Badge in Azure

Chapter 254: Lex's Deal (Part 1)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"At the end of the day, the properties of magic are the same. Elemental conversion isn't anything special." Jason had Saleen take a look at all the equipment, examining the magic he had learned over the past few years.

As a grade-4 mage, the number of spells Saleen had learned was considered below average. Usually, a mage would learn more than thirty spells at every grade and at least five of every type. This made it easier to achieve a balance towards the understanding of magic.

Many grand mages would know hundreds of spells, but Saleen did not have this ability. He had not had a choice since the beginning due to his magic chords. Even though he had managed to learn the techniques of elemental conversion afterwards by going back to study them, the number of spells he knew was still less than other mages of the same grade.

Looking at the foundation in magic of Jason and his students, Saleen was a little dejected. All the mages on Sregl Island had a stronger foundation than him. On this island, the advantage he had in his magic understanding was nonexistent.

"The fact that you have understood the knowledge behind elemental conversion isn't a bad thing. It is just that you will have to put in more effort than others. Saleen, do you understand?" Jason watched as Saleen released a level-2 Ice Bomb spell and successfully changed it into a fireball and an exploding magic bomb. He could perceive Saleen's strengths and weaknesses.

"I understand, Teacher. Then what spells do you think I should focus on?"

"I cannot help you in this. All mages must choose their own paths. My teacher did not tell me what to choose either." As Jason talked about his teacher, he became a little upset. He had gone out travelling and when he returned, his teacher had already passed away.

"Okay, I understand." Saleen silently showcased all the magic that he was familiar with. Jason watched, furrowing his eyebrows. Aside from some lower levelled spells, all the spells that Saleen knew were for combat. This was not a good thing. A mage that only knew how to fight would need to put in many times more effort than other mages to get over the last hurdle.

The two of them showed their magic to each other and Jason analyzed Saleen's magic while explaining things to him. When they had both expended their magic chords, Jason started explaining Sregl Island's current situation to Saleen. A day and night passed before Saleen started feeling exhausted.

Saying goodbye to his teacher, he walked up to the magic array full of thoughts. Bringing Nailisi to the fifth floor, Saleen was thinking of how he would tell Lex.

There were thirty-three sorcerers on Sregl Island and they needed another three to completely control the volcanic magic array and capture the elf of fire elements. Of course, if they could use the god weapon, they would only need less than ten sorcerers. However, there were no god weapons on Sregl Island and Saleen did not dare take out the Seal of Divine Power in his hands.

"Saleen!" Lex voice sounded beside his ear. There were six rooms within the magic tower and Saleen followed the voice to Lex's room, the door opening automatically.

There was a small table within the room. It was filled with alchemy equipment and Lex was sitting in front of the table, heating up a piece of metal and continuously adding magic medicine.

"Nailisi, go clear out my room." Saleen chased Nailisi out and sat opposite to Lex. Her hands were stable as she put the liquid medicine drop by drop into a beaker, and using a hollow metal pipe thinner than a hair, she dripped it onto the heated metal.

"Lex, it will be a little tough." Seeing that Lex did not ask anything, Saleen started speaking about the elf of fire elements.

"Saleen, you said there were seven more months?"

"Yes, that's what my teacher said. In another seven months, the magic array on Sregl Island will need to be opened, and by that time, anyone will be able to come here to capture the spirit."

"What if we closed Sregl island?"

"It will start a war. This island was not built by one person alone from the start."

Lex started growing dejected. It would be impossible to find another three sorcerers within seven months.

"Lex, do you have any magic equipment that can protect people against fire elements?" Saleen tried asking.

"The god's ring cannot be used. If we use it again, it will be destroyed." Lex shook her head. The value of the god's ring was much greater than that of the elf of fire elements. She was not that rash yet. She would definitely not use something so precious in exchange for the spirit. She had been forced to use her god's ring when they had previously killed the dragon. They needed to wait at least another eight months before they could use its incredible defensive powers again.

"Lex, how about the tiago's skin? If we processed some mage armor…"

"The temperature of lava is much higher than what you would expect. A tiago has freezing properties and can defend against fire type attacks, but even a live tiago dragon would not dare to venture deep within a volcano."

"How then? We wait here for nothing?"

"If only we had a supreme demon. Sigh…" Lex sighed.

Saleen's heart skipped a beat as he said, "If there was a supreme demon, it would eat us up before eating the elf of fire elements."

"That's true." Lex stretched her body and rubbed her shoulders before saying to Saleen, "The special powers of the god's ring cannot be used here. I can bring out the tiago's skin, and if there is a powerful alchemist on Sregl Island, it might be of some use. Give me your dragonshard fragments too. Let me talk to your teacher.

