Shadowwing Mage!
Kael paused. The situation had unexpectedly entangled with the Shadowwing Mages.
At the mention of them, Zorath the Silent's expression darkened. "Hmph. Somehow, news of the ancient ruin discovered by the Sacred Council and the Holy Sanctum leaked. A minor Shadowwing Mage caught wind of it and infiltrated the ruins through a secondary entrance."
Kael finally understood Zorath's fury. No one tolerates an outsider encroaching on their territory.The Shadowwing Mage's intrusion had infuriated both the Council and the Sanctum. No one, let alone two colossal powers, would tolerate such audacity.
"This Shadowwing Mage is at the peak of Level 7, formidable even among his peers. Of course, I could crush him with a finger—if the coward hadn't holed up inside the ruins!" Zorath growled, his temper flaring.
"The Council and the Sanctum sent teams to eliminate him, but to no avail. So, we're turning this into a trial for you rookies," Zorath declared.
Now Kael grasped the full picture.
The Sacred Council and Holy Sanctum had jointly discovered the ancient ruin to nurture promising youths. But a rogue Shadowwing Mage had stolen the initiative. Instead of deploying their full might, the factions decided to use him as a test—tasking the younger generation to hunt him down.
"Here's the dossier on that Shadowwing Mage. Read it." Zorath casually tossed a file to Kael.
They even compiled a dossier? Kael's curiosity about the mage intensified.
Logically, a sub-Level 8 nobody shouldn't warrant the Council's attention. Even if he had breached the ruins, the Council had countless ways to obliterate him. As Zorath boasted, under normal circumstances, the mage would've been annihilated effortlessly.
But as Kael scanned the dossier, he realized this was no ordinary mission.
The "minor" Shadowwing Mage Zorath dismissed was, in fact, a figure of legend!
The mage's name was Leif. According to the records, his life was a tapestry of extraordinary exploits.
Born into a commoner family from an ordinary town, Leif displayed extraordinary magical talent from a young age, coupled with an obsessive, almost fanatical passion for the arcane.
His obsession drove him to extremes. To study magic, he violated continental taboos—secretly dissecting the corpses of deceased mages from his town to analyze their anatomical structures and elemental residues. These remnants could reveal elemental combinations crucial for spellcraft.
But his actions were discovered. The townspeople launched a frenzied hunt. Leif escaped, yet his family was branded heretics and burned at the stake…
Their deaths shattered him, plunging Leif into the embrace of the Shadowwing Mages. He joined one of their clandestine orders.
The dossier assessed: Leif. Master of earth magic, practitioner of forbidden arts. Strength nears Level 8 Arcane Mage. Possesses a quasi-domain—reputed as the strongest mage below the Arcane tier.
A Level 7 mage with a quasi-domain!
It was common knowledge that Arcane Mages' supremacy lay in their domains—the ability to control a pocket of space, rendering them invincible within it. The gap between Arcane Mages and Level 7 mages was insurmountable…
Except for one anomaly: quasi-domains.
A quasi-domain mimicked a true domain's effects, albeit weaker. Against non-Arcane foes, it granted overwhelming dominance.
Facing Leif—a Shadowwing Mage with such power—even five or six Level 7 mages would struggle to corner him. He could escape or pick them off one by one.
That's the difference.
At Kael's current strength, confronting Leif alone would end only one way.
Sensing Kael's unease, Zorath the Silent grinned. "Relax. This Shadowwing Mage is a threat, but the Council won't send you unprepared. You'll form a trio—watch each other's backs…"
A three-person squad, the top three of the Arcane-Martial Tournament… Kael began to piece it together.
"Exactly. It's not just Yanhua Academy—talented students from the other four major academies will join. Each academy sends three representatives. For Yanhua, that's your tournament's top three," Zorath explained.
Now Kael fully understood why Zorath had insisted he rank within the top three.
"Consider this a heads-up about your new mission: enter the ancient ruins and eliminate the Shadowwing Mage, Leif," Zorath added with a smirk.
By learning of the task early, Kael gained a critical edge over others.
Zorath shrugged. "After the tournament concludes, Yanhua's top three will receive invitations from the Sacred Council and be assigned this mission. Prepare yourself. While Leif is nothing to us veterans, for you rookies… heh."
He left the warning unspoken, but Kael grasped the implication.
This mission wouldn't pit them solely against Yanhua's elites. Sacred Council recruits from other academies, Holy Sanctum prodigies, and the lurking threat of Leif—a Level 7 mage branded "the closest to Arcane"—made this far deadlier than any prior challenge.
The risks were clear, but so were the rewards.
Leif's bounty, jointly issued by the Council and Sanctum, promised 200,000 gold coins and ten days of access to Orlando's Magic Tower—a sanctum left by the Starforge Legend Orlando. The tower housed countless arcane tomes and warrior manuals, a treasure trove for any ambitious mage or fighter.
"Boss Zorath, may I keep this dossier?" Kael asked.
"Of course. Wolf Fang and Tulip"—Zorath gestured to the two Five-Star Deacons—"are at your disposal if needed."
Though Wolf Fang and Tulip outranked Kael as Five-Star Deacons, they recognized his potential. Both well-connected operatives swiftly warmed to the rising star, their politeness laced with calculated respect.
"Oh, and kid—" Zorath the Silent's abrupt interjection drew Kael's gaze.
"The final match pits you against Ethan. He's formidable. If you're uncertain, I'd advise conserving your strength. Losing one battle means little in the grand scheme," Zorath said.
Though Kael, at Level 6, wielded composite magic capable of rivaling Level 7 opponents, Zorath believed him no match for Ethan—the three-time reigning champion of the Arcane-Martial Tournament.
The suggestion surprised Kael, yet he recognized Zorath's intent to protect him. A flicker of gratitude warmed his chest.
But how could he retreat now, on the cusp of victory?
The old Kael might have yielded to pragmatism. But after his trials abroad, his resolve had hardened like tempered steel. To ascend the pinnacle of magic, he couldn't falter at the first true test.
My will is stone—unbending, unbreakable.