Right now, no one would dare refute anything Leon says. As long as Leon is willing to save them, willing to seek a solution to this plague, even if he cursed them to their faces, not a single person would dare talk back.
Leon clapped his hands and tossed out the notebook he’d obtained earlier.
"This is a notebook I acquired previously. The person who found it believed it described a flawless lich transformation ritual—one without any defects."
But in reality, what’s recorded here is a sacrificial ritual from the Undead Plane, created by the Blood Lich Dekrise. Anyone who performs this transformation will sacrifice everything to the Blood Lich and become a puppet under its control.
And I know this notebook is already circulating—mine isn’t the only copy. We must track down every necromancer, investigate who performed the transformation ritual. That’s our top priority now. Every Level Nine Titled Magus up to Heaven-rank necromancer must be checked, because no one knows if these ritual performers might directly summon the Blood Lich..."
The mages exchanged glances, passing the notebook around to study its contents. Yet none could spot a flaw in the ritual—it looked perfect. It seemed that, following this ritual, one could truly become a flawless, immortal lich.
But the more perfect it appeared, the worse everyone’s expression became. At their level, they all knew—there’s no such thing as a flawless lich. Even the Lich Kings of the Undead Plane aren’t perfect. This was a perfect trap.
No one doubted Leon’s words—none of the mages present believed in such perfection. The notebook seemed to be written on beast hide, and looked ancient, but its contents used the common tongue of the Northend World, even with some archaic grammar from the early days of the language.
It seemed to have appeared only after the fall of the Third Dynasty. Unfortunately, it was so detailed that even a Level Nine Titled Magus could easily understand it—almost as if it was designed to avoid any misunderstanding or mistakes during the transformation ritual.
The group of mages remained silent, but their resolve was set. What followed would be a purge of necromancers—every necromancer would be investigated. According to the ritual described, even a small attempt at the transformation would turn someone into a necromancer, wielding only the power of death.
Once the transformation succeeded, disguising oneself as a necromancer wouldn’t be difficult at all.
No one else spoke, but Knox suddenly let out a cold laugh and broke the silence.
"Archmage Leon Merlin, you toss out some random alchemy notebook and expect every necromancer to be investigated? How do we know what you’re really after? When fighting the undead tide, the best way to counter it is with our own undead tide. Necromancers have made huge contributions in previous battles. You say we should investigate these heroes—well then, ha...
Archmage Leon Merlin, you disappeared for so long—who knows if you’re still really Archmage Leon Merlin? Instead of trying to solve the plague, you show up and start purging the heroes who’ve fought so hard here. What exactly are you doing, or rather, who are you really?"
As soon as Knox spoke, everyone’s expression turned odd. Was the Sanctum of Light really defending necromancers?
Rives wore a look of undisguised mockery, letting out a scornful snort.
Knox, that idiot, must have a death wish. Archmage Merlin hasn’t even bothered with him yet, and he’s already jumping out. Does he really think Merlin is so soft-hearted? Fool.
He’s even questioning Archmage Merlin’s identity—does he think everyone here is an idiot? How easy does he think it is to fake being a Saint Alchemist?
He probably doesn’t even know that a Saint Alchemist carries a unique aura—one that only another Saint Alchemist can possess.
What a shameless bunch, pretending to defend these so-called heretics—the necromancers they most want to get rid of...
Knox picked a fight shamelessly, making everyone’s expression turn odd. Before anyone else could speak, a pitch-black shadow suddenly appeared behind Knox. Pure darkness erupted, countless tendrils wrapping around his body.
A glint of pride flashed in Knox’s eyes—he’d been prepared. Holy light exploded, meeting the black tendrils. A radiant shield formed around him, extraordinary power surging and shaping a staff of light.
"Archmage Leon Merlin, damn you! I knew you were scheming. Whatever you are—whatever you’re disguised as—no matter your plot, you won’t succeed. The fool lurking in darkness has finally revealed himself..."
