Chapter 473: 402 Zhangg Monarch!_2
But before he could speak—
Suddenly, the magic crystal ball in his hand began to glow. Golan’s face darkened: "Mirror image?"
He reached out, gripped his magic wand, and pointed forward without hesitation—
[Second-level Magic: Cold Ice Blast]
Ice crystals condensed in the air; waves of chilling frost descended, seemingly freezing the entire space. Then sharp shards of ice darted in all directions like throwing knives, a blanket of indiscriminate aggression upon both sky and earth.
Whizz, whizz, whizz!
The figure ahead shattered like foam upon contact with the ice crystals.
[Third-level Magic: Mirror Image Technique]
This person had been pretending to submit while secretly using the Mirror Image Technique to escape. If not for Golan’s uninterrupted vigilance through the magic crystal ball in his hand, it’s likely he would have been duped.
It was truly fortunate.
"Trouble!"
The mirror image broke, and Black Rope’s true form appeared several hundred meters away.
"Consider yourself caught!"
Without hesitation, Golan gripped his wand and began chanting rapidly. Frost surrounded the area once again, growing even colder. The world seemed to transform into a frozen cage, as though intent on sealing everything within layers of ice and encapsulating existence itself.
[Third-level Magic: Severe Winter Ice Ring]
The magic was unleashed.
A short while passed.
"Golan."
A surge of magical energy rippled beside Golan. The next moment, a figure suddenly appeared right next to him.
[Third-level Magic: Phase Entanglement]
The newcomer turned out to be Atuman.
The two brothers, both Level 3 Mages, had mastered the magic Phase Entanglement, connecting their magical auras and bloodlines. As one cast the spell, they could instantly transport to where the other was.
Through this unique magic, each could support the other swiftly if one fell into danger.
Just like now.
Atuman had been far away in the northern region of the Bilun Duchy. Yet upon sensing Golan’s call, he cast Phase Entanglement and arrived within mere breaths.
"Things are taking a turn for the worse!"
The battlefield rapidly shifted from a duel to two-on-one. Black Rope felt cornered, his heart sinking with the realization.
The clash between three Level 3 Mages unfolded, casting the nearby Wangke City into what seemed an eternal winter.
"Mage Tower!"
Despite the city’s icy turmoil, certain individuals within it showed signs of joy, quickly tearing several magic rolls to shreds.
...
The eastern region of the Bilun Duchy, Yali Port.
Green retrieved a silver mirror. As its glow flashed, five inscriptions simultaneously disappeared. At once, Green rose to his feet.
"Five scrolls."
"This means a battle featuring Mages."
Without wasting time, Green summoned the ’Bat Lord’ and set off toward Wangke City.
Yali Port wasn’t far from the city. With the Bat Lord flying at full speed, it took only two hours to arrive.
Yet even so, the fighting there had already ended.
Green landed outside the city gates. A manager from the ’Black Bats’ trading guild hurried up to report: "It was Atuman and Golan, two Level 3 Mages, fighting against another hidden Mage. Initially, the pair had the upper hand, but the opponent unleashed a powerful counterattack, wounding Golan and escaping south. Atuman is currently in pursuit."
To manage injuring one in the face of a two-against-one Level 3 Mage assault, and still flee successfully.
Green’s eyes lit up.
He pressed the Wangke City Lord for further combat details, his suspicions mounting. A man known for decisive action, Green made a quick assessment and soon murmured a spell.
A portal opened in the sky, and a pure white Griffin Monarch suddenly soared over the city’s outskirts.
"Lord Billy, two Level 3 Mages have gone south, and one of them might be carrying a ’Holy Artifact.’"
Green quickly informed the Griffin Monarch of the situation.
"Roarrr!"
The majestic creature nodded, allowing Green to climb upon its back. With one powerful flap of its wings, it began heading south.
...
The borders of the Manlu Duchy.
A battle of epic proportions raged on.
Black Rope held his magic wand firm, unleashing spells with daunting ease, single-handedly facing off against four fellow Level 3 Mages, yet still appearing composed.
