Login with GoogleChapter 280: The Enemy From the Textbook
This was not a normal building.
The nearby area wasn't a normal residential neighborhood either.
The Haiming District is one of the six districts in Tatsumi City. It is considered relatively old and underdeveloped, not even comparable to the more average Dawn District.
As a result, even the buildings in the residential area appeared somewhat old and dilapidated.
During the strange happenings in the world, Alan could still sense a hint of gloominess in this place.
On the worn walls of the hundreds of residential buildings, Alan saw, one after another, crimson and twisted symbols. They resembled wriggling creatures, forming a spell.
They were clearly creating a highly unique energy field.
Alan furrowed his brow and, combining the information provided by both the "Savior" and the "Profligate," gained a general understanding of the situation.
"Could it be that this is the ceremony used to make Him descend?"
The thing that allows the Pupil of Chaos to descend.
These crimson spells were too intricate and complicated, perhaps long lost and forgotten.
Even Alan, who was skilled in spells and rituals, sighed in bewilderment at the true power contained within.
He took a slow step forward.
In front of Alan, within this building, there were hidden things that were actually the core focal point of the "magic formation" in the entire residential area.
"The place where the ceremony takes place is actually here, according to what the Savior said, as long as we occupy it... I wonder how many enemies are inside."
Alan found himself lost in thought. Instead of entering the building directly, he decided to make thorough preparations first.
He was very cautious.
For a successful sorcerer, being well-prepared, having a wide array of tricks, and being adaptable are all essential abilities.
After some time, Alan stepped slowly into the hallway, ready to face the imminent attacks.
And then, right at that moment, the scenery before him suddenly changed!
The area that was once a residential building suddenly vanished without a trace and transformed into a massive department store.
Alan paused for a moment, then suddenly realized that this was its true nature!
"This is the combination of magic and transformation spells... I see now, the entire residential area's landscape must have been changed."
He dimly realized that his opponent was probably of the same kind as him.
It would definitely be a formidable opponent, wouldn't it?
Regular wizards could never create such a wide-scale "illusion magic."
In the empty supermarket, a mysterious and eerie feeling permeated the air. Alan could faintly sense that his breath had become frozen.
He felt as if he was sinking into an unseen swamp, while countless eyes were watching him from all around.
Suddenly, Alan noticed a peculiar object emerging on the wall not far away.
That was a...statue?
This was a towering four-meter-tall black stone statue with incredibly unique white skeletal wings, which seemed out of place with its body.
It slowly opened its blood-red eyes, revealing an extremely bloodthirsty expression.
Upon seeing Alan, the terrifying stone statue swiftly flew up into the air.
It possessed a remarkably fast speed, along with an incredibly terrifying power.
With a heavy strike, the horrifying stone statue shattered Alan into fragments... turning him into ink on the ground.
"Can't I?"
The real Alan stood outside the department store, shaking his head. Then, he and a group of Night Watchers who suddenly appeared rushed into the department store together.
"Everyone spread out and find the person who started the ritual!"
Alan pretended to shout with enthusiasm, as if there were actually many people acting alongside him.
Actually, these "Night Watchers" were all part of Alan's recent "preparations" outside.
Under the curtain, he could create a large number of "puppet actors", not just ordinary people, but even extraordinary individuals could hardly distinguish between them and normal living beings.
"Who is...interrupting the arrival ceremony of the Enigmatic Gazer?"
A weary voice suddenly rang out.
Later on, stone gargoyles, flame demons, venomous slimes, earth elementals, succubi...many monsters from traditional magical worlds suddenly emerged from all sides of the department store!
Terrifying claws, infernal flames, intense toxic fog...
These monsters resemble a dreadful army, attacking with deadly force capable of reaping lives.
Without hesitation, they tore apart and slaughtered all the Night Watchers present.
However, not even a single scream was heard.
These "Night Watchers" are not real humans; they are simply stage puppets transformed by Alan using the "Cloak of the Obscured Sky," lacking true life and the sense of pain.
Meanwhile, the real Alan had been blending in with the "human" crowd all along, and when a horde of monsters burst forth, he had already hidden within the walls using Breath Masking and Passwall, completely concealing his presence.
Alan, inside the walls, used his extraordinary perception to investigate the true enemy's whereabouts.
"Oh, I see now."
Inside the walls, he shook his head and suddenly burst into laughter.
Alan stepped out from the wall, intentionally revealing himself slowly.
Turns out, the department store was just a false illusion. In a state of heightened perception, he had just discovered this fact.
All of this was nothing but an illusion.
Alan took a deep breath and slowly unleashed a counteracting spell.
If he couldn't reach the Crown level, he wouldn't even be able to see through this layer of illusion, let alone engage in a battle with the orchestrator behind the scenes.
"Unravel it..."
The next moment, the department store vanished completely.
