Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2175: Chapter 2176: Old King

The Magma Midir stands about twice the height of an average human, clad in black armor that envelops its entire body. This armor appears almost substantial, but upon closer inspection, one can see flowing magma and fine black flames.

Its head resembles that of a horned demon among demons, with narrow, emerald eyes glimmering with an inscrutable light, and a hoop hanging from its high-bridged nose. Two flaming horns spiral upwards.

Behind it, like a horned demon, it has a pair of flaming membranous wings and a bat tail of black flame.

Its overall appearance really resembles an Abyss Demon.

However, from its aura, it is not one of those low-level demons that roam the surface chaos, but rather a Demon Noble that pursues elegance and cruelty beyond tedious interests.

Although the Magma Midir did not make any offensive moves, just standing there, it exuded an aura both secretive and magnificent.

Even Earl Mi rarely showed such a solemn demeanor upon seeing the Magma Midir.

Though Earl Mi said nothing, Angel could tell from his tense posture that the strength of the Magma Midir was completely different from the other fire-type creatures before, possibly having reached the True Knowledge Level.

A True Knowledge Level elemental creature is already exceptionally powerful, not to mention that it is also under the amplification of the Elemental Tide.

Because of this, even Earl Mi considered it quite troublesome.

Such a formidable opponent... Angel also found it a bit troublesome.

It was obvious that the one who caused the fire rain to explode earlier must have been the Magma Midir. However, it merely blocked them from escaping and seemed not to take direct action, indicating the possibility of communication?

Angel thought the likelihood was low, but it seemed different from the simple-minded Dangross. Perhaps it was an opportunity to clarify the previous misunderstanding.

Yet, even if the other party accepted the explanation, the previous battles with Gulada and Phoenix had already pushed them to the opposing side, making it difficult to resolve things peacefully.

No matter what, Angel still spoke up: ”There was a bit of a misunderstanding earlier, please allow me to introduce myself.”

The Magma Midir cast a deep glance at Angel, lowered his eyebrows, and chuckled softly: ”A misunderstanding indeed exists, and a self-introduction is needed, but let’s wait a little longer...”

As soon as the words fell, the figure of the Magma Midir suddenly disappeared from its original spot.

Angel and Earl Mi’s vigilance immediately heightened to its peak.

”Earl Mi, to the side!” Angel saw a pair of claws burning with magical fire tearing a rift in the Void, clawing at Earl Mi’s heart.

Before Angel’s warning, Earl Mi had already detected the energy fluctuation and leapt aside in advance.

However, the Magma Midir did not just make a single move; at the instant Earl Mi dodged, another rift tore open, directly facing Earl Mi.

Boom-boom-boom——

After several consecutive jumps and their almost seamless confrontation, the battle escalated to dozens of meters in the air, and it was still ongoing.

Dangross, held tightly by the Hand of Magic, was very pleased with the Magma Midir’s sudden action, but seeing the target being Earl Mi, it immediately roared in dissatisfaction: ”Wrong, wrong! Start with this one on my side, this one is the main focus!”

Dangross also deduced from the previous stance that Earl Mi was completely following Angel. Thus, Angel is the core of the espionage, and attacking him should be the priority!

Yet, no matter how Dangross yelled, the Magma Midir had already flown into the air to confront Earl Mi and couldn’t hear Dangross’s roars at all.

”As expected, an idiot! I can’t understand why a wise Old King would pass the flame throne to you, this fool!”

Although Angel’s attention was mostly on the battle above, he spared a glance at Dangross.

He noticed that when Dangross mentioned the Old King, its gaze subconsciously shifted to the side, looking at the distant giant rock.

On that rock, there was the black fire monkey pattern drawn by Feng.

The mini passage to and from the Tidal World was also on the black fire monkey pattern’s earring.

”Huh, the earring...” Angel glanced at the black fire monkey’s earring and then looked up at the Magma Midir’s nose ring.

Though it’s hard to confirm if they are the same, the styles are both black rings with golden patterns.

