Enforcer
Due to the sudden incident, Leylin's return was delayed and he returned to the Ancient Blood Serpent Castle to rest.
"Thank you so much for what you did this time!" Freya sat beside Leylin and personally poured tea for him, her face full of gratitude.
It was evident that the opponents had come for the Ancient Blood Serpent Castle, and attacking Leylin was only an afterthought. If not for Leylin's help, the six Crystal Phase Magi would have attacked together. The castle might not have been able to defend against such an abrupt attack, and there might have been colossal damages.
"That's nothing much. Friends should help each other!" Leylin smiled.
"Just friends?" A gleam of disappointment shone across Freya's face.
The sudden turn of the situation made Leylin feel somewhat awkward, and he tried to divert the conversation elsewhere, "Were any of the other guests present, they wouldn't have stood the savage behaviour of those fugitives either!"
During the battle the previous day, other than Fein who had been taken captive by Leylin, all the five Crystal Phase Magi had perished. The announcement of those horrifying battle results had rendered many people speechless, and had caused a lot of commotion in the Ouroboros Clan headquarters.
The only captive, Fein, was naturally sent back to the headquarters. In the meanwhile, Leylin would have the lion's share of the spoils of war.
Compared to Freya who had to look after her family clan, Leylin had much less pressing on his mind. Whatever he had acquired belonged to him alone, and he had indeed managed to get a huge sum. And there were even more surprises in store for him!
The only thing Leylin could not understand was why Freya did not invite the other guests to assist in subduing the opponents.
If only she had invited more high ranking Warlocks, Leylin would not have to be forced to reveal his true powers.
"Them…" Freya smiled wryly, and actually looked pitiful. Upon seeing her expression, Leylin immediately went silent, guessing what had happened.
Freya had definitely discarded quite a few people in the past, offending them while under the wings of a strong, protective mentor. At this point in time, those people most likely hoped for her to mess up.
Furthermore, there were many factions in Ouroboros Clan, and recently there had been immense tension between them. The environment had given rise to an unstable situation.
Power conflicts tended to be more horrifying than battles. Freya could not find even a single person she was confident would aid her.
"Is the situation already that bad?" Leylin stroked his chin.
"Yes. You're the only one I trust now!" Freya's eyes became red as she leant her head on Leylin's shoulders.
"Wait a moment!" Leylin smiled wryly as he shook his head, "I can understand your need to rant. But what's the point of placing mistletoe powder in the candle?"
The mistletoe was a cherished plant in the Magus world. Seen as a symbol of making love and giving birth, its powder was commonly used to make enticing medicine.
For Magi, it even had the mystical power of increasing impregnation rates, and hence was in excessive demand.
Freya held her breath as she sat in a corner. Her face did not reveal any sense of embarrassment, but was only tinged with anger.
Since she knew that Leylin was a Potions Grandmaster, and had techniques that could protect his seeds of life that even Miranda was unable to do anything about, she would naturally not make a forceful move, and instead leave obvious hints.
And yet Leylin acted like a fool. It infuriated her so much that she didn't want to be near him.
"Master, news has arrived from headquarters!" At that moment, the gates opened and Julian walked in, something that resolved the awkward situation.
"No one here is an outsider. Go ahead!" Freya nodded. In front of others, she had reinstated her prestige.
Julian shot Leylin a glance. A sudden realisation flashed across his eyes, but his face remained solemn.
"According to the orders of the headquarters, Sir Leylin is to become an enforcer of the Ouroboros Clan, and will be in charge of patrolling all the regions under our control! He has the powers to attack any royals under the rank of Marquis. Even if it's a Marquis, he has the rights to imprison them!"
"That…" Freya could not believe it, "They just want to put you in a spot!" She could see through the intentions of such an arrangement by the high ranking officials.
"But I have no other choice, do I?" Leylin shrugged his shoulders.
"According to the orders from the headquarters, Marquis, you have to accept the appointment as soon as possible!"
Julian bowed slightly. The powers of an enforcer of the Ouroboros Clan would naturally be great, but if he was not mindful he could potentially offend many people. This did not bode well for Leylin's future prospects
But since it was an order, it indicated that the internal affairs of the Ouroboros Clan were not too good, to the extent that they had to rely on Leylin to clean up the system.
'From the looks of it, I'll have to leave!'
Leylin got up and gave Freya a hug, "I'm going!"
"Mmm! I'll be heading over to the headquarters to find Mentor some time soon as well. Please be careful!" Freya's eyes actually did turn red this time round.
"Don't worry! There are few people who can scheme against me now!" Leylin laughed with confidence.
...
Phosphorescence Swamp, within the Ouroboros Clan headquarters.
Gilbert's living quarters were small and narrow like before. The walls on two sides even had some green mould growing on them.
If he had not been to the basem*nt, even Leylin would not have believed that this was the residence of a Morning Star Magus.
Leylin saw Duke Gilbert in the study room, not a single strand of hair on his face or head.
"Mentor!" he respectfully bowed.
"Mmmm! You've actually advanced to the Crystal Phase! Not bad, not bad!" Gilbert nodded his head, his gaze scanning across Leylin's body like a ray of lightning.
"I was just lucky!" Leylin obviously would not agree, and he pushed all the credit on to so-called luck.
Thankfully, Gilbert did not continue questioning him either. He held a goose hair pen and started writing on a piece of parchment paper, eventually leaving a marking on the paper using his own secret imprint.
"This is for you! From today, you are the enforcer of the Ouroboros Clan!"
Gilbert passed Leylin the freshly written appointment letter, and his face broke into a sarcastic laugh, "Our organisation has had some matters popping up internally lately. They require your attention!"
"Understood, Mentor!" Leylin let out a long deep sigh inside.
If this was in the past, Gilbert would obviously get to the bottom of things. Even though Leylin had prepared a corresponding response, he had not expected Gilbert to let things off so lightly.
looking at how Gilbert hadn't even taken his armour off completely, Leylin's heart throbbed. He asked, "About the Purgatory World…"
"Mmm! We have already discovered its direction, and we need only spend a bit more time to get its coordinates!" Gilbert's eyes lit up, showing his celebratory mood.
"The thousand year search by the Ouroboros Clan will finally see an end! We only need to enter the Purgatory World before we Kemoyin Warlocks won't have to worry about the problem of our bloodlines declining. There's even the potential to break through the bloodline shackles and advance to a higher rank!"
Leylin remained silent and looked at his mentor who was beaming with joy, unable to bring himself to say a word.
He had the A.I Chip as his trump card, and the hopes of the Twilight Zone's Icy World. He naturally wasn't like the Ouroboros Clan Warlocks, who had a deeper understanding of the pains brought forth by the bloodline shackles.
From the looks of it, a thousand years of hope had caused Gilbert to finally drown himself in jubilation.
For the three Elders, all the battles were simply nonsensical. Even if the Ouroboros Clan was to perish, in front of the Purgatory World, it seemed to have no weight.
As a result, Gilbert had allowed him to pass the ordeal so easily.
"Alright, get down to doing it soon. You can seek help from Lucian and Robin if need be! I still have experiments to work on…"
Gilbert's experiment was obviously very pressing. Even during his short conversation with Leylin, the secret imprint on his hands had lit up quite a few times. He eventually chased Leylin out, certainly on his way back to the laboratory.
God knows why, but upon seeing Gilbert like that, Leylin felt a sense of pressure.
Greed drove one to madness before it drove them to death. This was a maxim from his previous life, but one that was still applicable in the situation now.
Since war was about to break out, the few Morning Star Warlocks had actually couped themselves up at home, which resulted in their opponents brazenly taking up the offense.
Leylin smiled wryly internally, and yet had no solution to offer.
Since the Morning Star forces had chosen not to show their faces, it was hard for the subordinates to do anything, and now that Gilbert had actually passed on a portion of the authority to him, it was obviously a difficult task.
"Parker! Bring along my capable subordinates and rush to the headquarters quickly!"
Gilbert had only given him a position, but had not allocated any subordinates to him, which had rendered Leylin speechless.
Fortunately, within his own territory, he had nurtured a few talents, and now was the time he could put them to good use.
Kemoyin Warlock Marquises were like feudal lords in the Ouroboros Clan, and had many Warlocks seeking refuge from them. Should there be more time, Leylin could even build an elite Warlock team himself, which he believed would not be inferior to the Blood Serpent Organisation.
"As you wish, Master!" Parker's voice from the secret technique imprint was firm and determined. He had obviously received some news already.
"Very good. I'll be waiting for you in the manor!" After a few words, Leylin ended the call.
As a Marquis, he had a huge manor in the Ouroboros Clan headquarters. Even though the facilities could not measure up to that of the Magus Tower and Onyx Palace, it was sufficient for an ordinary high-ranking Warlock to use.
What's more important was that the facilities were all complimentary, and Leylin did not have to pay a single penny!
As a result, Leylin had kept the manor and treated it as his residence in the headquarters.
After sending away the two Warlocks who were looking after things, he went into his bedroom and entered deep thought.
A while later, he waved his arms and numerous objects appeared. Many of them had terrifying magic powers. In an instant, the entire room started to glow.
Those were all his spoils of war. The opponents this time round were a bunch of Crystal Phase Magi who were relatively affluent. It had given Leylin a pleasant surprise.
Annihilator
Glancing through the many pieces of magic equipment and precious materials, Leylin set his gaze on a pile of crystals.
These were all pure spiritual force crystals. On their surfaces, he could faintly feel the energy of elemental particles.
Crystal Phase Magi had the tendency to stockpile their crystallised spiritual force. In times of need, they would use them to replenish their own spiritual force, or trade them for something else due to their value.
