Ease and Departure
“You learnt about that too... It seems like you know me quite well,” Leylin shook his head, “But did you know that the thing I hate the most is being coerced?”
His expression instantly darkened. “Furthermore, it’s better to deal with dark Magi than the likes of you. As long as I display enough strength to shock them, they become even more obedient than dogs, and won’t resort to sneaky actions in the shadows...”
“It looks like Sir Leylin is very prejudiced against us light Magi. What a pity...” Nonov spoke slowly, the golden scepter in his hand emitting even more dazzling rays of light.
“Are you done with all that nonsense? Like I said earlier, we should just eliminate him. He started out as a dark Magus!” Marjorie, who was beside Nonov, began to speak with a piercing voice.
*Sou sou!* The giant tree Magus under them did not speak, but large amounts of roots spread out from it to envelop the surrounding region. It formed a grid of roots in the area.
“Increasing your vitality by combining your life with plants’? How pathetic.” Leylin shook his head, seeing through the tree with a slight glance. While he didn’t say more than that, the look of pity in his eyes threw the banyan tree into a violent rage.
Boundless green light spread around the area. It was like it had formed a translucent crystal in the air, sealing the air around Leylin.
“As we discussed before. Keefa will be in charge of restraining him while you amplify our power. I’ll take the charge.” As he said that, Nonov took the lead, the golden scepter in his hands abruptly increasing in size to become a golden holy lance.
“Understood!” Marjorie answered quickly from behind him. All sorts of complicated and mysterious runes appeared from her body, disappearing into the giant tree and Nonov’s body. With that support, more of their spiritual forces crystallised, approaching the limit.
“Even after the amplification, they’re still only close to the limit of rank 3?” Leylin sighed, the disappointment evident in his eyes as he waved his arm.
*Rumble!* Black flames began encircling the horse carriage in defence. “Wait here, don’t come out and block me.”
Numerous tendrils that had come to probe the area sizzled, instantly burnt to ashes by the black flames. It caused the large banyan tree to let loose a miserable cry.
The black flames looked to be about to burn right up the roots, and the tree had no choice but to sever the affected ones, cutting its connection with them. Jade-green sap flowed out of the wounds in great amounts.
“AARGHORH...” The human face on the trunk let out roars that nobody could make sense of. On the other hand, the faces of Nonov and Marjorie changed.
“These flames burn the very soul! Lord Leylin seems to have obtained some amazing inheritance in his time away.” Golden light was produced from the lance, covering Nonov’s body as if some kind of golden armour.
“You think I’m relying on some inheritance? You think that’s what gives me my strength?” Leylin replied, disapproving.
“Heaven’s Lance, make a judgement for light and justice!” Nonov’s body seemed to burst into golden flames. He hurled the lance in his hands into the distance, and it seemed like a golden meteor was launched. The lance reached Leylin in the blink of an eye. Black even streaked near the tip of the lance, fine spatial cracks being formed.
“I must say, you’re quite good for a rank 3 Magus.” Leylin stretched out his hand as he yawned. In front of that pale hand, be it the golden flames or the spatial cracks, everything was destroyed. The terrifyingly sharp tip of the holy golden lance could do no harm to his skin as he grabbed it.
“It’s best not to show this stuff and humiliate yourself.” As if in answer to all the taunting from the three Magi, Leylin exerted a bit of force with his two hands.
The golden lance broke apart at the center, the screech it left behind sounding miserable. Golden sand fell from where it had broken apart, causing the main body to quickly collapse.
“No, how is that possible?” Nonov took several steps backwards, blood flowing from the corners of his mouth due to the backlash of having his holy lance destroyed. Two streaks of red fell from his eyes, “This is a treasure that’s been passed down in our academy! Even peak rank 3 Magi shouldn’t be able to so much as move it!”
“Let’s go! He’s even more terrifying than that Gargamel!” Marjorie pulled at Nonov, and the banyan tree below them abruptly pulled up its roots and fled like a giant, each step allowing it to cover hundreds of metres.