Linking this to Dangross’s earlier muttering, a suspicion arose in Angel’s heart.

”The Old King you mentioned, is it that black fire monkey over there?” Angel asked, pointing to the stone with the pattern.

Initially, Dangross didn’t want to answer Angel’s question, but Angel’s wording made it quite displeased: ”You vile spy dared to say the Old King is a black fire monkey... Hmph! That is the wisest Sage, the Hero who saved countless lives during the elemental upheaval. Besides my ancestor, it is my most revered Old King, the Phoenix Cillia.”

After angrily finishing, Dangross looked at Angel suspiciously: ”Even Frost Iser showed respect for the Phoenix Old King, how could you not know this?”

”I already said, I’m not a spy,” Angel chuckled softly: ”Do you see any traits of the Frost clan on me?”

Dangross scrutinized Angel. Unlike Earl Mi, Angel indeed had no traits of Frost Iser.

In fact, after the Elemental Tide, Dangross vaguely felt that Angel emitted a scent it somewhat liked, even yearned for... though it didn’t want to admit this, yet it was true.

If this was Frost Iser, it definitely wouldn’t invoke such a feeling.

Dangross couldn’t help but reflect; could it indeed have been mistaken?

The moment this thought arose, Dangross immediately shook its head internally to dismiss the idea, refusing to believe it could be wrong!

Angel ignored Dangross’s complex psychological changes and continued to inquire: ”Where is the Old King Phoenix Cillia you talked about now?”

Since Feng depicted the Phoenix Cillia both on the map and this big rock, it’s highly possible that Feng and Phoenix Cillia had met, maybe even revealed something about Feng’s legacy through the Old King’s words.

Dangross looked at Angel with a complicated expression: ”Do you genuinely not know?”

Angel looked quietly at Dangross.

Dangross hesitated for a moment: ”A few years before I was born, the Old King sacrificed himself to save the subjects under elemental upheaval, and passed the flame throne to the current New King, Magma Midir.”

”So, it is already dead.”

Dangross retorted discontentedly: ”It’s not dead; its power resides in every fire element being, and its spirit lives within us.”

”What about its consciousness?”

Dangross: ”...It vanished.”

Angel let out a long sigh, well then, another dead end.

However, the fire-type beings from the same era as Phoenix Cillia should have also met Feng? Even if not, perhaps Phoenix Cillia had at least talked about Feng to them?

If only we could ask them some questions.

Unfortunately, because of Dangross’s spy report, leading to a confrontation with the life of the Region of Fire, it’s unlikely to ask peacefully now.

As for asking Dangross, it hadn’t been born yet when the Old King, Ember Shylia, died.

However, it’s not certain.

We can’t follow normal logic to approach problems; perhaps Dangross really does know? Angel fears the possibility of oversight, so he decides to ask: ”Dangross, have you heard of Feng?”

”Who?”

”Mirafil. Feng.”

”Who?”

”Do you know who drew the picture on that stone over there?”

”Who?”

Angel, seeing Dangross’s baffled eyes, silently closes his mouth.

With Angel staying silent, Dangross doesn’t utter a word. Its mind feels complex now; this human-like life form seems truly oblivious about Ember Shylia... Could it be the message he sent earlier was true?

Angel ceases probing Dangross for more information; what he knows is roughly enough, and other intel would probably be useless to him.

His current focus is more on the battle overhead and... pondering how this fight should end?

”Hope this fire rain stops soon,” Angel murmurs.

...

The battle in the sky continues, yet Earl Mi and Magic Fire Midir are in a delicate state of combat.

Earl Mi, having exhausted energy during the previous battle, is now essentially relying on brute strength to fight.

Sensing Earl Mi is not using energy, Magic Fire Midir also abandons flame manipulation, confronting him directly.

This approach holds one advantage: it prevents chain explosions within the Elemental Tide.

However, even if Magic Fire Midir does not deliberately manipulate flames, it is fundamentally composed of fire. Through repeated collisions, Earl Mi gradually falls into a disadvantage.

