Chapter 424: Paolo I
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
On the snowy horizons, there were some occasional dome-shaped igloos. The characteristics of these houses were very unique because it was put together using blocks of ice. Most of them were built by Spell Casters.
At this moment, two Spell Casters, a male and a female, stood before the dome-shaped igloos. The female Spell Caster was young, perhaps fourteen or fifteen years old. Her face was pure and innocent, and her big eyes were transfixed on the tall man dressed in a long white Wizard’s robes.
“Brother Paolo, my father asked you to explain some of the things that I need to pay attention to regarding the First-level Wind-type spells, but your explanation just now was a little too complicated, so I didn’t understand. Can you repeat it again?”
The tall, white-robed Wizard had handsomely chiseled features, and his smile was exceptionally dazzling, like a bright ray of suns.h.i.+ne that made everyone feel warm.
The female Wizard liked the white-robed Wizard’s smile so much, that she even told a small lie to see him for a little longer. Using her lack of understanding as an excuse, she requested the white-robed Wizard to repeat himself.
The white-robed Wizard appeared to be very patient as he smiled. “Alright, I’ll explain it to you again.”
Following that, the white-robed Wizard started to share some knowledge about First-level Wind-type spells in a simplified manner. His explanations were very detailed, which showed that his understanding of First-level Wind-type spells was very profound.
The female Wizard listened intently, but more attention was paid to the white-robed Wizard in front of her. She was very fond of Brother Paolo as he was kind and talented. Her father once mentioned that it was only a matter of time before Paolo would become a Fourth-level Spell Caster.
A Fourth-level Spell Caster was the strongest person the female Wizard had ever seen. She seldom went out in Subzero Snowfield and had only met a handful of people, so from her limited exposure, a Fourth-level Spell Caster was already very powerful.
Once the white-robed Wizard finished explaining, the female Wizard suddenly asked, “Brother Paolo, do you know if there are more powerful Wizards outside?”
“Outside?”
The white-robed Wizard paused slightly, and his smile faltered. Then, he nodded his head. “Of course there are more powerful Spell Casters on the outside. Besides Fourth-level, there are also Fifth, Sixth, and even Seventh-level Spell Casters!”
The female Wizard was enthralled to hear that. Naturally, she did not understand what Seventh-level Wizards were like, because the most powerful Spell Caster she had ever met was only her father, who was a Fourth-level Spell Caster.
“Whoosh”.
Right there and then, an old Wizard returned from Subzero Snowfield. Upon seeing the old Wizard, the female Wizard smiled and rushed forward to welcome him. “Father, you’re back. Brother Paolo was just telling me about the outside world.”
“Oh, the outside world? You’ll see it one day.”
The old Wizard cast an unfathomable look at the white-robed Wizard. For some unknown reason, his gaze was faintly filled with awe.
“Teacher!”
The white-robed wizard also came to the old Wizard and greeted him respectfully. If the old Wizard was the white-robed Wizard’s teacher, then the ‘awe’-filled gaze was all the more incomprehensible.
Nevertheless, the awed look in the old Wizard’s eyes was fleeting and was soon replaced with a calm expression. He nodded. “Paolo, you…”
Before he could finish, however, Paolo’s expression changed drastically. The old Wizard seemed to realize what was happening and quickly raised his head. The previously clear sky had suddenly turned dark.
Moreover, the darkness seemed to be condensing even further. Concentrated Darkness Elements seemed to be gathering in frenzy.
“My, my, my, how unexpected. The Seventh-level snow sprite Paolo is actually hiding here as a teeny-weeny Spell Caster!”
From the infinite darkness, a figure slowly emerged. The figure was dressed in a black robe and his features were child-like. He looked very young, except for a pair of harrowing, battle-scarred bottomless eyes that caused people to be involuntarily spellbound.
“Who are you?”
After a lengthy pause, the white-robed man stood up abruptly, and the smile disappeared from his face. Instead, it was replaced by an icy look. The old Wizard, on the other hand, was now hunched behind the white-robed man as he murmured in a low voice. “Master.”
Just a moment ago he was the white-robed Wizard’s ‘teacher’, but in the blink of an eye, the ‘teacher’ had become a slave. This abrupt change was quite puzzling, but the white-robed man seemed unperturbed. He nodded. “Retreat now. The matter at hand is not for you to be involved in!”
The old Wizard took a deep look at the mysterious figure that emerged from the darkness and swiftly retreated. Seventh-level fluctuations flashed on his body. Apparently, he was a Seventh-level Spell Caster too!
The mysterious Wizard who emerged from the darkness only glanced placidly at the retreating old Wizard. Calmly, he said, “Who I am is not important. What’s important here is, today you won’t be able to escape!”
“Really? With just this darkness spell? Let me guess, the Frost Lord invited you to come, and besides you, there are also others in hiding to ambush me. Come out then, Frost Lord, I’ve already smelled your aura, you know very well that neither of us can fool the other.”
The white-robed Wizard, Paolo, had his hands clasped behind his back. There was not a single trace of fear. Instead, he spoke calmly as his eyes swept around the vicinity.
