Chapter 1743 - WMW 117 (900)

Devouring divine power like this was a very dangerous thing. Even if incomplete, even Legends couldn't resist a divine conscient. If any idiot devoured the power of an existing god, he would either go crazy due to the huge conscient or get devoured by the divine force instead and become an incarnation of that god.

Yet Leylin was different. His original body was equivalent to a demigod to begin with, and he had the conscient and memories of his host body. He wasn't the least bit afraid of this incomplete conscient.

*Hiss!* An unnerving phantom of a winged snake emerged from Leylin's soul, glaring at the disabled monkey in front of it. Even if it was only a conscient, the monkey screeched in fright. The monkey screeched out of fright despite that it only being a conscient.

*Boom!* The Targaryen looked at the monkey with disdain before swallowing it whole. Leylin's body trembled involuntarily as the A.I. Chip made a report: [Beep! Unknown energy absorbed by host body! Determined to be divine essence, near high-grade. Spirit increasing…]

[Beep! Energy fully absorbed by host body, Spirit+1.]

Leylin's spirit force increased to a stunning 13 after devouring Malar's divinity. His spirit was raised substantially, and he could make contact with more of the Weave.

Meanwhile, the A.I. Chip was still giving him feedback.

[Host body's spirit stat has reached 13, host has advanced to rank 13 as a wizard.]

[Host has received one rank 6 spell slot, one rank 5 spell slot, and one rank 4 spell slot!]

'Did I finally break through?' Leylin looked at his updated stats.

[Leylin Faulen. Age: 20. Race: Human, Rank 13 Wizard. Strength: 10. Agility: 10 Physique: 10. Spirit force: 13. Condition: Healthy. Feats: Sturdy, Erudite, Elementary Perfect Body. Spell Slots: Rank 6(2), Rank 5(4), Rank 4(6), Rank 3(???), Rank 2(???), Rank 1(???), Rank 0(???)]

[Weave Analysis Progress: Level 0: 100%. Level 1: 100%. Level 2: 100%. Level 3: 100%. Level 4: 56.77%. Level 5: 12.15%. Level 6: 0.01%.]

"A 20 year old rank 13 Wizard. I reckon there aren't many like me in Silverymoon City. I'm almost on par with a Chosen now, though I guess I did advance with the grace of a god…" Leylin had fully digested Malar's energy, and whilst the god himself realised that he'd lost some of his divinity he had no idea why.

'Well, it seems like I'll be entering an eternal feud with the God of the Hunt now.' Even if he hadn't devoured Malar's divine force, Leylin would have made an enemy of the god's church anyway. He had killed too many of his werecreature followers.

'I'll have to face a god sooner or later anyway. The God of the Hunt? Interesting domain.' Leylin smirked.

…..

"My Lord." Tiff, who was waiting outside the altar, was aware that Leylin had changed. However, he didn't point it out. "We've detained and imprisoned a group of captives according to your orders and… I found something in the cell at the core of the campsite."

"Oh? Bring me there to have a look." Adrenaline rushed through Leylin as he came to a securely sealed cell with Tiff.

"I'm the only one who's entered the place. I thought it would be better for few people to know about this." Tiff bowed before positioning himself beside the door like a loyal guard.

'Can it be…' Leylin had a few guesses in his heart, but he was still hesitant as he pushed the door.

*Clang!* The thick and heavy door bellowed.

The light inside was dim, and it was covered in the distinct runes of the werecreatures that gave off a barbaric aura. Leylin could tell that it was a high-grade anti-demon spell formation to block off contact with elemental energy and the Weave.

It evidently a trap, and the person within the cell moved suddenly and raised their head.

"You– You're not a werecreature!" They mumbled, so softly that Leylin could barely hear.

*Cling clang!* The chains scraped against each other as this prisoner moved, and Leylin noticed the unique cuffs on their hands. "Antimagic cuffs? Looks like they were really wary of you."

Leylin sized the captive up—they were humanoid, but looked like a half-elf. Beneath their long viridescent locks were a pair of pure obsidian eyes and translucent fair skin. Their aura was distinct in spite of the long imprisonment.

A faint energy was emitted from their body, but restricted by the antimagic cuffs on their hands. It was clear that this captive was a wizard.

"A female half-elf wizard? Tell me, why did the werecreatures imprison you?" Leylin asked.

"I heard screaming and slashing just now. Have you eliminated all of them?" The female wizard raised her head and shot Leylin a glance with her unreadable eyes.

"Hm, I guess you can say that!" Leylin nodded in agreement.