Several patches on Earl Mi’s fur are burned due to Magic Fire Midir’s punches, marked by scorched spots everywhere.

The bluish crystal blood has been coughed up more than once by Earl Mi, indicative of cumulative injuries.

Magic Fire Midir, albeit also attacked by Earl Mi, possesses an ability in the Elemental Tide to quickly restore even from catastrophic damage, due to external energy replenishment. Thus, it appears unchanged from its initial state.

As the situation starts to turn unfavorable, with Elemental Tide showing no signs of abatement, Angel begins to discuss specific responses with Earl Mi through the Seed of Distortion.

They must defend against Magic Fire Midir if considering a retreat, especially given its capability for remotely controlling fire rain explosions.

After secret deliberation, Angel and Earl Mi reach consensus.

The best strategy is to overwhelm it to the extent with no energy left to pursue. Coupled with Angel’s Nightmare Illusion concealment, it should obstruct momentarily to offer retreat opportunities.

Upon affirming the plan, Earl Mi once more gets kicked by Magic Fire Midir tens of meters high into the air and halts there.

An invisible aura emanates from Earl Mi.

Magic Fire Midir was intending to chase but, noting Earl Mi’s transformation, pauses with intrigue, watching silently: ”Finally getting serious? But your energy is almost depleted, what else can you do?”

Earl Mi remains silent as usual, however, the Blue Lantern Flower on his head sways, belching bubbles that transform... crimson!

With the bubble’s color change, Earl Mi’s true body gets pulled up, transitioning into an energy state.

Earl Mi previously fought in energy state at the ledges; now converting again signals abandoning flesh confrontation, deciding to duel on an energy level.

Seeing this, Magic Fire Midir’s narrow eyes flash subtly, releasing laughter as black armor ignites fiercely, morphing into energy!

Magic Fire Midir’s combat spirit escalates ever higher yet, the moment Earl Mi entirely energyizes, its expression freezes.

Also, Dangross from the ground freezes.

Because it always expected Earl Mi to turn into a snowy white shadow; however, what appears now isn’t a snow-bound icy shadow but a terrifying flaming shadow!

The instant the fiery shadow appears, its aura significantly heightens; with Elemental Tide’s bonus, the energy level matches Magic Fire Midir!

A True Knowledge Level fire life form!

This is naturally the result of Angel and Earl Mi’s discussion; though fire element impacts Magic Fire Midir less than ice, Earl Mi’s energy is nearly depleted, leaving only transformation into fire element as feasible, eliminating exhaustion worry due to Elemental Tide.

Focusing fire abilities to obscure Magic Fire Midir’s perception, Angel then constructs an illusionary realm to delay Magic Fire Midir, granting them withdrawal leeway.

”What’s happening, he... he... isn’t he a spy for Frost Iser? Why, why do I feel only pure flames... impossible...”

Dangross finds the scene before extremely absurd. It was firm on Earl Mi being Frost Iser’s spy due to the intense ice power, which suddenly shifts and Earl Mi turns into a same-species—fire element life form!

How can this be?

Dangross feels its worldview collapsing.

Its prior spy accusations face unmerciful refutation once again.

Although Magic Fire Midir briefly stalls, it quickly collects itself, without expressing too much astonishment towards Earl Mi’s shift to fiery form, only glancing at Angel sidelong before changing into the flame form to engage Earl Mi in a direct fire clash.

The current altercation is evidently more terrifying than prior melee.

Virtually in a blink, the sky erupts with masses of explosions, the detonation reverberating across the entire region, flames dyeing the sky crimson.

Frightening energy plunges from the high skies, lifting dust from the scorched earth.

Moreover, as combat continues, this state perpetuates. The sole unaffected area is the stone bearing the Old King, Ember Shylia’s image.

Angel deliberately instructs Earl Mi to avoid it since it bears the path departing the Tidal World.

As for why Magic Fire Midir intentionally steers clear, perhaps it reveres the respected Old King.