Leylin's move had been quick and violent, leaving no opportunity for the opposite side to use such tactics.
Compared to the spiritual force crystals gifted by Freya, these crystals were obviously unclean, and had to be processed before use. "Crystal Phase spiritual force crystals…"
Leylin stroked his chin, and a tube of golden blood appeared in his hand.
"It's unexpected that I managed to gather these two items so quickly. I guess I'll just go ahead and carry out Quicksand's experiment!" Leylin sighed, and his eyes flashed with a dark solemnness.
His harvest from Quicksand Castle had been much greater than just the Lamia fingerbone.
After he finished deciphering the experimental procedures, the great amount of data became useful for his own bloodline research. Over the past century, he'd digested it all, and even improved on some of it. The technique of preserving his genes was just a marginal result of the experiment.
In fact, Leylin felt that his research into bloodlines was amongst the best in the entire Ouroboros Clan, just below that of the elders.
And one of his experiments involved a method of igniting a Warlock's bloodline to strengthen them.
Leylin had kept this experiment top secret, unwilling to perform it even after he advanced to the Crystal Phase. The effect of the first ignition would be the best, and subsequent ones would progressively decrease in value. Hence, Leylin planned to use his first ignition to break through the bottleneck to the Morning Star realm.
Of course, one measly experiment would not be able to propel him to rank 4. Moreover, he was only at the beginning of the Crystal Phase, so he hadn't even reached the threshold for advancement.
There was an enormous gap between rank 3 Magi and those at the Morning Star realm. There was an abundance of Magi in the central continent, yet Morning Stars remained few and far between, their positions envied by all.
Igniting one's bloodline had the potential to boost one's strength greatly, and even that had slim chances of facilitating a breakthrough.
Still, this bloodline experiment wasn't the only trick Leylin had up his sleeve.
"My cumulations to advance to rank 3 have been progressing well! I have to start considering the next stage—Morning Star…" Leylin stroked his chin, evidently pleased.
The central continent was currently in a dire state, especially the Ouroboros Clan. Not only were there disturbances on the borders, many families had perished and core members had gone missing. These disastrous events were a bad omen for the future.
Amidst such chaos, the best defence one could rely on was their own ability!
"I'm sure Mentor Gilbert and the other two have already been alerted about the circ*mstances. Why are they yet to make a move?" Leylin muttered under his breath. Suddenly, he thought about his own appointment as an enforcer. "Perhaps they were aware of it and had secret plans of their own that I might have missed noticing it…"
Time crawled on as he waited in silence.
Later, Leylin welcomed the presence of his own bodyguards. Boosting his own confidence was the presence of Lucian.
"Do you really wish to do that?" Lucian stood in front of Leylin, unable to mask his astonishment.
After finding out that the current Leylin had advanced, and was on par with him at the Crystal Phase, he sighed in his heart.
This junior only needed a hundred years to catch up to his level. His talent exceeded any member the organisation had ever seen even in Morning Star seeds. And yet, compared to the temperamental Robin, Leylin whose potential was much higher remained humble and earnest. Lucian found this extremely admirable.
"If we investigate further, the number of people implicated in this will increase… Although Mentor ordered me to assist you…" Lucian, after seeing the current Leylin, felt that this junior ought to have wholeheartedly entered seclusion, waiting for an opportunity to break through the Morning Star bottleneck instead of focusing on such small matters. He wondered what his mentor was thinking.
Thoughts about Gilbert made Lucian heave a big sigh.
To these high-ranking Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlocks, the allure of the Purgatory World was much too huge, and they couldn't help but be engrossed in their search.
Thinking about the recent situations and Leylin's terrifying military power, Lucian heaved another big sigh.
"I'm in charge of information in the clan. I can give you anything you need. My only wish is for you to not get yourself involved!" Lucian smiled bitterly, took out a translucent crystal ball, and handed over to Leylin.
"As an enforcer, it is imperative that I locate the rebels and all the disruptive elements hidden in the Ouroboros Clan and get rid of them!" Leylin smiled faintly, as if he was not affected by Lucian's words. But once his spiritual force entered the crystal ball, his face changed.
"The situation has deteriorated to such an extent?" He looked up in disbelief and glared at Lucian.
"Yes…" he answered after a heartbeat, "The chaotic power struggles are not confined to the border regions. Even internally, some ambiguous problems have cropped up. Some of the clans and families especially, their betrayal is pretty much confirmed…"
This top secret information was only available to Leylin because he currently held the position of an enforcement officer. If it were in the past when he only held the position of a Marquis, he wouldn't have access to such things.
'What exactly is Mentor doing?' The thought left a bitter taste in Leylin's mouth.
"There's no need for excessive worry. As long as we don't lose our main base at Phosphorescence Swamp, given the presence of the three elders, we of the Ouroboros Clan will never be vulnerable and weak."
Leylin let loose a long sigh before he stood up.
"I want the list of confirmed traitors!"
"Alright, I'll ready them immediately," Lucian promised, "What do you plan to do?"
"No matter what, since they have the audacity to betray the Organization, they will have to pay the price!" Leylin spoke with a steely voice. With his men behind him, he headed out.
....
"The Stuart Family at the Stuart mountain range!"
Black fires were blazing furiously. A large number of high-ranking Warlocks were surrounding a huge mountainous brutal bear.
Behind the bear was a fort that was half-built into the cliffside.
"Enforcer Leylin, I demand an explanation for this!" In the middle of the castle, the silhouette of an old Magus appeared. It entered the sky, becoming a huge projection.
"Even though you are an enforcer, you do not have the authority to besiege the castle of a Marquis!" The illusory image of the old man roared in his hoarse voice.
"Authority? Only the weak will abide by such rules and regulations while wishing that their predators would abide by them in this way too. By placing your hopes on such enforcements is truly foolish!"
Leylin sneered. Still, on the account of the other men that went on this mission with him, he decided to explain further, "If I have to give you an explanation, it would be your betrayal of the Organization. That is why all these Warlocks are out to kill you, and that is why you cannot escape your fate!"
"Rubbish…" Having his biggest secret exposed, the Magus acted like he knew nothing and was hearing it for the first time. Veins popped out of his flushed neck and he fumed with anger.
"True or false, we'll know after you surrender." Leylin's face was emotionless. A brilliant ray of black ripped through the vast sky and streaked across the brutal bear's head mercilessly.
*Bang!* The huge mountainous brutal bear's head was cracked open like a watermelon.
"So long as they are from the Stuart Family, we have orders to kill them without exception. Property and assets will also be confiscated. We'll be given bonuses of equivalent value!" Parker ordered clearly. Those Warlocks thirsty for achievements, and those who longed for the huge payout from the mission, howled and dashed forward.
Seeing Snoopy taking the lead and defeating one Magus after the other, some even dying on the spot, Leylin couldn't help but nod his head.
The reason he'd taken on the job of enforcer, other than to acquire the huge wealth of the rebels, was for him to bring his men together for a round of actual field training.
The bloody battle of magic and death carried on for a short while. Ten or so minutes later, Parker grabbed the Magus that had been speaking from the fort, and pulled him out. With the matter settled, he stood in front of Leylin and reported like a loyal long-time butler.
"Except for this old man, all surviving members of the Stuart Family had been wiped out!"
"Well done!" Leylin looked at the high-ranking Warlock on the ground. The opposite party evidently had the Giant Kemoyin Serpent bloodline in him too, yet when he saw Leylin, he began to shiver.
"Do you feel resentment? Desperation?" Leylin stepped up, provoking the old Magus.
"Hopefully, the next time, before your soul is destroyed, you should use some brains!"
*Thud!* After Leylin was done speaking the chief's head fell to the ground, staining it red.
"A total of three Giant Kemoyin Serpent Families have been wiped out, along with their supplementary small-scale families and other influences. I think we'll have some peace for a while now…"
Standing at the edge of the overhanging cliff, Leylin glanced at the result of the destruction caused by many Magi, involuntarily heaving a sigh of relief.
"Only a while?" Standing by the side, Parker smiled bitterly.
After numerous episodes, Leylin's reputation had spread everywhere. With his formidable strength that could even slay Crystal Phase chiefs, he'd immediately established his status.
Soon after, through the ruthless means of wiping out entire families and clans, Leylin's fame as an enforcer became even more widespread. Thus, he was labelled 'Annihilator'.
3 Helpers
No matter what, with Leylin happily going on a killing spree, the internal affairs of the Ouroboros Clan stabilised despite the general unrest.
Leylin guessed that this had more to do with how the opposing Morning Star powers had yet to make their move.
Without these insider spies, it would take more effort to create chaos within the inner circles of the Ouroboros Clan which was currently already on the alert.
With these achievements, his reputation soared not only within the Ouroboros Clan, but even in the nearby regions.
'After the Stuart family is destroyed, we can take a small break!'
Leylin sighed and asked Parker, "How is it going at Senior Robin's side?"
After taking on his role as an enforcer, Leylin was stunned at the realisation that this senior of his had accepted the responsibility from Gilbert before him, and was leading his family and pushing down all rebellions.
In addition, there were rumours that Leylin's senior had a large change of personality. Not only did he like to torture his enemies, he even enjoyed eating human flesh.
Upon hearing this, Leylin's heart sank.
Though it was terrifying when bloodline issues acted up in high-ranked Warlocks, Robin's behaviour had surpassed the pattern of any problems arising from bloodline.
'Mentor might have wanted to capitalise on his insanity, which is why he arranged for him to purge the inner regions.'
Leylin took in a deep breath.
Compared to him, Robin was going too far. Leylin had merely destroyed families where there was conclusive evidence against them, but Robin went even further. If he had the slightest suspicion at all, the entire family would be purged by him mercilessly.
