Chapter 230: The Pinnacle of Illusions

"The library?"

Merlin looked up at the towering stone doors before him. Flanking the entrance were two imposing stone pedestals, intricately carved with grotesque creatures Merlin had never seen before. Their lifelike craftsmanship emanated an eerie chill, sending shivers down his spine. The entire area surrounding the Abyssal Fortress library exuded an unsettling aura.

Frowning, Merlin glanced at Leo.

"Go on," Leo said calmly. "Choose the spells you need."

Nodding, Merlin took a deep breath and stepped onto the staircase leading to the library. But as soon as his foot touched the first step, the world around him plunged into darkness. He lost all sense of perception—no sight, no sound, nothing.

"An illusion?"

Merlin's heart raced. After countless illusions in the Abyssal Maze and during his cultivation of the **Dark Heart,** he was intimately familiar with such phenomena. Recognizing it instantly, he steadied himself.

Yet before he could summon his formidable mental defenses, the **Dark Heart** mark on his chest emitted a soothing warmth. A wave of clarity washed over him, and the darkness dissipated. The illusion had been effortlessly dispelled.

The **Dark Heart's** innate resistance to dark-element spells had activated. Especially with the third form of the **Dark Heart,** even high-level dark-element spells struggled to affect Merlin.

"Who's there?"

Leo's reaction was immediate. The blood-red eye on his forehead flashed with a crimson glow, unleashing a sharp beam into the surrounding shadows.

"Bang!"

A muffled sound echoed as a gaunt, robed elder stumbled out of the darkness. Struggling to regain his balance, he clutched his staff, his expression strained. It was clear he had barely managed to deflect Leo's attack.

"**Dark Eye**?" the elder muttered in astonishment. His gaze shifted to Merlin, narrowing. "And the **Dark Heart**?"

His eyes darted between the two, his expression darkening. Despite being a seventh-level spellcaster, his attempt to trap Merlin in an illusion had failed entirely, and Leo's **Dark Eye** had even forced him into an embarrassing retreat.

"Leo, this is a misunderstanding. This is Tesman, the guardian of the library," Hobbes quickly interjected, stepping forward to diffuse the tension.

Leo didn't relax. The **Dark Eye** on his forehead pulsed ominously as he fixed a cold gaze on the elder, clearly still on guard.

Merlin, too, regarded Tesman warily. The elder had launched his attack without a hint of warning, displaying extraordinary skill. Yet the fact that Merlin's **Dark Heart** had nullified the illusion so easily highlighted the artifact's exceptional defensive properties—it could even resist spells cast by seventh-level mages.

After a brief exchange with Hobbes, Tesman stepped back and gestured toward the library. "You may enter now and select your spells. Once chosen, I will disable the protective runes."

With Hobbes's reassurance, Merlin continued forward. The massive stone doors creaked open, and he disappeared into the library's depths.

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### Within the Library

The moment Merlin entered, he was greeted by a chilling draft. The library felt utterly desolate, a stark contrast to the bustling **Tower of Myriad Phenomena** in the Dark Spirit Domain. Here, the silence was palpable, as if no one had visited in years.

"Unlike your Dark Spirit Domain, the Abyssal Fortress has far fewer spellcasters," Tesman's sharp voice rang out from behind him. "Not everyone can adapt to dark-element spells. Now, don't waste time. Your mentor, Leo, sacrificed much for you to be here. Make it count."

Merlin nodded thoughtfully and turned his attention to the countless shelves filled with spell tomes. Most of the library's contents were dark-element spells, making up nearly a third of the total collection.

Merlin quickly located the section dedicated to dark-element spells. The shelves were meticulously organized, with spells ranging from second to sixth level. The sheer variety made selecting a spell daunting.

"If you have confidence in your abilities," Tesman said, his voice tinged with mockery, "head to the last row. Those spells are the most unique, the most powerful, and the most complex."

Merlin's eyes lit up. With the **Matrix** at his disposal, he had no fear of complex spell models. In fact, he sought spells that were both potent and aligned with his unique capabilities. He immediately made his way to the final row of shelves.

These shelves held far fewer tomes, but each exuded a distinct aura of power. As Merlin flipped through the pages of one tome, he couldn't help but feel intrigued by the descriptions of the spells. Each was either uniquely effective or incredibly destructive, though the spell models were correspondingly intricate.

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### Selecting Spells

Merlin spent hours sifting through the tomes. By the end of his fourth hour, he had selected two spells: **Tide of Shadows** (a second-level spell) and **Dark Vortex** (a third-level spell).

Both were illusion-based spells with immense potential. **Tide of Shadows** engulfed its surroundings in rolling waves of darkness, overwhelming and disorienting opponents. It was even more potent than **Shadow Domain.** Meanwhile, **Dark Vortex** was infamous for its ability to drain mental strength. Even seasoned mages could find themselves trapped in its swirling illusions.

Having secured his second- and third-level spells, Merlin turned his attention to the more critical selection of a fourth-level spell. At this tier, spells could be fused with the **Dark Heart,** amplifying their power significantly. Thus, Merlin approached this decision with caution.

Eventually, his gaze fell on a tome titled **Nightmare of Shadows.**

The spell's description captivated him:

> "The pinnacle of illusions. **Nightmare of Shadows** ensnares its targets in layer upon layer of hyper-realistic illusions. Unable to distinguish reality from fantasy, victims are plunged into a waking nightmare."

This spell represented the zenith of illusion magic. It could ensnare nearly all spellcasters, and those capable of resisting it were rare. However, as mental strength increased, even the most advanced illusions lost their efficacy.

For dark-element illusion spells, **Nightmare of Shadows** marked the apex. Beyond this point, higher-tier spells leaned toward physical manifestations of darkness rather than purely mental assaults.

After careful deliberation, Merlin decisively selected **Nightmare of Shadows** as his fourth-level spell. By the time he made his choice, three full days had passed.

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### A New Realm of Magic

Merlin still had two spells to choose: one fifth-level and one sixth-level. These spells would represent a departure from pure illusions, signaling a shift toward tangible manifestations of dark power.

"Dark-element magic doesn't end with illusions," Merlin mused, his excitement building as he delved deeper into the library's treasures.