Leon, you..." Only after Suville left did Edgar Merlin’s face regain its composure, though confusion still clouded his features. He couldn’t understand why the young mage, so resolute before, would suddenly yield to Suville and give up such a large clearing.
But then Edgar Merlin reconsidered and felt relieved. The young mage might be a formidable commander, but the Black Tower was not a force to be trifled with...
"Archmage Leon, please don't take it the wrong way—I mean nothing by it. Honestly, the Merlin Family has already gained plenty. If we get too greedy, trouble’s bound to follow. I think you did the right thing..." There was a bit of flattery in Edgar’s words, but at least he genuinely agreed with Leon’s approach.
Leon chuckled. "Just wait and watch the show." He had no intention of explaining further. Flashing a sly grin at the two of them, he turned and strode toward the Dragon Revival Array. This was a critical moment—he couldn’t afford to be away for long.
Sure enough, a little over an hour later, the area was anything but quiet. The occasional clamor drifted over, and Leon knew exactly what it meant: Councilor Suville had brought the Black Tower’s people to the eastern clearing. Meditating, Leon had his Mana Harness operating at full capacity, keeping constant tabs on their situation.
Before he knew it, a whole day had passed. Suville’s people had set up camp two kilometers to the east, and in the dim night, their camp glimmered faintly.
"Rumble..."
Suddenly, flames shot into the sky as countless meteors rained down, erupting with earth-shaking noise. The meteors crashed in unison, striking the camp...
Some of the camp’s strongest fighters sensed something was wrong, but it was too late—there was no time to escape. Red streaks tore across the sky, and screams echoed one after another.
Near the Dragon Revival Array, Leon had his Mana Harness pushed to the limit. The disaster struck instantly, and his face twisted in shock. Just a few nights ago, that place had radiated a strange aura and seductive flames. He’d known then that the clearing was anything but ordinary...
He’d planned to investigate after the Dragon Revival Array business was settled, but Suville’s appearance yesterday changed everything. Leon had handed the clearing to the Black Tower and set a series of conditions: if their people survived three days, the clearing would be theirs.
Looking back now, it was clearly the right decision. That clearing wasn’t just strange—it was fraught with danger. Even a Seventh Rank Title Archmage like Suville might struggle to handle it.
Within minutes, the screams faded, signaling catastrophic losses. Suville’s people suffered casualties beyond counting.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a deafening crash shook the ground, spreading a terrifying aura. A thick stench of sulfur crept everywhere, and everyone in the area—including Leon’s group—turned pale. That was unmistakably the scent of a demon. Shocked and curious, they wondered how a demon could appear in Specter Valley.
It was simply unbelievable...
"Roar..."
In a daze, they heard a savage roar. The ground split open, jagged black fissures spreading fast. A wave of scorching heat surged out, and magma poured from the cracks like a flood. The land and trees ignited, transforming the area into a kingdom of fire.
Leon arrived, hovering in midair with the Levitation Spell. He quickly spotted a familiar figure in the fiery wasteland: Councilor Suville of the Black Tower.
This powerful Black Tower councilor and Title Archmage now looked utterly battered, maintaining his fire elemental avatar and casting Flame Blink repeatedly to dart through the inferno. His opponent? A creature resembling a Magma Giant, its body flowing with molten rock...
At first glance, anyone would think it was a Magma Giant.
But the odd thing was, it was only a few dozen meters tall—barely half the size of a normal Magma Giant. Stranger still, its body carried not only an elemental aura but also a heavy stench of sulfur.
A being caught between elemental and demonic nature!
Suddenly, Leon understood: it had to be a Lava Baron. Among sub-lord demons, only Lava Barons were this peculiar. He’d read about them in a dusty, decaying library—these sub-lord demons were exceedingly rare in Northend.
(Irrelevant passage: 'This chapter isn’t over ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!')
He remembered clearly: in the golden age of magic, every top faction coveted a Lava Baron. Some Sky Rank experts even risked their lives venturing into the Abyss to find one, but only a handful ever succeeded. Several Sky Rank experts perished in the search for a Lava Baron.
Leon never imagined Specter Valley would spawn a Lava Baron.
That meant there was a Heart of Lava...
And that was far more than just a top-tier alchemical material...
Even Leon felt a rush of excitement now, but he didn’t make a move—he simply hovered in midair, watching intently.
He wasn’t worried about Suville killing the Lava Baron and taking the Heart of Lava.