Even a few bloodline noble families who had a deep connection with Robin's own thus lost their inheritance.
Through the list of families Robin had destroyed, Leylin made a discovery. Robin seemed to only to have an interest in pure-blooded families, and the higher the purity, the more pitiful their deaths were. Even their corpses were not complete.
Knowing all this, Leylin felt a chill as he put two and two together.
Though he knew he wasn't the best person in the world, he was still better than Robin. He wouldn't do anything so disgusting.
"Complaints against Robin are becoming more widespread. Who knows, we might need to stop him next!" Leylin smiled wryly at Parker.
"Robin is master's senior. I believe Duke Gilbert wouldn't do this," Parker consoled him.
"I hope so!" Leylin sighed. A distance away, many white dandelions fell down like snowflakes, flying freely atop the ancient castle that had already been ruined.
Night fell, and outside what had been the castle, Leylin's vassals set up simple tents. Iron pots bubbled with meat soup and large amounts of mushrooms, giving off a tempting aroma.
A merry atmosphere permeated the camp; the plan had gone quite well, Though Leylin planned to train his vassals this way, he still made his move when the casualties were about to be too high.
Hence, they had not suffered much, and instead reaped massive gains. For this reason, they were motivated to continue striving on.
Even the most ferocious Warlock was full of admiration when gazing at Leylin's tent at the heart of the camp.
They had been with Leylin for the longest period of time, and could be said to be the people who knew Leylin the best out of everyone in the Ouroboros Clan.
It was because they knew the terrifying strength of their master that they held reverence for him.
Of course, he did not put too much thought into this. As long as he maintained his crushing strength, these vassals would follow him for their entire life.
Within the tent, Leylin was half-lying on the ground, dressed in tight black clothing. His hands were held behind his back in a strange position.
There were a few strange runes written on his body with blood.
Buzzing sounds were produced from Leylin's lips from time to time, his entire body slightly moving along to a rhythm.
During this process, threads of mysterious energy seemed to be pulled from the air, disappearing into Leylin's limbs.
This process continued for almost an hour. Only then did Leylin stand up, taking a look at his hands.
A prompt popped up at this moment.
[Host body completed a cycle of Multilimb Strength. Vitality increased by 0.5, no changes to strength. Estimated that in 20 days and 13 hours, host body's vitality will increase by 6.7, and strength by 2.1…]
"This progress is not bad!" Watching his stats that were refreshed again, Leylin couldn't help but nod.
Multilimb Strength was a cultivation technique he had gathered from the race in the Blackrain World. Though the Morning Star realm chief had purposely left out a lot of things, the complete version of this path to strength was completely deduced, with the A.I. Chip organising the data and making inferences.
Toughening his body with this method, Leylin found that his body, which had already developed to the maximum, now held the possibility of advancing even further.
Though this increase was small, it was enough for him to be happy.
Furthermore, with Multilimb Strength, the toughness and coordination of his body had increased by a whole level. He could even launch a physical attack similar to that of an ancient giant beast.
This coordination, when paired with the Knight techniques Leylin had previously learned, turned his body into a frightful killing machine.
Still, these were all just serendipitous. What Leylin focused on was the increase Multilimb Strength gave to his vitality.
The corporeal body sustained the spirit. If spiritual force was said to be water, then a Magus' body would be the cup. The larger and sturdier the cup, the more liquid it could contain.
Leylin was still unable to peep at the Morning Star realm, but after reaching the Crystal Phase, what he needed to do was continuously increase his vitality and accumulate spiritual force. Once enough had been gathered, his crystallised spiritual force would eventually condense to form point mass.
The point mass represented everything to a Magus. It represented their journey, bloodline, strength, and even soul!
Hence, this process was irreversible. The moment the ascension to the Morning Star realm failed, and the point mass grew unstable, a terrifying explosion might occur.
If a Magus encountered such a situation, they would be left without a corpse.
Historically, the Magi who failed to ascend to the Morning Star realm and fell far outnumbered those that had succeeded.
Wondering about his future path, Leylin's expression changed as he asked the A.I. Chip a question, "How is the simulation of information regarding the Morning Star realm going?"
[Simulation is 13.5% complete. Unable to process deeper calculations without concrete data] The A.I. Chip robotically answered.
If he could gain an understanding of the Morning Star realm now, it would be incomparably useful to Leylin's advancement.
However, it was difficult to meet with Morning Star Magi, and even more impossible to perform research on them.
It wasn't as if Leylin could look for Gilbert and tell him that he wanted to do an experiment, and ask him to be a specimen.
It would be a wonder if Gilbert did not destroy Leylin in that instant!
"Perhaps the corpse of the Scorpion Man in Twilight Zone will be useful to me!" Leylin touched his chin. The Scorpion Man was truly a Morning Star creature, and his corpse would definitely be useful as a reference for the A.I. Chip's simulations.
Immediately after, Leylin overruled his own thoughts. "There's not enough time. It isn't the volcano's dormant period. Furthermore, based on the predictions of the Coin of Destiny, rank 3 Magi will meet with dangers that cannot be predicted in the Icy Cave. Only those with Morning Star strength can be safe…"
Leylin steeled his expression and let the A.I. Chip continue research.
Leylin was counting on the Lamia fingerbone and the bloodline ignition experiment as well as the A.I. Chip's analysis of the Morning Star realm to advance.
As long as he did persevered in that regard, he would definitely be able to reach the threshold of Morning Star.
If he was a regular Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock, just obtaining one of those would be difficult. However, Leylin had everything, and even without assistance all these would increase his chances of reaching Morning Star by a lot when compared to other Morning Star seedlings.
Leylin had no doubt about this.
...
*Sha sha!* The pendant at Leylin's waist suddenly emitted bright light.
Leylin's brows furrowed, and he tapped on a secret imprint.
"Is this Marquis Leylin, Sir Enforcer?" A low, hoarse voice was produced from the secret imprint.
This was the communications officer that the Ouroboros Clan had specifically allocated to him. He was in charge of contacting Leylin alone, and just by hearing his voice, Leylin could guess that something terrible had happened.
"I am Leylin. Is there anything wrong?" His voice was calm and steady, even causing the voice from the other side to become gentler.
"Headquarters has received a denouncement. Marquis Miranda is accusing Marquis Robin of attempting to kill her. There is also a large amount of evidence! Based on the information, something has also seemingly happened within Robin's family."
"Get to the point." Leylin raised his eyebrows.
The voice on the other end hesitated, but still presented the news. "According to the order of the Elder Committee, Marquis Leylin is to head to Robin's family immediately, and send Marquis Robin back to headquarters."
"They want me to capture Robin? Do you know that he's Mentor Gilbert's student and my senior?" Leylin's expression became serious.
"I know. This is Duke Gilbert's order!" The voice was silent for a while, and then transmitted a black runic imprint.
This was similar to a person's signature and could not be forged. This black rune was Gilbert's own symbol, and Leylin definitely would not misidentify it.
"I understand."
Feeling jittery, Leylin ended communications and fell into silence.
"Mentor, what are you thinking?" A long while later, a low voice was sounded in the tent.
Tease
Leylin didn't feel good the entire night due to the orders to capture Robin. Regardless of how things would unfold, it would still be disadvantageous to the Ouroboros Clan.
The disciple of a Morning Star Magus had shown signs of betrayal, which would be a fatal blow to the emotions of the Warlocks that had just settled down. But since it was Gilbert's wish, Leylin could only carry it out.
However, he somehow felt that things weren't so simple.
...
"Leylin! Welcome!" Robin hugged Leylin and laughed heartily. He was full of smiles, and looked as though he wasn't affected by the news.
Robin still had the appearance of a very young male, if one ignored the numerous runes imprinted on his face.
Compared to the last time they met, the imprints on Robin's forehead were even more terrifying, and practically occupied more than half of his face. It made Robin's original facial features seem immensely sinister and horrifying.
"Senior Robin!" Leylin put on a stiff smile.
After making brief bodily contact with him earlier on, a quiver had run through his entire being and he'd felt every pore on his body contract.
Such a feeling was an indication of what a ferocious beast Robin had become, automatically putting Leylin on guard.
Leylin peered past Robin, and he scanned the members of his family behind him.
The family that Robin belonged to was known as the Parble Family. In the entire Ouroboros Clan, their bloodline lineage was one of the purest, and they were a long-standing noble family that possessed great influence.
On previous adventures, Robin could have dispatched fifty rank 3 Warlocks as he wished, and he even brought along a pure-blooded nephew, which went to show how much of a standing their family had.
But now, the teenagers that followed behind Robin had gloomy expressions… Or more accurately, they had an air of death around them.
What made Leylin even more shocked was that behind Robin, there wasn't a single family elder to be seen, and there weren't many Warlocks who were at rank 3 and above. Even Noah was nowhere to be found.
"Such a situation must definitely mean that something huge has happened!"
Leylin's hunch was getting clearer, but his facial expression only became more sincere, and he said slightly apologetically, "I'm sorry, senior, according to Mentor's orders…"
"Oh! Rest assured, it's a total misunderstanding! I'll go to headquarters with you tomorrow to explain!" Robin seemed honest.
He then enthusiastically invited Leylin, "You haven't been to my castle and laboratory before, right? Stay here for the night. Your vassals are also my guests. I have prepared a sumptuous banquet for them, and I believe you'll like it here…"
What else could Leylin say when Robin was being so cordial? He could only check into the vacant room that Robin had specially left for him, just as his vassals that had rushed here with him did into theirs.
