Indeed, the wind mage was none other than Arjun—a comrade Kael had once trained alongside in the Water Dragon's trials. Now, Arjun fled in disarray, his magic nearly depleted, face pallid and breath ragged. It was only a matter of time before he was overtaken.
Kael observed Arjun's frantic escape. The mage had advanced to ninth-tier, his prowess commendable. Specializing in wind magic and likely honed by secret techniques, his speed bordered on terrifying—the sole reason he'd evaded the gray-robed pursuer this long.
Yet the situation remained dire. Though swift, Arjun couldn't outpace his hunter. The gap between them narrowed relentlessly, fueling Arjun's desperation.
Kael's eyes narrowed. The gray-robed mage's exact tier eluded him, but the aura suggested at least tenth-tier, possibly even early eleventh-tier.
"Die already!"
The gray-robed mage cackled, seizing an opening mid-chase to unleash a spell at Arjun!
Arjun twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow—but the magic still grazed his arm. A cry of pain escaped him, yet he gritted his teeth and pressed on.
Hope dwindled. Despair crept into Arjun's heart: "Is this where I meet my end? Damn it—no!"
Then—Kael struck!
Arjun was his ally; the gray-robed mage, an enemy of the Tower of Ghostflame—and thus Kael's foe. By any measure, intervention was justified.
"Wings of the Storm God!" Cyan energy surged behind Kael, manifesting as ethereal wings.
With the wings unfurled, Kael felt the wind elements embrace him, their agility magnifying his speed tenfold. He was certain: among all pre-legendary mages, his velocity now stood unmatched.
Arjun felt a flash of light before his eyes, and suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him. It was a young mage clad in a starry robe, and this person was none other than someone he knew all too well—Kael. At this moment, Kael was wearing the human-skin mask he had used during their adventure in the Water Dragon Secret Realm, allowing Arjun to recognize him instantly.
"Idris!" Arjun's heart surged with joy, but his expression quickly darkened. "Run! Right now, I'm being hunted by an eleventh-level Darkwing Mage. Get out of here!"
In Arjun's mind, Kael was absolutely no match for an eleventh-level mage. After all, during their time exploring the Water Dragon Secret Realm, Kael's strength had only been at the ninth-level mage tier. No matter how much he had improved since then, the gap between him and an eleventh-level mage was still far too vast.
Kael smiled faintly. "Don't worry." His appearance here was no reckless act. At his current level, even if he couldn't win, he could at least rely on the Wings of the Wind God to ensure his own safety.
"Oh? Another brat. Your strength is slightly better, but do you really think the two of you can stand against me, Netherghost? How laughable!" The gray-robed mage sneered, his eyes brimming with a sinister, chilling aura. With a fierce shout, he bellowed, "Hellfire!"
What set Darkwing Mages apart from ordinary mages was their use of extremely malevolent magic, wielding terrifying power. Moreover, Darkwing Mages themselves were corrupted by these wicked spells, becoming irritable, cold-blooded, and merciless. Some even mastered forbidden arts like necromancy—Leif, for example.
This gray-robed mage, who called himself Netherghost, swung his staff, and silver sparks flickered. Suddenly, a cluster of eerie emerald-green flames erupted around him, flickering like ghostly fire, casting an even more sinister glow on his deeply wrinkled face, revealing his murderous intent.
The gray-robed mage paid Kael no heed. In his eyes, even a tenth-level mage was nothing more than an ant before him, utterly insignificant. Since Kael stood in his way, he would simply kill him!
The ghostly flames spread, the emerald fire surging like a beast, rolling toward Kael. The crackling green flames dyed half the sky in a sickly hue.
Without a doubt, Hellfire was also a variant spell!
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Let's see whose variant spell is stronger—yours or mine. Starburn Annihilation!" Raising his staff, the Crimson Moon Sigil flashed, its mysterious glow causing the gray-robed mage's pupils to constrict, his face twisting in shock and horror.
