Chapter 1396: 154. Mutation

"Summoning... Magic?"

When he saw that giant serpent appear, Muen felt as though even his cerebellum had shrunk a little.

This wasn't right. The Elemental Magic from just now had already been exaggerated enough. How could this black-robed guy also use Summoning Magic?

Of course, it wasn't that a mage could only use one type of magic. Just like an ordinary person developing a side occupation in addition to their main profession, that was perfectly normal and wouldn't make anyone feel surprised.

But the problem was that learning magic was not some kind of level-clearing game where, as long as you cleared one path all the way through, you could then devote yourself wholeheartedly to clearing another stage. On this great road called magic, the path ahead was almost endless.

Even if those capable of becoming mages and reaching this step were basically one-in-ten-thousand geniuses, even a genius's energy was still limited, right? Otherwise, why would the Origin Tower have split into so many different schools?

So if you said you learned some other magic as support, Muen could understand that, but to suddenly use Summoning Magic of this level... was this reasonable?

This was extremely unreasonable!

Not to mention that Summoning Magic was almost the school of magic that required a mage to invest the most long-term time and energy. The summoning, cultivation, contracting, and growth of those special demonic beasts... which one of those did not require an extremely enormous investment of resources?

"So... the problem is still with that magical device?"

Muen's gaze locked onto the long mace in the black-robed figure's hand. The cube-shaped tower body suspended high like a tower had nine levels in total, and now the second level was already slowly rotating in silence.

A terrifying magical aura surged around the black-robed figure. It was already impossible to distinguish whether that magical power came from the black-robed figure himself or from the long mace in his hand.

"Careful, left side."

Peles suddenly gave a warning.

"Hm?"

Muen let out a soft sound of surprise. Before his words had even fallen, a savage phantom had already abruptly appeared from within the sea of stars, carrying the might to shatter mountains and sever rivers as it came crashing down.

However, there was nothing there.

That enormous demonic beast, which looked like a tiger but was covered all over in scales, actually revealed a human-like expression of confusion after losing its target.

Then... pop.

Its skull was pierced through by a thick and long black fire poker.

"We can't drag this out any longer."

Muen reappeared, casually dealing with the attacking summoned demonic beast, but there was not the slightest relaxed expression on his face.

Elemental Magic, Summoning Magic. At present, only two troublesome types of magic had appeared, yet they had already left him somewhat overwhelmed... that mace couldn't possibly have all nine levels able to rotate, could it?

"Calm down. The troublesome thing really is that strange magical device. Even I can't quite see through its origin."

Peles's calm voice once again appeared beside Muen's ear: "But it probably isn't as terrifying as you're imagining. From what we've seen so far, he seems able to use only one type of magic at the same time."

"Really?"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

"Then this is easy."

Peles's words immediately put Muen's heart at ease.

Indeed, no matter how many kinds of magic this guy could actually use, if he could only use one at a time, then it had not become troublesome to a perverse degree.

And moreover, the signs of him using them were so obvious that, for Muen, this instead exposed a fatal flaw!

Under heaven, no martial art could defeat speed.

No matter how powerful your gun was, if the speed at which you pulled the trigger was too slow... then in the end it was still only a fire poker!

We're both using fire pokers. Why the fuck should I be afraid of you?

Muen's gaze swept over the long mace in the black-robed figure's hand, confirming that the third level had not yet begun to rotate.

Good.

Then next was...

Charge!

Muen's figure flashed and once again disappeared from where he stood.

He could only use one type of magic at a time. Just now, in order to escape from Death Cry, the black-robed figure had used Summoning Magic in advance, using a death-substitute demonic beast to help him take this attack.

That had indeed allowed him to escape successfully.

But those Elemental Magics restraining Muen had also lost their support and all collapsed.

With the obstacles gone, the speed Muen took pride in could finally be brought into full play, and after having been suppressed for so long just now, it reached a level that the naked eye was completely unable to lock onto!

Time Slow!

Shadow Step!

Crowned-class body!

Combine all three, and I fucking charge charge charge!

Almost with nothing more than a single flicker, Muen had already crossed the vast distance the black-robed figure had deliberately opened up and arrived in front of him.

"You..."

For the first time, the black-robed figure made a sound.

That voice still made it impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman. It was like two pieces of raw iron grinding against one another, extremely unpleasant to hear.

But the fear in his tone could still be felt.

The speed Muen had just burst out with had completely exceeded his expectations... it had even surpassed that of an ordinary Crowned one!

