The Emerald Isle Great Forest is located at the intersection of three nations: the Kingdom of Eluria, the Principality of Kaesira, and the Principality of Salam.
Geographically, it lies in the southern region of the Wizarding World, while in terms of factional divisions, it is positioned at the edge of Black Wizard territory.
If one were to travel further in the opposite direction, they would reach the boundary line between the Black Wizards and the White Wizards' domains.
Thus, the power controlled by the Starlight Wizard of the Spirit Eye Furnace a Fourth Level wizard only occupies the outermost fringes of Black Wizard territory.
However, at this moment, beyond the borders of the three nations, atop a mountainous terrain...
A dazzling space teleportation array suddenly flared in the void, its intense energy fluctuations disturbing the heavens and earth as if tearing through space itself.
Moments later, figures clad in black robes emerged from the formation. Their robes were engraved with unique patterns and insignias, exuding a chilling and ominous aura.
For those knowledgeable about the southern Black Wizard factions, identifying these wizards based on their attire would be an easy task.
These black-robed wizards hailed from one of the most formidable Black Wizard factions in the entire southern region The Stone of the Furnace!
"The Enforcer Wizards have appeared here, even disturbing the very essence of the Wizarding World..."
A Black Wizard murmured, his eyes flashing with cold intent, his tone indifferent.
"What a hassle... Fortunately, we were nearby and managed to block the energy fluctuations of that formation connecting to the Wizarding World in time. Otherwise, if this were reported, it could lead to unnecessary trouble."
Another Black Wizard spoke. His entire body shimmered with a metallic sheen, and even his voice carried the echo of metal clashing as if he had completely transformed into a metal being.
"We were originally hunting down those damned Starfall Council members, but to think we'd stumble upon the Enforcer Wizards here... Could this place be connected to the Starfall Council?"
One of the Black Wizards narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings sharply, his voice low and cautious.
"Enough speculation. The master has already gone ahead. If we are late, we will not escape punishment."
Another Black Wizard urged, his voice firm and brooking no delay.
As soon as his words fell, the black-robed figures transformed into streaks of dark light, shooting toward a specific direction at great speed.
The sound of their fluttering robes in the wind resembled a massive shadow sweeping across the land.
And the direction they were heading in was none other than the Emerald Isle Great Forest…
...
"&$%@!...
A series of incomprehensible syllables spilled from Lynn's lips, ancient and mysterious, echoing in the air as if resonating across time itself.
What was shocking was that these words were identical to those spoken by the otherworldly entity down to the exact pronunciation!
Even Lynn's expression was more devout than that of the Master of the Furnace and the others.
Because he could understand what was being said!
At this moment, Lynn did not hesitate. His tone was calm, his gaze deep, reciting the language of the otherworldly entity with precision, as if he were a true believer.
"..."
The sudden development caused the otherworldly entity to pause for a moment.
Its emotionless pupils contracted slightly, fixing on Lynn with a hint of shock.
But at that very moment, high above, the golden scale underwent an abrupt transformation!
Buzz
Even though Lynn understood the true meaning of the incantation, he knew that he could never truly seize control of the Azure Sky Spirit.
After all, his opponents were numerous, while he was alone.
But Lynn had never intended to fight for control of the scale!
His goal was never to seize authority.
His true intention was to use the power of the golden scale to draft a contract!
Forcing Alder onto the scale's two sides!
Boom!!!
In the next instant, the golden scale burst into a blinding light!
A brilliant golden beam shot directly toward Alder!
"No!"
The otherworldly entity's expression changed drastically!
It was not entirely ignorant it retained fragments of Maple Tree's memories and knew that the Enforcer Wizards carried the power of the Wizarding World's laws!
Once tainted by an alien force, that power would immediately erupt!
That was precisely why it had chosen to use the Azure Sky Spirit against him first instead of employing other methods…
But it was already too late!
Buzz!
The golden light pierced into Alder's body!
In that instant
An overwhelming aura erupted from Alder!
Crack!
Crack!
The crisp sound of ice shattering echoed clearly through the air!
The force that had once bound Alder was now breaking apart!
Even the very space confining him was collapsing inch by inch!
Rumble!
At this moment, Alder's starry wizard robes fluttered in the wind!
Each star embroidered on the fabric shone brilliantly, forming a boundless sea of stars a vast cosmic expanse!