The four surrounding Mages weren’t ordinary opponents.
Among them was Atuman, honorary dean of the First Magic Academy in the Bilun Duchy; Tur, the Grand Duke of the Manlu Duchy; Modi, the Grand Duke of the Vie Kingdom; and Erica, an Independent Mage.
Renowned names each.
Yet even together, they could not gain the upper hand.
"Fast Casting!"
"His casting speed is absurdly fast—it might rival that of a Legendary Mage."
"It’s that wand!"
...
The group eyed the wand in Black Rope’s hand, awe and envy rising equally in their hearts.
Fueled by greed, their attacks intensified, eager to seize victory quickly.
However, Black Rope refused to relent, wielding his wand like a weapon of dominance, reinforcing the stalemate.
"If this drags on, the escalating commotion will attract more Mages, and the situation will truly worsen."
Anxious, the four Mages tried desperately to resolve the standoff, but for now, a solution remained out of reach.
Making matters worse, what they feared most began to unfold.
"Roar!"
A deafening roar heralded a gale sweeping across the land as a Griffin Monarch descended onto the battlefield.
"Griffin Monarch?"
The Grand Duke Tur spotted the newcomer and noticed that the creature bore a Mage unfamiliar to him, evidently not local to the area around the Manlu Duchy.
Thoughts raced rapidly, caution sparking within him. His attacks became more calculated, reserves held cautiously.
Modi and Erica mirrored his prudence.
Still, the trio held little apprehension overall. They were all Level 3 Mages, and facing a Monarch alone wasn’t daunting. Especially for Tur and Modi; being on home ground meant additional leverage—should a Monarch attack, their Mage Towers would leave the aggressor powerless.
Only Atuman.
"Who is—"
Atuman’s gaze turned sharp, recognition dawning as his lips twitched slightly: "The president of the ’Black Bats’ Trading Guild—Green?!"
Understanding his background, the implications began swirling in Atuman’s mind.
Meanwhile, outside the fray.
Green and the Griffin Monarch finally arrived after pressing forward relentlessly.
"Luckily—"
Green assessed the scene: the four confronting the solo Mage, the details of the lone figure confirming his identity as one hailing from the East Continent.
Facing the mighty glares of five Level 3 Mages, Green carefully formulated his next move.
"If this individual truly possesses the Holy Artifact, no matter his strength against four adversaries, it’s unlikely he can hold out for long."
"Without roots or support here, taking the Holy Artifact from him should be easier. But if Atuman’s crew seizes it and retreats into their Mage Towers, reclaiming it will become nearly impossible."
His capabilities too limited to discern the power dynamics, Green refrained from taking risks.
But he knew the artifact was far simpler to claim from Black Rope than his other contenders.
He paused briefly before decisively chanting: "Come forth, esteemed Monarchs!"
A maelstrom erupted—
Demon Lord!
Bat Monarch!
Bone Dragon Monarch!
Qi Element Monarch!
Water Element Monarch!
In moments, five Monarchs descended in succession, their imposing presence filling the heavens.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Damn!"
Black Rope, Atuman, Tur, Modi, and Erica simultaneously halted their attack, rendered speechless by the astonishing sight.
...
"Someone has summoned Billy."
Within the ’Summoning Cottage’ Magic Tower, Chen Jichuan immediately sensed the summoning of the Griffin Monarch.
Upon learning of the Holy Artifact’s revelation, he had delegated the summoning rights over the six Monarchs to trusted associates such as Green, enforcing strict conditions on their activation.
Thus, its usage rarely occurred.
But conversely, when summoned, it signified a critical event.
"One Monarch, nothing urgent... yet."
Chen Jichuan sat calm and composed, scrutinizing intelligence reports while keeping vigilant tabs on the Griffin Monarch’s status.
Two hours later, as Green recklessly called forth all five Monarchs without hesitation—
"Excellent!"
A wide grin broke across Chen Jichuan’s face as he leapt to his feet.
Bam!
He clenched his hand in midair, conjuring a dark portal within the Mage Tower. The next second, Chen Jichuan stepped inside, vanishing in an instant.
...