Chapter 287: Hitting a Snag

“Five types of Pandora Demon Abilities…”

Merlin mumbled incessantly to himself in a low voice. After hearing what the Flame Being had said, Merlin fell silent.

Five types of Pandora Demon Abilities, all of which could be combined with spells – how powerful was that? At the very least, Merlin would be no match for someone like that, yet even a prodigy like that was unable to clear the third obstacle.

“Bring me there anyway. Even if I don’t complete it, I want to know how the third obstacle is really like.”

After some consideration, Merlin responded to the Flame Being. No matter what it was, he wanted to see how difficult the third obstacle was.

The Flame Being nodded. “Let’s go then. The third obstacle is right ahead. Just wait until you’ve seen it for yourself, then you’ll understand what I mean.”

With that, the Flame Being brought Merlin further forward.

After passing through a stone room and a lengthy corridor, the Flame Being brought Merlin to a hall. The hall was supported by broad crystal pillars which flickered with dazzling light. The entire hall was also covered in countless mysterious runes.

Other than this peculiar hall, what really caught Merlin’s interest was a lifelike statue in the middle of the hall.

This statue was attention-grabbing as it was enveloped in a blaze. One would be overcome by a bizarre feeling the longer they looked at it.

The Flame Being was looking at the statue with a complicated expression as well, following which it said in a low voice, “This is the third obstacle. If you can defeat the Flame Image left by Master, then you’ll complete the third obstacle and receive Master’s treasure!”

“Flame Image? Where?”

Merlin did not know what a Flame Image was at all, and surveyed his surroundings, but did not discover anything that was particularly powerful.

The Flame Being pointed at the lifelike statue, and said firmly, “This statue is Master’s Flame Image. It’ll only awaken once it’s sure that you will challenge it!”

“It’s this statue?”

Merlin was somewhat bewildered and uncertain. Even though the statue did not appear to have any exceptional features, it must, of course, be extraordinary to be the guardian of the third obstacle.

“Can you tell me about this Flame Image?”

Merlin was in no hurry to clear the obstacle and instead posed this question to the Flame Being. Throughout their exchange on the way here, Merlin had gradually realized that the Flame Being possessed an independent consciousness. Thus, perhaps he could know more about this Flame Image from the Flame Being.

The Flame Being eyed Merlin and said, “Actually, it’s not a big deal to let you know. Now that we’ve reached the third obstacle, there’s no need to keep it a secret.”

After a pause, the flames on the Flame Being began to intensify, and its voice gradually became more emphatic. “Master’s Flame Image possesses tremendous strength. Based on your standards, it’s comparable to a Seventh-level Spell Caster! However, it’s not a true Spell Caster, but only a Flame Image, so it only knows Fire-type spells. Still, these spells embody Master’s understanding of flames, so their might is especially powerful.

“At the third obstacle, no matter who you are, you’ll face a Flame Image. Even a Seventh-level Spell Caster would face a Flame Image. Previously, there was a Seventh-level Spell Caster who overcame the first two obstacles after much trial and tribulation. However, when he faced the Flame Image at the third obstacle, he attempted to complete it three times in a row but had no way of withstanding the attacks of the Flame Image. He didn’t even have the chance to be thrown into Flame Prison as he was reduced to ashes by the all-consuming flames cast by the Flame Image.

“There were two other Spell Casters who had made their way to this third obstacle. They were both stopped by the Flame Image – if they weren’t killed, they were thrown into the Flame Prison.”

Merlin could not help but steal another glance at the lifelike statue. He did not think that the Flame Image would be so terrifying, even comparable to a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Furthermore, the Fire-type spells it cast surely must have exceptional power. The combined power of which was something an average Seventh-level Spell Caster would not be able to match.

Nonetheless, Merlin could not refrain from asking, “If a First-level Spell Caster cleared the first two obstacles by a fluke, must he also face a Flame Image which is comparable to a Seventh-level Spell Caster? Or to put it another way, won’t it be a piece of cake for an Eighth-level Spell Caster, or someone even stronger, to complete the third obstacle?”

“That’s right, the Flame Image of the third obstacle is unchanging, forever maintaining its strength which is comparable to a Seventh-level Spell Caster. That’s why I advise you to concentrate on constructing spells here. When you’ve become a Spell Caster above the Fourth-level, you might have a slim chance of clearing the third obstacle by relying on the strength of the second stage Pandora Demon Ability.”

The Flame Being understood Merlin’s situation as well. Once he became a Fourth-level Spell Caster, the various Pandora Demon Abilities he had on him could be cultivated up till the second stage. In that way, Merlin’s capabilities would undergo an immense upgrade.

However, only Merlin knew that except for Darkness-type spells, he had no other Fourth-level, or higher, spells. Therefore, if he just stayed here, he had no way of becoming a Fourth-level Spell Caster.

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Besides, even if he became a Fourth-level Spell Caster through sheer luck, cultivating the second stage of Pandora Demon Ability would require precious treasures. How would there be treasures like that here?

