Chapter 1141
Leon couldn't help but laugh aloud, pointing at the four people behind him.
"Sky Rank, huh? Sorry, I've got several myself..."
As soon as Leon finished speaking, Morgan couldn't wait any longer and floated up. The aura of a Sky Rank mage exploded out like a detonation, instantly sweeping away Phelps's presence.
A shadow of a dark demi-plane appeared behind Morgan. In an instant, it was as if night had descended around him. Within the phantom of that demi-plane, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly opened, and the evil aura seemed too intense for even the demi-plane to conceal.
Morgan was the first to rush into the sky, and then Joey and Heron also slowly floated up.
A swirling illusion of the starry sky appeared around Joey. The light around him twisted, endless starlight forming points of light, which then merged into a rotating phantom of a star river drifting behind him.
Heron was also a dark mage, but his demi-plane was filled with immense dark magical power. Pure darkness radiated from Heron's body.
With the appearance of three Sky Rank mages, Phelps's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
"Th-this... This can't be. How can there be three Sky Rank mages? Damn it, all three have opened demi-planes too? How... how is this possible..."
Phelps was so shocked he nearly plummeted out of the sky, but it wasn’t over yet. Rafael floated up with a cheerful grin, surrounded by raging winds as endless wind blades gathered around his body.
Likewise, a phantom of a demi-plane appeared behind Rafael.
Four Sky Rank mages hovered in midair, their auras blooming. The pride and arrogance on Phelps's face vanished instantly, replaced by an unmistakable, overwhelming shock.
Four Sky Rank mages!
Four Sky Rank mages, all with their own demi-planes!
Damn it, how is this possible? Wasn’t the entrance to the Blazeforge Battlefield supposed to block Sky Rank powerhouses? How did these people get in?
No, damn it, that's Rafael, that's Morgan...
They've actually broken through to Sky Rank. And those two from the Andalusia Kingdom—Joey and Heron—they've reached Sky Rank too.
Damn it, when did Sky Rank become so easy to break through?
Did they all have some sudden insight into the rules of the Blazeforge Battlefield too? But that can't be right—the strongest rule here is fire. How could they possibly break through...
Right, none of these people are under Matthew Merlin’s command—they’re not even part of the Merlin Family!
After his shock, Phelps immediately zeroed in on the crucial detail.
"Rafael, Morgan, you're both from the Odin Kingdom, and yet you're helping some detestable outsider against me? Are you trying to start a war with the Burning Tower?
And Joey, Heron, don't think that just because you've reached Sky Rank you can do whatever you want. Are you really planning to go to war with our Burning Tower?
The Burning Tower is officially declaring war on the Merlin Family now. Are you planning to join this war too?
You'd better think it through before you answer!
Once Phelps recognized who they were, his confidence returned in full. He sneered at the four Sky Rank mages, not intimidated at all by their combined presence.
Morgan let out a cold laugh, looking at Phelps as if he were a complete idiot.
"Phelps, you idiot, you clearly have no idea what’s really going on. But if you can truly represent the Burning Tower in declaring war on Archmage Leon...
Then fine, I’ll represent the Henry Family and join this war too. I’ll stand with Archmage Leon—we’re the closest of allies.
If you dare cast a spell today, be prepared to be torn to shreds by my Dark Magic Beast!
Morgan roared. Since advancing to Sky Rank, he hadn't fought another Sky Rank mage, nor had he ever gone all out. Even after the Dark Magic Beast was born a few days ago, Morgan hadn't dared to release it.
The one time he did, a pseudo-Sky Rank magical beast was literally ripped to pieces. Its massive body yielded not a single usable material—either shredded or corrupted by darkness, reduced to waste. Even the magic crystal was devoured by the Dark Magic Beast.
Now, finally, he had a chance to show off—and a chance to impress Leon. How could he not jump at it?
Morgan summoned the shadow of his demi-plane. Behind him, dark mana billowed like vast pools of ink suspended in midair, coalescing into a swirling vortex dozens of meters wide. From within it, a pitch-black claw, several meters long, reached out.
In an instant, a sinister dark aura spread like a storm. A monster, over ten meters tall and black as ink, stepped out. Its body absorbed all light, not a single glimmer escaped its surface.
Its crimson eyes brimmed with every imaginable negative emotion, and its evil aura twisted into dark red mist that curled around its body.
At the sight of this creature, everyone nearby couldn't help but change their expressions.
Dark Magic Beasts—pure killing machines, devoid of any intelligence, filled only with endless negative emotion. They constantly absorb the negative feelings of mages and the surrounding dark power, growing ever stronger.
