29: First Stage Arcane Gathering

Darius focused his mind in order to gain inspiration from the battle between the Mathilda and the demon warchief. Their movements were all blurry in his eyes for the first couple of minutes. Sweats, as big as a corn kernel beaded on his temple, Darius used all of his brain's capacity to comprehend the principle of their magic while maintaining his sanity.

The process was very painful as if there were hundreds of knives scalping his head due to the neuralink signals that traveled faster than light from one Arcane Cells to the other.

Until, something clicked inside his mind and he finally able to perceive their blazing fast movements. Everything seems moved in slow motion, even the tiniest speck of dust couldn't escape from his eyes.

'By focusing the Arcane Cell's intensity in specific body parts such as legs, arms, heart and other visceral organs, it protects the muscles from tearing apart due to the extreme force when using a spell.'

"Ah! Why didn't I realize this sooner?! If I distribute the Arcane Cells through my blood vessels, I can increase the power output of my spell! However, I need to ascend to higher cultivation stage by opening my Magic Circuits in my body!"

After that quick revelation , Darius sat in meditation pose to solidify his comprehension in the Law of Heaven and Earth. When he finally entered the Zen state, the Arcane Energy in the surrounding area became chaotic, the energy rushed into Darius' body and was forged into Arcane Cells in such terrifying speed!

Second Stage, Third Stage, Fifth Stage, Sixth Stage Mortal Body Refining.

The increasing energy showed no sign of stopping and caused the entire pseudo-dimensional realm unstable due to the unprecedented amount of energy that was being absorbed by Darius.

Belial, while still in mid fight against Mathilda, aware of what was happening with Darius as he sensed the Arcane Energy was being pulled into the young man's body.

'He is dangerous! I can't let him ascend to the next stage, or this dimension will crumble!"

"Lilith! What are you doing?! Kill that human before he ascend to the next stage or he will destroy our world!" Belial sent a telepathic message directly to the little succubus on Darius' side.

Lilith cowered in fear once again. Though she was physically a demoness, her heart was still as pure as the first snowflake in the winter. She couldn't possibly hurt other people let alone killing the white-haired human who holds the key of her freedom.

'If I kill him, I will kill be killed by the Black Witch, if I don't, I will be tormented by Lord Belial for disobeying his words.' Lilith's mind was in dismay. "Tsk! Because of this curse, my life has been in vain! I don't want it anymore!'

Lilith might be a very young demon, but she already had the strength to do self-inflicted injury to end her life. By focusing her mana, the once delicate and frail hand became as hard as a wood, enough to impale her heart.

However, when Lilith's elongated nails pierced her heart, Darius energy was peaked, the whole dimension was shaking violently upon recognizing Darius' power that keep increasing in unprecedented speed!

Seventh Stage Mortal Body Refining Realm, Eight Stage Mortal Body Refining Realm, Ninth Stage Body Refining Realm.

His magic cultivation stage was finally stabilized at First Stage Arcane Gathering Realm after he successfully forged about 250.000 Arcane Cells, give or take. All in all, Darius have forged around 600.000-ish Arcane Cells inside his brain. 

It's only a halfway to go in order to reach Peak Arcane Fusion Stage. Once he's able to reach Core Formation Stage, he would be able to break the shackle of the Law of Heavens and Earth to become a fully pledged Rank 2 Mage and his path to immortality would be sealed!

The air around Darius' body was so terrifying! The gaseous Arcane Energy now had condensed in Darius' Magic Core into a mist or foggy consistency.

Although he was practically still a Mid Rank 1 Mage according to Sloania Empire's Power Scaling, anybody who witnessed Darius' ascension would acknowledge his Power Level was equal with Elite Rank 1 Mage, or equivalent with Arcane Fusion Stage.

Lilith was so scared, she didn't afraid of death, but by just imagining the pain of being tormented by a human Mage made her mind fell into insanity. Thus, she opted to pierce her heart with her own hand.

However, Darius quickly prevented her attempt by grabbing her wrist tightly.

"What are you doing?! Let go of my hand!" Lilith tried to break free by yanking her hand but to no avail. Darius' raw strength as Fourth Stage Arcane Gathering Mage was too strong for her.

Darius, meanwhile, also asked the same question to himself. Lilith had no business to be saved by him, yet he stopped her hand out of instinct. Upon a deeper thought, Darius had a premonition that Lilith would be a very important subordinates to help him developing the village.

"Pray tell, why do you decide to waste your life? Why now?"

"It's not your business! Let me go! Grr!" Frustrated, Lilith bites Darius wrist but it wasn't enough. She broke her canine-like teeth instead due to the toughness of Darius' skin.

"Stop flailing. It will hurt you even more."

Lilith hissed like a feral cat.

"Did Belial ordered you to kill me?" Darius inquired.

The little succubus fell silent, she didn't deny nor admitting Darius accusation. However, Darius could easily conclude why Lilith committed to waste her life instead of killing him from her soulless, droopy eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes." Darius said. "Stay here, I'll be back very soon."

Lilith's ice cold heart experienced a warmness once again. Her soulless gaze was no more as soon as Darius' words seeped into her. She hates to admit it, but Darius' bright soul made her think that there's still a hope for her.

Beep!

[You have gained Lilith's trust!]

[2000 Loyalty Points have been rewarded to you]

'2000 LP? That's very generous. Is it because Lilith is a demoness?' Darius murmured. "Tsk! I'll deal with it later!'

Thus, Darius jumped high from the watch tower and joined the fray. Although he knew it was very dangerous for a Rank 1 Mage like him to meddle the fight between higher rank Mages, Darius was undaunted, as long as Belial's spell didn't hit him, there was chance to subdue Belial and made him kneel before him.

A powerful Mana Field spread out in hundreds of meters radius. The lesser demons who was caught by Darius' Mana Field collapsed one after another.

Even Belial's power level which was equals with Peak Rank 2 Mage, couldn't even stand a chance against Darius' terrifying momentum and he was shuddered in fear for a brief second.

"This brat! I'll kill him myself!"

"Mathilda! Hold him still!" Darius shouted from a distance.

"On it!"

Mathilda's black scythe transformed into a snaking rope, binding the demon warchief in place by strangling his whole body.

On the other hand, Darius concentrated his Mana into forming the [Infernio] into a super-condensed fire ball. The color changes from orange to white hot, the highest temperature [Infernio] that he could muster.

Belial flailed violently, he knew Darius' unassuming spell was very deadly and could kill a Rank 3 Mage easily if it hit the vital area and Darius aimed the spell directly onto his head. His mind was in disarray due to the extreme fear that made his mana flow obstructed. 

"Damn it!" Belial cursed.

"Infernio!"

The spell traveled in the air like a laser beam and hit the target.

Kaboom!

Unexpectedly, Darius held back at the last second and directed the shot onto Belial's abdomen so the Warchief wouldn't instantly die.

"Darius!" Mathilda roared, urging him to kill the demon. "Finish him!"

Darius walked nonchalantly toward the battered Warchief instead.

"Not yet. He owed me an explanation about his relationship with my father." Darius stared at Belial's eyes coldly while stepping on the demon's chest.

"Tell me everything, and I will let you live."