"Then aren't you going to release me?" She waved her cuffs in question.

"Nope. Law says you're now my captive, unless you have something of value to exchange for your freedom." Leylin shook his head. "Besides, you're a half-elf wizard, you should know your value."

This was the standard practice in the mainland, but things were different in Silverymoon. The city's leader was good, and if she heard of the situation she might even have redeemed the half-elf with her own money. But Leylin didn't plan on reporting it.

"Redemption? Hah, I guess you came because of 'that' too. Ignorant idiot. You don't know the suffering it will bring you." The female wizard laughed, her eyes brimming with complicated emotions. Leylin saw a brief moment of regret.

"Are you talking about the inheritance of the arcanists near the Nether Mountains and red dragon territory?" Leylin was sick of beating about the bush. And as expected, the moment he mentioned the Nether Mountains, red dragon, and arcanists, her expression changed. "So you knew."

"Actually, I know more than what you think I do." Leylin looked at her robe which was evidently different from the regular robes of other wizards and snapped his fingers.

A scorching light struck between her hands and melted the antimagic cuffs. Boiling molten iron dripped to the floor and sizzled, producing white fumes in its wake. But the female wizard had better things to pay attention to, as she stared at Leylin unbelievingly, "Instant cast? It can't be! You- You are an arcanist!"

"An arcanist? I've yet to become one, I just have a few incomplete arcane spell models, just like you." Leylin smiled at her.

The use of arcane spells was obviously different from that of normal spells. The biggest difference was that one didn't need the help of the Weave to use them, instead using the elemental particles in the air.

Leylin had made these plans long ago, but the A.I. Chip was busy with the Weave. Still, he'd managed to build a few arcane spell models in his leisure. The scorching ray that he casted just now was one of them.

Given his abilities, it wasn't impossible for Leylin to completely reconstruct the arcanists given enough time. Still, it could take tens of millennia. The transformation of normal spells into arcane spell models would be enough to keep him busy.

When there were ready-made ones, why would he continue to make them himself? Leylin's real interest lay in the research of those arcanists and the inheritance from those Magi who had comprehended laws.

There was more than one Magus who comprehended laws in the final war, and countless rank 8s who were similar to the Mother Core. An understanding of their paths and laws would be extremely beneficial to Leylin. Being a localisation of Magi, arcanists must have received the teachings of the ancient Magi. It was quite possible that they possessed information in those fields.

'Observing the different paths of law will be a great benefit. Though the ultimate path of every Magus is definitely different, it can at least give me a general direction.' Leylin looked at the female wizard as multiple thoughts ran through his head.

On the other hand, she let down her guard after seeing Leylin cast that spell. Her expression loosened up, and a sense of pity and reliance overcame her. It was as if she had found her own kind.

*Bam!* A ball of green elemental particles started burning on the tips of her fingers, and she made a bizarre gesture, looking cautious.

"In the eyes of the Arcanic Fire, I will comply with the path of truth and abandon confusion, weakness and suffering. I will succeed the path of the arcanist. The light of Netheril will never be dimmed. My name is Helen. May I know who you are, my Lord?"

Helen looked over to Leylin after the ritual with expectation.

"Is that how ancient arcanists greet each other? I'm sorry, but I really don't know how to do this." Leylin spread his hands out and laughed helplessly, "Honestly, I'm just an ordinary wizard who got some fragments of arcanist inheritance."

After a round of confusing explanation and using the arcanist notebook as proof, Leylin finally proved his identity. Helen's own origins gradually grew clear before his eyes.

-x-X-x-

The half-elf in front of Leylin was called Helen Carter. She claimed to be a survivor of the ancient arcanist empire who dabbled in the arcane arts.

The inheritance of her family had been badly damaged by the oppression of the churches. She was actually a rank 11 wizard, and other than Arcane Fire which she used to prove her identity, she knew no other arcane spell models. If things were put in perspective, she was weaker than Leylin.

As for her motive in going north, she'd found something akin to the inheritance of an ancient arcanist in her old family tome. She was hoping she could find something there to revive her bloodline.

"Even with this world's strict prohibition of them, arcanists still exist?" Leylin touched his chin. As a matter of fact, this was a very good thing. It meant that even if he managed to become an arcanist in the future, he wouldn't have to work too hard to conceal his identity.

"Yes. Even with the disapproval of the churches, any wizard that has reached the rank of Legend will have to set foot into the essential step of Weaveless Casting. The Netheril empire didn't leave their inheritance in a single place. Even though most were destroyed in war, some people have managed to luck across remnants of it."