“Activate the interference formation we’d planned for the Gargamel!” Nonov seemed to have recovered, but his eyes still held a trace of shock. He took out a white handkerchief to cover the blood from the corner of his mouth even as he gave his command.
The earth rumbled as four pillars of light, red yellow, blue, and green, shot up around Leylin. Smoke and multi-colour light appeared in the air, forming a tremendous spell formation with runes snaking around its surface.
“Nonov, the enemy is far stronger than we expected. The four-pillared stone seal shouldn’t be able to hold him down for long. We’ll need to use our final treasure!” Marjorie exclaimed solemnly.
“Roar...” The banyan tree Magus under them thundered, emitting spiritual undulations of approval.
“In that case...” Nonov’s expression underwent several changes before he finally gritted his teeth and reached into his robes.
*Rumble!* All of a sudden, loud thuds sounded from the sealing formation, causing shivers to go down the spines of the three Magi. It was like some powerful ferocious beast had been set free in there, bursting forth with enough force to break it open. Bumps appeared in the barrier, and the runes on top of it shattered like glass.
“How is that possible? That’s our four-pillar rock seal, even the Gargamel was trapped inside it for a few minutes. How long has it been?” Marjorie let out a piercing shout.
“Prepare to strengthen the seal. Use the Aquatic Devil Seaweed and help me gain time. Quick!” Nonov looked exceptionally sinister.
“But that’s the last secret trick we have. There’s only enough of the Aquatic Devil Seaweed to be used once...” Marjorie obviously hesitated.
“His strength is the greatest catastrophe for us. I even suspect... quick!” Nonov coughed out blood.
“Fine.” Marjorie merely hesitated for a moment and immediately grew clear-headed, tossing a dried-up seaweed into the formation.
“Emissary sleeping deep within the sea, please heed my call...” With her chants, the small dried-up marine seaweed abruptly swelled in mid-air, as if it had absorbed a large amount of moisture. Even its surface grew wet.
Large amounts of moisture gathered within it and formed a dark green ball of plants, with all sorts of seaweed on it. The plant ball shifted above the sealing spell formation before it suddenly exploded, threads of black seaweed forming a web that covered the area.
“Alright! Even if it’s a peak rank 3, the Aquatic Devil Seaweed can still achieve...” The glee in Nonov’s eyes only lasted a short while. His eyes nearly popped out from their sockets and he lost all of his previous demeanour, “How is that possible?”
He could see a gap in the middle of the formation, be it the four pillared stone seal or the threads of seaweed. A Magus wearing dark-golden scholarly robes and a mysterious mask on his face walked out arrogantly. Immediately after, a black hole appeared in his hands, sucking in the surrounding seal and the aquatic seaweed.
*Pow!* A slight explosion sounded in the air, and in the blink of an eye, the spell formation and the devil algae seal had turned into a miniature model in Leylin’s hands.
“This is far beyond rank 3. You’re a Morning–” Nonov’s face immediately seemed to lose all blood, becoming so pale that it was frightening.
However, Leylin did not give him the chance to kneel and beg for forgiveness nor flee, “The tasteless games shall end now. I’ll return this to you!” He tossed the model in his hand lightly in front.
The seal that was compressed a thousandfold rumbled, abruptly blowing up along with the devil algae. Formless energy buffeted all directions, shaking the earth itself. Multi-coloured light rippled in the air, the magnificence concealing a deadly danger.
“I’m warning you right now. Don’t provoke the Farlier Family, or else...” Leylin gently landed above the carriage, and under Krupp and Darlie’s reverential gazes headed inside.
The demonic nightmare horse neighed and galloped wildly, several times faster than before. It even soared into the air after a while, turning into a flash of light that streaked through the horizon.
The terrifying explosions continued for a while in the place they’d left behind before gradually ending to reveal two figures, both in a sorry state.
Keefa, the gigantic banyan tree of a Magus, had already disappeared; he’d used his body to absorb most of the attack.
“Keefa!” Marjorie was not in a very good condition, but what had given her the greatest blow was not her injuries. It was instead that terrifying and invincible figure.
“It’ll be fine! Though his body was destroyed, his seed is still alive.” Nonov produced a green seed.