Chapter 421: Special Welcome
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Although Lin Li did not know if he should laugh or cry at those words, they reminded him of his deed of stripping the Syer Bandits bare when they first came to the Black Clouds Town. If he did not remember wrongly, the fella before him was the one who was the first to pull his pants down and the fastest to flee…
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Roger, Roger Garcia…”
“Hi Roger, nice to meet you,” Lin Li said, and reached out his hand smilingly. “Oh, yes. I just want to know your position in the Syer Bandits,” he said to the robber whose pants he had once striped.
“H-hi there…” Roger stuttered. Lin Li’s smile was terribly horrifying to him. Roger remembered it was with the same smile that he’d slain the hundreds of people earlier on. The thought of that magnificent icy flower made his knees tremble.
After greeting Lin Li cautiously, Roger swallowed his saliva with much difficulty. “I… I am just a small team leader of around 10 men.”
“Do you have the confidence to let everyone follow your orders if I increase the strength of your men by a few thousands?”
“Huh?”
“Yes. I will let you become the next Vanskore,” Lin Li affirmed at ease with the same smile and very casual voice. It was as though he was not talking about one of the top-10 bandit groups in the Breezy Plains, but a work that required one to run errands and do odd jobs across a few hotels.
“You…” Roger gasped as he opened his mouth wide. Even Adelo who was a distance away could hear the rough breathing of the unlucky Bandit. “Y-y-you mean… You want me to become the chief of the Syer Bandits?”
“Yeah, it’s similar to that. But, we are not going to use the name of that organization. It sounds too lame. Moreover, your previous occupation that required you to rob seems not to allow you to reap good income when you offend other people due to it. I have to find other things for you to do. We are not in a rush now. The priority right now is to gain the respect from the thousand of men…”
“Erm…” Roger’s mouth went dry as he heard the young mage’s words. He realized that a rare opportunity had landed before him…
That was right. It was indeed a rare opportunity.
If that mage was not joking, it would mean that he had the intention of raising him as the new chief of the Syer Bandits…
It had always been his dream to become like Chief Vanskore, who could march through the Breezy Plains unhindered with his thousands of men. Still, Roger never dared to think about it frequently. But now, an opportunity was actually right before him in reality…
Roger believed that the mage had the ability to support him.
The 300 people who planned the sneak attack that day were already the elites of the entire Syer Bandits, but they were defeated instantaneously without a chance of fighting against him. From how Lin Li killed the seemingly invincible Chief Vanskore, Roger knew that it would not take much effort for Lin Li to back him up.
Roger gaped in a daze after hearing Lin Li’s words. That wasn’t surprising, for those words were even more impactful as compared to the battle earlier on…
Roger needed some time to digest the situation…
Since it was not an urgent matter, Lin Li did not insist that Roger give him an immediate reply. Lin Li stood there patiently, and waited for Roger to recover from his shock.
Roger finally reacted after a minute. “I have the confidence, Mr. Mage. I have confidence that they would listen to me…”
“Very good,” Lin Li said as he nodded. “From now on, you are my man. Follow me for the time being. When I settle the things here, I will tell you how to become the new Vanskore.”
“Y-Yes, Mr. Mage…”
After sealing the fate of the Syer Bandits in a few words, when Lin Li wanted to call upon some of his men from the Tower of Dusk to introduce them to Roger, Adelo rushed towards him from behind.
“M-Mage… Mage Felic, could you please listen to my explanation for the matter just now…?” Adelo said anxiously. The sight of that hill covered with blood and dead bodies caused Adelo to feel really complicated. He was nervous, but at the same time relieved…
Adelo was nervous due to the fact that it was Hutton who allowed the sneak attack. It was that obvious. Adelo had been partic.i.p.ating in most of the secret projects of the Malfa Family for a few decades. He knew that there was a partners.h.i.+p between the Malfa Family and the Syer Bandits, and that Vanskore was on good terms with Hutton. If Hutton was not the mastermind behind the sneak attack led by Vanskore, he at least had to have given his seal of approval for it…
Adelo would not have dared to imagine what would happen if Mage Felic were to know about everything behind the scenes.
But, Adelo felt a sense of relief at the same time.
Thank goodness! Although Hutton did a foolish thing, he was clever enough to know he could silence people. Since neither the Adventurers hired from Blackstone Town nor people from the Malfa Family had direct involvement in it, one could not simply tell that the sneak attack was planned by the Malfa Family.
