Chapter 59: Overwhelming Wealth

The black-scaled giant was none other than Richard. By now, he had fully restored his magic and his arm injuries had healed enough to be usable again.

Ssshhh!

The black-flamed greatsword tore through a puppet apprentice's magic shield, as the devouring flames rapidly drained the apprentice's magic.

These controlled apprentices had their magic reserves mostly depleted, and the devouring flames quickly exhausted them.

Though these apprentices were low on magic, there were at least a dozen of them. Seeing Richard dispatch one with a single strike, the blind apprentice ordered the rest to swarm him.

To the blind apprentice, these apprentices were mere cannon fodder, their deaths inconsequential.

As long as they bought him enough time, their marks would ultimately be his.

Richard swung his greatsword horizontally, slicing through an apprentice who had activated a bloodline transformation into a gorilla. Before he could retract his sword, another apprentice lunged at him, followed by a barrage of spells from others.

These apprentices, their minds fully controlled, attacked fearlessly, heedless of their comrades being caught in the crossfire.

Buzz!

The Guardian Pendant activated.

Spells rippled against the magic shield, but despite some enhancements, they were far from breaking through Richard's defenses.

Seizing the opportunity, Richard pressed forward, closing in on the apprentices.

Sizzle...

Richard charged into the midst of them like a wolf among sheep. These controlled low-level apprentices had no resistance, the high heat of the black flames instantly turning wounds to char, filling the air with a peculiar burnt odor.

Just then, the blind wizard cackled, his body emanating a chilling aura.

"Heh heh, it's done."

This aura was unlike anything human, even those who practiced bloodline alchemy would not merge with such a bloodline.

It was inherently evil, harboring the darkest malice towards all life.

Richard shivered, recognizing the change in the apprentice.

"You've made a pact with a Starstriding Madman!" Richard exclaimed.

"Oh?"

The blind apprentice seemed surprised. His method was extremely rare, known to few even among wizards.

"Impressive knowledge."

In the astral plane, aside from worlds, there were astral beings. Some were mountain-sized astral whales, others were nomadic astral tribes. Among these, the most feared were the Madmen born from the remnants of worlds.

These astral beings, from birth, harbored intense malice towards the living, slaughtering every creature they encountered.

Madmen varied in strength, and wizards sought their power, particularly the soul wizards who craved the Madmen's mental pollution.

This pollution was potent in breaking mental defenses.

"Relax, the spell works quickly," the blind apprentice sneered, sending a malicious soul tendril at Richard's head.

Bang bang!

In Richard's mental perception, two layers of mental protection shattered from his rings, and the blind apprentice's grin widened.

"It's over!"

"Yes, it is."

Richard stared coldly, a third ring on his hand glowing.

He didn't only have two mental protection rings.

Bang!

The third mental shield shattered, pain piercing Richard's mind, but the soul tendril no longer had the strength to affect him.

"Three... rings..."

The blind apprentice gaped at the rings on Richard's hand, blood trickling from his mouth.

Richard withdrew the black sword from his chest and smashed his head with a punch.

"Wuni, time to eat!"

In this line of work, reputation was everything. Promised to feed you to Wuni, so you shall be fed to Wuni.

...

Elsewhere in the forest, two elemental wizards clashed fiercely.

Elemental wizard duels lacked subtlety, focusing on two aspects: spell power and magic reserves.

If one side held both advantages, victory was assured. If each held one, it depended on their execution.

A fire crow flew at Holder, who elegantly deflected it with an ice spear, his magic shield absorbing the spell's explosion without a ripple.

Compared to Holder's grace, Ellie was in a tight spot.

The advanced apprentice-level flame giant had her on the back foot, her magic cloak tattered. Without ample magic stones and her extensively modified magic shield, she'd have been reduced to ash by now.

Holder strolled leisurely across the battlefield, in no rush to end the fight.

Susanna's Cursed Flame was a constant worry for Holder, so he preferred to slowly wear Ellie down with the flame giant.

Boom!

Ellie launched another fireball, momentarily pushing the flame giant back. Leaning on her staff, dizziness clouded her vision.

Repeated spellcasting had drained her mental energy. If this continued, she risked casting errors.

"I wonder how Richard's doing," Ellie worried, but given her situation, she chuckled wryly.

Better to worry about herself for now.

Ellie stood weakly, sweat streaming from the flame giant's heat.

She knew what Holder feared.

Her mentor Susanna had taught her the Cursed Flame spell long ago, but Ellie avoided using it unless necessary.

The spell consumed soul power instead of magic, permanently reducing her mental strength with each use.

But now, Ellie had no choice.

Drawing a magic stone, she chanted an ancient incantation, and upon seeing this, Holder quickly retreated.

A pale purple flame flickered on Ellie's fingertip. Despite its small size, it drove the once-mighty flame giant back. No matter Holder's commands, it refused to move.

It sensed death in that flame.

Feeling her soul depleting, Ellie sighed bitterly, ready to bypass the giant and target Holder.

Such a powerful move wasn't to be wasted on the flame giant.

But then, a figure emerged from the forest, halting Ellie.

"Don't rush, Ellie. It's not that bad yet."

Holder glanced at the black-scaled giant from the woods. The giant, over two meters tall, covered in black scales, exuding powerful magic—clearly a mid-tier bloodline alchemy apprentice.

"So, a bloodline alchemy brute," Holder sneered, sending the flame giant towards Richard.

Enjoy your brawl with the flame giant.

The flame giant advanced on Richard, but Richard remained calm, unbuckling a pouch from his waist.

He sent a mental message to the giant.

"Flame giant, I propose a deal. I'll pay you double the magic stones that apprentice offered for your contract!"

Simultaneously, he upended the pouch, spilling a cascade of magic stones.

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