Advent of the Archmage

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

Powerful Mana waves rippled again. The peaceful snowflakes were thrown into a flurry! In the Mage Tower, Eliard’s heart jumped. “They’re coming,” he said to the Magicians beside him. “Get ready!”

They were in the circular room at the top of the Mage Tower. There was a star-shaped magic seal on the ground. Eliard stood in the center. A powerful Magician stood at each point.

There was also a 45-foot-wide ring of runes around the star. Every three feet, there was a rune node with a Magician standing there.

When Eliard uttered the command, all the Magicians tensed. Mana surged in their bodies and the runes under their feet lit up. Mana kept flowing through the runes and then towards Eliard in the center.

This magic seal was a focus magic seal formation. It had two uses. The first was to group the power of more than 100 Magicians for the core Magician to use. This allowed the Magician to greatly surpass their limit temporarily. The second was for all Magicians present to share the core Magician’s magic backlash. This lowered the risk of the core Magician to cast high-level spells.

For example, Level-11 Magician Eliard could now easily manipulate Level-12 spells. If he wanted to push his limit, he could even cast a Level-14 super-spell. His Mana could reach that level, but he wouldn’t be able to grasp complex spells.

The Mana waves from the Black Forest grew stronger. Looking out from the Mage Tower’s window, one could see that the air above the forest was slightly distorted.

The Mana waves are so powerful and carry a thick dark aura. They must be preparing a super-powerful dark spell. We can’t allow that.

This thought flashed through Eliard’s mind, and he immediately acted.

Taking out a runestone, he added some Mana, and it hovered before him. Eliard didn’t stop. He kept drawing runes in the air. They flew into the runestone and ripples started pulsing out of the stone. It looked like waves in the sea.

The ripples kept expanding and expanding until they rushed out of the Mage Tower, covering the entire Orida Fortress.

This wasn’t all.

The ripples still kept expanding. A few seconds later, it was more than 1.5 miles in diameter. Strangely enough, the Magicians within it couldn’t feel the powerful Mana waves.

This was called Crystal Waves.

Crystal Waves

Level-12 Ethereal Spell

Effect: Activate using the Ethereal techniques from the Ethereal Crystal. No spells within the Crystal Waves can form. Structures of all spells under Level-12 will be crushed immediately. All spells under Level-14 will be weakened by 70%. It is ineffective against spells above Level-16.

(Note: An Ethereal talent.)

Because this was activated by the Ethereal Crystal, Eliard only had to feed Mana into the runestone while maintaining the flow of Mana. He didn’t need to try very hard. After that, he didn’t have to worry about the powerful dark magic to directly fall upon his soldiers.

This was only a defense technique. With it, the Orida Fortress could keep standing in the battle. After that, Eliard took out another runestone to prepare for an attack.

…

Black Forest

When the crystal-like ripples appeared in the air, Eugene, who was preparing the Book of Death, felt something was wrong. She didn’t recognize this spell, but she still understood its use.

She had deep knowledge of spells and rich battle experience. After a few glances, she said to Prince Mordena who was protecting her, “This is the enemy’s defense spell. If we don’t undo it, the Book of Death will be ineffective!”

“Leave it to me.” Prince Mordena nodded. Then he said to the many High Elf Magicians beside him, “Another Doomsday Meteor!”

They had already prepared the magic seal. Hearing the command, they started adding in Mana. In that moment, runes flew in the air and transformed dramatically. Around one minute later, the blue-white ball of light, over 15 feet wide, shot up from the sky. It cut an arc in the sky and crashed into the Crystal Waves around the Orida Fortress.

Boom! With a huge boom after the Doomsday Meteor landed, it was affected by the chaotic force fields within. The spell quickly fell apart and exploded. While dismantling, it also ate up the Crystal Waves’ energy.

The Doomsday Meteor kept going forward and kept dismantling. When the meteor was 300 feet away from the fortress, it was completely broken up. In comparison, the Crystal Waves that had been more than 1.5 miles wide had shrunk to less than 600 feet.

Crack, crack. The Ethereal Crystal runestone hovering before Eliard cracked, becoming fragile. If there was another similar attack, it would fail.

But by now, Eliard’s attack spell was ready.

“It’s time for you to taste Ferde’s power! Ultimate Disassociation Ray!”

Ultimate Disassociation Ray

Level-13 Ethereal Spell

Effect: Use the Ethereal Crystal to create a high-level ray with high destructive power and range.

(Note: Not even an inch of grass in its path can survive!)

Eliard’s runestone flashed and disappeared in a puff of light. Almost at the same time, the Warriors preparing in the fortress saw an endless ray at the tip of the Mage Tower.

When it first appeared, it was dark red. Half a second later, it suddenly brightened, burning white. Then blue deepened quickly and it was dark purple in the blink of an eye.

It also thickened quickly. It had been a thin dark red beam but instantly turned into a dark purple ray over ten feet wide.

Like a sword of divine punishment, it shot towards the Dark Elves’ camp.

Whoosh, whoosh. All dirt, trees, tents, and Army of Destruction soldiers within 60 feet of the ray’s path evaporated. It cut a steaming path of lava on the ground.

The beam was instantly before Eugene.

Boom! A dark gold shield popped up, blocking the ray for an instant. During that instant, a tall Golden Tree Spirit appeared behind the shield. After it appeared, golden vines flew out, forming a net within half a second. Just at that moment, the dark gold shield shattered. The ray broke through and crashed into the Golden Tree Spirit.