That made things easier. As both parties had yet to engage in any direct confrontation, Mage Felic’s suspicions would not be able to stand without sufficient evidence. With that, the authority of the Malfa Family in the Breezy Plains and Mentor Cheyenne’s powerful influence would have their effect…
Furthermore, if he could flatter Felic a little, the issue of the sneak attack might even be resolved.
Yes, Adelo had clever ideas. However, he committed another unfortunate mistake…
Who was Lin Li? To Gerian, he was a fella who would never take a loss willingly. How would such a troublemaker give in obediently?
In fact, knowledge of the partners.h.i.+p between the Malfa Family and the Syer Bandits and of the shady deal between Hutton and Vanskore was nothing. Lin Li just needed to know that he was currently two kilometers away from the Malfa campsite, and that Hutton had sent a message through magic to tell Adelo to get rid of himself…
Hence, Lin Li did not give Adelo any chance to explain himself. While they looked like they were chatting very casually and harmoniously as they walked down the hill, the topics discussed were all meaningless…
“Look, there has to be a misunderstanding…” said Adelo. He grew more and more anxious as they got closer to the Malfa campsite. How could Adelo not know the young mage’s personality after several days spent journeying with him in the Scar of Death? Even though he’d been unaware of it in the beginning, how could he not get a clear picture after witnessing that huge ma.s.sacre? Furthermore, if that young mage really meant it when he said he did not mind the sneak attack, why did he let that gigantic Humerus Wyrm stay in the air till now…?
As Lin Li’s pace got increasingly faster, the sense of foreboding grew for Adelo as well.
Sh*t. Trouble is huge…
…
Hutton walked into Sendros’s tent almost at the same time.
Hutton had a very grave expression. Just a few minutes ago, this first inheritor of the Malfa Family suddenly sensed that there was a shocking magical wave at the borders of the Scar of Death. With his wealth of knowledge about magic, Hutton knew it was the work of a level-19 Archmage.
The instant he felt the magical wave, Hutton realized that he had committed a mistake.
The only people who could be at the border of the Scar of Death would only be either Vanskore and his Syer Bandits or that advance party he wanted to silence. However, Hutton was certain that there was no level-19 Archmage in Vanskore’s team. Among the 30 mages Vanskore brought along, the stronger ones were at most level-12. He knew it would not be Adelo, either. How could he not know the abilities of his comrade?
By elimination, the suspicious ones would be those who came from Black Clouds Town…
Hutton was quite certain that the young President of the Tower of Dusk was actually that level-19 Archmage.
That was definitely bad news. To Vanskore and his Syer Bandits, a level-19 Archmage was actually formidable. The Archmage would have the ability to deal with the sneak attack by himself. Even if the bandits were to gain the upper hand at the beginning, it would not be what he’d hoped for—trapping the young President in the Blackstone Mountains forever.
That was what Hutton was really worried about. The background of the young President was too scary. It would mean immediate trouble after he came down from the Blackstone Mountains.
Hence, Hutton had no choice but walk into Sendros’ tent again. He hoped the Legendary-level Necromancer could fulfill his promise and help him resolve that terrible mess.
“Master Sendros—”
“I’ve heard of it already,” Sendros said as he reached out his bony right arm for the staff that had been leaning against the table.
Hutton felt it very clearly when that gust of magical waves was sent out. How could a Legendary powerhouse like Sendros not realize it? To be honest, when he felt that, Sendros was actually rather curious. Since when was there such a powerful mage in the Blackstone Mountains? He knew that the wave was generated by somebody who was at least level-19 and a step away from the Legendary-realm.
What could be more interesting to a Legendary-mage other than that? Even if Hutton was not going to find him, Sendros would take his magic staff out to look at the situation. That was neither to repay Cheyenne’s favor nor to fulfill his promise to help get rid of anyone. It was purely his desire to meet a potential colleague who was about to break into the Legendary-realm…
Sendros held his magic staff in his hands and muttered a spell. He then transformed into a puff of black smoke, and vanished from the tent.
“Hopefully he can make it in time…” Hutton’s expression became calmer as he watched Sendros leave. Yet, he decided to follow behind Sendros after a moment of hesitation…
…
“Mage Felic, could you please give me a chance to explain…?” Seeing that the Malfa campsite was just a short distance away yet the menacing Humerus Wyrm was still in the air while the magical waves from the mage became more rigorous, Adelo was really anxious.