Those radiant starlights intertwined with the golden sun behind him, merging into one!
Alder was completely free from his shackles!
He broke away from the Azure Sky Spirit's restraints, floating in mid-air, his body levitating effortlessly!
At this moment, Alder's expression was devoid of any emotion, his eyes empty of human warmth replaced by a cold and merciless gaze.
He no longer seemed like a living human but a lifeless puppet.
Maple Tree looked at him, his tone complex as he spoke softly:
"He has already been replaced by the Wizarding World's formation inscribed upon him. His actions will now only target the otherworldly entity..."
"You had better not use any more foreign techniques, or you might end up getting caught in the crossfire."
Maple Tree had never imagined that Lynn could understand the language of the otherworldly entity.
This young man who wasn't even a formal wizard yet seemed to comprehend this "landscape" better than he did.
If Maple Tree had learned this language in the past, he would never have ended up in his current state reduced to a mere remnant soul trapped within a supernatural plant.
At the same time, a deep sense of unease crept into Maple Tree's heart especially when he recalled the sacrifice he made to bind himself to the golden scale.
The golden Scale was not what he had once believed a truly "fair and impartial" force.
It could be adjusted.
But at this moment, none of that mattered.
The priority was how to deal with the otherworldly entity before them.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, Alder's figure soared into the sky, moving like a phantom, dashing straight toward the otherworldly entity!
The entity had been focusing entirely on controlling the Azure Sky Spirit, but Alder's sudden assault disrupted all of its actions.
At that very moment, Lynn swiftly activated the Azure Sky Meditation Technique, firmly seizing control of the Azure Sky Spirit!
"Boy, now's your chance! Seal that thing with the Azure Sky Spirit and reclaim my body "
Maple Tree's voice rang urgently in Lynn's ears.
Yet Lynn did not act rashly.
Instead, his gaze remained calm and profound.
"Is there something you're not telling me?"
Lynn's words floated out lightly, his tone carrying a hint of amusement and deep meaning.
As soon as he spoke, even the will of the Maple Tree froze for a moment, caught off guard by Lynn's sudden statement.
Earlier, Lynn had been harboring doubts in his mind—out of the two sacred artifacts scattered in the space, he had only obtained the Golden Scales.
Logically, after allying with Alder, the best strategy should have been to first send the Furnace Army to locate the Azure Sky Spirit.
By then, with both sacred artifacts in hand and absolute control secured, dealing with the otherworldly being would have been the optimal course of action.
However, due to the Maple Tree's urging, Lynn and Alder had no choice but to act first and confront the otherworldly being.
As soon as they made contact, both he and Alder were immediately restrained by the Azure Sky Spirit's power.
If not for Lynn's quick thinking and swift reaction using the Golden Scales to break the Azure Sky restraint on Alder and activating his "reserve hidden energy"
The situation could have turned far worse.
He might have already succumbed to mental exhaustion, losing the ability to fight for control over the Azure Sky Spirit, and ultimately falling under the control of the otherworldly being himself.
Although a contract bound Lynn and the Maple Tree, ensuring they would not harm each other, the Maple Tree's behavior suggested he was trying to work around the contract's restrictions.
Now that Lynn had finally freed himself from control, there was no way he would continue blindly following the Maple Tree's orders as before.
He had considered leaving earlier, but since the situation had been in their favor at the time, he decided to stay and rescue his teacher and friends first.
But now, it was evident that the Maple Tree was hiding something from him, and the power of the otherworldly being far exceeded their expectations.
Without a guaranteed victory, Lynn began to reconsider his approach.
After all, if his allies could not be fully trusted and his enemy was not one to be underestimated, then fighting to the bitter end was not the best choice.
"Of course, you can also choose not to tell me the truth, but in that case, I won't be able to help either…"
Lynn shook his head, casually putting away the Azure Sky Spirit as he spoke indifferently.
"Wait! Lynn, are you thinking of retreating from the battlefield?!"
The Maple Tree's voice suddenly sharpened, immediately catching Lynn's intent to leave.
"Don't you want to save your teacher and your friends?!"
However, upon hearing this, Lynn merely raised an eyebrow and replied coldly:
"Are you trying to threaten me with my teacher? You forget the Emerald Island Forest is located in Black Wizard territory, and I am a Black Wizard. Trying to manipulate my emotions… how laughable."