Sizzles sounded. Rays of light flashed and scattered Mana turned into countless bubbles that floated disorderly within the Army of Destruction. This clash lasted for three full seconds.

After that, the ray extinguished; the Golden Tree Spirit collapsed onto the ground.

“Your Highness, now!” Mordena yelled. The opponent had just attacked and was exhausted now. The defense spell was undone too. It was time to use the Book of Death.

Eugene had finished preparing. She opened his arms, and the image of an open book arose in the air. A feather quill pen appeared in her hands.

She quickly started writing names in the book.

First, she wrote the names of the mid-level officers of the enemy’s army. These were the core of the human army. Without them, their combat ability would be halved. Their magic defense abilities were much lower than the high-level generals too. They would die as soon as their names were written!

Tom Johansson. When that name was written, a rune shot out from the Book of Death and disappeared in the air. Almost at the same time, a young Warrior in the Orida Fortress collapsed. He clutched his chest and gasped for breath, his life draining out. He would die soon.

Allen Trunden. Another officer died.

Eugene wrote quickly; the soldiers within the Orida Fortress died quickly too.

In the Mage Tower, Eliard quickly realized when the third officer died for no reason. “It’s the Book of Death. They’re using the Book of Death!”

He had to stop them!

Eliard was now preparing the third spell. It was a defense spell. It couldn’t fully stop the Book of Death, but it could at least save the Warriors from the horrible dark curse.

At the same time, the dragons in the sky started fighting too. They threw down soccer ball-sized potions. After they exploded, golden fog appeared in the sky. The soldiers of the Army of Destruction started wailing.

“Stupid little trick! Gale spell!” Mordena smiled. A Level-8 spell created a gust of wind that blew through the camp, easily blowing away the toxic smoke. Then Mordena quickly propped up a defense shield, blocking the disturbances. “Your Highness, these dragons are annoying. Too bad we don’t know their true names.”

True dragon names were long and complicated. Their full names usually contained more than 100 runes and were extremely hard to pronounce. Not only were they hard to remember, dragons never told people their true names.

Molina smiled. “I know some. Your Highness, listen.” She supplied an extremely obscure name.

Eugene wrote it. Immediately, there was a wail in the sky. A few seconds later, a dragon crashed down from the air. He was already close to dying.

Shocked, Felina said, “Go back. Go back to the fortress’ defense barrier!”

They couldn’t stay here. Even if they were still alive after the curse, falling from the sky was still damaging. They would also fall into the Army of Destruction’s camp with nowhere to escape.

This kind of death was meaningless, so Felina decided to retreat.

…

Army of Destruction camp

“Prince, they’re using another defense shield,” Eugene said while writing.

Prince Mordena smiled. He waved, and another Doomsday Meteor rose up. It crashed towards the Orida Fortress, shattering the shield that Eliard had just put up.

The entire fortress was exposed again.

Inside the fortress, Eliard was already sweating. After casting three high-level spells consecutively, the other Magicians were running out of Mana too. Even more critically, their spells were ineffective.

The Orida Fortress would lose if this continued!

“Master, what do we do?” Milose asked.

Eliard took a deep breath. Gritting his teeth, he took out an Ethereal Crystal. “This crystal can activate a Level-14 attack spell, but the cost is high. With our current status, everyone present, except me, will die.”

The Mage Tower fell silent.

Everyone knew that sacrifices were necessary in battle, but very few were brave enough to give up their own life. Even if this was the only solution, the Magicians present still couldn’t reply.

In this world, most people were mundane. Even in the battlefield, they were there to make a name for themselves and get rich. If they died, it would be meaningless.

Even Legendary Magicians Elovan and Milose were silent.

Seeing this, Eliard sighed and put the crystal away. Without the Magicians’ cooperation, he couldn’t use it.

“Then we only have one last option. Cast defense spells for all soldiers and send them out for the final battle!”

All the Magicians agreed to this.

During this time, more than 20 officers in the fortress had died. Terror spread throughout. When the attack signal sounded, many of the soldiers were confused because their leaders had died. They didn’t know what had happened.

Eliard saw this clearly from the Mage Tower, and his blood ran cold. If the soldiers charge now, it’s no different than sending them to their deaths.

Sighing lightly, he took out the Ethereal Crystal again.

There was another way to use this—ignite his own soul. By sacrificing himself, he could cast a Level-14 spell that would turn the tides.

Time was tight. If he hesitated, the situation would be impossible to change. Eliard clutched the crystal tightly. Familiar faces flashed past his mind—Link, Evelina, and the opponents who’d died under his hand. Finally, he sighed again.

“Farewell, Firuman!”

Outside the window, soldiers died meaninglessly. Under the mysterious dark spell’s attack, the army was falling apart. He couldn’t hesitate anymore.

But just as he was about to activate the crystal, he felt an extremely familiar Mana aura rising out of the air. He knew this aura like the back of his hand.

It’s… He was ecstatic!

…

Army of Destruction camp

Prince Mordena smiled, pleased. “Human spells are just child’s play. They’re out of ideas so quickly.”

Actually, he couldn’t really keep going after so many consecutive Doomsday Meteors. If they had to cast it again, his Magicians might make mistakes. Thankfully, the opponent was a bit weaker and collapsed before them.

Eugene glanced at him and didn’t speak. She kept writing down names, but for some reason, she felt some unease. A voice told her that she had to end the battle quickly.

This time, her instincts wer right.

When she wrote the 63rd name, the Book of Death sent another rune into the air like before. Then something odd happened.

The rune turned back and crashed into the Book of Death. The Mana inside was deeply affected. It trembled violently and was about to fall apart!