The oaken floor had an oily layer of gloss on it. The smell of incense filled the room, and the four walls were filled with portraits, armour and swords.
Although Parker had never specifically learned about assessments in this aspect, he also knew that this was surely one of the best rooms in the castle.
"It's just that… My Lord, you…" Parker didn't have the slightest interest in examining the helmet that was said to have been adorned with the feathers of multicoloured birds, but instead stood in front of Leylin with a worried look on his face.
"I know. You mean to say that I had received orders to apprehend Robin, but yet I'm now associating with him, and this will inevitably make people suspicious and cause them to attack…" Leylin lay on an armchair embedded with huge rubies, and interrupted Parker with a wave of his hand, brushing him off.
"But what else can we do? Robin is my senior after all, and before this matter has been fully investigated, we cannot make any rash conclusions!"
"Anyway, he has already agreed to return with us tomorrow, so we don't have to demand anything else…"
Even upon hearing Leylin's words, Parker's smile remained bitter. This was, of course, the most normal scenario, but from his point of view, Robin seemed to be showing symptoms of insanity., and it was impossible to deduce his next course of action using logic.
Furthermore, it was hard to guarantee that he didn't have plans to first numb them and then get rid of all his problems at once.
Among all the bloodline nobility of the land, they were undoubtedly the best, and even orders from the headquarters would sometimes be boycotted by them, openly or secretly.
*Knock! Knock! Knock!* Just as Parker was about to say something, a steady and rhythmic knocking sound came from the door.
A tender voice sounded from behind the door, "Respected Marquis! The banquet has begun!"
"You may enter!" Leylin nodded.
The door was promptly opened, and a girl dressed as a servant, whose face still had baby fat, appeared in front of Leylin and Parker.
The female servant's face flushed with nervousness as though it was her first time seeing such high-ranking guests.
"How great it must be to be young…" Leylin pinched her cheeks, hardly standing on courtesy. This made her blush all the way to her neck.
He felt the aura of a pure Kemoyin bloodline from the girl. It seemed that she shared blood with Robin, and they were probably weren't far removed.
From the bloodline, it seemed that this girl had a bright future, and might even be in the direct line of descent in Robin's family. But in order to greet Leylin, she naturally had to change into the clothes of a servant.
"What's your name?" Leylin asked, smiling. Parker stood aside, expressionless, as though he hadn't seen Leylin's gesture.
As a high-ranking Warlock, who also once had authority over a Warlock clan, he had become completely immune to such matters.
Even if Leylin did anything in front of him, he would still be able to stand as straight as a pine tree.
"Ed… Edda, Sir! The female servant's voice held a hint of a repressed sob, as though she was about to cry any moment.
At her age, she obviously knew a lot. If this high-ranking bloodline nobleman wanted her, there wouldn't be any objections from anyone, regardless of if it was an elder or her parents. They might even send her over with great joy.
Hence, although she was on the verge of tears, Edda held them back, trying to stay strong.
Luckily for her, Leylin stopped teasing her. He gently asked Edda, whose face was turning fully red, "I also have another close friend in the Parble Family by the name of Noah, do you know him?"
"Uncle Noah?!" the little girl cried out, yet shortly after she seemed to have remembered something, and raised her guard against Leylin.
It was alright, though. From her behaviour earlier on, Leylin became aware of many things.
"No need to be afraid! He and I are good friends, if anything has happened to him, I will definitely help!" Leylin acutely discovered Edda's hidden hostility, and plastered his kindest smile on his face.
"Uncle Noah… He has been locked up!" The little girl finally mumbled after a seemingly long struggle with herself, and her voice was practically so low that it couldn't be heard.
"Got it, I will try rescuing him!" Leylin caressed her head and guaranteed.
"What do you think is the possibility of her telling the truth?" Leylin asked indifferently after sending the servant away.
"The possibility isn't high; after all, she was sent by them!" Parker shook his head.
"I think so too, but it's also possible that it's information brought to us by the other powers in the Parble Family…" Leylin stroke his chin.
He had a premonition that this trip to the Parble Family Parble Family was perhaps not as simple, and it was possible that more unexpected things were slated to happen.
The atmosphere in the drawing room was tense, but a few seconds later, Leylin's light laugh broke the silence. "Let's not think too much about this right now, and just enjoy the banquet!"
"Yes, sir!" Parker nodded and followed behind Leylin. He was decked in a black tailcoat, and wore a beautiful tie around his collar, appearing as if he had made preparations long ago.
While Leylin and company were enjoying the wine and delicacies made by the Parble Family, and even the female Warlocks that were brimming with enthusiasm, somewhere in the depths of the ancient castle an invisible darkness spread endlessly.
"Divulging the information to him on purpose? Your plan is really badly done…" In a dim and narrow room, a blue secret imprint hovered in midair, and the voice of a middle-aged man faintly sounded.
"Rest assured! I know him very well, once he knows about this, he definitely will give chase!" A silhouette shrouded in black gas was conversing with the secret imprint. Numerous squirming veins emerged from the black gas from time to time, and were densely packed, making one's scalp go numb.
"I don't care about your plan, but Leylin has to be handed over to me!" The blue secret imprint spoke with gritted teeth, apparently harbouring an unforgettable hatred towards Leylin.
"We have been making deals and collaborating on many occasions, you don't have to worry!"
The figure shrouded in the black gas was silent for a while, then continued asking, "Actually, these are all small matters. What I really wish to know is: when are you planning to take action?"
"Very soon… The elders in the Ouroboros Clan will soon become a thing of the past. Then, our plan can truly be launched. After all, the counterattack of three Morning Star Warlocks would be hard to bear even for a Radiant Moon Magus…"
The glow of the blue imprint completely dimmed down with the last words of the middle-aged Magus.
"Very soon…" The figure in the black gas muttered, and suddenly chanted a certain syllable. The gas dispersed, revealing a face all so familiar to Leylin.
Leylin, who was still at the banquet, naturally knew nothing about all of this. Now, he was like a huge butterfly, dancing gracefully among a cluster of flowers.
The enthusiasm of the female Warlocks of the Parble Family practically melted the many Warlocks, and those that Leylin had brought over were also immersed in delight.
"Feels like things won't be that simple…"
Parker leaned against a pillar with a glass of wine in his hand, watching Leylin's performance, yet a puzzled look flashed in his eyes.
Bloodline Detector
The excitement dissipated with distance from the banquet hall, and the sounds were inaudible from the castle's dungeons.
Dim light shone against the murky walls and reflected numerous shadows that looked like talons. The place reeked.
"We're getting there!" Leylin knitted his brows and sized up the rooms and walls of the castle.
The dungeons of Magus castles were, more often than not, laboratories or storage rooms. He had yet to discover anything of value.
Most of the preventive and detective spell formations were unable to discover Leylin, allowing him to strut through the castle without being realised.
And the Leylin that everyone perceived in the banquet hall was obviously just a clone. Anyway, nobody would want to provoke him, and with a clone and the abilities of the A.I. Chip, a double was no problem.
On top of everything, Leylin could move freely without obstruction in the castle due to his Crystal Phase abilities. He could weaken the effects of many detective spell formations, stopping them from locating him.
'Robin's sudden emotional outburst wasn't all that it seemed to be…' Leylin rubbed his chin in deep thought. 'Moreover, if the situation outside and this were linked, it would spell even more trouble…'
Robin, despite everything, was still his senior and cared a lot for Leylin when they first met. So it'd be unwise of Leylin to make a move before finding concrete evidence.
And Robin's attitude was upright. If Leylin continued to be so unwilling to spare him, his reputation would likely go down the drain. 'Biting the hand that feeds him' would probably top the list of derogatory comments that would be made against him.
'A.I. Chip! How's the progress of the scan going Leylin's figure was engulfed by the pitch black as he looked at the walls and questioned in his heart.
[Blueprint of the castle established, spell array formation analysed: 58%, simulation in progress…] The A.I. Chip intoned.
A three-dimensional image was projected in front of Leylin, showcasing the structures of many castles.
The castle of Robin's family was comparable to Freya's impressive Ancient Blood Serpent Castle and there were countless spell formations and bizarre phenomena caused by radiation.
Robin himself might not even know all the secrets within the castle.
The scanning of the A.I. Chip undoubtedly took a while but if Leylin stepped in to explore himself, he would be pretty much familiar with the whole internal layout after walking around so many times.
As for those sections which were yet to be analysed, it was unfortunate that the current capability of the A.I Chip was unable to compute them.
But all this was enough for him.
Under the gigantic projection, Leylin saw another empty construction buried deep underground. And its outer layer was the most Leylin's A.I. Chip could reach.
The blank spaces were marked out by crimson symbols that prevented any forms of peeping, which surprised Leylin.
The core secret of the ancient castle must have been located there. Leylin followed the directions of the map and came face to face with a huge mural.
The mural depicted a grand historical scene—a horned demon skull was guillotined by armoured cavalry and robed Magi, bloodstains and burn marks painted all over their bodies as evidence of war.
It was realism at its best with a distinct sense of style. The 18 eyes of the demon were wide open and glaring at him, as if it was still alive.
'The existence of this cellar is barely brushing the surface of Robin's family's secret. The true secret is hidden behind this mural…' Leylin's eyes lit up as he stroked the mural.
He felt like he could smell the stench of blood and fire as he moved close to the painting. It was as if he was facing the remains of an actual war, where the blood had yet to dry.
[Beep! Ahead is a rank 1 bloodline detector. After thorough scanning, it has been identified to be one that requires a specific incantation and bloodline to pass through.]
The database of the A.I. Chip as of now was as vast as the ocean, just a mere scan could send detailed information to Leylin's memory.
