Leo's hands hesitated for only a moment at the threatening words before he continued channeling power into the scroll.
Strength was the prerequisite for any relationship — and in the wizard world, this was especially true.
How would anyone bother with an ant's threats? After Leilin advanced to Morning Star, such tactics might carry some weight, but right now?
Leo sneered, pouring spiritual power into the scroll without restraint.
The worst case was simple: kill the target, then have that Master eliminate every wizard who might have learned the secret. Only the strength of a Morning Star could give someone like Oakheart pause. The current Leilin didn't even have the right to bargain.
Leilin understood this logic perfectly well. All he had asked for was that single moment of hesitation.
The instant Leo froze because of Leilin's voice transmission, Leilin struck.
"Komoin Scales!" "Venom Gall!" "Dread Suppression!"
In the blink of an eye, three innate spells were unleashed.
Unlike prepared spells and potions, a wizard's innate spells could be cast instantaneously — they were always the first line of defense when danger struck, and Leilin was no exception.
A layer of black scales instantly covered his entire body, and the dual domains of toxins and fear rolled outward without reservation.
In this life-or-death moment, Leilin was pouring every ounce of his strength into the fight.
The unrestricted Venom Gall claimed the life of Roya beside him first, then crashed into the surrounding crystallized wizards, sending countless ripples of force outward.
And the Dread Suppression, greatly amplified after the radiation from the serpent woman's finger bone, pressed down on even fellow crystallized wizards with terrifying force.
"This kind of domain power? Even an ordinary Komoin warlock, even at the crystallized stage, isn't this strong!"
The overwhelming aura was so intense that even the iron chains trembled.
Number One, Number Two, and the other crystallized wizards nearby cried out in alarm.
"Finger of Death!"
With no room for restraint, Leilin unleashed everything. A beam of black death light, sinister as the most venomous serpent, bared its fangs at Number Three — the one whose strength had regressed the most.
"Number Two, Number Four, support him!" Number One bellowed immediately.
As the team's leader, he had to buy enough time for Leo to complete the fourth-level spell!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless chains surged forward like a wall, blocking Leilin's path.
"Cross Slash!" Leilin gripped the Fallen Sword, and black light flashed again and again. Chain after chain was severed, clattering to the ground.
Even the remaining chains were riddled with tiny holes, crumbling and weathering at an accelerated rate.
Crack! The last chain gave way, and the death beam reached Number Three.
"You think you can kill me?!" Number Three was a gaunt-faced old man with a cruel expression and thin, elongated lips. His composure shattered and he howled in rage, every muscle on his face contorted.
"Storm Shield!" Blue sparks of lightning leaped to life, forming a massive blue shield before him, crackling with electric arcs.
Boom!
The black death beam collided with the blue shield, and two different energies tangled in midair.
Though the lightning shield was clearly faltering, the few seconds it bought were enough for Number Three to hold on until reinforcements arrived.
A smile crept onto Number Three's face.
But in the very next instant, that smile froze completely.
The Leilin who had stood before him flickered — and two identical figures materialized, both charging straight at him.
"Lightning Spear!"
Number Three swept his hand, and two spears wreathed in blue arcs materialized in his grip. At his command, they shot toward both Leilins simultaneously.
Crack! One Leilin was pierced and shattered, bursting into a shower of black shadows. The other met the same fate.
"No!" Number Three's eyes went wide with horror, and he spun around.
But it was already too late. Leilin burst from a gap in the shadows, arriving directly before him.
"Power of Many Arms!" An eerie phantom of an alien race materialized behind Leilin — a strange, towering humanoid with green scales. On its left side grew three massive arms, and on its right, four. It threw back its head in a silent roar.
Leilin's muscles swelled in an instant, taking on a lustrous sheen as green and black light merged, forming a terrifying field of dark emerald energy.