This "building" and "department store" had never existed in the first place.
In front of Alan, there was nothing but an empty space.
In the center of the empty space, stood a thin and frail elderly elf. He wore a deep red robe of an ancient wizard, with its tail dragging along the ground. It had a sense of tradition, but the patterns and buttons on the front were remarkably intricate and ornate.
"Is it you who broke in? Are you a member of the Babel Tower?"
The old man calmly looked at Alan in front of him and nodded gently, his voice filled with contentment.
"You are very nice!"
"For over a hundred years, only a few people have been able to unravel my 'magic spell'. Young one, please tell me your name."
Only a few people?
Alan gazed at the old man in front of him, feeling a sense of familiarity.
After a moment, he finally remembered who the old man in front of him was.
This guy, should be the newly appointed saint of the Troublemakers, the Head of Destruction's most trusted wizard.
That person, known to the world as the "Saint of Chaos" ... Hals.
Long ago, a hundred years before Alan was born, Hals was already a renowned user of magic. He had become a master wizard even before Alan came into the world.
Throughout his journey in the field of magic, Hals had been highly respected in the academic community. People even believed that Hals had a chance to become one of the few wizards in the world capable of resisting the "Apocalypse."
You see, in Noah's world, there were only a few individuals who could be classified as "Apocalypse"-level powerhouses. The number of "wizards" among them could truly be counted on one hand.
Until a few years ago, Hals suddenly joined the Order of the Troublemakers, and as a result, there became fewer rumors and stories about this old man.
"Hals, it's actually you as my opponent... But, it does make sense."
Alan and the old man faced each other, and suddenly, a very peculiar feeling sprouted in their hearts.
He first learned about this person in a magic-related textbook.
At that time, Alan read in the book that Mr. Hals, who was deeply devoted to the study of magic, had successfully improved dozens of spells and made outstanding contributions to this field, winning numerous awards!
At that time, Alan felt that this person was truly amazing and even said to himself, "When I grow up, I want to become a sorcerer just like him."
That's like saying, "When I grow up, I want to become a scientist just like XXX!"
In a sense, Hals was a "legend" in the field of magic.
Now, the two of them were unexpectedly enemies engaged in a life-and-death duel.
Hals carefully surveyed the unexpected enemy before him, pausing for a moment before speaking:
"You've just arrived at the 'Crown', right? How wonderful! The exhilarating feeling of a breakthrough will surely keep you satisfied for a while... But I've been at the 'Crown' for almost a century, constantly striving towards the 'Apocalypse'..."
"Now, all that remains in my heart is worry and obsession."
It was obvious that the old man completely disregarded Alan, simply rambling to himself.
"For twenty years, I have stood in this place, at the pinnacle of the Crown, appearing to be a mighty level. However, I have not seen even the slightest possibility of achieving 'Apocalypse' myself..."
"Finally, I admitted that my 'limit' was definite."
Hals paused for a moment and continued, "At this point, only 'Him' can take me to higher levels."
"Coming is a necessary thing."
After stating his reasons, he waved his hand, displaying great generosity.
"You go, young man... Find a way to leave this world, perhaps there's still a chance to survive... With such a young age, having achieved such accomplishments in magic, your future must be bright..."
Alan suddenly interrupted him, saying coldly,
"I will kill you here, then destroy the ritual and save the world."
The old man paused for a moment, let out a sigh, as if he truly felt that the other person was stubborn and unwilling to listen.
His tone became even softer, even somewhat benevolent, as he continued, "I don't want a genius like you to perish... and generally speaking, I don't see any opportunity for you to defeat me."
Hals spoke with a rational, objective, and calm tone. He didn't show any hint of arrogance.
He was like a diligent old professor, and there wasn't a trace of anger in him.
"Give up, child."
Hals let out a sigh and instinctively touched his graying beard, truly reluctant to engage in a fight with the Night Watcher standing before him.
"You still have time to leave now."
"You make me feel a little sick."
Alan stared coldly at the other person and said, "Clearly, you are engaged in acts that would destroy the world, yet you display such hypocritical sympathy and disgustingly fake kindness... I have seen many instances of this kind of hypocrisy, but people like you are few and far between."
Hals fell silent for a moment and shook his head, explaining, "I can understand the anger within you, but my assistance to the order is for a reason. I hope for the 'arrival' to happen."
"Only then can I take a step further, and only by reaching a brand new level called 'Apocalypse', can I delve deeper into the infinite multiverse... There's no other way."
His tone was filled with helplessness.
Clearly, if given a choice, the old man named Hals would not have embarked on the path he is on today.
The old man was not loyal to the "Pupil of Chaos", he merely wanted to pursue further.
That was all.
"No matter how you put it, it's simply extreme selfishness."
Alan shook his head.