Helen tucked a few strands of hair neatly behind her jade-like ear. Her beauty was really on another level.

"That being said, Legends still have to do their research on arcane spells in secret, and once non-legendary wizards are found to be affiliated with any form of arcane spells, they're absolutely done for." Helen laughed bitterly as she spoke about it, as if she was was reminded of something she didn't want to be.

It seems like she and her family had endured their fair share of suffering at the hands of the gods and their churches.

"In any case, thank you for saving me from the werecreatures. I can tell you everything my family knows about the arcanist inheritance in return." Helen told Leylin sincerely.

That was a wise choice. Even if she rebelled, Leylin would have his own methods of achieving what he wanted, such as spells like Memory Retrieval. Helen wasn't a match for him. Additionally, she recognised that Leylin was someone related to the arcane arts anyway. That alone had led to her lowering her guard against him.

"Thank you. When I find the documents and information I'll make a copy for you." Leylin didn't reject her offer. He certainly thought that he deserved it all, "Before I discover any remnants of the arcanists, I'll need you to move within range of my detection, is that okay?"

"Yes, that will be alright!" A consequence like this was already a whole lot better than being imprisoned by the werecreatures, where she might eventually become a sacrifice. Helen readily agreed to Leylin's request without any negotiation, she was aware that her life was in his hands now.

"My Lord!" Tiff showed no signs of surprise when he saw Leylin bringing Helen out of the room.

"Right, this is Miss Helen. You can consider her our client." Leylin said ambiguously. Helen wasn't pleased about how she was being introduced but she chose to not voice it out.

"We've cleared the entire campsite. The high-ranked werecreature and tens of normal ones that we've knocked out have been put aside." Tiff resembled a hard working housekeeper, reporting everything to his owner.

"There's enough food for 200 people here, and enough weapons to equip an elite combat squad. I also found some half-done high-grade magic potions and other magic items in the leader's room. They're all very strong, probably intended to kill the dragon."

"Got it, take away all the weapons and armour and leave half of the food." Leylin kept the high-grade ingredients that Tiff handed him. These materials were valuable even outside their use for killing dragons.

"Bring me all the captives, I have some use for them!"

Things got simpler after he saw the people who participated in the battle and helped transform their bloodlines. He then asked Tiff to bring Helen along and lead the rest to bring the supplies away before changing his appearance back to how he looked before.

"Why took you so long?" Rafiniya's grumble could be heard the moment Leylin returned to the campsite, "If you were a little more late, I will already be on my way to find you!"

"Something cropped up, gather everyone now and prepare for attack!" Leylin was flushed with excitement.

"Why?" Rafiniya mumbled to herself but the rest of the men had very quickly assembled themselves.

"I recced the area just now, and I found that the werecreatures' campsite was completely transformed." Leylin sounded ecstatic.

"They were attacked and a few of their leaders died. If we go there now, we will be able to wipe them out completely and uproot them! We can finish this damned mission!"

All the eyes of the soldiers' lit up upon hearing Leylin's words.

...

Alec opened his eyes, and that wizard's face surfaced in his mind once more.

"Damn it! My head- Ugh-" Alec stood up with much difficulty and saw his almost-destroyed campsite and collapsed captives. Looking at the few survivors between the corpses, even if he wasn't that intelligent, he knew that the mission had failed.

He kicked the fainted captives violently in an attempt to wake them up and ordered them to do the same to the others as he sat down. His head still hurt, and messed up his already chaotic thoughts.

"Human, wizards, attack…captives! Where's the captive?" Alec ran to where Helen was imprisoned before, only to arrive at an empty cell.

"Those bloody humans–" Alec growled in anger causing everyone around him to cower in fear.

"I'm the biggest here, I'm the head of you all!" He struck a few of the stronger werecreatures to show his authority. The rest could only whimper in submission, he was a high-grade werecreature after all. He exceeded the rest in both strength and speed.

"We, go back— Blackblood…" Alec made a decision, he could only abandon the campsite in its current state. But before anyone could object, a voice sounded in his head.

'Don't go back! Those darned humans, I haven't made my revenge on them. The others will mock me if I go back!' The voice circled his head and overtook his previous decision. Alec got dizzy for a bit and decided to abandon his decision and gathered all his subordinates.

"Those despicable humans, me, Alec, your new head will avenge!" After announcing his decision, he received stares of fear instead of excited growling— Leylin's previous attack had frightened them.

Before Alec could think of anything else, chaos erupted at the entrance of their campsite. A group of human adventurers barged in. No, it was the city guards, but they seemed to be few in number.

