"Thirty times…"
Marble roared in frustration.
But across his body, the earthen-yellow magical array flickered with light, and then suddenly exploded!
The layers of silvery metal covering his body clattered to the ground one after another, scattering into flat, silvery-white discs.
"Damn it… my body can't take it anymore…"
Marble knelt on one knee, staring in the direction Leilin had fled, his face full of unwillingness.
The gravity array was a tremendous burden even for him. At the peak of the First-level Wizard stage, the most he could push it to was twenty times gravity. Any higher, and even he would be crushed into an iron patty!
…
Far from the battlefield, inside a hidden cave.
A magical array glowing with arcane light continuously drew in and expelled air, as if pulling something toward it. Above the array, an inverted "l" symbol flickered with radiance.
Two knights in heavy black armor stood guard on either side of the array, tense and vigilant.
Boom!
The gravity array's light suddenly surged.
In an instant, a dark shadow shot in at a speed barely visible to the naked eye and crashed straight into the center of the array with a thunderous impact.
Dust erupted everywhere. The original array was completely destroyed, and a large crater now marred the ground.
"Pfft!"
Leilin barely managed to straighten up before coughing out another mouthful of blood. At the same time, searing pain radiated from every part of his body, as though he'd been torn apart.
The tremendous pulling force of the gravity array had helped Leilin escape his predicament, but it had only added to his injuries.
"A peak First-level Wizard really isn't someone I can match yet. Everyone has hidden cards up their sleeve…"
Leilin smiled bitterly.
"Master!" Number Two and Number Three immediately dropped to one knee in salute.
"Good. Let's leave here quickly!"
Leilin glanced around and issued the order to his subordinates.
In his current state, with his combat power reduced to less than a tenth, he was in extreme danger whether he encountered enemies or allies.
Fortunately, over this period he had secretly established several small safe houses in the area — known only to himself and his two soul servants. It couldn't be safer.
Until his injuries healed, Leilin had no intention of appearing before anyone openly.
With the support of Number Two and Number Three, Leilin's party quickly departed.
"Even though this was a serious injury, it wasn't without gains! At least Marble's metal life form and gravity array — two of his hidden cards — have now been fully exposed…"
Intelligence on peak First-level Wizards was incredibly valuable.
Leilin had previously gathered some information on Marble through the Thousand Leaf Hand and the Four Seasons Garden, but neither organization's intelligence had mentioned a single word about these trump cards.
Perhaps that was simply a consequence of his insufficient power and status.
"Chip! Did you record all the earlier data?" Leilin asked silently.
"Marble's detailed data has been recorded. Generating character profile!" The Chip's mechanical voice sounded in Leilin's ear, and a virtual screen flickered into existence before his eyes, bathed in blue light.
"Marble Lilisite — Peak First-level Wizard. Estimated stats: Strength 10.7, Agility 9.5, Constitution 23, Spirit 79, Mana 79 (mana determined by spiritual power). Elemental spiritual attribute: Metal. Progress: 78%–85%.
Special abilities: 1. Metal Life — After fusing with a pure-element metal life form, all human-lethal damage is nullified against him. Constitution is greatly enhanced. Metal-series magical techniques receive an additional bonus. However, he has lost human tactile sensation. 2. Gravity Array — Gravity array runes detected on his body surface. Estimated completeness: 56%. All data recorded! Can produce gravity attacks ranging from 2× to approximately 25×, with a range of one hundred yards. Estimated maximum power: 29×!"
After this clash, the bulk of Marble's detailed profile had been uncovered by Leilin.
It could be said that if they fought again and Leilin prepared targeted countermeasures, the probability of Marble dying at his hands had already exceeded fifty percent.
That was just the advantage reflected in raw data alone. A light flashed in Leilin's eyes. "Chip! Build a character model and simulate the optimal kill scenario — factor in Number Two and Number Three as well…"
In an instant, flashes of battle scenarios raced through Leilin's mind.
After a little over ten minutes, the Chip returned its results.
"Based on the latest data simulation: target eliminated. Number Two eliminated, Number Three severely injured, main body lightly wounded!"
Looking at the plan the Chip had produced, a faint smile appeared on Leilin's face. "Marble! Next time we meet will be your end…"
…
Outside the Ganges Secret Realm, still within that inverted castle.
Inside a room as cold as a frost cellar, surrounded by enormous blocks of ice, Haightar — wearing a pair of thick, clunky glasses — stared intently at a beaker bubbling away before him.
"A banshee's hair, ground lizard claws, and… the silk sac of a Durock spider…"