Their gazes clashed in mid-air, like the meeting of two sharp blades, sending an invisible wave rippling through the space between them.
On one side stood an enigmatic figure clad in a maple-leaf-patterned robe, riding a Tier-3 Black Dragon. This was an otherworldly being who had once fought the powerful Eagle Constellation figure from the Furnace of Stones without suffering defeat.
The wind billowed his robe as he stood on the dragon's back, his cold and profound gaze carrying an undeniable sense of authority.
On the other side was Lynn, who had just recently advanced to a First Level Wizard barely at the initial stage of First Level.
The sheer disparity in strength between them was like a vast chasm, a gap so immense that just one glance from the robed figure seemed capable of making a First Level Wizard like Lynn tremble in his very soul.
And yet, despite facing such an overwhelming presence, Lynn showed no sign of fear.
His clear eyes remained calm, betraying no anxiety or retreat.
In the past, he had felt the weight of power when facing Third Level Great Wizards like Chris and Yude.
But now, standing before an opponent he had long regarded as an "enemy," Lynn felt neither fear nor panic.
Perhaps it was because this enemy's level of strength had already surpassed his comprehension, rendering emotions like fear irrelevant.
Or perhaps it was because they had long been "old acquaintances" even "old foes" and Lynn had become accustomed to this presence. Even encountering it again did not shake him.
At the same time, his mental energy lightly touched a green crystal within his grasp, ready at any moment to activate his only contingency plan.
A strange sound suddenly echoed through the air, carrying a foreign rhythm harsh and grating, like metal grinding against metal.
Gilru and Martha frowned, finding the sound incomprehensible, like an unintelligible sequence of bizarre syllables.
But in Lynn's ears, the sound gradually took shape, translated by the knowledge of the otherworld in his mind into a simple phrase:
"Long time no see."
Just four words, yet they carried an inexplicable feeling not the tension of adversaries meeting on the battlefield, but something oddly akin to old acquaintances reuniting.
For a moment, Lynn hesitated, caught off guard by the unexpected familiarity.
At that very instant, the figure on the Black Dragon extended a hand.
It was a clean, pale hand elegant and slender, seemingly more suited to an artisan than a warrior.
Meanwhile, the Black Dragon beneath him continued chewing on the remains of the Holy Pegasus and its knight. The sickening crunch of bones shattering echoed in the air, as crimson blood trickled down the dragon's fangs, staining its dark scales.
The Five-Circle Wizard from the Starhunter Society still stood frozen in utter shock, unable to believe that the celestial creature he had summoned had been devoured so effortlessly.
"The power of the gods… Then perish."
The robed figure's gaze turned cold as he slowly lowered his hand as if pressing an invisible seal onto the world itself.
Boom!
A faint breeze stirred across the frozen wasteland.
It was a gentle yet chilling wind, lifting crimson maple leaves into the air an autumnal scene filled with melancholy and stillness.
But Lynn, Gilru, and Martha all sucked in sharp breaths.
Because at that very moment, every member of the Starhunter Society had vanished.
The once-crowded tundra was now empty, save for the countless crimson leaves drifting through the air like a sudden autumn shower.
As the leaves gently landed on the frost-covered ground, they crumbled into dust, disappearing without a trace.
And upon closer inspection, a horrifying truth revealed itself each and every leaf bore the faint silhouettes of the missing Starhunter members.
Their faces, their expressions, their movements all perfectly intact, yet now embedded onto the surface of these red leaves.
It was as if some terrifying force had compressed them into a two-dimensional form, reducing their very existence to mere images.
Turning three-dimensional beings into flat, two-dimensional entities.
A simple action, yet utterly nightmarish.
"Lynn… do you know this person?"
Gilru and Martha exchanged glances, their expressions filled with bewilderment.
That strange voice from before had been directed at Lynn as if the two shared some kind of connection.
And more importantly, this robed figure had instantly obliterated the Starhunter wizards with an unfathomable technique.
Like the falling of autumn leaves, every one of them had been compressed into mere fragments of reality.
Such an incomprehensibly terrifying power sent chills down their spines.
Yet, at the same time, they could sense traces of wizardry emanating from this robed figure.
He was undoubtedly a powerful wizard.
A thought surfaced in their minds.
Could this be a formidable ally that the Great Wizard Yude had sent to aid Lynn?
Perhaps Yude had been preoccupied with other matters and had dispatched this terrifying entity in his stead.
If that were truly the case, then everything would fall into place naturally.
However, if the Grand Wizard Yude knew what these two were imagining, he would probably be so enraged that he'd vomit blood.
Because he was indeed "suddenly occupied" his avatar had been instantly obliterated by this so-called Maple Tree wizard with just a single finger, without even a chance to resist!
Hearing Gilru's inquiry, Lynn felt a wave of exasperation and didn't know how to explain.
His emotions were mixed. While the threat of the Star Hunters had been eliminated, what replaced it was an even greater trouble one far more dangerous than before.
This trouble far surpassed the Five-Circle Mage of the Star Hunters.
If that Five-Circle Mage was still within the realm of being resisted, then the existence before him this maple-cloaked being from another world was something high above, utterly invincible.
Just as Lynn found himself caught in a dilemma, a calm voice suddenly rang out.
"Let them go."
The voice was ethereal and distant it had come from a being from another world.
Lynn was slightly stunned. He hadn't expected this sudden goodwill to come from that terrifying entity.
He let out a small breath of relief but remained on guard, his gaze deep as he studied the figure.
Before long, Lynn took a deep breath, his eyes flashing as he turned to Gilru and Martha, speaking in a firm tone:
"Leave now!"
Rather than having them stay here as burdens, it was better for them to retreat immediately.
