Chapter 51: The Battle of the Spellcasters (Part II)

The streets near the City Lord's residence in Blackwater City were unusually quiet—ordinarily bustling, now deserted. Occasionally, a few curious onlookers peeked out from their homes, glancing toward the City Lord's residence. The distant sounds of battle and the heavy scent of blood in the air deterred anyone from venturing outside.

Suddenly, a horse galloped down the street, heading straight for the City Lord's residence.

On the horse were Merlin and the young knight, Argus.

"Argus, are you afraid?" Merlin suddenly asked.

Argus's face was flushed from the cold, but his eyes held a steely resolve. Shaking his head, he replied, "Young Master Merlin, back in the territory, when faced with all those bandits, I was terrified. But seeing the baron and those heavy-armored knights changed that. With the baron and those unbeatable knights, we can conquer anything!"

Merlin smiled. This young knight had clearly been "captivated" by the aura of the heavy-armored knights, and all he wanted now was to join them.

"You'll be one of them someday, Argus—perhaps even a knight of great renown."

In Argus's gaze, Merlin saw courage, determination, and resolve. If he survived today, Merlin felt certain the young knight would go far.

They sped forward, and soon the City Lord's residence came into view.

"Young Master Merlin, it seems the baron has already struck. The city guard can't hold back the heavy-armored knights!"

Argus noted the corpses scattered along the roadside, all fallen city guards, with few casualties among Old Wilson's knights.

Merlin couldn't help but feel admiration. Old Wilson, a seasoned warrior who'd survived the "slaughterhouse," had trained a small force of two hundred heavy-armored knights who were practically invincible. Whether fighting the church's disguised bandits in the territory or the numerous city guards at the City Lord's residence, the heavy-armored knights held the upper hand.

"Follow the trail of bodies," Merlin said grimly. He knew these corpses had fallen to the heavy-armored knights, and following their path would lead them to Old Wilson.

Merlin and Argus continued toward the heart of the City Lord's residence, and soon, the bodies became more numerous, and the sounds of battle grew louder.

"Young Master Merlin, look! The heavy-armored knights are there, but they seem surrounded!"

Argus cried out, and Merlin looked up to see many city guard knights encircling Old Wilson's knights, forming a massive ring around them.

"Charge in! My father must be in there!"

Seeing the scene, Merlin grew anxious for Old Wilson's safety.

Without hesitation, the young knight spurred his horse toward the ring.

***

Inside the hall, Old Wilson's situation was increasingly desperate. Mage Jason continued to hurl white orbs of light, one after another. For Jason, these zero-level spells required little mana and could be cast repeatedly.

But even zero-level spells were too much for Old Wilson to withstand.

"Crack."

Finally, after enduring a barrage of spells, Old Wilson's armor reached its limit, spider-like cracks spreading across it before it shattered and fell to the ground in pieces.

Old Wilson's face was pale as he took a few wary steps back, watching Jason.

Seeing his opponent's armor broken, Jason smiled slightly, his voice low. "It's over."

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Three white orbs shot toward Old Wilson at blinding speed. Without his armor, any one of these orbs would have enough force to kill him.

"Come on, then!"

Old Wilson's face twisted in a snarl as he let out a roar. His muscles bulged, tearing through his clothes, revealing his formidable physique.

Already standing nearly two meters tall, he now seemed even larger, a wild energy radiating from him. His greatsword flared with intense flames, warping the air around it.

Old Wilson was preparing for a final stand, summoning his full strength. His powerful physique, coupled with his near-breakthrough to Level Three, made him almost as formidable as the Level-Four Elemental Swordsman "Angus" he'd once faced in his territory.

But even so, he held little hope against Jason's relentless spellcasting.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a fist-sized fireball sailed in from outside the hall, leaving a trail of smoke. With a cold voice echoing from the doorway, it exploded in a blaze of heat.

The fiery blast disrupted Jason's spell, consuming the three white orbs in an instant.

The unexpected turn left everyone stunned and uncertain. But Old Wilson, seeming to guess what was happening, quickly retreated and looked toward the hall's entrance.

Sure enough, a familiar figure slowly entered.

"Merlin!"

Old Wilson took a deep breath and called out in joy, his voice carrying relief and the thrill of survival. Had Merlin arrived a moment later, his fate would have been sealed.

"Hm?"

Jason's eyes narrowed. When he saw who it was, his composed expression wavered, and he almost gasped, "You?"

Jason clearly recognized Merlin. After killing old Etta, he'd personally examined Merlin with his magic and found nothing amiss.

But now, Merlin's fireball spell had plainly revealed his identity as a spellcaster, leaving Jason visibly unsettled.

"We meet again, Mage Jason," Merlin said, mildly surprised. He hadn't expected to encounter Jason here.

Witnessing the battle between Jason and old Etta had shown Merlin the power of spellcasters, so Jason's image was etched in his mind.

Now, Merlin himself was a spellcaster—one even stronger than Etta had been. Meeting Jason again, Merlin brimmed with confidence.

The two spellcasters faced each other in silence, the atmosphere heavy and tense, with the impending clash close at hand.