"So it's Vice-Captain Bloodshadow!" Kael had met Bloodshadow before, though only briefly. Back then, Bloodshadow had been reporting to the Grand Speaker about the vampire incidents in Dusk Moon City of the Southern Continent. At the time, Bloodshadow had been leading the Divine Martial Knights of the Sacred Council but suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the vampires, leaving him in a rather disheveled state. The two had barely exchanged words then.
However, Kael knew well that as the Vice-Captain of the Divine Martial Knights, Bloodshadow was undoubtedly a top-tier expert—one of the most formidable even among Level 11 powerhouses.
Bloodshadow smiled faintly. "They say City Lord Kael is a prodigy among prodigies. I didn't quite believe it at first, but seeing you today, the rumors don't do you justice. It's a shame I missed your legendary battle against Einar." His posture was ramrod straight, exuding the aura of an unyielding warrior.
Kael returned the smile humbly. "Vice-Captain Bloodshadow is the true pillar of the Sacred Council. I'm merely a latecomer trying to keep up…" His respect for Bloodshadow was genuine. This man was a peak Level 11 powerhouse, and beyond his strength, his position as vice-captain spoke volumes about the Grand Speaker'strust in him.
This marked their first proper meeting, and the two exchanged polite formalities.
Meanwhile, Zorath the Silent still hadn't fully processed Kael's breakthrough to Level 11. "Tch, you and Einar are both freaks. I heard that bastard Einar has also reached Level 11."
"Einar is now a Level 11 mage?" Kael's eyes narrowed slightly. The news surprised him, though not excessively—Einar was older than Kael and had been at the peak of Level 10 for much longer, making his breakthrough somewhat expected.
That said, Einar remained one of the most formidable opponents Kael had ever faced. His talent and strength were undeniable, placing him firmly among those qualified to tread the Path of the Archmage.
Zorath the Silent chuckled dryly. "But you're the bigger monster here. How long have you even been practicing magic…?" He caught himself, realizing he'd brushed against Kael's secrets, and awkwardly shut his mouth. In Zorath's eyes, Kael was nothing short of an anomaly. While Einar's talent was absurd, Kael's was downright terrifying. Their first meeting had been when Kael was merely a Level 4 mage—now, he stood at Level 11.
Bloodshadow, observing from the side, grew even more intrigued. During their journey, Zorath had spoken of Kael with near-reverence, which had already predisposed him to treat Kael with deference.
"Gentlemen, shall we continue this inside?" Kael suggested with a faint smile.
"Agreed. I've also brought some intelligence worth discussing," Zorath the Silent replied heartily.
With a glance at Grace and the others, Kael signaled his intent. Understanding immediately, Grace and the rest swiftly cleared the area, sealing the City Lord's Mansion behind them.
As for the ten stewards of the Dark Hall, they had all likewise gone into hiding.
Inside the city lord's residence, the three—Kael and the others—had all taken their seats. Kael, curious, was the first to ask Zorath the Silent, "You've also gathered some intelligence on the Ghostfire Tower?"
Zorath the Silent, the councilor overseeing the Dark Hall, was naturally responsible for much of the intelligence and surveillance operations. In terms of well-informed sources across the three continents, few could rival Zorath the Silent.
Zorath the Silent replied smugly, "Of course. Your business is my business, brother. After returning, I kept a close watch on the movements of the Ghostfire Tower and indeed uncovered quite a bit."
"Go on."
Once Zorath the Silent started talking, he couldn't stop. Excitedly, he continued, "The Ghostfire Tower is a third-rate dark-winged mage faction in the Western Continent. Though they're third-rate, don't underestimate them. The tower's master, nicknamed 'Ghostfire,' is said to wield a mutated flame, and his strength ranks among the top tier even within the eleventh level."
Mutated flame? Kael recalled the eerie green ghostfire of the Netherghost and began to understand. It seemed the Ghostfire Tower's master controlled that same green ghostfire.
Zorath the Silent added, "Now that you've also reached the eleventh level, brother, you know that every step beyond the tenth level brings vast differences. Similarly, eleventh-level experts vary greatly in strength. The master of the Ghostfire Tower is one of the elite among them—a figure who undoubtedly stands out across the continent."
Kael frowned. "So this Ghostfire is quite the formidable opponent."
"Absolutely. Aside from the strongest few at the eleventh level—giants like the Five Grandmasters—Ghostfire is a first-rate figure who can hold his own." Zorath the Silent chuckled.
As Zorath the Silent elaborated, Kael gradually grasped the immense disparities among eleventh-level experts. The Netherghost, whom Kael had eliminated, was relatively weak within the eleventh tier, while the master of the Ghostfire Tower stood at the pinnacle, with extraordinary methods.