'Bloodline detector?' Leylin touched his chin in deep thought. Since they'd chosen such a defensive measure, it definitely required the bloodline of Robin's family, or even Robin himself, in order to get past it.
But, of course, Leylin was ahead of Robin in terms of his knowledge on bloodlines for he had dedicated more than one century towards the study of the bloodline experiments of Quicksand. His current situation might have been an unsolvable problem for other Magi, but it was a piece of cake for him.
[Beep! Data is being collected, probing for removal measures]
The A.I. Chip operated at Leylin's command, and numerous blue symbols floated before him, forming countless dots before entering the mural.
The whole mural began to quiver and buzz as layers of dust collapsed, distinguishing the characters and making them appear more realistic than ever.
Especially the skull of the demon; an eerie green light seemed to be projecting from its eyes.
"Under the ultraviolet rays, the approaching descendant bloodline will come together and return to its origins…"
Leylin chanted a medieval incantation and a strand of black hair flew from his hand.
It was something that Leylin had stolen from the maid, Edda, when they fooled around, and was specially saved for situations like these.
Warlocks possess the most in-depth knowledge with regards to the power of bloodlines and were thus the most confident as well. So, when they set up traps or other preventive measures, all this would be taken into consideration.
Leylin had thus collected a strand of hair from a direct line of Robin's family for his use.
*Hiss!* A ball of scarlet light wrapped the strand within itself under Leylin's incantation.
The hair disappeared as the light dispersed, leaving behind a droplet of purplish-red blood that possessed a savage aura unique to Giant Kemoyin Serpents.
"That's not enough!" Leylin shook his head vigorously and threw out a handful of crimson rocks. These rocks turned into a fine powder in midair and congregated with the droplet.
The powder transformed into a bright silver liquid upon contact with the droplet, helping it expand even as it diluted the colour of the blood to a washed-out red.
Leylin's eyes glistened all the more as he watched this.
The incantation sounded more mournful with time and the faded red had agglutinated to a dark red blood clot, emitting a dangerously powerful aura.
If the previous bloodline was only Edda's—a low-ranked Magus—then the current ball of blood had already reached the level of a Crystal Phase, and its aura was highly similar to Robin's.
If Robin had installed this bloodline detector, then the key to it wouldn't be as simple as the bloodline of a Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Otherwise, it'd be easy as pie for any Magus to uncover the secret here.
Surely, Robin would only use his own DNA as the key.
Therefore, Leylin was trying to generate a bloodline aura similar to that of Robin's through that of his relative.
Though the DNA couldn't be imitated, Leylin believed that it would be almost undetectable by the spells here given the supreme abilities of the A.I. Chip.
[Beep! Deduction completed for the removal of the spell!] The A.I. Chip alerted and Leylin's face lit up as he sang the incantation.
[Beep! Wrong aura, starting automated matching!] The deep red ball of blood underwent some changes before changing into the aura of another Warlock.
"This is.." Leylin was confused for a moment. He quickly shook his head and sent the blood ball straight into the mural causing the two to fuse.
A layer of red started rippling on the surface of the mural and it was frightening. The characters in the mural, especially, took an eerie turn and started changing under the crimson light.
Thin scales and cysts started getting embedded their bodies and some of the cavalry even had horns growing on their heads and enormous wings on their backs. The mural had transformed into one of monsters.
The demon head, however, still had a sinister smile painted across his face that made Leylin's hairs stand.
"There must be more to this mural, this seems foreboding…" Leyin muttered to himself and looked at the demon head again.
"A.I Chip, scan the mural! Find a similar specimen in the database!" Leylin ordered.
[Beep! Mission received, starting scan! Matching similar specimens in database…] The A.I. Chip replied almost immediately while scanning through the database furiously.
[Beep! Similar image found!] The A.I. Chip projected an oil painting in front of Leylin.
Within the painting was the huge image of a demon, its horns and eyes shockingly similar to the one in the mural.
"What is this?" Leylin looked into the information of that particular section almost immediately.
[The year 2315 of the Holy Calendar, a night where crows wept, the clone of Beelzebub arrived in Verdant City and cause a holocaust before being eliminated by an unknown Breaking Dawn Magus…]
The information presented by the A.I. Chip was very simplified. It was a mere few sentences and the image had a few missing portions on the edge.
These were the defects on the ancient book scanned earlier.
"Beelzebub, who represents gluttony?"
Leylin covered his mouth in shock, "Even if it's just a clone, the only people who could eliminate it were Breaking Dawn Magi!"
Though details weren't mentioned in the ancient book, the marked calendar system belonged to the ancient era where Morning Star Magi reigned, and there were definitely some in the Verdant City too.
"Amongst those who were injured, exactly how many were at Morning Star or even Breaking Dawn…" Leylin sighed.
And right at this moment, both the incantation and bloodline were stimulated and a crack split the mural from the centre, revealing a passageway that led underground.
The bloodline detector was broken by an outsider in a situation that did not alarm the owner.
Prison Cell
Cries and howls sounded.
Indescribable noises echoed past Leylin's ears as he stepped foot into the passageway. The secret that Robin had kept so tightly was about to be revealed to him.
'There must've been something more to that expedition we did.' Leylin thought about other matters as he took note of his surroundings.
'Robin was evidently impatient when we last explored the Quicksand pocket dimension. And the information he held about the dimension was definitely not possible for someone who only worked internally. He'd probably known all the secrets within Quicksand Castle long ago, and went there specifically for it…'
Leylin's guess was confirmed by the mural.
'Robin's family clearly inherited something important, and it might even be linked to the Quicksand Organisation.'
As his journey in the long passageway came to an end, he found himself between two rows of small prison-like cells.
The walls in these cells were covered in complex runes—many of which were familiar to Leylin—that were identical to the bindings of his own Magus Tower.
"The number of cells is crazy," Leylin sized up the rows of cells that seemed to have no end to them, and caught glimpses of shadows within.
'Exactly how many people is he planning to imprison?' he thought as he came in front of a cell.
"Outsider detected, warning dispatched! Destroy!"
A deep voice masculine voice sounded as Leylin entered Shadow Stealth mode, the man was a formation genie in charge of this area, holding a position similar to that of his own tower genie.
"A.I. Chip," Leylin lightly called out.
[Spiritual force interface discovered, forcefully manipulating data!] The A.I. Chip replied mechanically, without an ounce of emotion.
The voice started to change in an instant, becoming hoarse.
"Invasion by outsider's spiritual force! Activating first layer of defences!"
"Defence broken, activating level 2 firewall and alarms! Beginning self-destruction!"
"Invasion of outsider's spiritual force into centre formation genie. Warning! Warning!"
"Destruction imminent in T minus 3, 2… Warning dispersed! Operation normal! Outsider's spiritual force intercepted. No information has been leaked."
Its voice that was initially submersed in fright and hoarseness became choppy. Light shone everywhere, illuminating the surroundings distinctly as it turned into a unique robotic one, that of the A.I. Chip.
An intelligence of this standard was nothing in front of Leylin's A.I. Chip, it was only a matter of time before it was breached.
The administrator of this region had already changed from the formation genie to Leylin's A.I. Chip.
After he successfully took it over, the place had become Leylin's backyard. Even Robin would fail to detect him.
Of course, he had to thank his luck that he took care of the formation genie in a short time. Most formation genies would have self-destructed in time, and alerted their owners, landing Leylin in a heap of trouble.
Thankfully, Robin's formation genie was of a lower rank. If it were a core formation genie set up by a Morning Star Magus, the A.I. Chip would have faced a lot of difficulties.
Now, Leylin was in control.
"Activate the observation window of cell 0023!" Following Leylin's command, a white ray of light shone in the cell, ridding it of the darkness, the prisoner appearing in front of Leylin.
And the prisoner appeared in front of Leylin.
"Huh?! This is…" Leylin's pupils dilated. "I've seen him somewhere…"
It was a Warlock; more accurately, a Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlock.
This sense of familiarity between bloodlines was always accurate. The Warlock in front of him looked plaintive; not only was he almost naked—only clothed in pathetic rags—his whole body was riddled with large wounds.
Some granulation tissue could be seen squirming on the wounds, they were repairing themselves. It looked revolting.
"Don't… Don't come any nearer. You monster!" A low voice rumbled from the Warlock's mouth.
"I'm not Robin!" Leylin cleared his throat and said.
"…" The Warlock raised his head and Leylin could see his goblin-like face. As if on cue, hope filled his eyes, replacing the dread and despair that existed before he saw Leylin.
"Sa- Save me! Please save me, Lord Leylin!"
He was like a drowning man that was grasping at the last straw as he crawled to the middle of the cell,
It was then that Leylin realised that both the legs of the Warlock were missing. He was completely disabled.
Though it could be healed using limb regeneration spells or other high-grade potions, Robin wouldn't have been so nice.
"Tell me, what happened? Why are you here?" Leylin looked dreadfully displeased, and his voice was low as ever.
"It's Robin! He captured me, my wife and my children and caged us here right after he attacked my family! He- He's a demon!"
He seemed to have undergone an overly traumatic experience that caused him to stumble over his words.
"Master! Master! Take me away please, I'm begging you!" He shouted himself hoarse as his eyes watered.
Leylin could only shake his head at this scene. Though the advancements of Warlock were largely a result of their bloodlines, making moving up the ranks easier, to see such low willpower from a Warlock was still very rare.
High-ranking Magi usually had tenacious spirits, and could compose themselves quickly even in huge events.
"Tell me, what exactly did he do?" Two rays of lights shot from Leylin's eyes, and made the Warlock speechless.
"He- He-" The Warlock sobbed and hugged his knees close, coiling into himself as he trembled endlessly.