“Sigh.”
A deep sigh resounded in the air, followed by a gust of white cold air. The cold air gradually condensed into a figure, and it was the Frost Lord.
The Frost Lord glanced at the white-robed man with a troubled expression. In a low voice, it said, “Paolo, we meet again!”
Paolo seemed to be filled with regret as he replied, “Yes, we meet again. This time, you’ve made the decision to devour me?”
Paolo seemed to be mocking himself as he stared unblinkingly at the Frost Lord.
The Frost Lord did not react. Quietly, the Frost Lord said, “Paolo, we were born together and grew up together. Then, we were forced to devour our companions to finally become Seventh-level snow sprites! In order to protect more snow sprites, I need to build a stronger force to stand against the Spell Casters, so that the snow sprites will no longer be captured. I needed your help, but instead, you chose another path. You chose to wander around and be free, but you have neglected your mission! Nevertheless, it’s still not too late, Paolo. Besides me, you are the only snow sprite in Subzero Snowfield that had managed to transform. As long as you agree to follow me back to the kingdom and help the other snow sprites, it’s still not too late.”
“And if I don’t agree?” Paolo asked in a frosty tone.
“Don’t agree…”
After a moment of silence, the Frost Lord raised its head fiercely with a look of determination and said, “If you don’t agree, then don’t blame me. In order for snow sprites to become stronger, we can only devour our companions. I’ve reached the bottleneck, so in order to transform, I can only devour you. Since you are unwilling to help me voluntarily, then you will contribute your strength to help me transform, in order to protect the snow sprites!”
The look on the Frost Lord’s face was maniacal.
“Haha.”
Paolo laughed. “Your so-called mission is nothing but shackles that you have placed upon yourself. No one forced you to shoulder the burden. That is their destiny as snow sprites and a part of nature. The fact that you and I managed to escape that destiny was merely a stroke of luck, it does not make it a mandatory requirement! If there was any use to force it to happen, and if your method was correct, then tell me, why is it that after so many years, not a single Seventh-level snow sprite has emerged from within your kingdom?”
Paolo sneered. He was well acquainted with the Frost Lord. After all, they were born together and grew up together, and they even devoured their own companions together and transformed into Seventh-level snow sprites. In the entire Subzero Snowfield, it was a very rare occurrence.
Later on, due to the clash in their ideologies, these two snow sprites went their separate ways.
“Too late, whatever you say now is useless! Wizard Merlin, Wizard Blackmurk, attack!”
The Frost Lord took a deep breath and its expression turned indifferent once again. The main purpose of coming here today was to surround Paolo and devour him in order for the Frost Lord to embark in its transformation.
Wizards Merlin and Blackmurk had both signed a contract with the Frost Lord. Thus, they could only attack as per the Frost Lord’s command and help the Frost Lord suppress Paolo.
“Darkness Illusory Death!”
With a sweeping command from Merlin, the surrounding became pitch-black to the extent that it was impossible to see one’s outstretched fingers. Even Paolo would not be able to sense his entire surroundings.
This was a very dangerous situation because there could be unknown threats lurking in the darkness. Since the Frost Lord had deliberately planned this trip to confront Paolo, there must be a detailed strategy.
Thinking along those lines, Paolo dared not regard the attack lightly. He frantically activated his Mind Power, because it was the most direct way to break through the illusion.
“Boom”.
An enormous Mind Power rose into the sky. Merlin’s darkness spell was unable to counter Mind Power above Seventh-level, so Paolo was immediately able to observe his surroundings.
However, by looking clearly at his surroundings, Paolo found himself in grave danger!
A huge, gangly, pitch-black Alchemy Creature that was emitting a foul stench was headed straight towards Paolo, its hands outstretched to smash him to death.
The Alchemy Creature’s speed was unmistakably fast, and because of Merlin’s Darkness-type spell, Paolo did not notice it until now. It was too late for him to escape, he could only face it head-on.
“Ice Freeze!”
Paolo extended a finger and a thick wall of ice appeared before him. When it came to the control over Ice Elements, Spell Casters of the same level were still far from comparable to the elemental sprites.
Therefore, despite being cast in a hurry, Paolo’s Ice-type spell was still quite powerful.
“Crash”.
The Alchemy Creature slammed its palm onto the thick wall of ice, and there was a ‘hissing’ sound. It was the venom eating away at the ice crystals, and soon enough the ice crystals corroded away and revealed a gaping hole. The venom-covered Alchemy Creature reappeared on the other side, and its crimson gaze was locked on Paolo.
Paolo’s face paled. He remembered rumors of a Spell Caster who was similar to the Alchemy Creature in front of him.
“Wizard Blackmurk!”
With Paolo’s gasp, Wizard Blackmurk showed himself. He was controlling the Alchemy Creature from afar as it battled Paolo. Even Merlin had to admit that compared to any Spell Caster, the venom-covered Alchemy Creature was much tougher to defeat.
Any Spell Caster would be hard-pressed to fight a venom-covered Alchemy Creature because even the slightest contamination from the venom would land them in a place of no return!