Beyond that were those just a step away from the twelfth level—figures who could be called giants. The most prominent representatives were the Five Grandmasters, who ranked in the top five of the Continental Storm Rankings' Earth List.
"I wonder where I stand now..." Kael mused to himself. Though he had only recently advanced to the eleventh level, his strength was far from ordinary. After all, Kael had mastered the Wind God's Wings and mutated magic, enabling him to slay eleventh-level experts even at the tenth level—let alone now.
Both Bloodshadow and Zorath the Silent had reached the eleventh level years ago, placing them on par with the Ghostfire Tower's master in terms of strength. However, relying solely on the two of them still wasn't foolproof.
"Aside from the Ghostfire Tower's master, there are four elders within the tower, all eleventh-level experts as well. But their strength pales in comparison to the tower master—they're merely average among eleventh-level practitioners. As long as Brother Kael can hold his own against one of them, our victory is practically guaranteed!" Zorath the Silent chuckled darkly.
The fact that either Zorath the Silent or Bloodshadow alone could confidently take on all four elders of the Ghostfire Tower spoke volumes about the vast disparities among eleventh-level experts.
Bloodshadow grinned from the side. "I wonder what Brother Kael's current strength is like. Why don't we test it out?"
At this point, while Bloodshadow and Zorath the Silent knew Kael had advanced to the eleventh level, they weren't sure where exactly he stood within that tier. The gaps between eleventh-level practitioners were enormous, and Bloodshadow, in particular, was aware that Kael's talents defied conventional judgment.
Kael smiled faintly. "A test sounds good."
With that, the three of them left the city lord's residence and moved to the Tower of Hope for a sparring session.
Bloodshadow faced off against Kael, while Zorath the Silent observed from the sidelines.
Bloodshadow was a peak eleventh-level expert, having reached that stage years ago. Naturally, Kael didn't dare underestimate him.
Gathering wind elements, Kael unfurled his Wings of the Wind God—now even larger than before, with energy-formed wings spanning nearly ten meters. Pure wind elements swirled around him.
"Such potent wind energy… This is already brushing against the threshold of Arcane Magic. Once Kael becomes a legendary mage, he'll undoubtedly master it immediately!" Bloodshadow's heart tightened as he sensed the profundity of Kael's Wings of the Wind God. This was undeniably a power approaching the level of Arcane Magic.
Arcane Magic—a supreme form of spellcasting only attainable by legendary mages—far surpassed ordinary magic in might.
Bloodshadow's gaze sharpened with focus. The two swiftly engaged in combat. With a mere wave of his hand, Kael conjured a Crimson Moon Sigil, followed by the eruption of Starburn Incineration. The sheer speed of his spellcasting left Bloodshadow stunned once again.
Bloodshadow surged his battle aura to its peak. Having trained in the Sacred Council's secret techniques, his energy manifested uniquely—radiating a brilliant golden hue.
The clash between the two erupted swiftly, leaving even Zorath the Silent's eyes struggling to keep up.
To his astonishment, Zorath the Silent realized that Kael—freshly ascended to the eleventh level—displayed combat prowess beyond anything he could have imagined. Against a seasoned expert like Bloodshadow, Kael didn't just hold his own; he stood completely unyielding.
"This guy… is truly monstrous. Even his fighting strength is this terrifying…" Zorath the Silent wiped cold sweat from his brow, reassessing Kael's capabilities.
Kael wasn't just fast in his advancement—his actual power was formidable. To trade blows with Bloodshadow for so long…
Meanwhile, Bloodshadow himself grew increasingly unsettled as the duel progressed. Though this was merely a sparring match with no lethal techniques employed, Kael's displayed strength was only marginally inferior to his own. The gap was negligible. More critically, Kael's speed was extraordinary—those uncanny Wings of the Wind God allowed him to maneuver freely, ensuring he could always disengage at will.
After a prolonged exchange, the two finally halted their trial of strength.
Bloodshadow suppressed the shock in his eyes and forced a wry smile. "Brother Kael, your power… it practically rivals mine." And this came from Bloodshadow, a top-tier eleventh-level expert, second only to those half-step legends.
Kael shook his head modestly. "This was just a friendly bout, Elder Brother Bloodshadow. You held back your killing techniques and trump cards. In a real fight, I'd stand no chance." Though Kael had indeed just broken through to the eleventh level, to duel evenly with him at the peak… This kid is downright unnatural.
"Hah! With strength like yours, Brother Kael, I've got nothing to worry about," Zorath the Silent boomed, slapping his thigh. "The three of us, plus the thirty-plus tenth-level Dark Hall stewards I can mobilize—we'll wipe out the Ghostfire Tower with ease!"
Though the Ghostfire Tower wasn't a major force, caution demanded a carefully laid plan.