"He- How dare he eat my Gwen! Oh Lord, she was only 7…"
"And Hugo, and Ron…" He could not stop listing name after name and looked absent-minded. He ended up wrapping his arms around his head, refusing to think anymore.
"A drastic change in temperament, imprisoning people, rumours of cannibalism, a mural to Beelzebub, the prince of gluttony!" Leylin let out a long sigh. The pieces came together to form a complete picture in his head.
"Wow, this is…" He did not know what to say. Robin's desire for power had already reached such sick levels.
Though Leylin didn't label himself a good guy, he would never go as far as Robin had.
Just then, the A.I. Chip relayed a piece of information to Leylin.
[Beep! Scan of underground laboratory completed! 341 prisoners: 34 Giant Kemoyin Warlocks, 22 Rank 3 Warlocks…]
"Other matters aside, things will be over for Robin the moment he gets exposed…" As Leylin went further, he saw that the cells on both sides were full of all kinds of Warlocks. Most of them had portions of their bodies missing, and he even saw a few elders from Robin's own family.
It seemed like the elders who disappeared were all captured by Robin and locked up here.
Upon seeing Leylin, all the Warlocks went mad; some were wailing, some were bellowing in fury demanding that Leylin punish Robin for his sins. Even the eyes of the elders from Robin's own family were filled with hatred and rage; they had evidently given up on Robin long ago.
"These Warlocks, most of them should be from the families that Robin eliminated…" Leylin sighed. Who would know that Robin would have the guts to seize his enemies and lock them up in a secret cellar like this?
And judging from their faces, Leylin bet they would rather have died on the battlefield.
Though Leylin pitied them, he didn't order the A.I. Chip to deactivate the defence in the cells and allow them out.
After all, there were still many prisoners here that could cause chaos if let out.
Furthermore, Leylin still had more tasks to be performed that needed to be hidden from Robin.
"The core cell! Who is the one imprisoned there?" At the end of the passageway was a large cell. A few sparks could be seen jumping along the blood red electrified cage every now and then, firmly caging a Magus inside.
[No information found within the formation genie's data, this place is marked top secret!] The A.I. Chip sent back.
"Who are you?"
Standing beside the cage, Leylin was curious about the shadow inside. As the criminal who was under the tightest form of imprisonment in the entire cellar, this person could not be simple.
The prisoner raised his head after hearing Leylin's voice, and Leylin's pupils constricted in an instant before he broke out in cold sweat.
"Ro– Senior Robin?"
The person in the cage possessed a face that was bewitching, but malnourished beyond recognition. It was as though all flesh and blood had been drained from him. Robin could only force a smile before calling out for Leylin.
"Leylin, you're here?"
"What is going on? Who is that 'Robin' out there?" Leylin's expression was dark.
He felt an unusually familiar aura from this Robin who was in front of him, his smile unforgettable.
When he'd first entered Phosphorescence Swamp, Robin wore this exact same smile when welcoming Leylin as he stood by the entrance to the Ouroboros Clan headquarters.
"You should be able to guess by now," Robin was very weak and had to pause after every other word.
All muscles seemed to have disappeared, leaving Robin a sack of bones.
If not for his features, Leylin would have thought the person in front of him was a skeleton.
Rescue
"How is he outside?" Robin lifted his head and asked Leylin, hope in his eyes.
Leylin was silent for a moment but still ended up speaking, "He has advanced to the peak of the Crystal Phase, and the curse marks have taken up over 60% of his face. He doesn't seem to be in a good state of mind."
"The initial phase has ended. He is now undergoing 'Flesh Immolation', but is still quite a distance from the final 'Gluttony's Monarch'."
Robin sighed, "Can you let me out or bring me before him? There are some things that I want to tell him."
"I'm sorry, but the situation is very dangerous…" Leylin's expression was grim, "Shouldn't you give me an answer now?"
"What answer? Haven't you guessed everything already?"
"Just a part of it. Why are you here?" Leylin asked.
Robin glanced at Leylin and began to speak unhurriedly. "Hehe… our ancestors once obtained some information regarding the 'gluttony imprint' and knew that it was within the ancient Quicksand Castle in the Forgotten Land. That was why we were so eager in inviting you all there…"
The gluttony imprint was a fragment of the consciousness of the sin of gluttony, Beelzebub that remained in Verdant City. It was said that Magi who obtained the gluttony imprint would awaken with a terrifying appetite, but at the same time gain several unique abilities.
This gluttony imprint had once brought great suffering upon the regions surrounding Verdant City. There had even been a situation where a whole city had been devoured.
Only with the work of numerous Magi was this chaos suppressed. Countless imprints were destroyed, leaving behind a few to be used as samples in research.
"My ancestor was one of the lower class members of Quicksand, and there are records in his notes. The gluttony imprint was once collected by Quicksand and improved using large amounts of devouring-type bloodlines, achieving the effect of improving and purifying one's own bloodline."
The history of Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlocks was of course long, and extended to the ancient era. However, the Ouroboros Clan had yet to be established then, which was why entering a Warlock organisation like Quicksand was very common.
Only after the end of the ancient era did the remaining Giant Kemoyin Serpent Warlocks set up the Ouroboros Clan, which had then lasted up to date.
"So you set your sights on that gluttony imprint?" Leylin's voice was cold.
"Yes. As long as I have it, I'm confident that I can purify our bloodline till it is comparable to the ancient Giant Kemoyin Serpent, and even reach the Morning Star realm!" Robin's eyes blazed for a moment before turning dulled once more.
"Looks like the one who initially obtained the gluttony imprint was indeed you, and the one who went up on the airship with us was you. If not, Mentor would definitely have noticed. The sudden change must have happened after our return…" Leylin continued on from Robin's words.
"Yes. The spiritual contamination from the gluttony imprint is much too terrifying. In just a few short months, I could no longer control myself. I lost control of my emotions quite a few times…" Robin smiled wryly.
"So you decided to strip it off and look for a guinea pig to reduce this property, And you picked Noah."
"No, Noah requested that I do that!" Robin roared, and collapsed spinelessly.
"He was such a good child! I still remember his gaze when we spoke, full of hope and resolution… At that moment, I'd thought that only Warlocks like him would be able to subdue the gluttony imprint…
"I now know the consequences."
Leylin nodded. Whether it was the large change in personality after receiving the imprint or some hatred originally inside Noah, Leylin had no wish to pursue this further. The situation was clear.
Noah imprisoned his own uncle and many elders, holding his family in his grasp. He had even arrested high-grade pure-blood Warlocks and, by devouring their bloodline, purified his own.
Recently, he had even set his sights on Miranda, and was met with a fierce counterattack from her.
"The remains of high-energy beings like that all cause a lot of trouble!" Leylin knew this well. Whether it was the original spirit of the Lamia bone or the spiritual force contamination from his interplanar experiments, this was always the case.
Thankfully, Leylin's will was strong and decisive, and he could thus eliminate these dangers. If not, he'd be no better off than Noah.
"Using the sin of gluttony to improve his own bloodline?" Leylin touched his chin. This was a rather interesting topic, and the fact that the Noah outside had, from a newly-advanced rank 3 Warlock, broken through both the Vapour Phase and the Hydro Phase to arrive at the Crystal Phase in one go, it was obvious that this had a high possibility of working. All he needed to do was settle the issue of the spiritual force contamination.
"The situation now is very complicated. I can only save you first and see what headquarters says…" Even Leylin found this difficult to handle. Only the three Morning Star elders had the qualifications to make the final decision.
"A.I. Chip, open the core restriction room." Leylin ordered.
*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* The blood-red electricity of the cage died out, and the binding runes in the room dimmed.
The A.I. Chip suddenly sent a warning. [Beep! Discovered foreign spiritual force, determined to be the remains of a spirit genie.]
"He actually set up a second spirit genie to mobilise only if the core restriction room is closed?" Leylin was shocked. Evidently, Noah had not completely lost his mind and was meticulous.
[Beginning eradication of spirit genie. Another party is forcefully interfering with transmission of data and sending out cries for help. Beginning interception.]
The A.I. Chip worked quickly, but with the preparations the opponent had made, it could not intercept the data successfully.
[Interception failed. Data has been transmitted.] The A.I. Chip's robotic voice sounded.
"sh*t!" Leylin cursed, and quickly left with Robin.
Meanwhile, the face of 'Robin' in the reception hall of the castle warped.
"What's going on?" Leylin, who was holding his wine cup, smiled gently.
"Die!" Noah, who had received the information, could obviously tell that Leylin in front of him was just a puppet, and that he had been duped.
He instantly reddened in fury. Gauntlets of black crystal appeared on his hands as they were struck into the smiling Leylin's chest.
*Clatter!* The glass cup fell to the ground, creating a clear sound. Scarlet wine flew everywhere.
The hall immediately turned quiet. The guests all looked in this direction, full of disbelief. Lord Robin had dared attack the enforcer at a banquet? Was this a rebellion?
"Ah!" An urgent, panicky female shriek sounded, and the time which seemed to have stopped in the hall moved once more.
The Magi present immediately moved. The Warlocks of Robin's family gathered, while Parker protected Snoopy as he transferred his men over.
Two waves of Warlocks gathered amidst the stream of people like two giant reefs, unmoving in the confusion.
Contrary to their behaviour, the musicians, waiters, dancers, clowns, and others were startled. They fled in their alarm, occasionally letting out piercing screams.
Based on this situation, it was obvious the Warlocks on both ends had not let down their guard and were prepared to become hostile.
*Tss tss!* Noah expressionlessly watched the Leylin in his hands. Now, this Leylin who was in front of him, had completely turned black. Droplets of black liquid flowed from the wound and onto the ground, producing white gas.