Thus, Merlin was unable to stay here for long. He needed to leave as soon as possible, only he had to face these three obstacles. Without even trying, he knew that he would surely be unable to overcome this last one.

“With such a powerful Flame Image, who else, other than Eighth or Ninth-level Spell Casters, or Great Wizards, would be able to clear the obstacle?”

Merlin even suspected that no one was able to clear this obstacle at all. Perhaps only those Eighth or Ninth-level Spell Casters, or those powerful Great Wizards, would be able to surmount this third obstacle.

“If it was a present-day Eighth or Ninth-level Spell Caster, they may not necessarily clear this obstacle. However, this place only allows entry to Seventh-level Spell Casters at most. So, Eighth or Ninth-level Spell Casters, or Great Wizards, would have no way of coming here at all.”

In the Flame Being’s words, something was revealed which slightly shocked Merlin. The Flame Being seemed to hold a disdainful attitude toward contemporary Eighth and Ninth-level Spell Casters. This further supported Merlin’s previous conjecture that ancient Spell Casters must be extremely powerful, far stronger than contemporary Wizards could possibly conceive.

“So, who’s your Master, really? Surely you can tell me now?”

Merlin was curious. What sort of Spell Caster would leave behind a monument like this, whose mere Flame Image was so powerful?

However, the Flame Being shook its head slightly, and said in an icy tone, “Once you’ve cleared the third obstacle, you’ll learn about Master. Alright, I’ve said all that I’ve to say. Are you going to clear the obstacle, or quietly cultivate here?”

“Clear the obstacle? Even if I was a genuine Fourth-level Spell Caster, it would be exceedingly difficult to defeat a Flame Image that’s comparable to a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Or was there anyone who was only Fourth-level who had defeated a Seventh-level Spell Caster?”

Merlin spoke with a bitter smile. Even the prodigies of Ozmu, at the Fourth-level, would not be able to defeat a Seventh-level Spell Caster. Even if Merlin became a Fourth-level Spell Caster someday and cultivated all his Pandora Demon Abilities to the second stage, it was still hard to say if he would be able to defeat a Seventh-level Spell Caster.

Moreover, the Flame Image was no average Seventh-level Spell Caster, but a powerful being that was able to easily kill another Seventh-level Spell Caster.

However, the Flame Being laughed coldly in response. “Fourth-level Spell Casters can’t defeat Seventh-level Spell Casters? I can only say that you’re far too ignorant and uninformed. Have the Spell Casters of today’s age really fallen to such a stage? Master had designed the third obstacle in order to locate a prodigy which was on par with him, or even stronger than him. In the past, when Master was a Fourth-level Spell Caster, he vanquished a personal enemy who was a Seventh-level Spell Caster. If you can’t even compare to Master, then you have no right to the treasures he has left behind!”

Looking at the Flame Being’s haughty expression, Merlin was shaken to the core. A Fourth-level Spell Caster, killing a Seventh-level Spell Caster, and it was during the golden age of Spell Casters – the one who left behind this monument must be a celebrated individual who lived in the era of the Molta Empire!

However, Merlin was unable to clear the third obstacle. All sorts of thoughts and ideas flashed across his mind, but none of them was a feasible plan.

“Am I really to die here, trapped?”

Merlin mumbled in a low voice. If he did not clear the obstacle, he could still live, but he would be trapped here, in torment every single day until his life ran out and he ended up as dry bones.

At the first obstacle, there had been a pile-up of dry bones which used to be Spell Casters.

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

Just then, the Bell Space at Merlin’s chest began vibrating, emanating a burst of scorching energy.

Merlin calculated the time. The Mind Power duplicate in the Bell Space must have reached its limits again, so he cleared his head of these messy thoughts, and fused the Mind Power duplicate within the Bell Space into his own Mind Power.

Once more, Merlin’s Mind Power underwent a huge increase. Finally, his Mind Power gradually stopped expanding completely. He had already reached the peak of Third-level Mind Power. Such colossal Mind Power was even enough to construct two more Second-level spells.

At the moment, Merlin had only constructed two Second-level spells, Darkness Tide and Earth Veil. He needed to construct four more Second-level spells before he could become a Second-level Spell Caster.

He needed to construct a total of six Second-level spells to advance to a Second-level Spell Caster, but this would require him to reach the stage of Fourth-level Mind Power.

In the past, when Merlin’s Mind Power had reached a level where he could construct more spells, he would be overjoyed. However, facing the third obstacle now, Merlin’s power would not increase by much even if he became a Second-level Spell Caster. It would not be of much help in terms of clearing the third obstacle.

“Flame Image, Seventh-level Spell Caster…”

Merlin suddenly had a flash of intuition. He thought of Wizard Leo and recalled that during the great battle with Ozmu, Wizard Leo had hunted down a powerful Seventh-level Spell Caster from Ozmu over a thousand miles. He even transcended his own level, and killed him with his bare hands!

“Oh right, before I left, Wizard Leo gave me the life-saving bracelet!”

With a jolt in his heart, Merlin immediately lifted his right hand. His gaze landed on his fair wrist, and as expected, he was wearing the ink-black bracelet.