Lava Field, Outer Area
Sakeer wiped the sweat from his forehead, exhaling heavily.
"I've only gone through resurrection magic once, yet I thought I'd have to do it a few more times."
On Quaiesse's third resurrection, Sakeer had sensed that the Slane Theocracy had also used resurrection magic on their end.
Their response time was far faster than that of the Zurrernorn Leader.
Sakeer had been on high alert, wary that the Slane Theocracy might resort to higher-tier resurrection magic.
Among his passive abilities, "Magic Preparation", there was still a Seventh-Tier Spell: Resurrection, which remained unused from the last encounter.
Of course—
If the sect had access to Ninth-Tier resurrection magic, then Sakeer would be powerless against it.
But that seemed highly unlikely.
It had been over 600 years since the era of the Six Gods. If high-tier magic scrolls or artifacts still existed, they were likely long depleted.
Sakeer couldn't believe the Slane Theocracy would waste such precious magic on Quaiesse.
Even a Seventh-Tier resurrection spell would be a huge expenditure—one they might hesitate to use.
Sakeer turned his gaze to Quaiesse, who was charmed again.
"What do you know about the artifacts left behind by the Six Gods within your sect?"
This was yet another interrogation.
Each resurrection allowed him to ask three questions, but Quaiesse's knowledge was limited regarding key topics.
Sakeer had to choose his questions carefully.
Just as Quaiesse finished answering the third question—
Hum—
『Detected magic: "Object Positioning." Required Spirit Casting Level: (22–28). Current conditions not met.』
『Detected magic: "Clairvoyance." Required Spirit Casting Level: (29–35). Current conditions not met.』
Sakeer frowned.
"I need to speed this up."
Pulling his black robe tighter, he skimmed through the attribute panel before returning his attention to Quaiesse.
Without hesitation—
He swung his sword down.
Interrogate.
Kill.
Resurrect.
This brutal cycle repeated itself.
Soon, Sakeer's mana reserves began running dangerously low.
At the same time, Quaiesse's level had dropped to four or below.
Sakeer could feel it—
Quaiesse's body was no longer capable of enduring resurrection magic.
This was the same situation as with the gray-robed mage, where resurrection became impossible due to physical limitations.
However, this time, Sakeer wasn't holding back his mana reserves.
He raised a hand—
"Resurrection of the Dead!"
The final activation of the [Mad Mage] class skill.
A brilliant white light enveloped Quaiesse's lifeless form.
But this time—
His body couldn't withstand it.
Quaiesse's flesh and bonesbegan to dissolve, transforming into bubbles before vanishing completely.
In mere moments—
His corpse was gone.
Sakeer finally relaxed, exhaling as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"It's finally over."
Looking around at the searing landscape, he muttered,
"Time to leave."
From Quaiesse, Sakeer had obtained valuable intelligence regarding the Slane Theocracy.
This newfound information reshaped his understanding of the organization.
The Slane Theocracy, hailed as the strongest human nation, had proven to be far more formidable than he had initially anticipated.
However—
Before leaving...
Sakeer raised his hand and rummaged through his storage box, pulling out various magic items scavenged from Quaiesse's body.
A magic ring.
A magic necklace.
Several other enchanted trinkets.
"It's a shame to let such high-quality magic gear go to waste."
With a flick of his wrist, he activated his magic.
"Third-Tier Spell: Composite Elemental Summoning—Wetland Elemental Spirit."
Crash!
Mud began to swirl and solidify on the scorched ground.
A humanoid figure, about 160 centimeters tall, formed from the sludge.
It had no arms, no legs, and no head—just a shifting mass of wet earth.
However, the moment the Wetland Elemental Spirit materialized in the intense heat, the moisture in its body began to evaporate rapidly, releasing white steam into the air.
Sakeer's eyes gleamed.
"Elemental Attribute Change—Fire!"
Activating the [Mad Mage] passive ability, he initiated the transformation.
The muddy form of the Wetland Elemental Spirit began to writhe and shift.
A red flame flickered to life, consuming the sludge as its entire body started to burn.
Sakeer watched closely—
At first, it seemed successful.
But then—
The transformation abruptly halted.
Only half of the elemental's body had converted into flames, while the other half began to collapse, crumbling under the strain.