"Surprised?"

Muen grinned ferociously: "The real surprise is still behind this!"

"..."

Realizing that he had made the wrong choice, the black-robed figure rapidly retreated. The giant serpent beneath him coiled its body, and amid the friction of its scales rubbing against one another, his entire figure actually began to disappear from Muen's sight once again.

But how could Muen possibly give him another chance like this?

He immediately swung his blade.

Shhk.

A huge bloody wound nearly cut the giant serpent in half at the waist. It twisted its body and hissed, and amid its rolling, the body that had just been half concealed appeared once again, forcing the black-robed figure to reappear in front of Muen as well.

"Go!"

The black-robed figure hurriedly commanded the giant serpent. At the same time, magical power flowed, and between his hands, the third level of the long mace... began to rotate slowly.

"You think... I'll still give you this kind of chance?"

Muen took one step forward.

Dong——

The faint toll of a bell echoed.

The giant serpent, which had opened its bloody maw and lunged angrily toward Muen, abruptly stopped moving when its venomous fangs were only several dozen centimeters away from him.

This place was already Muen's Divine Kingdom.

"Let's end this."

Facing the black-robed figure, who had already desperately run a little farther away, Muen showed no mercy and wasted no words.

He merely moved the short blade and lightly drew it across.

Pshk.

"No... how is that possible..."

This time, because the distance was close, when the blade cut through flesh, the sensation was extremely real. It was clearly not some summoned creature used as a death substitute.

The black-robed figure immediately froze where he stood, seemingly still somewhat unwilling to believe it.

But once a pure mage was approached at close range by a warrior, this outcome was already decided.

The black-robed figure who had caused Muen countless troubles just moments ago slowly went limp like that, floating powerlessly in midair. Blood also flowed out in large amounts, falling into the boundless sea of stars.

Like a flower, suddenly blooming, then withering again in the blink of an eye.

The long mace in his hand fell. Muen quickly caught it and played with it for a while, but did not discover anything special.

All the magical aura on it had completely disappeared, and even the array patterns had hidden themselves beneath the pitch-black metal shell.

It seemed that with his attainments in magic, he was still not capable of seeing through the mysteries of this thing.

He would let Senior Peles take a good look at it later.

"Next..."

Muen stepped forward and pulled back the black-robed figure's hood... and then he was disappointed.

Beneath the hood was an extremely unfamiliar elderly face. Muen had absolutely no impression of it.

"Senior Peles, do you know him?"

"I don't." Peles shook her head.

"Is that so... looks like this is also part of what needs to be investigated."

Muen sighed.

He had known uncovering the truth would not be so simple.

But... fortunately.

He turned his head and looked toward the colorful bubble on the other side.

"No matter what, the right to step inside and investigate has finally returned to our hands."

"Muen is amazing."

Peles pressed her lips together in a smile, her eyes glimmering.

"Cough cough, Senior, don't be like that. I'll get arrogant."

Muen gave a reserved cough a few times and did not say anything more. He first stored away the black-robed figure's corpse, then brought Ariel with him and walked toward the bubble.

Behind the bubble, that great door remained tightly shut.

But to Muen, it was already like a beautiful young woman who wanted to refuse but was secretly welcoming him, just waiting for Muen to push open the door and explore that mysterious place that in the past only the Tower Master of the Origin Tower had been able to reach.

How was this not also a kind of cuckolding?

"Hm, speaking of beautiful girls..."

At this moment, Muen, who had been in an excited mood all this time, finally realized something and nudged Ariel beside him: "You, you've been completely silent since just now. Are you throwing another tantrum?"

"..."

Ariel lowered her head and maintained that neither-near-nor-far distance, saying nothing.

After the fight had ended just now, she actually had not thrown herself at her beloved Miss Muse. This surprised Muen especially.

Had even Miss Muse lost her attraction to this perverted lesbian so quickly?

"Hey? Ariel, did you fall asleep?"

Muen nudged her again.

This time, Ariel finally reacted.

She stopped where she was and no longer continued forward.

Then, slowly, she turned her head toward Muen.

"What exactly are you playing at... eh?"

Muen's words abruptly stopped. Even the final sound of his voice carried a trace of fear.

Because what appeared in his field of vision at this moment was not Ariel's familiar, cute, pretty face.

Instead, on that face, after the facial features had been erased, what remained was a hollow void.

And within that hollow void, Muen saw something... twisting madly!