Surviving The Fourth Calamity

The Sia Tower, for so long, had become accustomed to using the full moon beside the White Tower as a light source, and had long forgotten what a true night looked like.

This atmosphere of a moonlit, star-sparse night perfect for killing, they truly hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Even the Ninth Ring Archmage Delphus, burdened with thoughts and draped in several layers of protection, was momentarily flustered... They had not expected that Gilbert, who had been silently enduring their attacks, would strike back at this moment.

Moreover, this attack was clearly not meant to keep them, but merely to vent his anger.

Although the main control mechanism controlling these Puppet Bird Flocks had evidently absorbed some of the energy from the golden flames, the resulting fire did not possess that terrible spread and incurability.

Just like Oro Cardenas, who only got hit once, even if the protections on him inexplicably vanished for some reason, as an Eighth Ring Mage, he shouldn’t have been burned to death by fire outright.

He only uttered a single scream.

That golden flame could clearly attack a person’s soul... Before his body was destroyed, Oro Cardenas’s soul had obviously already been burned away.

As for that male mage who clearly had some problems... others aren’t stupid; Delphus’s performance only made them more certain of their judgment... because he only managed to let out a scream before being consumed by the flames.

No, wait, it seemed like he screamed once before Delphus turned around, and then he fell to the ground.

So, this Order Jewel, although useless against Gilbert, might be more effective against certain existences in the shadows?

The few mages who figured this out, though still somewhat clumsy in dodging those small fireballs, couldn’t hide the fiery look in their eyes as they glanced at Delphus.

Even if that thing occasionally malfunctions, the Sia Tower, especially those so-called Neutral Faction members, the thing they fear most are those Black Robed Mages who start inspecting from within every century or so for potential traitors.

They are very skilled at observing others in the shadows.

Of course, most of the people they catch can hardly be considered innocent: They did come here to find vulnerabilities in the Sia Tower for the future of another Magic Tower.

Moreover, they generally had already committed acts that harmed the interests of the Sia Tower.

Even those involved can’t truly be considered wholly innocent.

Whether for profit or due to some suddenly emergent noble sentiment, they inevitably aided those spies in certain ways.

Those who have lived long enough at the Sia Tower, even if they don’t fully understand what the true power of the White and Black Robed factions is, certainly know that they are not human.

At least not from this world.

They were even more acutely aware that by choosing to follow the Sia Tower, they were the real betrayers... to the world from which they came.

However, the adage of ”every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him” had long been ingrained in their souls over many years of influence; they would only love themselves, wanting to love only themselves.

Yet, when realizing that Delphus’s mana consumption wasn’t significant and the woman beside him would only choose to assist him at this moment, the other mages swiftly restrained their gaze.

A powerful Eighth Ring Mage isn’t necessarily incapable of defeating an over-exhausted, less capable Ninth Ring Mage.

If it came to a sneak attack, the probability would be even higher.

But, for now, they had no opportunity.

Delphus’s character was evident; he couldn’t tolerate any restrictions like those imposed by the Hainarson, to an unbelievable degree of narrow-mindedness.

As long as he didn’t voluntarily attack Gilbert Hainarson, the Seventh Circle Mage, even if crazed, wouldn’t willingly confront a Ninth Ring Archmage!

As for the future... what could an insufficiently accumulated Ninth Ring do?

If they discovered intentions to covet his treasures... they were still unwilling to test the power of the Order Jewel.

God knows if they possessed Gilbert Hainarson’s luck.

Click~

No matter how much they thought, they could only fight against the rain of fire with full minds.

These mages, in truth, understood that if it were them, they wouldn’t let Gilbert off either.

After all, he wasn’t just an individual, but an entire family.

If Gilbert remained alive, no one would bypass him to first destroy that family... In the world of mages, families are never a threat to mages.

Even if that mage seemed to show much love for their family, it remains unchanged.

Instead, the existence of a family might cause a mage with lingering sentiments to act with some consideration.

However... if it’s the other way around, there’s no telling what a high-level mage, who has a vendetta with no qualms, could do.

Generally speaking, mages only act to annihilate entire families after confirming all high-level mages in that family have fallen.

The Sia Tower is no exception.

Even though Lady Sia and the ’Black Artist’ are incredibly powerful, would they shield anyone for such matters?

Individuals alone are always caught off guard.

Therefore, as long as the Seventh Ring Mage Gilbert lives, the Hainarson family will remain.

And with the Hainarson family in existence, no matter how much murder is harbored in Gilbert’s heart, he will consider the consequences of his failure.

However, as long as it is confirmed that the powerful strange object in Delphus’s hands would be discounted due to the existence of Hainarson, his enemies would definitely try to recruit a Hainarson into their own families.

The apprentices of the Hainarson clan will surely have a bright future.

Tsk~ Although it’s clear that Gilbert definitely wouldn’t, nor has the ability to kill mages of at least eight rings like us, these endless fireballs are too annoying!

How many Energy Absorbing Arrays did he install in that Magic Tower to make this flock of birds endlessly shoot feathers?

Really... They’ve just been avoiding and not fighting back for so long, why hasn’t that guy stopped?

It’s almost dawn!

It’s not like they left him without any benefits!

Their apology sincerity is already quite enough, isn’t it!

Having discovered the enemy’s attempt to flee, even leaving behind two piles of ash regardless of anything... The filth-disliking Hilbert is really displeased.

If he heard the thoughts of those mages, he would definitely not be able to resist the urge to curse.

Leaving two storage rings counts as sincerity in apology?

Who cares?

Who cares!

But Hill, who had been watching the battle, also understood that given the current situation, it was already the only thing he could do.

Gilbert, as a Seventh Circle Mage, achieving this today is already a testament to exceptional talents.

Beyond this would be somewhat unrealistic.

If it weren’t for the golden-red glow under the Puppet Falcon’s claws being intimidating, Delphus and that Ninth Ring Sorceress wouldn’t have behaved so honestly, even though their robes were burned with a few holes, they haven’t cursed openly.

Nor did they actively retaliate against Hilbert’s Puppet Bird Flock.

The two of them, especially Delphus, wouldn’t dare act ostentatiously, willing to compromise... At most, appearing as if they didn’t care about the storage rings of those two Eighth Ring Mages.

After the first round of attack, Hilbert had already regained his calm thinking.

Compared to others who were oblivious to what had occurred, he was very aware of the whole situation.

So, even though the two points of Blazing Fire converted by Energy Absorbing Array are very intimidating, he wouldn’t keep them for himself.

If he truly needed them, would he rely on just these things?

Since he wasn’t concerned, Hill naturally could act a bit whimsically.

Thus, when Delphus attempted to break through the Heavenly Net of the bird flock, he prompted the Puppet Falcon to launch those two flames at him.

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Delphus was taken aback.

He truly didn’t expect that rather than keeping them for himself, Gilbert would choose to attack him first!

If it were him, he would certainly hold onto those two flames, to use to intimidate those with hostile intent towards him.

Tsk, these younger noble mages are impulsive... perhaps they’ve been challenged too little.

Seeing his layered shields being burnt and depleted by the flames, Delphus understood why those two had no room to struggle... Although they just seemed like flames, they seemed to also have the shield-dispelling attribute of the Order Jewel.

Moreover, even the Magic Tower’s shield could be completely cleared!

Even if they are prepared high-level mages, no one can ensure their defenses are stronger than the Magic Tower’s.

If they truly could do that, who would choose to stay in that dilapidated tower?

Then he decisively placed the huge diamond he was holding in front of himself, the colorless light from the now white diamond instantly flashed, and the two flames that originally charged towards different sides of Delphus instantly changed direction, directly absorbed into the diamond.

Hill couldn’t help but raise his brows... although he also suspected this ’Order Jewel’... Tsk, the person who named it seemed intent on inciting chaos, true to their master... thus able to do this, there should be a Morning Dawn Stone inside.

That thing, even if Blazing Fire is consumed down, just placing it under the Sun for a day would allow it to restore itself.

Lansendel actually knew very well his tendency to hurt his own people accidentally... sometimes his subordinates are like him.

Hence, a Morning Dawn Stone with such powerful destructive capabilities naturally requires precautions against accidental harm: the Morning Dawn Stone will automatically absorb the flames into itself when Blazing Fire charges towards one of its own.

Created only due to Lansendel’s Divine Power, otherwise, it wouldn’t be casually named ’Morning Dawn Stone’.

Hence, retrieving it, even gathering stones with different people, is very easy.

But this also confirmed Hill’s suspicion: the Defense Tower encountered someone connected to the Lord of Dawn.

Yet, Lansendel’s Chosen rarely leave Toril.

He currently couldn’t think of who it might be.