Mysterious Man

In a dim and gloomy underground space, cold and lonely, as if time itself has stopped flowing, as though one has entered the other side of the world.

Dim glimmers became the only source of light in this lightless world. They scattered haphazardly, blinking like fireflies, delicate as fireflies.

If there were a proficient mage here, they would probably be trembling with fear right now. They would discover that these points of light were actually magic circles, and their synchronized flickering indicates that they share a connection.

In the world of magecraft, this situation is often referred to as Greater Magic Formula, also known as Thaumaturgical Foundation.

Magic formulae were the vein of these magic circles, the foundation that sustains their existence. Any mage knows that the more magic formulas there are, the greater the power of the magecraft.

In the distant Age of Gods, the top-tier magic circle had around seven thousand magic formulae.

And at the moment, in this underground space, there were more than ten thousand magic formulae spread throughout.

A tall man sat cross-legged on the ground, his white cape draping casually behind him. His expression was calm, eyes closed. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest, one might even mistake him for a statue.

Suddenly, his eyelashes quivered slightly and his eyelids slowly lifted.

Those were unmistakably inhuman eyes—radiant golden, icy vertical pupils that exerted immense pressure with just a glance.

"I thought I told you to not disturb me?"

*Step, Step, Step!*

Footsteps echoed crisply in the quiet space as a woman in a white dress emerged from the darkness. Her exquisite features were nearly identical to Altrouge's, and her vibrant golden hair cascaded down to her waist, gleaming brightly like a torch in her eyes.

"Something unexpected happened in Camelot."

The golden-haired woman—or rather, Crimson Moon, spoke indifferently.

"The Dead Apostles I dispatched and your phantasmal species have all been annihilated."

"I recall that this matter should have been left to that vessel of yours to handle, correct?" The man's face remained impassive as he calmly replied.

"This matter has nothing to do with her." Crimson Moon shook her head slightly. "It's just that they had the misfortune of running into the new king of Camelot, the one who pulled the sword from the stone."

"The girl Uther and Merlin hid away?" The man's tone held a hint of curiosity, but it quickly returned to its calm state. "But she's just a puppet created and imbued with the belief of the ideal king. I don't see that as a valid excuse."

"While it might sound somewhat problematic for me to say this, I must say, you shouldn't underestimate that girl." Crimson Moon spoke as her lips curled into a slight smile. "She drew the ultimate weapon forged by the planet and became the chosen 'Excalibur Wielder' by Gaia."

"Excalibur Wielder..." The man muttered softly. "I never thought Merlin would be capable of training such a disciple."

"Besides her, Uther's eldest daughter who inherited the 'Power of the Island' has also appeared." Crimson Moon's tone was leisurely. "You probably didn't know, but that woman is an incarnation of the primordial fairy."

"Morgan, right? Just a madwoman. Whether she inherited the 'Power of the Island' or is an incarnation of some primordial fairy, she won't amount to much." The man shook his head slightly. "I recall Nuada being involved in this operation as well, didn't he?"

"That's the reason I came to you." Crimson Moon's tone grew somber. "The one who pulled the sword from the stone isn't the girl who is the Excalibur Wielder. It's a black-haired and black-eyed man named Arkhan. If things go as expected, the god you've resurrected is probably dead by his hand."

*Rumble!*

The man's golden vertical pupils suddenly emitted a bright light, like a lightning bolt slicing through the dim and eerie underground space.

However, this phenomenon only lasted for a brief moment before returning to calm.

The man's chest rose and fell, his breathing becoming slightly heavier. There was a deep anger in his voice as he asked, "Are you saying that the one who pulled the sword from the stone isn't the puppet created by Merlin but someone else?"

"That's right." Crimson Moon nodded. "When I arrived and possessed my vessel, I had a confrontation with him."

Her voice became more serious.

"He's a powerful human. Even though I've never seen him before, he easily saw through my identity."

"I'm not interested in those matters." The man's voice was cold. "Show me what he looks like."

Crimson Moon waved her hand, and a projection of a black-haired youth in silver armor appeared out of thin air, bearing a striking resemblance to Arkhan.

"That is..." The man seemed somewhat surprised. He carefully observed the face for a while, then sighed. "So that's how it is... even I was deceived. Uther and Merlin, they truly played a big game."

"What have you discovered?" Crimson Moon asked in confusion.

"It's nothing, just a little thing." The man shook his head slightly. "Keep going. What's your opinion of this new king?"

"I sense many powers in him that don't belong to this world. If my hunch is correct, there may be an Outer God behind him, or perhaps he is related to that savior who transcends the world." Crimson Moon said in a low tone.

"Savior..." The man pondered for a moment. "So you mean our plans might have already been discovered by that person?"

"That person is the only one who has reached the 'end' in the endless universe and infinite time and space. His thoughts are beyond our comprehension."

Crimson Moon shook her head slightly.

"Although he carries the title of savior, most of the time, he doesn't interfere in worldly matters. The so-called world crises are just minor fluctuations to him. Besides, what we're doing now is far from reaching that level."

"But he did ascend from humanity, so I can't be sure how he views our actions." The man spoke while narrowing his eyes. "...So, what are you suggesting?"

"We need to pick up the pace." Crimson Moon said gravely. "If we keep delaying, something unexpected might happen again."

The man remained silent for a while and then nodded slightly.

"I understand. Let's have Kent, Sussex, and Wessex prepare. When winter comes, we'll launch an attack on the South. They've been living comfortably for too long; it's time for them to flex their muscles."

"Only three kingdoms, I doubt they pose much of a threat to them." Crimson Moon's gaze flickered slightly.

"I'm well aware of that." The man said indifferently. "I just want them to buy us some time."

"Do you have any other plans?"

The man was silent for a moment before saying, "Have you heard about the Dragon of Despair who devours the world?"