“Such bad luck. I guess I really need to listen to your nagging…” Lin Li said as he stopped in his tracks. His eyes were fixed on the sky…
“Huh?” Adelo was stunned. He looked in the direction of Lin Li’s gaze and gasped.
“My Lord…”
That was a bony figure with a long black robe. Its ma.s.sive magical wave was suffocating. If he did not witness the Lich shatter into pieces, Adelo might have thought that the Lich had reappeared.
However, although the one in the sky was not a Lich, the magical waves it emitted was not any weaker. He could tell that it was mightier than a Lich.
“F*ck…” That feeling made him breathless. “Why is there another Legendary character…?”
“How would I know…?” Lin Li replied as he rubbed his nose. While his expression stayed the same, he reached his hand to open the Ring of Endless Storm discreetly. Although he had not taken a good look at who that threatening newcomer was, he was certain that it was a powerful person in the Legendary-realm.
Lin Li could guess the motives of that man. To soar above him so c.o.c.kily, that Legendary powerhouse should not be a mere pa.s.ser-by.
A level-19 Archmage could easily wipe out the entire Syer Bandits and kill Vanskore, but he might face some difficulty if his opponent were someone in the Legendary-realm. Perhaps Holy Light and Gloomy Dark could be of help to him. Oh, if he were to summon the Humerus Wyrm, he would have good odds…
At this point, even Lin Li failed to discover the s.h.i.+ft in his mindset. If it was a few days ago, the first thing Lin Li would think of when he saw somebody in the Legendary-realm would be to escape.
However, defeating that level-20 Lich in the Scar of Death gave Lin Li tremendous confidence. It not only brought him up by a level, but also enabled him to battle as a Legendary figure. Although it was with the help of the All-Knowing Potion, the experience he acquired was the most valuable gift.
Hence, when Lin Li faced another man in the Legendary-realm, the first thought that appeared in his mind was not to escape, but to get rid of him…
As the dark figure loomed closer, the magical waves became even more vigorous and suffocating. The ma.s.sive Death aura which it emitted was not as pungent as the Lich’s. Instead, it was like a boulder that caused people to be extremely breathless.
At the same time, Lin Li also pushed his mental strength to the limits.
The two equally able mages confronted each other in a very unusual way. Although it was not a physical exchange, their confrontation was one that was more threatening. Under the demonstration of the two great forces, the magical elements in the environment fell apart, and the sky started to distort. However, despite the risky interaction between the two forces, Lin Li’s posture was not affected at all. The huge gust of mana was like tide waters, pouring out of his body…
Seconds trickled by. Beads of cold sweat trickled down Lin Li’s forehead as well. His method of calling out his mana was a self-destructive act. Even though Lin Li’s mental strength was stronger than normal people’s, he would not be able to sustain it for long. Yet, he knew he had to press on. If he were to show any sign of faltering, Lin Li would be greatly disadvantaged. How could an Archmage with a drained mana be able to fight a real Legendary-mage?
Hence, Lin Li could only persevere, no matter how hard it was…
One minute, two minutes, three minutes…
Although only 10 minutes pa.s.sed by, it seemed like an eternity to Lin Li. Every second was tortuous to him. At that point, Lin Li’s mental strength was like a taut bowstring that had been stretched to its limits.
Simultaneously, it was the same for the figure in the sky. The suffocating conflict between them weakened by a great extent and vanished gradually…
“Phew…” Lin Li sighed, and fell weakly to his feet when the last bit of pressure went away. It was a terrifying encounter that placed a great deal of stress on his physical body and mental capacity. If not for his extraordinary mental ability, Lin Li would have gone entirely berserk.
It was fortunate for him to be able to withstand that challenge…
Lin Li drew several big breaths, and fished out an energy potion from his pocket.
Lin Li downed a whole bottle of the Awakening Potion, and regained some energy for his weakened body. However, he did not have any way to replenish his mental strength, as it was impossible for people under the level of a Divine Smith to do so. His Awakening Potion could only trigger existing mental strength to hasten the rate of mana recovery. It was of no use to him now when he lacked mental strength.
Lin Li’s current weakness was no secret to the man from the Legendary-realm. As the black figure descended from the sky, it symbolized the official beginning of the battle between them.
Yet, Lin Li was not afraid at all. Right from the beginning, he had no intention of using his energy to defeat that opponent.