"Being selfish is a common human trait, and extreme selfishness can easily breed evil... But someone as hypocritical as you still manages to make me feel extremely disgusted."
Hals, who was deeply engrossed in his research, oh, the descriptions of you in textbooks were quite accurate indeed.
Alan continued, "You believe that your actions are all justified, that you have no other choice, that it's all a matter of trade-offs... However, everything you do is merely to fulfill your own desire for exploration and knowledge."
"Ah, it seems like you don't understand anything at all."
Hals let out a sigh, his face expressing even more helplessness, a sense of regret akin to "unteachable".
It was as if Alan hadn't surrendered and left, but instead spoke these words, as if he himself didn't understand the situation, a situation that should never, ever have happened.
Although you have some talent in the field of sorcery, since you lack the drive to live on and make progress, instead choosing to stay behind and meet your demise, someone like you will eventually die... In that case, allow me to send you on your way before anyone else does."
Hals reached this point in the story and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Um, maybe I could try to capture your spirit and study it patiently."
"Perhaps, there isn't anything particularly special about the soul of someone who, like me, is also a prodigy in sorcery."
The trembling of the ground once again reached Alan's feet, and he took a deep breath, his gaze heavy. He knew that the power of the Heart of Radiance wouldn't be able to sustain for much longer.
"You, have made me very angry!"
The Fire that Burns Everything!
Just as he started, Alan unleashed a powerful attack!
Hals's eyes changed and his tone grew colder.
"This power, the breath of the Lord of Ashes?"
It would never go out. The black flames that burned down multiple enormous worlds suddenly surged out of nothingness, rushing forward with madness towards the elderly man in the crimson robe!
However, they didn't make contact with each other.
Distance, this was the greatest limitation when unleashing the Fire that Burns Everything.
Although Alan had become increasingly proficient in controlling the Fire that Burns Everything, allowing it to move to considerable distances, the current distance between them exceeded several tens of meters. The slow speed of the flames still gave the other person time to react.
Hals' speed was, of course, far beyond that of ordinary people.
He possessed many permanent enchantments, granting him numerous passive abilities, extremely powerful reflexes, remarkably terrifying calculation abilities, as well as exceptional speed and defensive capabilities.
Not all extraordinary individuals are necessarily fragile, but sorcerers tend to be quite fragile.
Although nobody could ever specifically explain the reasons behind it, perhaps this was the invisible cost incurred after utilizing "sorcery".
It was the "curse of the world".
In history, even individuals with formidable physical strength like Mu Ling would experience a relative decline in their physique after extensive study of sorcery.
This curse was quite mysterious, causing sorcerers to have to find ways to seek protective spells, and even giving rise to a specific category of spells known as "warding" spells.
Hals's body vanished in an instant, as if a gust of wind drifted away from the sky, and the Fire that Burns Everything couldn't touch his body at all.
"Babel Tower, truly a remarkable place!"
In the next moment, dozens of shimmering golden pillars of light appeared in the sky, resembling a flurry of arrows shooting towards Alan.
Each strike possessed enough power to demolish buildings!
This was originally just an ordinary spell called "Light Arrow."
The original version could only shoot out golden rays the size of arrows.
But after Hals made his improvements, its power increased significantly.
Alan calmly pulled out a white handgun, raising his hand and quickly taking aim.
A large amount of white light radiated from the gun.
The bullets shattered numerous beams of light, causing a tremendous explosion in the sky.
"Lin Bian, now we are fighting side by side," Alan said in a calm yet nostalgic tone.
The weapon he held in his hand was none other than the Civilization-level Relic left behind by Lin Bian, known as the White Son.
"Is it a relic of a great civilization?"
Hals's figure vanished without a trace, but his voice resurfaced.
Alan remained vigilant, not responding to the other's words.
He had to find his true form somehow.
The battles of sorcerers were prone to "level skipping" as they were all powerful yet vulnerable beings. By finding weaknesses, there was always a chance for a "one-hit kill".
Alan thanked the Savior for allowing him to battle alongside the characters from his textbook.
In this way, his "Pupil of Mystery" would be able to have the greatest impact!
"Test this."
In the next moment, Hals, who was hiding in the shadows, unleashed a new spell.
This time it wasn't an ordinary spell, but one of the "Forbidden Spells."
"The Decaying Kingdom."
A gigantic black cloud gradually formed in the sky, covering the sun and casting darkness as it billowed and churned.
Underneath the golden ribbon of light, it completely enveloped the area of the open field.
Alan gazed at it, sensing the imminent danger approaching.
In the next moment, countless raindrops fell from the sky.
Next, inside the residential building, the remaining creatures, including plants and small animals, all started to decay and age.
As long as you come into contact with a single drop, your body will rapidly age!
Alan immediately recognized this thing, it was a terrifying rain from a certain layer of hell!
Startled, Alan seemed to have no time to defend himself.
