"This is…"
Lynn's gaze focused on the yellow crystal, his brows furrowing slightly.
Though he couldn't immediately identify what it was, his limited knowledge of materials science led him to suspect that this crystal was likely a type of magic stone.
But what exactly was its function? And more importantly, why would White, a mere first-level wizard apprentice, be carrying such a peculiar magic stone?
Moreover, White had just shouted the command "Furnace"?
As Lynn was lost in thought, he suddenly sensed an unusual disturbance.
Two corpses lunged toward him.
These bodies had originally been attacking other wizard apprentices, but they abruptly abandoned their previous targets and turned toward him instead.
Even from a distance, Lynn could see other corpses also converging in his direction.
"Is it because of this thing?!"
Lynn's expression darkened slightly, a trace of caution flashing through his eyes.
The yellow crystal was attracting the zombie-like corpses to him, which completely disrupted his plan of faking his way through the battle.
If this continued, more and more corpses would be drawn toward him, eventually drawing unwanted attention from others.
Whether ally or enemy, Lynn had no desire to be noticed.
With a swift movement, he easily dodged the corpses' attacks and quickly approached the yellow crystal.
Although the crystal had originally belonged to White, Lynn carefully wrapped it in his robe, adding an extra layer of protection using the floral patterns of the Heart of Floral Language before picking it up.
"What an intense concentration of light energy! It's like a miniature sun!"
Lynn was startled by the sheer energy contained within the crystal.
At the same time, a thought flashed through his mind.
The power of sorcery was typically measured in degrees, based on the energy released by the explosion of a standard unit of magic firestone.
If a magic firestone could explode, then was it possible that this yellow magic stone could do the same?
As he pondered, Lynn suddenly realized that the stone's function might go beyond mere detonation.
In the Nightshadow Fortress, an area thick with negative energy, an explosion of the yellow crystal's light energy might be capable of neutralizing the surrounding negative energy.
All energies in the world counterbalanced one another fire wasn't only suppressed by water, but also by ice and earth elements.
Similarly, light energy was one of the most effective counterforces against negative energy.
"If this thing explodes, it will severely disrupt the negative energy field in the area. Perhaps… I finally understand how White, a mere first-level apprentice, has managed to survive until now…"
Lynn took a deep breath, his brows tightly knit.
First-level wizard apprentices didn't yet possess the ability to absorb energy into their bodies, meaning they couldn't accurately perceive the state of energy within a magic stone.
Apprentices like White probably had no idea what they were carrying.
They thought they were simply following orders for the Furnace's mission, without realizing the potential danger of the magic stone in their possession.
"The Furnace must have prepared a large number of first-level apprentices as 'human bombs,' sending them into the battlefield with these stones!"
A cold sweat broke out on Lynn's back as the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place. Now he understood why the official wizards had ordered apprentices like him to charge into the battle under the Night Veil.
What seemed like senseless sacrifices were calculated losses.
To the official wizards, the lives of the apprentices were mere pawns, meant to pave the way for the higher-ups in the Furnace to gain the upper hand.
On the surface, their battle plan involved overwhelming the Nightshadow Fortress with waves of apprentices, stalling the enemy's attacks while slowly pushing forward.
But in reality, their goal was simply to create an opportunity for the first-level apprentices carrying the magic stones.
"When the time comes, these yellow magic stones will explode, causing a massive disruption to the negative energy in the area…"
"So this is the brilliance of that Black Dragon Witch? A master strategist who treats lives like pieces on a chessboard. To her, it doesn't matter how many pawns fall, as long as the 'king' and 'queen' remain safe."
From his perspective, Lynn had pieced together some of the Black Dragon Witch's intentions.
As for whether she had additional plans, that was beyond his ability to speculate.
"This magic stone is a ticking time bomb I need to get rid of it. And I need to stay far away from those first-level wizard apprentices…"
Glancing at the sluggishly rising corpses stumbling toward him, Lynn swiftly dodged their attacks and tucked the magic stone into his hooded cloak.
Without a moment's hesitation, he sped away, keeping his distance from the first-level wizard apprentices of the Furnace.
Thanks to his crystal ball abilities, he could assess the strength of these apprentices and avoid them accordingly.
At the highest point of the Nightshadow Fortress, three figures stood overlooking the battlefield. They were the Lord of the Nightshadow Fortress, the Lionheart Knight, and an elderly man with white hair.
This white-haired elder was none other than a third-level grand wizard from the Bitter Heart Sect.
At this moment, three grand wizards had gathered, their eyes sharp like eagles, observing every detail of the battlefield.
The Lionheart Knight crossed his arms over his chest, his sharp gaze sweeping over the battlefield. Then, in an unhurried tone, he spoke:
"You should already have some idea of what the Furnace's once-in-a-decade hunt is truly for."
The Lord of the Nightshadow Fortress and the leader of the Bitter Heart Sect exchanged glances. After a brief silence, the Fortress Lord responded gravely:
"Beyond the third level of sorcery lies the fourth level, known as the Morning Star wizards. They can roam the stars, wage wars across different planes, and even conduct deep research beyond the world of sorcery itself."
The leader of the Bitter Heart Sect added:
"The Lord of the Furnace has likely already set his sights on a powerful plane, but he doesn't yet have the confidence to conquer it. That's why, through these once-in-a-decade hunts, he has been training a formidable army waiting for the right moment to launch an invasion."
The Lionheart Knight let out a low chuckle, the corners of his mouth curling with a hint of cold amusement.
"Heh… exactly."
Pausing for a moment, he then asked with a meaningful look:
"And do you know why I've decided to help you?"
The Lord of the Nightshadow Fortress and the leader of the Bitter Heart Sect exchanged another glance, their eyes filled with uncertainty.
They knew the Lionheart Knight's history was once merely a second-level wizard, he had betrayed the White Tower after devouring his mentor's power in an attempt to break through to the third level.
Yet they also understood that the threshold of the third level was not so easily crossed.
For bloodline wizards especially, consuming their mentor's bloodline alone would not be enough for a breakthrough.
However, upon seeing the Lionheart Knight's true form, they were both shocked to realize that he had indeed ascended to the third level an unfathomable achievement.
The Lionheart Knight smiled slightly, as if in a good mood. Then, in a deep voice, he said:
"Heh… I can tell you this the coordinates of the world that the Lord of the Furnace has set his sights on… were stolen from my master!"
A sinister chuckle escaped his lips, his voice cold as ice, sending a chill down the spines of the two third-level grand wizards.
For if the Lionheart Knight had a master… what level of existence could that being possibly be?
-support me in Patreon for more chapter, 60+ chapters
patreon.com/LordoftheReader