"Damn it, the Crimson Moon Sigil!" The gray-robed mage couldn't help but be shocked. Even as an eleventh-level mage, he had only mastered the Silver Star Sigil so far, still far from reaching the Crimson Moon Sigil. Yet this young brat before him had already grasped it!
"Starburn Annihilation!" The spell erupted instantly, a towering pillar of flames shooting skyward—blazing yet icy, dazzling and overwhelmingly powerful, dominating the battlefield. The frostfire's might was no less formidable than the emerald ghostfire. The two flames clashed and intertwined, unleashing a tremendous surge of energy that distorted the surrounding air as if scorched by their fury. In this clash, Kael's Starburn Annihilation actually gained a slight upper hand, not only blocking the onslaught of the ghostfire but also pushing back toward the gray-robed mage!
The gray-robed mage barely managed to raise a defensive barrier in time, narrowly deflecting the attack.
His pupils contracted slightly—now, he no longer dared to underestimate Kael. Anyone who could withstand his Hellfire and wield the Crimson Moon Sigil was no ordinary opponent.
Instead of attacking immediately, the gray-robed mage let out a sinister chuckle. "Brat, I suggest you leave now and stay out of my business! I am Netherghost, one of the Four Elders of the Ghostfire Spire! You don't want to mess with the Ghostfire Spire!" Seeing Kael's strength, he opted for intimidation, hoping to avoid unnecessary complications.
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly, smiling. "One of the Four Elders of the Ghostfire Spire?" His heart tightened—this was no small fry. A Ghostfire Spire elder was a figure second only to the Spire's master.
"That's right. Now that you know who you're dealing with, I'm feeling merciful today. I'll spare your pathetic life—so scram before I change my mind!" The gray-robed mage sneered. In his eyes, no matter how talented Kael was, he was still just a tenth-level mage. He simply didn't want the hassle.
But Kael's grin only widened. "Such arrogance. Let's see what a Ghostfire Spire elder is truly capable of!" With the Wings of the Wind God at his disposal, he could afford to fight without restraint.
Fury burned in the gray-robed mage's eyes, his killing intent flaring. "You reckless fool! Today, I'll turn you into an undead puppet!"
As he spoke, he raised his staff, and his Inner World abruptly expanded, spatial forces bearing down on Kael to restrict his movements.
Yet Kael remained unfazed. With a thought, his own Inner World unfolded in response, the power of the World Tree surging forth, continuously replenishing his strength and easing the pressure.
Flames and faint traces of wind elements simultaneously enveloped Kael. With a swing of his staff, he unleashed Starburn Annihilation once more—this time, amplified by the fusion of fire elements, its power surged dramatically, forcing the gray-robed mage's expression to darken with tension.
"Damn it—Purgatory Cage!" The gray-robed mage retaliated with a sinister spell. Countless bone spikes erupted from the air, intertwining into a ghastly lattice of skeletal remains. The macabre structure formed a massive cage, closing in from both sides in an attempt to trap Kael within.
Kael's eyes narrowed. The Wings of the Wind God flashed into existence, propelling him at lightning speed—he vanished from the spell's range in an instant!
The gray-robed mage barely caught a glimpse of a blur, his heart shuddering at Kael's inhuman agility. This brat is truly unnatural!
"Could it be… an Arcane Spell?!" The thought flickered through his mind before he dismissed it. Impossible. Arcane Spells are only comprehensible to legendary mages of the twelfth level and above. No matter how talented this whelp is, he couldn't possibly—
"To be this formidable at such a young age… I've never seen a tenth-level mage so powerful. He must possess rare treasures!" Greed flared in the gray-robed mage's eyes. With a cold chuckle, he raised his staff again, now intent on killing Kael and plundering his secrets.
Meanwhile, Kael's Starburn Annihilation raged unchecked. Pillars of frostfire blazed across the battlefield, devouring everything in their path!