"I'm going out for a while. Kill all of Leylin's subordinates!" Noah carelessly dumped the shadow puppet in his hands and turned into a black phantom that disappeared.
By the time Noah had left, the Warlocks confronting each other in the hall first quietened down, and then great amounts of spell rays lit up.
The flood of chaotic elemental particles drowned the hall…
"I wouldn't be so stupid as to fight with an opponent in their nest, which they've operated in for thousands of years!" With one hand on Robin, Leylin crushed a few armoured knights blocking his path into bits.
Under the silver knight armours was only air. These armours, that were meant to just be ornamental, seemed to have received some order and suddenly began attacking Leylin.
Adding to his troubles, many long ash-black tongues filled the passageway behind him, sweeping forwards.
"These knights are 'Silent Guards.' Without attacking the core, it's impossible to destroy them." Robin, who was pressed against Leylin's side, served well as a guide yet did nothing else.
Not only was he gravely injured, his spiritual force was in ruins. A large amount seemed to have been devoured, and his strength had fallen to that of a rank 1 Warlock. If not, Leylin wouldn't be so at ease in bringing him along.
"Rather than the silent guards, you need to be careful of the tongues behind you!" Seeing the forces behind them, Robin's expression changed. "This is a passageway our family found by accident. It seems to have mutated and made a connection with a majestic existence above. The ash-black tongues are parts of that existence.
"Even a Crystal Phase rank 3 Warlock would find it troublesome if caught, and might even be devoured. A few seniors in the family have died from it."
Due to the terrifying radiation, a few ancient Magus castles would mutate, giving rise to situations that even Magi couldn't make head or tails of.
These strange phenomena were taken advantage of by their descendants, who used them as defences.
Cage of Gluttony
"Can you control them?" With regards to unforeseeable situations, Leylin was always more cautious.
He looked at Robin. After all, Robin was the clan leader and should have had some tricks up his sleeve.
"I'm afraid not! Noah's taken away my authority. Moreover, once the Devouring Corridor is engaged, even the clan leader himself can't control it…"
"Then what was the point of me saving you?" Leylin rolled his eyes and pulled Robin along, sprinting at a much higher speed.
Soon Robin proved that, as a clan leader, he was still very familiar with his castle. Under his guidance, after rushing through three rooms, Leylin managed to jump down from a window pane.
The moment before he left the window ledge, numerous tongues swiftly climbed forward and filled the entire room, but had not followed through their attack to the exterior of the castle. It was as if there was a chasm at the fringes of the castle that was difficult to pass through, or even barriers outside.
Only at that point in time did Leylin have the leisure to look at his secret imprint.
"Master… they've gone on the offensive! The situation here is extremely chaotic!" an impatient Parker transmitted even as the rumble of explosions from spells could be heard in the background.
"Today's banquet is extremely lively!" Leylin looked at the ancient black castle. Through one of the windows in the living room, he could see explosions and flames being set off in the room.
"Put your own safety as the priority, and escape as soon as you can!" Leylin did not have the plans to return once more. After all, those still inside the castle were his subordinates. Subordinates fought to the death for their masters, not the other way around.
"Your nephew seems to be coming over!"
After they escaped, Robin's head had been hanging low, his thoughts a mystery. Leylin indifferently set him down under an oak tree.
After hearing his tone, Robin raised his head and saw a black figure rushing down from the ancient castle, with a terrifying aura on his body.
That was the terrifying power of a Crystal Phase Magus. Coupled with the fact that he also possessed the ancient Gluttonous Desire, these had caused even Leylin to furrow his brows.
*Boom!* A figure landed in front of Leylin, and revealed a face that was mostly covered with runes.
"Noah!" Leylin let out a long sigh. Relatives Noah and Robin had very similar face shapes and auras. But with the influence of the gluttony imprint concealing and obscuring things, even Morning Star Magi might not have been able to realise the difference. However, there was no way Leylin would not be able to recognise him.
"Uncle…" Noah's voice was low as he gazed at Robin who was seated on the ground. Complex emotions whirled across his face.
Shortly after, the black runes on his face started to move about, causing changes to its shape.His nose became sharper and eyes wider.
It took only a few tweaks for Noah to look drastically different, as he regained his original appearance.
"You've changed a lot…" Robin said after a moment of silence.
"I have not changed! Was this not always your wish anyway?" A vicious look flashed across Noah's face. He bowed to Robin, his etiquette perfect to the point that nobody could nitpick about it. He was the perfect example of royalty.
"Very soon, the aspirations of our clan will be realised. I can feel it. Under the radiation of the sin of gluttony, my Kemoyin bloodline has been purified. I'm only one step away from becoming a pureblood Kemoyin Warlock!"
Mysterious rays shot out of Noah's eyes as he bit his own finger to show Robin and Leylin the pure purplish-red blood.
Immediately, he greedily sucked the same finger which he'd previously bit, even as his face was immersed in pleasure.
"Crazy! You've completely gone insane!" Robin grabbed his head in pain and regret, "I should not have allowed you to inherit the imprint to begin with… No, I shouldn't even have gone to Quicksand to uncover it!"
On the other side, Leylin looked at Noah proudly showing the purity of his bloodline, and was rendered speechless.
From what he saw, even though the Kemoyin bloodline of the other party was extremely pure, but compared to the first time Leylin had purified his Kemoyin bloodline, there was still an obvious difference.
Just based on the luster, if Leylin's bloodline was initially a diamond, Noah's bloodline was at most coal, or even worse than that.
And after having absorbed large amounts of radiation from the Lamia bone, his bloodline had been purified to an unprecedented level, and might even have surpassed the ancient Giant Kemoyin Serpent!
"I'm not crazy! For those trash to be the foundations to allow for our clan to flourish is definitely an honour for them!"
Noah lifted his hands in despair, his eyes bloodshot, "I have a feeling that if only I were to eat him, my bloodline would advance to an unprecedented level, and I could even advance to the Morning Star realm!"
Noah pointed at Leylin and his eyes widened, as if he was a plate of some delicacy.
That gaze made Leylin uncomfortable, especially when the other party started to contemplate on where he should start devouring him.
Leylin kept the Memory Crystal Ball that would be the evidence for later before he swiftly asked Robin, "Since he has already confessed, there shouldn't be a problem if I start killing here in my name as an enforcer, right?"
"…." Robin's face looked pale, and he did not utter a single word, only waving his hand.
After getting Robin's approval, Leylin had no more misgivings.
In actual fact, just based on what Noah had done previously, Leylin would not hesitate to kill him. Still, it would be better with Robin's understanding.
After all, the other party was his senior, and he would have to take note of the potential aftereffects.
"Tsk tsk! He actually dared to utter such words to me!" Noah licked his lips, and the imprint on his face went into action. "It's decided! I'll make sure you don't get to leave this place, and I'll slowly devour your meat, a kilogram a day!"
There were many ways for Magi to regenerate their muscles, a natural product of their high vitality.
As a result, even though the flesh might have been cut off, it would grow back in a designated amount of time. That was a characteristic that Noah had made use of when he imprisoned many Magi and left them in circ*mstances where they were better off dead than alive.
"Devour you! I'll devour you!" Noah's face warped as he went berserk, and he rushed towards Leylin like a beast. Black blood vessels rose from his body, and like tentacles, covered Leylin's face.
At the tips of the blood vessels, needle-like structures appeared. Should it penetrate one's sick, the bone marrow could even be sucked away in an instant.
"Gross!" Leylin shook his head, and a black ray erupted from his waist. The Meteor Sword brought with it the terrifying Kemoyin venom, and formed a black wall in front of Leylin.
Numerous blood vessels were immediately chopped off by the sharp edges of the Meteor Sword. The horrifying venom even started to corrode them, causing them to rot and fall loudly to the ground.
"Grrrr…" Noah opened his mouth, and large amounts of saliva dropped to the ground.
The current him was already under the absolute control of the sin of gluttony, and he had become a beast that moved around merely based on instinct.
Robin had turned his head, and dare not look at the miserable scene.
*Buzz!* During the attack, Noah's body had been shrouded by a layer of black light. After the light dissipated, numerous pieces of black armour could be seen on his body.
No matter what, Noah was still a Crystal Phase Magus, and Leylin would not dare to belittle his abilities.
"Shadowflame Plague!" He swiftly chanted, and black flames shot forth from his robes like an aura, aiming for Noah who was rushing over.The black flames burned the crystal defence, heating up the surroundings so much that the air distorted.
Noah yelled and, like a beast, rushed out of the sea of fire and appeared before Leylin. The movement was almost instantaneous.
"What a shocking physicality!!" Leylin squinted his eyes as he saw the other party's injuries almost instantly recovering on their own. As he saw the skin patching up, he couldn't help but feel a little fearful.
After which, without any hesitation, he held his Cross Blade and hacked down from Noah's head.
Sharp sword rays were created with the action as the terrifying venom was dissipated carelessly.
Leylin's Toxic Bile had far surpassed other rank 2 innate spells, achieving a horrifying power. It was an effect entirely brought about by the maturation of his Giant Kemoyin Serpent bloodline under the effects of the Lamia fingerbone.
"Crossblade slash!" Black light in the form of a crucifix slashed down upon Noah's body, causing a large vertical wound.
"AHHH!" Noah's face flushed with blood, but he actually grabbed the blade of the sword.
Large amounts of white mist were emitted as his hands started to rot under the horrifying venom. The scene made Robin feel uneasy.
But Noah instantly revealed a smile that suggested that he had gotten away with something, and his eyes were no longer bloodshot.