Sakeer's brows furrowed.
"What's going on?"
Since some of the transformation worked, that meant the passive ability was partially effective on elemental creatures.
But something was missing.
Then—
A realization struck.
His eyes narrowed.
"Elemental Attribute Change—Fire, Earth!"
Bang!
Instantly, the elemental stabilized.
The fire element merged seamlessly with the earth element, causing a surge of heat to radiate outward.
In the next moment—
The Wetland Elemental Spirit underwent a drastic transformation. Its body, once composed of mud and water, was now engulfed in molten rock. Lava coursed through its form like fiery veins, its very essence reshaped into a Lava Elemental Spirit.
Sakeer's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"As expected."
He muttered, confirming his hypothesis.
"Elemental sprites summoned using 'Composite Elemental' cannot be transformed into a singular element. They can only evolve into a composite form, combining two elements."
Gazing at the Lava Elemental Spirit standing before him, Sakeer's expression brightened.
This form was even stronger than a single-element sprite in terms of resistance.
With a casual wave of his hand—
Clink!
Several magic rings, enchanted necklaces, and other artifacts—all looted from Quaiesse's body—were tossed toward the Lava Elemental Spirit.
The elemental caught them effortlessly before turning and marching toward the lava flows in the distance.
Sakeer watched, his expression tightening.
He couldn't help but feel a sting of regret.
The magical artifacts Quaiesse had carried were exceptionally valuable.
But—
After learning that Thousand Leagues Astrologer could use object positioning magic, Sakeer had no choice but to dispose of them.
If he kept the items, there was a risk of being tracked.
The Lava Elemental Spirit, immune to heat, moved to the very edge of the lava sea and, without hesitation, hurled the magical artifacts into the molten depths.
Boom!
Just then—
The lava sea erupted.
A massive wave of magma surged into the air as something emerged from below—
A grotesque appendage, resembling both a giant claw and a lantern, shot out from the molten depths.
Before the Lava Elemental Spirit could react, the fiery limb coiled around it and dragged it beneath the surface.
Whoosh—
The magma churned violently.
Then—
A monstrous creature burst forth.
A massive fish-like beast, over fifty meters long, emerged from the lava. Its body was covered in thick, crimson-hued scales, each one radiating intense heat.
Boom!
It soared briefly before crashing back down, causing another magma wave to ripple across the fiery sea.
A wave of scorching heat blasted outward.
Sakeer instinctively raised his arm, shielding his face from the blistering air.
"La-Angler Lava Lord."
He narrowed his eyes, carefully assessing the massive entity before him.
Even with his experience, the sheer size and power of the creature sent a shiver down his spine.
Especially the way it moved freely in the magma—
This was a foe he did not want to engage.
His gaze flickered.
Level 47.
Too high.
With his current strength, he knew he had no chance of winning against the La-Angler Lava Lord.
Fortunately, the creature was confined to the lava sea.
As long as he didn't get too close, it wouldn't be able to reach him.
Without hesitation, Sakeer turned to leave.
But just as he took a few steps—
He stopped.
From above—
A shadow streaked across the sky.
It moved at terrifying speed, closing in on his location within seconds.
Sakeer barely had time to react before the crimson figure descended before him, blocking his path.
A majestic creature, over twenty meters long, hovered in mid-air, its mighty wings outstretched.
The air grew heavier, the pressure almost suffocating. Even the outer edges of the Lava Field, which had been relatively cooler, now grew noticeably hotter.
Sakeer's face darkened.
The creature's scarlet scales and colossal frame left no room for doubt.
"Surface Dominator: Ancient Flame Dragon!"
His hands clenched into fists.
Dark red scales adorned its slender neck, a clear sign of age and maturity.
Sakeer cursed internally.
Why the hell is it here?!
The Ancient Flame Dragon had only been mentioned in the original novel, never actually appearing.
Yet now, it stood before him.
A deep, resonant voice echoed through the air.
"Human... hand over your precious magic items."
The dragon's red eyes burned with greed, but there was also a flicker of caution.
Sakeer immediately sensed it—
The dragon was wary of something.
Even though it towered over him, its instincts told it that the human before it possessed some form of hidden power.