Saleen knew that Lex was afraid he would take out the dragonshard fragments without any restraint and he took them out without hesitation, handing them over to Lex.

The mages on Sregl Island had come from a grade-10 mage and aside from those who had left, there had been at least hundreds of them in the past thousand years. The three grade-9 sorcerers had passed on, and the remaining sorcerers were but grade-8.

The thirty-three sorcerers would have been considered to have incredible powers anywhere else. In Alchemy City, they would act as one of the powers from all four sides, but were not as strong as the other three powers.

Jason's teacher was a grade-9 sorcerer and he had not managed to cross the grade-10 hurdle before passing away. Now, Sregl Island was the weakest main power of Alchemy City. If Jason's teacher had managed to become a grade-10 mage, things would have been very different.

No one knew how long a grade-10 mage could live, and under normal circumstances, a grade-10 mage would stay here for less than a hundred years before going to another dimension to find a continuous path of advancement.

The position of Sregl Island was very awkward now. If they could not get the elf of fire elements to build the half-god weapon, everything on this island would be divided up among the other three powers.

This was a very realistic threat and Saleen could not advise his teacher to give up everything here to go with Lex to Bitter Water Prefecture. The entirety of Sregl Island contained a large amount of fortune as well. The magic towers and magic arrays on the island had been left behind by powerful mages many years ago and could not be brought away. Moreover, asking these mages to give up straightaway would be an insult to their pride.

Lex walked out of her room nervously and came to the middle of the magic array before saying softly, "Master Jason, I…"

"Come up." Jason activated the magic array, and Lex was transported to the seventh floor of the magic tower. Within this magic tower, Jason was much more powerful than Lex. Unless she used her god's ring, she would not be able to defend herself from a single attack by Jason.

Lex came to the seventh floor. She did not immediately step down from the magic array, but took a careful look at the setting of the place.

The highest floor of the magic tower was meant for the owner to stay in. This entire floor was opened up, and there were many books and a small alchemy platform. Lex even caught sight of some pots of flowers. She did not recognize any of these flowers at all. They were entirely foreign to her, and on the petals, there were some shining bugs absorbing pollen.

Such powerful alchemy! These insects were miniscule puppets and the naked eye could not differentiate them from real bugs. It seems like Jason has specialized in the study of medicine, alchemy, ground type and water type magic, eh… and swordsmanship?

Lex saw a long sword hanging on the wall that was facing the sun. This sword was not a weapon seen on the battlefield and was a little thin. However, it had sizeable killing power. In the hands of a swordmaster, a weapon like this could pierce through heavy armor.

Jason saw Lex's staring at the long sword and smiled, saying to her "You are Lex, right? Do you know about swords?"

"I have four grand swordmasters and a grade-8 assassin under my control," Lex answered simply.

"That sword was my wife's." Jason smiled and told her something that even Saleen did not know.

"Master, you have a family?" Lex was shocked as well. She had done her research and when Jason had been in Ceylon City, he had been but a grade-5 mage. He had become a sorcerer in two years and the amount of experience he had amassed previously was a great amount. If he had a family, how had he had time to research magic?

"That was in the past. Lex, why are you looking for me?"

Lex stepped down from the teleportation array, not knowing where to start. When she had first seen Saleen's teacher, Lex knew this sorcerer was not someone she could control. Jason's road to his training was similar to that long sword. Even without taking it out of its sheath, one could feel the sharpness of the blade and an incredible aura.

Such determination was rarely seen even by Lex. His teacher was one such person? Joey was like this as well, but it was hard to say for the rest.

Someone like Jason was very full of themselves, and once he had determined something, no one could change his opinion.

"I want to ask, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Sit." Jason pointed to a chair. He was but a grade-7 sorcerer, but he gave Lex the feeling that her father had been revived. All of his actions seemed to fit with the rules of this dimension.

"Saleen had me bring the dragonshard over. The dragonshard from the tiago dragon has freezing capabilities and it has a very strong defensive power against fire elements. I brought tiago's skin too."

"I know, Saleen has told me. However, there aren't many grade-6 mages on the island and we need eighteen grade-6 mages to put on special magic robes and stand in the magic array and attack. These eighteen mages would be putting their lives in danger. Even though the elf of fire elements won't be intelligent, it will still be able to find the weakest link within the magic array."

"I'm willing to do that," Lex answered peacefully. She took out the fragments of the dragonshard and placed them in front of Jason.