The moment the pearl left Boulder's chest, a heavy, suffocating pressure surged from all directions like physical seawater.
The air turned thick and viscous, carrying a distinct briny scent with every breath.
The aura of a Second-Tier lifeform was unleashed without reservation.
Under the crushing weight of this aura, the shattered crystal shards on the altar's walls buzzed in protest.
The wet blood on the stone floor began to boil, bubbling with tiny, dense froths.
The remaining emerald-blue crystals on the dome flickered violently, their light dimming and brightening erratically.
Ethan felt an invisible weight press down on his shoulders.
It wasn't physical pressure, but an instinctive suppression stemming from the disparity in their life-tiers.
His pupils contracted slightly.
Not First-Tier.
This Sea Dragon prince was a Second-Tier lifeform.
First-Tier against Second-Tier—according to the ironclad laws of the Wizard World, there was zero chance of victory.
That wasn't a chasm that could be crossed with skill, experience, or desperate effort; it was an absolute disparity in life-tiers.
However, while Ethan Leo couldn't beat a Second-Tier, Blood Bone Tower had people who could.
With a thought, his mental power flowed into his identity plaque at a specific frequency.
【Emergency rescue. Second-Tier Sea Race has sneaked into the Thorn Empire, coordinates Horn Mountain. First-Tier Wizard Ethan Leo.】
The message was sent.
The array inside the identity plaque vibrated slightly; the signal was out.
Boulder remained completely oblivious to the fact that Ethan had already pressed the distress button.
...
Blood Bone Tower, an unremarkable small Wizard Tower.
The transmission array on the top floor of the tower was constantly lit with the dark blue-green glow of runes.
The array, over ten meters in diameter, was carved into a floor made entirely of polished obsidian. Three thousand seven hundred runic nodes were arranged in a specific sequence, each connected to a fist-sized magic crystal.
At the dead center of the array hovered a three-meter-tall diamond-shaped crystal.
This was the core hub that connected all of Blood Bone Tower's Official Wizards' identity plaques.
As long as someone sent a distress signal within Blood Bone Tower's sphere of influence, the array would instantly lock onto the source's coordinates and automatically assign a response based on the emergency level.
At this moment, three on-duty First-Tier Wizards sat around the edge of the array, busy with their own tasks.
A tall, thin grey-robed wizard was looking down, flipping through a thick ledger, his fingers rustling against the pages.
Another burly, bald wizard was dozing off in his chair, a sliver of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth.
The third was a withered old crone, using a hair-thin silver needle to repair a damaged Wizardry Tool, the tip of her needle tracing fine runic patterns on its surface.
Suddenly, a blinding red light erupted from the diamond-shaped crystal.
The crimson light welled up from deep within the crystal, filling it entirely in less than a single breath and casting a blood-red glow over the entire top floor of the tower.
The dozing bald wizard was startled awake by the harsh red light, snapping upright in his chair. The chair legs scraped against the stone floor with a sharp, grating screech.
The tall, thin wizard looking through the ledger raised his head, slamming it shut with a loud snap. The old crone repairing the Wizardry Tool froze, the silver needle slipping from her fingers and clinking onto the stone floor.
The red light on the surface of the diamond-shaped crystal began to contract, weaving into several lines of burning, blood-red text in the air.
【Emergency Rescue】
【Threat Level: Second-Tier】
【Requestor: First-Tier Wizard Ethan Leo】
【Location: Thorn Empire, Horn Mountain】
【Note: Intrusion of a Second-Tier Sea Race lifeform】
The blood-red words burned in the air for three seconds.
Then, the entire tower erupted into chaos.
“A Second-Tier Sea Race?!” The tall, thin wizard bolted upright, his chair sliding far back and clattering against the wall. “And they've sneaked into the Thorn Empire?”
The burly bald wizard had already rushed to the edge of the array, slamming his hands onto the control crystal and pouring his mental power into it. The runic patterns along the edge of the array lit up simultaneously, beginning to pinpoint the exact coordinates of the signal.
The old crone's face puckered into a mass of wrinkles. “Ethan Leo? I've never heard of this name.”
The bald wizard swiped his finger across the control crystal, pulling up a line of data. His expression shifted drastically. “Holy shit! Ten years to advance? We've got a major situation here. Which of the six directors are at the academy today?”
The old crone glanced at the wall. “Director Dark Stream and Director Blood Fury are here.”
Hearing this, the bald wizard pulled out a crystal. “Lord Dark Stream, emergency! A Second-Tier Sea Race has appeared in the Thorn Empire. The requestor is Ethan Leo—First-Tier Wizard, Grade Five Aptitude, advanced in ten years. The location has been locked: Horn Mountain.”
The tall, thin wizard also made contact at the same time. “Lord Blood Fury, a Second-Tier Sea Race has invaded the Thorn Empire. Your former student, Ethan Leo, is trapped there. Location locked: Horn Mountain.”
In less than three seconds, both of their identity plaques lit up with replies.
Wizard Dark Stream's response consisted of only three words.
“Arriving immediately.”
Wizard Blood Fury's reply was much simpler.
“The motherfucking Sea Race dares to touch my student?!”
The next second, the teleportation array flared with light.
Wizard Dark Stream stepped out of the array.
He wore a faded grey robe. He was tall and thin, with high, prominent cheekbones and deeply sunken eyes that made him look chronically malnourished.
At this moment, his gaunt face was devoid of expression, save for an old scar near the corner of his eye that twitched slightly.
He didn't look like a high-and-mighty Second-Tier Wizard, but more like a commoner of the Empire.
Before the light could even fade, a violent, bloody aura surged out of the teleportation array.
Wizard Blood Fury strode out of the light.
His crimson eyes were currently burning with a rage that seemed ready to spill over.
“Dark Stream!” Blood Fury's voice boomed, rattling the dome of the teleportation hall. “You received the message too?”
Dark Stream nodded. “Second-Tier Sea Race.”
“Horn Mountain. Teleporting from here and then flying the rest of the way will take less than half a mark.”
Blood Fury stepped out of the teleportation array, the stone slabs beneath his feet cracking under his weight. “Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!”
Dark Stream said nothing more.
The two stepped into the teleportation array leading to the Thorn Empire.
...
Ethan's expression remained unchanged. “The Sea Race indeed has some tricks up their sleeves.”
Boulder tucked the pearl back into his robes, and the suffocating pressure abruptly vanished.
He took a step forward, the smile on his face growing wider. “Little wizard, I highly appreciate you. To be able to slaughter over a dozen of my elite guards in an instant as a First-Tier Wizard... this level of combat power would be considered top-tier even in Blood Bone Tower. What is your name? With strength like yours, you shouldn't be a nobody.”
Ethan stared at him coldly, offering no reply.
Boulder wasn't annoyed either.
He paced a couple of steps forward, the remaining watery light from the altar's dome casting shifting shadows over his face, making his pale blue eyes flicker between light and dark.
“It doesn't matter if you don't want to say. You're an Official Wizard of Blood Bone Tower; I can easily find out once I go back and use a few methods.” Boulder stopped, clasping his hands behind his back. “I have always appreciated talent. What can you possibly gain by staying in Blood Bone Tower? For a newly promoted First-Tier Wizard, the resources allocated to you aren't even enough to fit between your teeth. Potions, Wizardry Tools, meditation methods—which of those would ever be your turn to receive?”
Rate on N.U.