For ages, Dark Mages have been shunned, even more than Death Mages, all because one Dark Mage, after reaching Sky Rank, walked the path of summoning Dark Magic Beasts. He unleashed such monsters, causing catastrophic disasters.
After his breakthrough, that Dark Mage began exacting revenge on a mage faction called Ivory Tower. A thousand years ago, Ivory Tower was a major force in the Odin Kingdom, with several Sky Rank mages.
But he wiped them out completely. During his breakthrough, his mana and negative emotions hadn't been fully purified. In the Dark Magic Beast's frenzy, the mage's own negativity spiraled out of control, until he became nothing but a mindless killing monster.
A mindless Dark Mage, together with a Dark Magic Beast that knew only slaughter, tore everything living within hundreds of kilometers to pieces.
In the end, it took the combined forces of the other factions in the Odin Kingdom to finally destroy both the Dark Magic Beast and the Dark Mage.
As a member of the Burning Tower, Phelps couldn’t possibly be ignorant of this history.
Before he could say anything, the Dark Magic Beast sensed Morgan’s intent, let out a low growl, and vanished, leaving only a blur in midair. In the blink of an eye, it appeared before Phelps.
Its pitch-black claw slammed hard against Phelps’s fusion shield.
A sharp, grating screech rang out, like two blades scraping against each other. The darkness flowing from the beast’s claw began to corrode Phelps’s shield.
The sizzling sound continued unabated…
In just one second, Phelps’s fusion shield grew dim; several Law Sigils lost their glow, and it looked like a gaping hole was about to be corroded through.
Phelps hurriedly spat out two flame sigils. Explosions of fire erupted on the Dark Magic Beast, blasting its massive body away.
Blown into midair, the beast landed atop a swirl of black smoke, shaking its head as if dazed. Its wounds were instantly covered by dark energy and healed in a flash.
Phelps kept retreating, but the four Sky Rank mages had unknowingly surrounded him. Even Raphael didn’t think there was anything wrong with four people attacking one.
Cold sweat poured down Phelps’s back as he floated in midair, clutching his staff and glaring at the four Sky Rank mages around him, his voice trembling with rage.
“Are you really going to start a war with the Burning Tower? Damn it, do you think your factions will approve of this?
Think carefully! Just because you’ve reached Sky Rank doesn’t mean you can bear the consequences…"
Phelps roared, trying to make the four Sky Rank mages back down. But they just sneered, none willing to give up the chance to make a move—and win Leon’s favor.
As for four Sky Rank mages ganging up on Phelps, no one cared. They were all equals, after all. If Phelps was so impressive a moment ago, surely he could handle fighting four at once.
It’s not like they were being ganged up on by someone stronger. If they’re all the same rank, there’s nothing wrong with fighting however they like.
Phelps’s hopes crumbled. Cold sweat soaked his back as the pressure of four Sky Rank mages weighed on him like a mountain. Terrifying waves of mana swirled around him, ready to condense into spells at any moment.
“Matthew Merlin, damn it, this is between you and me! You actually called for backup—no wonder you dared to capture our Burning Tower mages. Turns out you’re just clinging to a bunch of Sky Rank big shots.
Cowardly wretch, if you have any shred of a mage’s dignity, come and make a wager with me!
I can’t use transcendental powers either. If you can survive three spells from me, I’ll let you go and never trouble you again.
But you have to release our Burning Tower mages. If you can’t withstand three spells, then you must release them and personally apologize to the Burning Tower—give us a satisfactory explanation!"
Unable to make the four Sky Rank mages back down, Phelps could only try to provoke Leon with words.
Leon looked at Phelps with a calm expression, seeming in no hurry as he considered the offer.
But Phelps grew anxious. The other four Sky Rank mages hadn’t even acted yet, and just the Dark Magic Beast alone was tough to handle. If Morgan was joined by any other Sky Rank mage, Phelps would be at a disadvantage; if two attacked, he might not even get a chance to escape.
“Matthew Merlin, you coward, do you dare? Damn you, you spineless worm—what’s wrong, afraid of three spells?
Don’t worry, I won’t use transcendental spells against you. If you think you can withstand a true Sky Rank mage, then beating me shouldn’t be a problem…"
Leon shook his head and stepped onto the air. Wind elements in the air formed a stair beneath his feet.
Leon ascended step by step, slowly approaching, and shot Phelps a cold, mocking look.
“Phelps, honestly, I’m just busy and don’t have time to waste on you. You think you’re a Sky Rank mage? Fine, I brought Sky Rank mages to fight you.
But if you think it’s unfair, then fine, I’ll fight you myself.
Forget your three spells—if you can escape from me, I’ll immediately release your Burning Tower mages!