A Wizard’s Secret

After Merlin had signed the contract, most of the Seventh-level Spell Casters took their leave. Their time was precious, and like Wizard Leo, they rarely left the Wizard Tower.

“Wizard Leo.”

Wizard Heusius suddenly called out to Wizard Leo with a smile on his face.

“Merlin, wait for me outside.”

Wizard Leo allowed Merlin to leave before he turned around, the blood-red third eye on his forehead blinking slightly. He asked in a level tone, “Old fool, something you have to say?”

Wizard Heusius was obviously on good terms with Wizard Leo and did not mind Wizard Leo’s term of address. However, his face slowly grew solemn as he asked in a low voice, “Leo, are you really alright? After all, what happened with Raydore was many years ago, and what’s more, you’ve already beheaded Osseus. You’ve been preoccupied with this matter – now that it’s thoroughly settled, it’s time to let go of the past!”

Wizard Heusius understood Wizard Leo’s heartache very well. In the beginning, Wizard Leo’s younger brother, Raydore, had been a prodigious Spell Caster, but he was corrupted by people from Ozmu and betrayed Wizard Leo’s clan.

At that time, Wizard Leo had not joined the Dark Magic Region. The Spell Caster clan he belonged to was also a large one. The masters in his clan had held down the masters of Ozmu, and it was Wizard Leo himself who had put an end to his younger brother, Raydore.

This was an internal conflict that Wizard Leo had never been able to resolve. It was to the point where after he joined the Dark Magic Region and incidentally obtained the cultivation method for Darkness Eye, he had cultivated it by every possible mean. He did it with no regard for what it cost him until he was successful.

Finally, in the recent battle with Ozmu, Wizard Leo had traversed a long distance to personally behead Wizard Osseus, who had turned Raydore against his own clan, and finally resolved the anguish in his heart.

This matter was only known to a few, even among the Seventh-level Spell Casters in the Dark Magic Region. Wizard Heusius was one of those who knew what happened in detail.

“That’s right, I’ve completely let go of what happened with Raydore. Osseus is dead, and now I truly am Leo! Old fool, don’t worry, from now on, I’ll be me, the Sixth-level Spell Caster Wizard Leo of the Dark Magic Region. I’ll train Merlin well. He’s the most gifted Spell Caster I’ve ever seen. Besides his outstanding talent, his perseverance is what I most admire. Looking at him is like looking at myself from the past…”

After he had spoken, Wizard Leo flashed a pleased smile. Following that, he left the room in big strides, and said to Merlin who was waiting outside, “Merlin, return to the tower!”

Merlin got up slightly to give Wizard Heusius a half-bow, then he turned around and left, following Wizard Leo.

…

Back in the Wizard Tower, Merlin was brought by Wizard Leo into his room. Wizard Leo broke out in a grin and seemed to be very pleased as he spoke calmly, “Merlin, you’ve just signed a contract of the highest level with the Dark Magic Region. As you’re the prodigy that I shall be nurturing in the Dark Magic Region, who is as much a priority as Kleis was before, there are a few things that I should tell you.”

After a pause, Wizard Leo continued. “It’s about the outcome of the battle with Ozmu. No one knew what else to do this time. Ozmu had antagonized too many people, and they couldn’t utilize too many masters, so they signed a pact with the Dark Magic Region, Abyss Fort, and other spell casters’ organizations. Both sides agreed that the people of Ozmu would no longer come to the Dark Magic Region or other organizations to turn Spell Casters against their own groups, and the Dark Magic Region, Abyss Fort, and other spell casters’ organizations wouldn’t send Spell Casters who were Fourth-level or above to hunt the gifted Spell Casters who had betrayed us.”

“Ozmu was being crafty, for who among those disloyal Spell Casters isn’t the cream of the crop? Among those on the same level, who could possibly be their match? Nevertheless, the pact has been signed, and we cannot openly violate it. Therefore, the Dark Magic Region had already issued the matter of Kleis as a mission in the Mission Hall. Any Spell Caster below Fourth-level from the Dark Magic Region who’s able to kill Kleis will be awarded fifty thousand contribution points!

“Merlin, if you level up to a Third-level Spell Caster someday, there’s a high chance you’ll get to kill Kleis and obtain those fifty thousand contribution points. However, don’t take the risk when you’re still uncertain of winning. In the past, Kleis was the number-one prodigy that I favored, and his powers must surely have improved substantially after he joined Ozmu.”

Merlin nodded his head pensively. This time around, the Dark Magic Region and other spell casters’ organizations who had signed a pact with Ozmu were, in fact, at a disadvantage. Even if the Dark Magic Region and other organizations seemed to have the upper hand on the battlefield, it was only because Ozmu had merely dispatched a small part of their forces. If they had waited for Ozmu to recover its strength, the Dark Magic Region and other spell casters’ organizations would be no match for Ozmu at all.

Therefore, the people of Ozmu had obtained an advantage by signing the pact and were indirectly protecting their prodigies as well.