Bathed in holy light, Knox’s face radiated sacred authority. He began chanting a spell, extraordinary power rippling out like a tidal wave. The conference room was torn apart; every other mage in the fortress was instantly forced to their knees.
Leon and Knox suddenly made their moves. No one in the conference room had expected this—everyone was stunned by the abrupt turn of events.
Leon unleashed dark power, while Knox, seemingly prepared, went all out. Clouds above split open, a broad beam of holy light engulfed the fortress. Behind Knox, two pairs of pure white wings appeared, and even a thousand-meter-wide semi-plane projection manifested, filled with holy light and projecting even greater power.
Knox floated midair, looking down at Leon with a mocking glint in his eyes.
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Archmage Leon Merlin, no matter how you escaped exile and returned, you have no chance now. Using dark power against a holy mage—fool. A true Seventh-Rank Heaven-class holy mage. Didn’t you notice I’m the only mage here untouched by the plague?
No matter what tricks you use, when you face a true Seventh-Rank Heaven-class mage, you’re destined to be purified.
To reach Heaven-class Rank Six in such a short time is truly remarkable—igniting the earth with that Level Ten spell was even more impressive. But, Archmage Leon Merlin, you’re not facing an undead tide. You’re facing me, Knox, a Seventh-Rank Heaven-class holy mage. I won’t give you more than a second to chant your spell.
Die, die, die here—and everyone will know you’re just a dark creature disguised as Archmage Leon Merlin...
Knox’s sudden outburst, Leon’s sudden move—no one had time to react.
But now, seeing Knox’s unleashed power, everyone was stunned. Only now did they realize—Knox hadn’t been infected by the plague!
No one expected this, since the first to die was a holy mage. After that Seventh-Rank Heaven-class holy mage died from the plague, it slowly began to spread.
Knox had fooled everyone...
Rives stood with his mouth agape, staring in horror at Knox in his full glory, utterly shocked...
Knox, that guy, actually tricked all of us. He kept channeling extraordinary power every day—we thought he was infected too. Turns out, he wasn’t affected at all.
A Seventh-Rank Heaven-class powerhouse in peak condition...
It’s over. This time, it’s truly over. No one here can stop him now. The strongest among us can barely muster half their strength—none can stand against Knox.
Archmage Merlin was too impulsive this time—he’s fallen for Knox’s scheme...
Skye, Lord of Skyhold, frowned at the scene before him, his expression darkening—especially when he saw that Knox still had his full power.
That Knox fellow hadn’t been infected by the plague. He’d tricked all of us to avoid fighting, and now he’s tricked Archmage Merlin too. This is bad.
Archmage Merlin had just cast a Level Ten spell—the area it covered was staggering, and the cost must have been enormous. Now Knox is determined to kill, and no one can stop him. Merlin was too reckless; this was obviously Knox’s plot.
What now? No one here can stop Knox. How can we save Archmage Merlin...
Knox hovered in midair, quite pleased with the crowd’s horrified faces. Ever since that Seventh-Rank holy mage died from the plague and the outbreak began, Knox had pretended to be infected. He avoided contact with anyone, didn’t touch a thing, and even took Golden Dome Elixirs to prevent infection.
By pretending to be infected, he avoided facing the Skeleton King with its bizarre powers—until now, when he revealed his true strength.
"Foolish dark creature—no matter your scheme, pretending to be Archmage Merlin was your biggest mistake. Merlin is an elemental mage; he knows nothing of dark rules. Fool, let holy light purify you!"
Knox chanted loudly, angelic wings beating behind him. In the sky, a blazing sun seemed to appear, and the holy light from the semi-plane pressed down on Leon with Knox’s full force.
Compared to Knox’s overwhelming display, Leon simply stood there, watching quietly—as if he’d been scared senseless.
Everyone was suppressed by Knox’s semi-plane projection—the purest rule power. Using a semi-plane to suppress, he was the highest-ranked mage here, while all the other Seventh-Rank Heaven-class mages were plagued, their strength at best halved.