The Humerus Wyrm had been flapping its long and bony wings in the air. Lin Li knew he could let it spit out terrifying ice flame at any moment. Gloomy Dark and the Holy Light could be triggered at any time from the Ring of Endless Storm, which had been opened long ago.
Seeing that an earth-shattering battle was just a step away from them, everyone held their breath in antic.i.p.ation and fear.
No one realized that there was a menacing presence hidden in the thicket not far away…
It was Hutton, who had followed Sendros all the way here…
In reality, Hutton had reached that place very early, and witnessed the start of the indirect confrontation. Yet, he was hiding in the thicket so as not to alarm Sendros. Hutton had to admit that the exchange was not one that he had expected.
As a level-18 Archmage, he was one of the more powerful mages in the whole Breezy Plains. Even Adelo had to bow to Hutton’s superiority despite entering the industry earlier than him. Hence, Hutton generally gathered more understanding from that exchange as compared to the others.
Sendros’s ability is actually on par with that dude’s!?
Hutton had to admit that the young President of the guild of magic was the most powerful talent he had ever met…
How could a young man aged around 20 be able to emit such a threatening aura?
Not to forget, his opponent was the most powerful High Priest from the Darkness Shrine—Necromancer Sendros in the Legendary-realm…
Hutton could not believe that the 20 years old young President could be on par with a mighty man like Sendros.
Hutton had mixed feelings about that absurdity. He was not only impressed and jealous, but was also filled with awe and fear. Having become a level-18 Archmage before the age of 30, and been recognized as the first mage with a huge potential by the strictest Mentor Cheyenne, Hutton had always thought himself to be the most talented magic genius in this world. He believed Cheyenne’s words that it was only a matter of time for him to reach the Legendary-realm.
His belief stayed the same even when he sensed the vigorous magical waves earlier on, which made him wonder if that young President of the guild of magic was really a level-19 Archmage.
Hutton had felt that his being at the peak of level-18 made him not a bit weaker than that President. Estimating himself to be able to reach level-19 in half a year’s time, Hutton was certain that he could get closer to the Legendary-realm if he were to devote his time spent on the management of the Malfa’s business to research on magic.
But now, Hutton finally realized the existence of that wide gap between people of the same level…
At least, he did not have the guts to challenge Sendros. He even had to muster all his courage and energy to engage in a casual conversation whenever he stood before Sendros. The ability of a Legendary-mage was horrifying—especially for Sendros, who did not care to suppress his energy. Any slight sense of energy he emitted would suffice to create nightmares for a powerful man like Vanskore for a few days.
Therefore, how did that 20 years old President do it to even be on par with Sendros??
Hutton felt a sudden disappointment when he witnessed that exchange between Lin Li and Sendros. To a genius, the hardest thing to accept was the existence of a more talented individual. It was the same for Hutton now. He’d never felt so ashamed and insulted, as he understood very well that he would never catch up to Lin Li’s standard. Hutton knew he would fall further behind Lin Li as time pa.s.sed by.
To him, it was a fact he could not accept.
Hutton was elated when he saw Sendros descending from the sky. He knew that it would be the death of the mage the moment Sendros touched the ground. No matter how talented Lin Li was, he would never be able to defeat Sendros before reaching the Legendary-realm.
If the motive behind Hutton’s decision to silence Lin Li at the start was to keep the secret of the treasure map, his reason now would be to get rid of this rival. As long as this talent existed for one more day, it meant another day of insult and disappointment for Hutton.
Hutton’s eyes lit up when Sendros’ feet came into contact with the ground.
At that instant, Hutton imagined countless Undead creatures crawling out from the soil, and tearing that young talent into pieces…
Unfortunately, it did not happen as Hutton had expected. He saw a friendly Sendros walking towards that young mage. “I’m very glad to meet you here, Mage Felic. As compared to the last time I met you in Doland, your abilities have improved a lot…” said Sendros as he patted the young President.
Hutton could not believe his ears.
That was not the hardest thing for Hutton to accept. Hutton’s jaw dropped when he saw Sendros’ genuine smile—it was as though Sendros had met an old friend.
“Master Sendros, you gave me a very special greeting…” Lin Li laughed as he glared at Sendros. Internally, he was condemning both the Lich he met in the cave as well as the man before him. Why isn’t Necromagic practiced by any neurotypical being?