His body was touched by the rainwater!
"Drat!"
"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!"
Alan let out a desperate cry, falling to his knees and wailing in a state of panic.
His body began to rapidly age, speeding towards the stages of thirty, forty, and fifty years old.
In just a few short minutes, Alan transformed into an old man with snowy white hair.
"No, no, I don't want to die, I surrender!"
His skin became wrinkled and lacked any elasticity, his hair turned completely white and fell out in large amounts. His eyes lost their sparkle, and his teeth had all fallen out.
Old-aged Alan, with a hoarse voice, lost every ounce of vitality.
"Please, Mr. Hals, spare me!"
He seemed to have aged both in body and spirit, devoid of any fighting spirit. Surprisingly, he knelt on the ground and pleaded for mercy, bowing his head.
"It seems that your so-called willpower is just like that."
Hals' figure suddenly appeared in front of Alan and he said slowly, "But your thoughts at this moment are indeed correct, to survive and find ways to progress, to explore new realms of magic is what we should do..."
"Finally, you came out."
Whispered Alan.
"Hmm?"
Hals furrowed his brow.
Alan's face suddenly cracked, revealing a demonic grin.
"Actually, I am still very good at deceiving people."
This is a "dancing puppet"!
Now, the ceremony "veiling the sky" is still in effect!
In the distance, unseen by both of them, Alan had prepared a large number of "dancing puppets," many of which bore an uncanny resemblance to his own appearance.
The "dancing puppets," apart from being unable to use extraordinary powers, had every detail identical to the original.
Long before the dark clouds had fully formed, Alan had already used The Reanimation Spell to switch places with a distant "dancing puppet," transforming his true self.
He successfully pretended to surrender, tricking the arrogant master of magic to come out!
On a rooftop miles away, Alan pointed towards the sky with one hand, his expression filled with solemnity.
"Black Sun."
This was the "Forbidden Magic" that was learned from the leader of the Capetian family.
Hals silently lifted his head.
The sky suddenly darkened.
A gigantic fiery orb, black and red in color, obscured the sun as it descended from the sky, plummeting towards the ground!
Terrifying flames relentlessly engulfed the land, seemingly intent on obliterating everything in their path!
"Is it only to this extent?"
Hals shook his head gently, conveying a slight disdain and helplessness towards the younger generation, even with a hint of frustration at their lack of progress.
"Just thinking that this level can kill me... No, I understand."
"Are you trying to ruin the ceremony?"
However, you cannot achieve it.
Hals raised both hands high, murmuring words softly. A huge pale blue protective barrier, like a shimmering shield, swiftly emerged, gradually blocking out everything in the sky.
The Dark Sun crashed against the barrier, triggering a tremendously terrifying explosion capable of destroying an entire street.
"Boom!"
A grand thunderous roar, an explosion that obscured the sky, seemed nothing more than a dull firework show to the elderly man.
In the midst of the countless explosions, he gazed towards Alan's real body.
"I don't know if you have studied it seriously, but I have written about the little tricks of inspiration in the textbook. When the magician casts a powerful spell, the spirit can subtly sense the source of the spell."
I found you.
Hals smiled and extended his hand, slowly tightening it while mumbling softly.
The next moment, Alan, standing far away, suddenly felt an irresistible pull.
His body "flew" up in place, instantly being pulled away.
Alan wanted to cast "The Reanimation Spell" to switch bodies with a puppet, but he discovered that all the surrounding puppets, without exception, flew away!
"What is this?"
He was trying to find a way to break free, but he felt a heavy burden weighing on his spirit, making it difficult to perform any magic spells.
It was so heavy that Alan even felt a bit dizzy, almost on the verge of passing out.
If it were an ordinary super being, they would definitely faint immediately.
Hals explained,
"This is my first modified 'Forbidden Spell'... Building upon the original version, I added the effect of disturbing one's mind."
One of the thirty-six Forbidden Spells listed above!
The Universal Gravity!
In the gravitational realm of the sky, an abundance of objects were drawn into its embrace, intertwining and colliding with one another.
Alan's body collided with numerous objects, instantly shattering bones and fracturing muscles. But it didn't end there. They continued to move in the sky under the terrifying force of gravity, crashing into each other time and time again.
This feeling.
It felt as if being thrown into an enormous, invisible "washing machine"...
He quickly fell into a state of near-death.
Difficult to break free.
Alan's body was completely immobile, and in this state, he couldn't cast any spells. Even the "Pupil of Mystery" became meaningless.
Hals, on the ground, resembled a musician, constantly waving his fingers.
He appeared to be conducting the "force of gravity."
With a casual snap of his fingers.
"Snap!"
Alan found that all things around stopped moving.
Then, they moved forward in a curved path, collectively heading towards him for a collision!
He had become the center of a swirling vortex of gravity!