Alec scratched his head. He'd attacked both guards and adventurers before, the only distinction in his mind was that guards were greater in number and had more tender flesh.

"They want to attack us just based on that amount of people?" Alec was triggered despite his low intellect.

"Kill them!" He bellowed before charging forward in front of the rest. The first person he saw was an armoured young female knight emitting a dazzling aura.

"A strong one from the humans!" Alec was taken aback, but that didn't last for too long before he charged at her.

"Kill them!" The remaining city guards were filled with bloodlust, charging forward for their future and life, as well as for vengeance. They burst forth with bloodshot eyes and the last remnants of their strength.

The werecreatures who had endured the previous battle were only at half their strengths, and the rest carried injuries that made them weaker than before.

"Perhaps we really can win this time!" The soldiers watched Leylin, who ran before all of them, with a glimpse of hope.

Mass Bull's Strength! Cloudkill! Enchant Weapon!

"Charge! Victory is ours!" Leylin roared, spells shooting out from his hands as the knights slashed at the werecreatures with their swords, sending a werecreature's skull rolling to the floor.

'The paralysis effect is still not over, especially on the high-ranked werecreature. The spiritual suggestion is still working though!' Deep inside, Leylin was actually observing the battle quietly.

He'd left these captives behind on purpose, to give the city guard some achievements, How else would he return? Light from a large-scale spell shone, and Rafiniya noticed in shock that her strength had increased greatly.

"A mass buff? Rank 6 spell?" She looked at Leylin in confusion.

-x-X-x-

"He's actually broken through!" Rafiniya's eyes widened slightly. She obviously knew what the casting of Mass Bull's Strength implied. It was a rank 6 spell that only rank 13 wizards could cast. This sort of spell that could boost a group was very popular in the army.

As a noble, Rafiniya knew more than regular people and definitely understood how terrifying this was.

"He's only twenty!" Rafiniya glanced at Leylin, who was so young that it was ridiculous, and suddenly felt down. While she was considered a genius, she was nothing in comparison to him...

*Aoo aoo!* However, getting distracted during battle was very dangerous. The female knight had made this exact mistake. Alec thundered from opposite her, his muscles bulging bit by bit. His claws swept forth, seemingly severing even the air itself.

Wild Burst! He had clearly obtained this power from Malar.

*Boom!* Rafiniya felt a burst of strength from his hands, causing her double-handed blade to whistle sharply as it flew off.

"Crap!" She wanted to retreat, but it was already too late. The high-ranked werecreature charged forward, his coarse pores and nauseating skin distinctly visible to her.

Alec snarled, only having one thought in mind. Tear! He would tear this knight in front of him apart!

'Am I going to die?' Rafiniya slowly shut her eyes, 'How could I let myself get distracted in battle?'

However, the pain that she anticipated did not appear. Rafiniya opened her eyes and found Leylin's tall figure in front of her, blocking the attack.

A sabre fell, and the high-ranked werecreature's head rolled to the ground, blood spurting out of his neck like it was a fountain.

*Woo woo…* The other werecreatures saw that their new leader had fallen at the hands of a human, and the emotions of terror that had been accumulating ultimately exploded. They whimpered and turned to escape pathetically, yet were easily pursued and killed by the human warriors. Most deaths in battle came when one fled in chaos, as such opponents were the easiest to take care of.

'Is he a hero like in the legends?' Rafiniya got up, gazing at Leylin with his sabre. Something glinted in her eyes, causing a slight flush to rise upon her cheeks.

...

A meeting was being held in Silverymoon, regarding Leylin and his men.

"I'm against this!" Cassley slammed the table, causing a small earthquake. "There's something wrong with squadron 5's mission completion!" His face was flushed.

"A huge camp with numerous high-ranked werecreatures, as well as an altar of the God of the Hunt. How could they have defeated them all?" He'd seen Leylin before, "I firmly stand against them being given credit and promotion!"

Cassley was almost on the verge of shouting at this point. Such ungentlemanly behaviour caused all of the other members to frown slightly.

'He's a sorcerer after all, he's far too emotional. Not like a wizard at all, what a fortunate guy…' More than one high-ranked wizard was silently thinking of this.

"We've already gotten our men to take a look and verify the bodies of high-ranked werecreatures and the others. What else do you want?" The elven wizard whom Leylin had seen once before asked coldly. "Besides, did you only just find out how dangerous this mission was? Who was it that had guaranteed at the beginning that it was only a 'tiny' camp?"

Unusually, the elf wizard was obviously out to get someone.