"No… That's not what I meant!"
The Maple Tree quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly tried to explain.
But instead of mending their rift, his words only deepened the divide between them.
Lynn remained expressionless and spoke with indifference, "If you refuse to tell me everything, then I'll turn around and leave."
At this point, the Maple Tree had no choice but to stop stalling and finally said,
"The contract power of the Golden Scales has always been in effect I cannot harm you, nor do I have any ill intentions. Otherwise, I would have already been devoured by the contract's backlash. Since you can understand the language of the otherworldly beings, you should also be aware that the power of the Golden Scales is even more terrifying than my Azure Sky Spirit…"
Hearing this, Lynn did not respond immediately.
Although he had learned the language of the otherworldly beings, his knowledge of the Golden Scales was still limited.
So, he remained silent, waiting to hear what else the Maple Tree had to say.
Seeing that Lynn did not respond, the Maple Tree sighed and continued:
"It's true—I sensed that the Azure Sky Spirit had already fallen under the control of the otherworldly being, and I did not tell you in advance."
He hesitated, clearly making a difficult decision before continuing,
"But the reason he was able to do so is because there are still remnants of my aura within the Azure Sky Spirit. Once those remnants completely dissipate, the sacred artifact of the Azure Sky lineage will recognize that it has been taken over by an otherworldly being and will automatically retaliate…"
He paused, his gaze shifting into the distance.
"When that happens, the Azure Sky Spirit will return to my body and expel the otherworldly being… And during this time, the contract restrains both of us, so your safety will be guaranteed under my protection…"
At this, Lynn interjected, "And at that moment, you'll be able to reunite with the Maple Tree and return to your own body, right?"
The Maple Tree did not respond directly, but it was clear that was exactly his plan.
Lynn's mind was racing.
According to the Maple Tree's strategy, he would indeed be able to reclaim his body and expel the otherworldly being.
But in doing so, Lynn would simply be another pawn in the Maple Tree's plan.
This was completely at odds with Lynn's approach he had no intention of placing his safety in someone else's hands.
Even with the contract of the Golden Scales supposedly ensuring his protection, he still did not trust the Maple Tree.
At that moment, Alder was still locked in a fierce battle with the otherworldly being.
Suddenly, a golden scale manifested high above the sky, radiating six beams of light.
Each beam shone down upon the battlefield, illuminating every individual below:
A strange Third-Level apprentice, Sonya, Aestry, a third-level Grand Wizard, the Lord of the Furnace even the otherworldly being itself.
These beams exuded an overwhelming pressure, a force that was rapidly intensifying.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
One after another, the beams struck like thunderbolts.
Each time a beam descended, a figure was absorbed into the Golden Scales and instantly vanished.
At the same time, a series of emotionless voices echoed through the air:
"Final-stage Guardian of the Scales, absorbed…"
"First-stage Guardian of the Scales, absorbed…"
…
"Fourth-stage Guardian of the Scales, absorbed…"
Lynn's pupils contracted sharply as he took in the scene.
The six individuals chosen by the otherworldly beings were not randomly selected. They had been arranged in a specific order, from weakest to strongest.
The weakest was the third-level apprentice, followed by the first-level wizard, then the second-level wizard, and so on…
"What does this mean…"
The Maple Tree, unable to understand the foreign language, turned to Lynn for an explanation.
Lynn glanced at him but did not refuse to answer.
"This is the otherworldly being's trump card, just as you had your hidden hand. If these people are absorbed into the Golden Scales, then the Scales will awaken and unleash immense power…"
The Maple Tree fell silent for a moment, digesting Lynn's words.
After a brief pause, he finally said, "I admit I hid things from you earlier, but now we're in the same boat…"
Lynn neither confirmed nor denied this.
Indeed, if he had been able to leave freely, he would have done so long ago.
But now, he was trapped in this space…
Gritting his teeth, the Maple Tree spoke urgently:
"I still have one final strike left. With the Azure Sky Spirit, I can use it. But after that, I will fall into intermittent unconsciousness. Everything will be in your hands…"
Lynn's heart stirred slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. After a moment of silence, he coughed lightly, took out the Azure Sky Spirit, and spoke with calm detachment:
"The contract of the Golden Scales still binds us. As long as I don't die, you won't die either."
This statement was hardly reassuring, yet it was the best guarantee Lynn was willing to give.
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