"The Tower Master..."
The Netherghost hesitated before speaking. "The Tower Master's alias is 'Ghostfire'—hence the name Ghostfire Tower. The last time I saw him, he was at the peak of the eleventh tier. But even among eleventh-tier experts, he reigns supreme. He's... a truly terrifying existence." A faint trace of fear flashed in the Netherghost's eyes, clearly wary of the Tower Master's strength.
Peak eleventh-tier!
Kael rubbed his nose. At his current level, he could barely contend with early eleventh-tier opponents. Mid-tier was already a struggle, let alone peak eleventh-tier!
As power levels increased, even a single tier's difference meant an overwhelming gap in strength.
"Peak eleventh-tier..." Lone Wolf also shook his head, frowning. An expert of that caliber was already among the elite across the three continents. After all, beyond the eleventh tier lay the legendary twelfth-tier realm.
Moreover, the Netherghost was the weakest of the four elders. That meant Kael would have to face at least three more eleventh-tier powerhouses.
Kael exhaled deeply. No wonder the Human Alliance had repeatedly failed to eradicate the Darkwing Mages despite their efforts. Even a minor faction like the Ghostfire Tower possessed such terrifying strength.
Still, Kael wasn't without options. With the Sacred Council backing him, he had a solid chance against the Ghostfire Tower.
Zorath the Silent had left ten Shadow Temple enforcers in Raife City to ensure its safety, so Kael didn't need to worry for now.
After interrogating the Netherghost, Kael fell silent. While the captive had revealed useful intel, Kael didn't fully trust his words. He planned to relay the information to Zorath the Silent and verify it before making any decisions. The Sacred Council undoubtedly had its own formidable intelligence network—and far more reliable insights into the Darkwing Mages.
"My lord, what should we do with him?" Lone Wolf asked.
Kael frowned. "Keep him alive for now. He still has value." Taming the Netherghost was impossible—the Darkwing Mages' reputation was too vile, and loyalty couldn't be guaranteed. Moreover, the Moonlight Dusk mental contract could only be forged with one individual, and Kael had already bound Lone Wolf. Still, killing the Netherghost outright wasn't ideal; he remained a useful asset for the time being.
Additionally, Kael decided to send Arjun to deliver this information to Zorath the Silent on his behalf. As a wind mage, Arjun had the advantage of speed.
After confining the Netherghost within the Moonlight Dusk's dimensional space, Kael and Lone Wolf departed.
It was still early morning. As Kael passed the council hall, he noticed Grace alone, already immersed in administrative work. A faint warmth stirred in his heart—this girl was diligently tending to affairs at such an hour.
"Senior Brother, you're up early!" Grace spotted Kael and greeted him.
Kael smiled and nodded. "I'm heading to the Tower of Hope for a while. Where's Teacher Ethan?" He hadn't seen the old mage since his return yesterday.
Grace lightly smacked her forehead. "Ah, Senior Brother, my apologies—I completely forgot to mention it. Teacher had urgent business and left for Emerald City in the Southern Continent just a few days ago. He departed in a hurry but said he'd return after some time."
Ethan was gone?
This wasn't ideal news. In many ways, Ethan currently stood as Raife City's strongest guardian. Though his absence might not be prolonged, the city's defenses were now significantly weakened.
Kael shook his head. "I'll visit the Tower of Hope first. Grace, accompany me to the training grounds this afternoon." It seemed recruiting followers had become imperative—he could only hope to find a few promising candidates.
Upon arriving at the Tower of Hope, Kael seated himself in meditation, reflecting on his current strength.
Having fully fused with the fire element, he had now begun assimilating the second element—wind. The fire fusion had been relatively smooth, as it was his most familiar element, further aided by the World Tree's support. But wind was an entirely different challenge. Without innate affinity as a wind mage, progress proved arduous. Even with the Wind God King's guidance, he had only achieved partial fusion—barely crossing the threshold.
"Just as Teacher Ethan warned, fusing a second element is exponentially harder than the first—like defying the heavens themselves. The path to becoming an Archmage truly isn't for the faint-hearted," Kael mused inwardly.
He retrieved the crystal orb obtained from beneath the Wind God King's statue. Pulsing with verdant wind magic, it caused surrounding wind elements to coalesce around him like a calm eye within a storm. Though Kael had nominally begun fusing with wind, the chasm between partial and complete mastery was something only he could fully comprehend.
"This crystal orb is truly a mystery—it doesn't resemble a typical wind-element magic gem, yet it contains a trace of the wind's essence," Kael mused to himself.
He examined the orb closely but could discern nothing further.
"Still, I can use it to comprehend that sliver of the wind's profound truth."
Currently, Kael's greatest assets in combat were his composite spells—fusion magic combining lightning and fire. The terrifying synergy of these two mutated elements allowed their power to multiply, enabling Kael to challenge early eleventh-tier opponents despite his tier.
Then there was his newest acquisition from the Wind God King: the Wings of the Wind God. Though purely a support spell, its effect bordered on the absurd—instantly elevating Kael's speed to rival eleventh-tier experts, granting him a critical survival edge.
Other spells like Blazing Thunder Eyes also packed considerable offensive might.
"To grow stronger, I must focus on either refining my fusion magic or mastering the Wings of the Wind God. My composite spells are already mature, but my control over the wings remains unpolished—my grasp of the wind's essence is still shallow."
The most direct path to power? Fully fusing with the wind element.
With a focused mind, Kael began the fusion process. The crystal orb's wisp of wind essence swirled around him as he extracted and internalized its mysteries.
"Freedom… agility…" The wind elements coiled invisibly around Kael—formless, colorless, ever-shifting—yet their presence was unmistakable to his senses.
BOOM!
The Wings of the Wind God unfurled instinctively behind him, stretching nearly three meters wide. With a single thought, Kael could now traverse kilometers in an instant.
This speed was already top-tier even among eleventh-tier mages. Unless facing a wind specialist, few could rival Kael in swiftness—and this was merely the embryonic form of an arcane spell.
The emergence of the Wings of the Wind God intensified the wind elements swirling around Kael.
Bit by bit, the wind fused with his being, as if becoming one with him. Kael gradually felt his body grow lighter. Eyes closed in deep focus, a serene smile touched his lips. His mind was lucid and unhurried as he comprehended the essence of wind.
His mental state was extraordinarily tranquil.
Thread by thread, the wind elements resonated and merged with him—like unwinding silk from a cocoon. The ambient wind even seemed to hum joyously as it flowed into Kael's mana channels, suffusing his entire body in perfect harmony.
Maintaining this stillness, subtle changes began manifesting in his physique.
Kael's form grew increasingly weightless, while the wings behind him expanded—stretching from three meters to five. Though still far from the Wind God King's mastery, this clearly marked progress in his grasp of wind's profundity.
After a long while, Kael slowly opened his eyes.
"Another breakthrough… but full fusion remains just out of reach. One final step, one serendipitous opportunity, and I'll assimilate wind to shatter into the eleventh tier," he murmured.
A hair's breadth now separated him from that ascension.
"Breaking through this bottleneck won't be easy. I should monitor the continent's auction houses—perhaps a wind-imbued spirit essence could catalyze the leap."
The eleventh-tier barrier proved formidable. Even Kael's prodigious talent had met its match, halting his previously unimpeded progress.
"Time to gather Grace and Amelia for the training grounds. Let's see if any worthy candidates emerge as followers!" With a relaxed chuckle, Kael rose, ready to test fate's next gift.