At this level, even a one percent difference is fundamental and nearly impossible to overcome. Knox wasn’t even targeting the others, but it was enough to prevent anyone from interfering.
A few powerhouses wanted to speak, but couldn’t utter a word. They had to resist Knox’s suppression and the plague within their bodies. With Knox going all out, who knew if he’d attack everyone else too.
No one could stop him—they could only watch, helpless...
On Leon’s shoulder, Lord Shaun appeared silently, grinning as he watched Knox and the semi-plane projection pressing down from above.
"Pathetic fool—trying to suppress Merlin with a semi-plane. That’s stupidity worthy of pity..."
Lord Shaun’s eyes were filled with pity, and Leon was shocked—not frightened, but stunned by Knox’s confidence and stupidity...
Summoning a semi-plane, fusing it with one’s own extraordinary power for suppression—against lower-ranked mages, it’s the safest method. Getting crushed to death is almost guaranteed.
If it were any normal Heaven-class Rank Six mage, this kind of brute-force suppression would leave them utterly helpless against Knox.
This method of suppression is inherently risky—at its core, it's a brute-force clash of extraordinary powers, comparing both quality and quantity, with two semi-planes colliding indirectly.
No mage of equal rank would ever do this—if things go awry, both could die together. Unless you want mutual destruction, no sane mage would risk it.
But for a higher-ranked Heaven-class powerhouse suppressing a lower-ranked mage, it’s the safest method. Leon’s gaze grew a little pitying...
It’s essentially a collision of semi-planes—using one’s own rule-infused semi-plane to shatter another mage’s. If a semi-plane carrying rule insights is broken, the Heaven-class mage instantly falls from grace. Even if not demoted, they’d be reduced to a newly advanced mage, or possibly destroyed by their own magic.
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Of course, that’s the outcome if you fail...
As everyone watched with anger or sympathy, Knox—with his angelic wings and natural semi-plane projection—plummeted from the sky, seemingly about to crush Leon to death.
Those close to Leon were already burning with anger, while the member of the Odin Royal Family looked so grim it seemed black water might drip from his face.
But right now, he couldn’t say a word. The plague in his eyes, combined with Knox’s extraordinary power and semi-plane projection, left him barely able to maintain a combat stance—his strength was spent. Staring at the blinding holy light, the Odin Royal Family member closed his eyes in despair and pain.
Knox, that fool, is about to cause huge trouble. Idiot—does he really think Leon Merlin was just the last candidate for the hexagram array? Fool—Leon Merlin is Lord Agalon’s disciple, his only disciple...
The future master of Astral Academy, the controller of Northend’s Alchemy Sanctuary, the leader of three Saint Alchemists—a terrifying disciple of a peak Heaven-class powerhouse, the student of the Grand Astrologer who has never been defeated.
It’s over. If Lord Agalon returns and finds his only disciple killed by the Sanctum of Light, the disaster will be far worse than any undead invasion.
The three deans of Astral Academy certainly won’t stand by. The Gilded Rose, controlled by Leon Merlin, will also stop at nothing for revenge. As the former head of the Merlin Family, the strongest force in Andalusia, Leon Merlin has already cast a shadow over the entire kingdom...
It’s rumored that Lord Thornton Merlin may still be alive. If that terrifying genius—who rose from humble beginnings—learns of this...
God, Knox is such a fool. Does he even know what he’s doing right now?
Not only has he destroyed everyone’s last hope of curing the plague, but he’s doomed this war—and may even unleash a world-shaking conflict across Northend.
Several representatives from the Odin Kingdom’s strongest factions had already closed their eyes in despair—not just because they’d die from the plague, but because the coming chaos, even if not worse than imagined, would be far from good.
The more you know, the more you realize what consequences might follow...
And the consequences of what’s happening now are the worst kind—possibly involving several top powerhouses...
Endless holy light poured down from the sky, so blinding that everyone involuntarily shut their eyes. But just as the radiance engulfed the entire fortress, a thunderous boom exploded in everyone’s ears.