Chapter 489: Scared Stiff, Aren't You?
Just the fact that the Doombringer Staff could double in power and advance to a mid-tier Essence Relic meant Leon had to get his hands on that Dragon Core. He valued the Doombringer Staff no less than the Arcane Wheel—this relic had limitless potential. The number of components it could hold was even more terrifying than the Death Tome. As long as he gradually collected the pieces, its true power would be unearthed, eventually making it the strongest Essence Relic ever, maybe even surpassing all other magical relics...
Soon, while Leon was still basking in his joy, he suddenly noticed something off. By all rights, the Dragon Revival Array should've been far more complex than what he was seeing. After pushing the Mana Harness to its limit and tracing the flow of energy, he finally realized that a huge portion of the array was hidden underground.
And it wasn't just a little underground—it was at least a thousand meters deep...
"Damn it..."
This discovery made Leon frown and curse under his breath. Things just got complicated. The Dragon Revival Array before him was peak Essence Relic level, but since he understood its structure, he was confident he could crack it.
But if he wanted that Dragon Core, he'd have to dig deep—literally. Over a thousand meters down, there was no way he could do it alone. He'd have to call in the Planar Legion.
The only catch was that Specter Valley was currently being fought over by the Merlin Family and the Blazeforge Orcs. If he made any noise, the Blazeforge Orcs would definitely notice.
No matter how he looked at it, Leon figured a big battle was inevitable. Unless he could take full control of Specter Valley, there was no way he could safely dig out the Dragon Revival Array and claim that Dragon Core...
Honestly, the lure of that Dragon Core was just too strong—there was no way he was giving up so easily.
But that afternoon, after talking with Thorne Merlin, Leon learned a bit about the clans. Supposedly, the entire Blazeforge Realm was home to thirteen tribes, with the Forgefire Clan being one of them. Each tribe had massive reserves of power and countless strong warriors...
Among the thirteen tribes, a Grand Chieftain is chosen during special times, granting them authority over all tribes. The Grand Chieftain always comes from the strongest tribe.
For thousands of years, top powers from Auckland have fought for the Blazeforge Realm. They've gained plenty, but still can't do much about those thirteen tribes.
In fact, Auckland's factions have all suffered losses at the hands of these tribes. Take the Merlin Family's Inferno Fortress, for example—every so often, over the past three hundred years, the Forgefire Clan attacks and they lose many powerful warriors.
Over the years, the Merlin Family gradually figured out the Forgefire Clan's strength. In short: they're strong. The clan has six Grand Seers, each with power above a Fifth-Level Title Archmage, and the Chieftain is even stronger. But the Chieftain is so secretive that hardly anyone has seen them, so information is scarce.
If Leon wanted to use the Planar Legion and dig up the Five-Colored Dragon Core, he'd have to wipe out the Forgefire Clan first. But with just the Merlin Family's forces in the Blazeforge Realm, taking down the Forgefire Clan would be insanely difficult...
Still, he had to get that Five-Colored Dragon Core.
For Leon, this was a thorny problem. After all, the Forgefire Clan had survived in the Blazeforge Realm for countless generations—they weren't going anywhere easily.
Looks like this is something that needs a lot more thought...
At this point, Leon didn't plan to stay in Specter Valley much longer. If the Forgefire Clan spotted him, trouble was guaranteed. Besides, it was already late, and there was no reason to linger. He led the Merlin Brothers and Hubert, the Dragonblood Orc, back the way they came.
The road back was still quiet; any magical beasts they encountered were dealt with by Hubert, the Dragonblood Orc.
"Blazeforge Orcs?"
As they neared the mouth of the valley, Leon suddenly stopped. In the dim light, he could just make out an orc squad blocking the exit of Specter Valley.
Leon frowned. This was a formidable force, and his gaze was drawn to the leader—a grizzled Blazeforge Orc, covered in striking dark red runes, radiating a terrifying aura. Clearly, this was the powerhouse leading the orc squad...
He knew that in the Forgefire Clan, anyone who reached the Title Archmage level was honored as a Seer, wielding significant power.
And the Blazeforge Orc at the front of the squad was definitely a Seer in the Forgefire Clan.
And not just any Seer...
This was a Grand Seer, second only to the Chieftain. Leon didn't even need the Mana Harness to tell—this Blazeforge Orc was no ordinary foe. The aura was razor sharp, the power at least equal to a Fifth-Level Title Archmage, maybe even stronger.
Behind the Grand Seer was a cavalry unit: Blazeforge Orcs, all dark red, wielding long blades and riding Ashen Direwolves. These direwolves, born deep beneath the volcanoes of the Blazeforge Realm, were pitch black, could breathe fire, and stood at least three meters tall.
This was clearly an elite force. Even if the Planar Legion from Inferno Fortress showed up, it would take a bitter fight to deal with them.