"You actually were sane all this while!" Leylin cried out. That astonished him more than Noah inheriting the gluttony imprint and replacing Robin.
"It's too late now to realise it!" The injuries on his abdomen and chest were all covered by a layer of black blood vessels, and his aura increased exponentially to a peak.
"Arcane Art, Cage of Gluttony!"
A black fog engulfed Leylin and Noah, and Robin's face changed as he heard the gnawing sounds from within.
"The Cage of Gluttony?" On the other hand, Leylin who was shrouded in darkness casually waved both his hands forth in a bid to size up the strength of the formation.
"This isn't the energy system of our world. It must be a formation from the path of another realm, a result of the inheritance of Beelzebub's clone!"
Even as Leylin spoke, numerous mouths with ivory teeth surrounded him.
Unexpected Developments
Leylin's indifferent tone instantly infuriated Noah who was hiding in the dark, and a sinister voice sounded, "I hope you'll still feel that way when you are under the attack of the Gluttony's Kiss!"
This voice seemed to come from all directions, making one unable to grasp his location.
"The weakness of such barriers lies in the one who casts them. Once he's attacked, they will immediately collapse!" Leylin continued speaking in a superior tone, as though he was commenting on Noah's spell.
"So what if you know its weakness? After undergoing refinement, my Cage of Gluttony now possesses a portion of the power of a Morning Star domain. A mere Crystal Phase Magus like you will definitely never see through it!" Noah's voice sounded again, but this time, he seemed flustered and exasperated.
Anyone who saw their own enemy being unconcerned when caught in their trap, when by all rights they should've been struggling in their death throes, would feel enraged.
With a command, numerous dreadful mouths with sharp tongues started to attack Leylin by gnawing at him.
"Scale Shield!" A multitude of black crystals appeared with a snap of Leylin's fingers, forming a shield covered in a layer of scales on one side. When the white teeth bit the shield, they produced jarring noises and a great amount of sparks.
Under the attack of the numerous teeth, the defence of the Scale Shield was in imminent danger, and it seemed like it would be smashed to smithereens within minutes.
"Haha… Haha…" Seeing this, Noah let out a carefree laugh.
"Even if you saw through it, what can you do? Won't you still be ground into mincemeat under the attack of my Cage of Gluttony? I have decided—I'll preserve your tongue well, and savour it slowly…"
Even though he was clear-headed, he still showed the symptoms of insanity under the influence of the gluttony imprint.
As he listened to Noah's declaration of victory, and as the Scale Shield around him shattered, Leylin shook his head.
"If it was just this barrier, it would practically be unbreakable by rank 3 Magi, and even I would have to spend a great amount of spiritual force to forcefully break out of it, but what a pity…" Leylin sighed, as though he was genuinely feeling sorry for Noah's misfortune.
"You shouldn't have collaborated with the Oakheart Clan!"
"How did you—" Before Noah could complete his sentence, a terrifying ray of death had already pierced through the numerous barriers and hit Noah who was hidden in the cracks of darkness precisely.
Fatality's Tip! This formidable spell that the A.I. Chip had specially designed for Leylin had the terrifying effect of delivering a fatal blow to a rank 3 Magus.
*Pew! Pew! Pew!* Under Fatality's Tip, Noah's defence was torn apart like paper, and even his innate spells were easily smashed apart by the ray of death, as if eggshells meeting a hammer.
"Gluttony! Gluttony! The almighty Beelzebub! You are the sovereignty of Gluttony, controller of Gluttony!" A voice resonated in Noah's surroundings, as if chanting yet also praying.
Amidst the prayers, the black runes on Noah's face flashed, and actually broke away from his face, taking the shape of a black seed that obstructed Fatality's Tip.
"Power from conviction? Or bestowed from a God?" Leylin was always apprehensive about the legendary world of the gods. Some of his knowledge attained in his previous world regarding deities and gods added on to his understanding of such higher powers.
Therefore, upon witnessing this form, Leylin immediately made an association.
But shortly after, he sneered, "If Beelzebub's original body— or even his clone— was here, he would be able to crush me with just a finger! But now, a useless seed without the support of the spiritual force of the original body wants to kill me?"
Having conducted interplanar experiments before, Leylin naturally understood the weakness of such spiritual force seeds that descended from other worlds, especially those that had their connections to both sides cut off
It could be said that even if the other party's original body was beyond rank 7 and they had already reached a terrifying realm, they would still be unable to provide any assistance to the spiritual force seed here.
In fact, this black seed was not even a spiritual force seed, only a product of the annihilated clone's spiritual contamination, tainted with fragments of its memory.
The rays of death struck the black seed relentlessly, humming coldly.
*Pew!* After the black rays of light flashed, the spiritual force seed fell to the ground with a hole on its surface. As it slowly petrified, it took the shape of a stony rune.
Fatality's Tip penetrated Noah, who appeared to have given up all hope. If not for Leylin who slanted his finger at the final juncture, Noah's entire brain might have been fried completely.
But now, Noah lay on the ground like a dead dog, a gaping hole in his chest. He murmured in disbelief, "How… How did this happen?"
Leylin walked up and destroyed his consciousness ruthlessly, his voice cold as ice. "Speak! When did you start ganging up with the Oakheart Clan?"
"70 years ago. I once went to Azure Mountain City in search of a way to fix the Cage of Gluttony, and at that time the Oakheart Clan helped me find what was lacking…"
After losing the gluttony imprint, Noah seemed like a lost soul. He had regressed to a state where he was even worse off than an average human after his consciousness was ruined, allowing Leylin to get answers out of him by using an illusory spell.
"You actually dared to collude with that clan! You're really tired of living, aren't you!" Having interacted with them before, Leylin understood the Oakheart Clan. They were a bunch of people without morals. It was a tragedy that Noah had looked them up.
It was also the Oakheart Clan that had aided Leylin in breaking the Cage of Gluttony in one stroke.
Although the Cage of Gluttony indeed isolated itself from all sorts of detection, such that he wasn't confident even in the A.I. Chip's scans, Leylin still discovered minute traces of stardust bug activity on Noah.
There were only a few such bugs, and they probably had concealment spells on them, which was why Leylin hadn't sensed anything initially.
When Noah had completely burst and dragged Leylin into the Cage of Gluttony, Leylin immediately activated the atomic scanning function of the A.I. Chip.
He initially wanted to find a flaw in the Cage of Gluttony, but who would have thought that he would accidentally find traces of stardust bugs!
Leylin had roughly learnt how to deal with these bugs while at the auction. The fact that Noah actually had parasitic stardust bugs on him was as good as adorning himself with huge light bulbs, revealing his location to Leylin.
There was no doubt as to what would happen next. Leylin aimed his Fatality's Tip and solved all his problems.
"The Oakheart Clan?" Robin's expression changed. They were a powerful family with a Morning Star Magus as their backing. His nephew's dealings with them were completely against his own interest.
"It seems that the recent changes in the Ouroboros Clan have involved the interference of the powers of Azure Mountain City!" Leylin stroked his chin, and decided to evacuate immediately.
He was now even more afraid of bumping into this clan. If the issue from before was revealed, the other party would definitely come chasing after him to the ends of the earth, even if he had the support of his Morning Star Mentor.
"Senior Robin! How about we put a stop to the commotion in the castle, then take Noah to headquarters to plead guilty?" Leylin looked at Robin, who was standing at the side, and asked respectfully.
"Of course we should!" Robin smiled bitterly. Did he even still have room to reject?
"Great, let's…" Leylin was about to say something, but his expression suddenly changed, "Who's there?"
Numerous potions immediately emerged from the pouch at his waist, combining to form a terrifying rank 3 spell in the air, 'Death's Blade'.
A glowing black arc cut across, instantly shaving out a huge plain. Everything in the way — stones, large trees, and even small hills— were halved by a thin layer of light, revealing flawlessly smooth gaps.
A few figures were forced out by Death's Blade and projected in front of Leylin.
"Leylin Farlier! I finally found you!" The Magi present were all in the Crystal Phase, and their chief was a Magus whose terrifying strength was at the peak of the Crystal Phase. The person who spoke was a middle-aged man, with his gold hair up like flames. The hatred in his voice made Leylin's hair stand on end.
"Leo!" Leylin bellowed his name. This robed leader was actually the chief of the Oakheart Clan. From his expression, it was clear that he knew about Leylin's disguise previously.
"A prophecy?" Leylin thought that he had wiped out his tracks cleanly, but the other party had actually discovered his identity nonetheless. He must have prophesied his identity.
While the Azure Mountain King himself wasn't a Prophet, as long as one was willing to pay a large sum it was still possible to enlist the services of other Magi.
It was just that the speed of the other party's reaction, as well as their viciousness, far exceeded Leylin's expectations.
It was likely that, to predict Leylin's location, the entire Oakheart Clan had paid in blood.
But if one thought about the consequences that the Oakheart Clan would suffer once Leylin exposed their stardust bugs, it somehow seemed understandable.
"Kill!" Indeed, Leo cut to the chase, as though afraid that Leylin would expose him. He immediately got to work once they met, and didn't give Leylin any chance to speak.
*Boom! Boom!* Terrifying waves erupted from the Crystal Phase Magi next to him, and numerous black chains appeared around Leylin, wrapping him up.
A powerful binding force was exerted on him.
Leo unrolled a simple and unadorned scroll, and the energy waves that burst forth from it made Leylin feel suffocated.
"A rank 4 spell scroll? You really do think quite highly of me!"
Leylin's pupils contracted, and he immediately whispered to Leo, "If I die here, I swear the issue with the stardust bugs will instantly be revealed and spread throughout the entire central continent!"