Whether it was the Five-Circle Mage or this otherworldly being, their target was Lynn.
Gilru and Martha had no chance of drawing their fire, and staying would be meaningless.
Hearing this, Gilru and Martha hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to obey. They swiftly led their people away.
As their figures disappeared into the distance, the desolate frozen wasteland became eerily silent, leaving only two figures standing in stark contrast.
One small Lynn, clad in his Greyhawk armor, his spiritual energy ready to erupt, his eyes dark as he tried to discern the intentions of the otherworldly being.
One large massive black dragon crouched on the ground, its wings slightly spread, its ferocious head lowered.
The dragon's scales gleamed faintly in the dim light, its eyes cold, glowing with a dark red hue.
And on its back, there were two figures.
At the front sat the Furnace Princess, Aestry.
Her face was expressionless, void of any emotions. Even her eyes were dull and lifeless as if she were nothing more than an empty puppet.
Behind her stood the being draped in a maple leaf robe, unmoving like a statue, exuding an air of indifference.
The two faced each other in silence, the atmosphere thick with an eerie tension.
On this barren, frozen wasteland, the world was steeped in deathly stillness.
Only the dragon's heavy breaths came intermittently.
The wailing wind howled past, amplifying the sense of desolation.
Lynn narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping over the immense, oppressive form of the black dragon.
Then, he shifted his focus to Aestry's pale, vacant face, watching for a moment before moving on to the being standing atop the dragon.
Just as he remembered, this otherworldly being still occupied the body of the Maple Tree, unchanged.
The maple leaf robe swayed gently in the icy wind, carrying an almost unnatural vitality with its movements.
Yet those deep, shadowy eyes remained as cold as ever utterly devoid of human emotion.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence between them was like a thick layer of ice, separating them.
A vague sense of unease stirred in Lynn's heart, but he couldn't decipher the other's true intentions.
Just as he was about to break the silence and speak
Suddenly, his expression changed. He sensed a powerful presence rapidly approaching!
"Whoosh!"
On the dragon's back, Aestry, who had been blank and unresponsive, suddenly trembled.
Her violet eyes flashed with a strange brilliance.
Her pale hand swiftly lifted, fingers slicing through the air.
At that moment, the surrounding elemental forces surged violently, as if countless energy particles were rapidly condensing around her.
In the next instant, an elemental spear emerged from her palm.
The spear's surface shimmered with brilliant energy, a fusion of crystalline ice and flowing flames, radiating both beauty and danger.
Aestry's figure flickered, and in a sudden burst, she lunged straight at Lynn!
"Hmm?!"
Lynn's expression shifted slightly, his mind instantly alert. He quickly glanced at the otherworldly being.
Only to find that he remained still, standing silently atop the dragon, his expression unchanged.
"What does this mean? Is he making Aestry attack me?"
Lynn clenched his teeth, unable to decipher the being's intent. But then, he caught something odd.
Although Aestry had rapidly formed her elemental spear, its energy fluctuation was only at seventy degrees a first-level spell, not a full-powered second-level attack.
"I see…"
Lynn's eyes narrowed as his mind swiftly calmed.
It was clear Aestry had suppressed her strength, only using a first-level spell.
And that otherworldly being… he was likely testing whether Lynn could overcome a restrained Aestry.
Lynn had no idea what the entity's goal was, but if this was all it wanted
Then he felt no fear.
"Even if I use the Starfall Shoes, there's little chance of escaping from this being. I might as well play along and see what it's planning…"
With that thought, Lynn did not retreat.
Instead, he stepped forward. His Greyhawk armor flared to life, his entire aura bursting forth!
The armor's faint green patterns pulsed with energy.
Inside, his inner energy "Void Tranquility" and his outer energy "Echo of Vitality" activated simultaneously.
A layer of shimmering green light surrounded Lynn's body, forming a resilient barrier.
"First-Level Natural Sorcery: Root Snare!"
Beneath him, the spirit of the ancient tree, Yfgríd, surged through his veins and muscles, sinking deep into the frozen earth.
"Rumble!"
A jagged fissure streaked toward Aestry.
As she approached
The ground trembled.
Massive, serpent-like vines burst forth from below, weaving into an unbreakable cage, and surging toward Aestry!
At the same time, Lynn flicked his fingers, sending a barrage of emerald leaves flying through the air, slicing toward her vital points.
"First-Level Natural Sorcery: Leaf Barrage!"
From his time with the Maple Tree, Lynn had not only learned "Shared Fate," but also other first-level natural spells.
Like "Root Snare" a trapping spell designed to restrain opponents.
And "Leaf Barrage" a direct attack spell.
Each leaf carried an explosive force of ten degrees.
With the full eight-leaf volley, the combined damage reached eighty degrees.
Benefiting from the natural synergy between trees, Lynn's magic had been enhanced significantly.
Aestry, gripping her elemental spear, her violet eyes calm, did not dodge.
Instead, she swung her weapon with deadly precision, deflecting every leaf.
The scattered green fragments fluttered like falling stars.
Lynn's pupils shrank.
"She can instinctively track my leaves and counter them without using magic? Aestry… is a Body-Refining Wizard?!"
Despite his Greyhawk armor amplifying his senses, he couldn't detect any clear magic energy from her.
Not just her but also the black dragon and the otherworldly being.
Their true strength remained a mystery.
Then
Just as Lynn's root vines wrapped tightly around Aestry's waist
The otherworldly being raised a hand.
Instantly
The entire battlefield froze.
Lynn's strongest spell unraveled like mist.
Aestry was released.
Lynn inhaled deeply, eyes locked on the being.
The silence stretched
Until at last, the figure in the maple robe spoke.
"Very well."
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 120+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader