Advent of the Archmage

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Tower of Fate

Celine recounted her dream again. This time, she added more details. After she finished, Elin sank into deep thought.

She didn’t speak or even move; she just sat there like a statue for over three minutes. Finally, she started organizing the tarot cards in her hands speedily. When she finished, she started taking out cards.

Glancing at the cards she took out, she shook her head and put them back. Then she shuffled, took cards, and repeated.

Repeating 18 times, Elin suddenly coughed. Blood appeared at the corners of her lips. Celine was shocked at this; her mouth dropped open. “You—”

Link immediately covered her mouth. “Shush, don’t disturb her!”

Elin was forcefully predicting the future right now. Any disturbances could make all efforts go to waste.

Ignoring everything around her, Elin kept going without stopping. She pulled cards three more times. At the third time, her pupils constricted as she shoved two cards back into the deck.

Now, her face was ghastly pale and flushed; her body wavered. Her big emerald eyes were dull and half-closed. She looked like an eggplant covered in frost.

Link immediately cast an Essence Vitality spell for her. After more than ten minutes, Elin had recovered a bit.

She let out a long sigh and murmured, “The future is very lost. Many forces interfere with my sight, but just then, the fog lifted slightly. I saw a god of death approaching a poisonous snake.”

“Oh?” Link was shocked. The god of death represented misfortune and the poisonous snake… Was it Katyusha?

“Huh?” Celine had some thoughts too.

The two exchanged glances, and Link stood up. “Elin, thank you for your help. Please take a break.”

“It’s alright. I’m happy to help.” Elin smiled weakly.

The two stopped disturbing Elin. Link used a transmission spell, and under the flashing light, he appeared on the sea thousands of feet away. Then he used the Void Walk to fly towards Ferde.

“So it seems that the Army of Destruction is planning to rescue Katyusha?” Celine asked.

Link nodded. “Indeed. I couldn’t think of how they would save her, but a High Elf appeared in your dream. I’m afraid they’ll have a hand in this rescue mission.”

“Don’t forget, there’s also a demon,” Celine reminded. “She called me sister. Perhaps because of our shared blood, she was especially clear in my dream. I could even see her horns. They were curled and short like a goat’s. Her eyes were faint green.”

Link slowed down and thought. After a while, he said, “It isn’t very possible for this demon girl to enter Ferde directly. She will probably get help from the outside. The High Elf is the one who will truly enter Ferde.”

Judging from Celine’s description, this demon girl probably wasn’t Saroviny. It was probably Nozama’s other daughter. After all, that guy had so many descendants. It was normal that there were daughters that didn’t appear in the game.

However, Link wouldn’t be afraid even if Saroviny came. Ferde’s magic defense wasn’t weak. For example, the Divine Punishment protocol that attacked proactively was only Level-15 at the beginning. After many upgrades, it was now Level-19. Any mortal who came would die.

Thinking of this, Link asked, “Which High Elf do you think it’ll be?”

Celine already had an answer. Looking to Link, she discovered he was looking back at her. “I believe it will be Bryant. Didn’t the Orida Fortress send a message that there were traces similar to Bryant in the Black Forest?”

“I think that too.” Link smiled.

The two continued analyzing Celine’s prophetic nightmare.

“The High Elf was covered in a bloody light,” Celine said. “But thinking more closely, it doesn’t seem like a bloody light. It might be the power of the God of Destruction. Do you think Bryant would have some sacred gear?”

Link shook his head. “Sacred gear? If there’s sacred gear, the Army of Destruction can just come southward. Who can stop them? Why would they care about the Spear of Victory?”

“Then maybe it’s just a sacred rune?”

Sacred runes were one-time tools and could be made with the addition of sacred power. It was far from sacred gear.

Link nodded. “That should be it, but I don’t know what function it can have.”

Here, the big picture was clear. If the Army of Destruction wanted to come rescue Katyusha, regardless of whether they used Celine’s prophecy or objective observations, Link and Celine’s proposed rescue plan was still possible. If Ferde didn’t prepare, the enemy could very possibly succeed.

But now, Link was prepared.

After returning to the Mage Tower in Scorched Ridge, Link didn’t alert anyone else. The rescue would definitely be a sneak attack without many people. If he and Celine prepared well and had Lily’s help, it would be enough.

Celine went to practice with her fire gun. Link went to the top level and started adjusting tower spirit, Lily. He wanted to improve Lily’s ability to discern the power of the God of Destruction and demons. Then at critical moments, she could see through the enemy’s disguise and attack.

Link was very familiar with these two types of power. There were samples in the Mage Tower too. He could use them to experiment now.

This adjustment took Link more than ten hours. After that, he went straight to the enchantment room. He needed to make something else. It was called the Order Compass!

Link thought that since the enemy dared to rescue Katyusha, they must possess something that Ferde didn’t have. Now, Ferde had most powers from the mortal world. The only one missing was the power of time.

The power of time was highly mysterious. It could make someone’s brain explode to research its principles. But to a god, it was nothing. The sacred rune from the God of Destruction should be related to time.

Link still only had a shallow knowledge of time power, but this didn’t stop him from using it. After all, he had the game system and close to 600 Omni Points.

The game system used the power of the God of Light. Link didn’t have enough knowledge about time, but the God of Light definitely did. The Omni Points were equivalent to usage rights that the God of Light gave. Link had 600 points now. It was enough to buy any Legendary spell.

Of all the magic cards, there was a very powerful time spell called the Order Compass.

Order Compass

Level-16 Legendary Spell

Cost: more than 20,000 Realm Essence points

Effect: Incomparable power consolidates into a unique material. This creates the compass of time. Within a range of 3000 feet, the controller can speed up or slow down the flow of time after paying sufficient power.

(Note: Chase the arrow of time.)

Link’s current max was 8300 Realm Essence points. If he relied solely on his own power, he wouldn’t be able to use the Order Compass. This was okay though. He was in the Mage Tower and had more than enough magic material.

He could save up his power and solidify this Level-16 spell into a rune. This was a one-time-use rune, but with it, Link wouldn’t have to worry about the enemy defeating him with the power of time.

Going to work immediately, the motivation surged in Link, and he started creating the Order Compass rune.

While Link was working hard on preparing against the rescue attempt, a High Elf ship slowly entered the pier three days after Link returned to Ferde.

In the cabin, Bryant gazed at the lively Ferde port through the window. His eyes were complex.

Ferde lord, will today be your last day?

While thinking of this, he gazed at his wrist. A small white snake with yellow stripes wrapped around his wrist. After sensing his gaze, it suddenly said, “Old man, stop looking at me. You’ll expose me!”

This was Nozama’s daughter. She was only Level-10—not as strong as the others. However, she had no demonic aura about her. She could also shapeshift, which was an ability that others couldn’t prepare against.

This wasn’t a spell. Her body could truly transform. For example, she was a tiny snake less than one-foot long.