After he had finished explaining about Ozmu, Wizard Leo’s expression gradually turned solemn as he said to Merlin in a serious tone, “Merlin, you should already have ten thousand contribution points in your Dark Magic ring. With those points, the spells, casting tools, potions, and other things that you need shouldn’t be an issue. You can head to the Resource Tower and exchange for them by yourself. I won’t be able to help you with much…”

Merlin opened his mouth to say something, but he was stopped by Wizard Leo who waved his hand and continued speaking, “I know that I don’t excel in instructing students. Your achievements today aren’t due to my efforts. However, you’re ultimately a student of mine, of Leo, so I’m still proud of your present achievements! I can’t help you with much now. There’re only two things in which I may still be able to assist you, which are my Darkness Eye and the Darkness-type spell that’s above Second-level which you need!”

Merlin’s attention was roused immediately upon hearing Wizard Leo mention “Darkness Eye”. In truth, he was already vaguely aware that Wizard Leo’s “Darkness Eye” was a Pandora Demon Ability as well, and a very powerful one!

As for the Darkness-type spell that was above Second-level, Merlin had been unable to find such a spell in the Resource Tower. There were not many Spell Casters who constructed Darkness-type spells in the Dark Magic Region, and of course, the one who was most accomplished in this area was Wizard Leo. Thus, if Merlin wanted to obtain a Darkness-type spell that was above Second-level, he would still need Wizard Leo’s assistance.

Noticing the anticipating look in Merlin’s eyes, Wizard Leo bobbed his head with satisfaction and gave him a smile. He said serenely, “My Darkness Eye is a type of Pandora Demon Ability, which is a mystical power, more marvelous than spells, that’s passed on from ancient times. With Darkness Eye, I was able to break through my own level to kill a Seventh-level Spell Caster from Ozmu. With Darkness Eye, I was even able to influence the outcome of the battle with Ozmu!”

“There’re countless people who want to obtain my Darkness Eye. In fact, there’re records of Darkness Eye in Abyss Fort as well. As they specialize in Darkness-type spells, it was natural that they would’ve long collected this Darkness-type Pandora Demon Ability. However, for such a long time, no one in Abyss Fort was able to cultivate it successfully. Conversely, it was I, someone from the Dark Magic Region, who successfully cultivated Darkness Eye. Do you know why?”

Merlin shook his head. He did not know much about Darkness Eye. All he knew was that it was an extremely powerful type of Pandora Demon Ability, which was very difficult to cultivate. Otherwise, Wizard Leo would not have gouged out both his eyes just to cultivate Darkness Eye.

Darkness Eye in Wizard Leo’s forehead began to open completely. In a flash, Merlin was bathed in a blood-red light and felt like he had been transported to a completely foreign place.

“Illusion?”

Merlin himself had constructed the spells Dark Mist and Dark Light Realm, so naturally, he was no stranger to illusions. However, despite his strong Mind Power which was at the standard of a Third-level Spell Caster’s, he had been drawn into an illusion, without any resistance, by Wizard Leo’s Darkness Eye. This was enough to show how powerful Wizard Leo’s Darkness Eye was.

Moreover, causing illusions was only one of the unremarkable powers of Darkness Eye.

Wizard Leo’s expression suddenly turned complicated as he began to speak in a halting manner, “Even after so many years, none of the Spell Casters in Abyss Fort were able to cultivate Darkness Eye because its cultivation method was flawed and incomplete. Of course, no one was able to cultivate Darkness Eye then.”

“Flawed? In that case, Wizard Leo, how did you manage to cultivate Darkness Eye successfully? Do you actually have the complete cultivation method?”

Merlin’s heart jumped. He did not think that the cultivation method of Darkness Eye would be flawed and incomplete. It was unsurprising that no one had been able to cultivate it in Abyss Fort even though they possessed the cultivation method.

However, Wizard Leo had managed to cultivate Darkness Eye by now, so it was very likely that he had the complete cultivation method.

Nonetheless, Wizard Leo shook his head. “The cultivation method of Darkness Eye is flawed, and I didn’t get the complete method either. However, I’ve devised a cultivation method by which Darkness Eye can be forcibly cultivated until completion. This method has a fatal flaw. For that reason, I’ve paid a huge price. Besides not being able to see with both eyes, I’ll also never become a Seventh-level Spell Caster. The Darkness-type Spell Model in me has thoroughly lost its balance because I cultivated Darkness Eye by force. Now, I’m only able to maintain my current condition. If I construct a new Seventh-level spell, the Spell Model in my Awareness would collapse instantly…”

From the tone of Wizard Leo’s voice, Merlin was able to sense his profound helplessness and regret.

This was Wizard Leo’s biggest secret. He went as far as to devise a cultivation method for Darkness Eye. Although this method had a fatal flaw, it was enough to demonstrate that Wizard Leo’s accomplishments in the area of Darkness-type spells had surpassed those of the Seventh-level Spell Casters in Abyss Fort.

Even though he had the powerful capability to behead Seventh-level Spell Casters, it was still an enormous regret of Wizard Leo that he would never be able to become a Seventh-level Spell Caster. In order to avenge Raydore and to resolve his anguish, Wizard Leo had sure paid a price that was unimaginable to most Spell Casters!

“Merlin, there’s a major defect in my Darkness Eye so I can’t pass it to you, but I can let you learn another Darkness-type Pandora Demon Ability. You would even be able to obtain the Darkness-type spell that’s above Second-level that you need!”

Wizard Leo suddenly spoke in a low voice, and a strange smile appeared from the corner of his lips, which made Merlin feel skeptical.