'Looks like Cassley's side is at a disadvantage…' After seeing this, the other big shots all nodded, now having a better understanding of the struggles and strife between the elf wizard and Cassley.

But this was the truth! When both sides' strength were about the same, it was impossible to deny or fake anything.

"You've seen the report! The camp had already been raided by some unknown organisation before, which was why squadron 5 got it easy…" Cassley still did not let up, "Therefore, we can't consider this as squadron 5 completing the mission. We need to investigate this carefully!"

"Gods! How could you not distinguish what's right and wrong here!" The elf wizard was so furious that he was trembling, "Our Silverymoon has never banned anything like that. Even if Leylin got external help, that's because he's capable!"

"Enough!" A deep voice sounded from the person sitting at the head of the table. He had an immense presence that seemed to have gone past some sort of boundary, entering the domain of Legends.

"Commander!" Cassley and the elven wizard were immediately discouraged as they saluted and apologised.

"The reason we have gathered is not to discuss the achievements of a subordinate's squadron. There are more pressing matters at hand!" The old wizard spoke slowly, looking like a regular human. He had muddy eyes and wore a simple grey robe. There was nothing special about him whatsoever. However, it was this old man that had control over all the high-ranked military officials in the hall.

"Silverymoon is an open city state confederation. Obeying rules is the basis of our existence. Even if squadron 5 overstepped any boundaries, they still completed the mission and should therefore get what they deserve!" The old wizard made the final decision. Cassley's lips twitched, but he did not say anything in the end.

After all, if Leylin had truly succeeded and completed the mission, he could at most only fault him for the process. Legitimacy belonged to the victor, and that had always held true. Seeing the elven wizard opposite him look all smug, his heart blazed even more.

He had brought up this issue and taken care of everything in the shadows himself. He'd thought that he could ruthlessly give Leylin a setback, but the result had surprised him. The defeat this time would mean the people in the faction would view him less favourably, and the effect on him was practically destructive.

'Leylin, is it?' Cassley thought over this name ruthlessly, 'In a situation where the captain had to return with grievous injuries, he still finished the mission resolutely. On top of that, he was even lucky enough to get the werecreatures at their weakest… If he's trying to be a hero, hehe…'

Leylin had gotten just a bit of attention before, but henceforth Cassley would ferociously attack this little wizard.

As a person in a leading position, he was now seeing a pawn have the guts to move in a way he had not planned it to, and one that was even baring his fangs at himself.

Even if that was the current situation, Cassley would never imagine that the fellow he'd treated as a pawn would be hiding something terrifying.

"Our next topic is the allocation of funds for the perpetual fortification on Sunrise Mountain Range…" Cassley perked up again.

One loss meant nothing. What was more important was the orcs' upcoming attack.

...

"This is all thanks to you, Leylin!"

The sunlight shone through the windows of an infirmary room that was obviously of a high-grade. The motes of dust floating through the air were rendered visible..

Aulen looked slightly pale as she lay in bed, surrounded by the group of officers who had survived.

"With saving my life and completing the mission, you've helped me twice. I will remember it!" Aulen guaranteed.

"It's nothing. I did it for myself too!" Leylin smiled. Aulen now looked nothing like she had been as a soldier, instead seeming rather delicate. It seemed like the matter with Lanshire had given her a huge shock.

"After this, I'm no longer fit to stay in the city guard. I've already submitted my resignation. I hope you can take care of our brothers for now. It won't be long before you get your rewards…" Aulen smiled bitterly.

"Squadron 5 is my foundation. I'll never give up on them!" Leylin guaranteed, looking enthusiastic.

"That's good… cough cough…" Aulen began to cough violently for a while, and then eyed Leylin, "As for your rewards this time… You'll definitely become a battalion commander.That's a high-ranked officer in the city guards, and you might even be granted a hereditary title. Even in other countries, you will be recognised…"

At the mention of this hereditary title, the other officers began to look envious. Once one became a noble whose title could be succeeded by his descendants and held his own land, he would truly enter the upper classes of society. His children and grandchildren would become noble youths above the rest.

That was the dream of all the officers at the bottom tier, but in less than two years of entering the city guards Leylin had won it all. While some jealousy arose, these feelings melted like ice in the sun after seeing the wizard emblem on his chest,.

This was a rank 13 wizard at such a tender age. That achievement was more than enough for him to get everything, and the huge gap caused the feelings within them to dissipate.

By the time Aulen returned, Leylin had gotten his newest appointment and rewards.

"As expected, I'm now a battalion commander and a baron." Leylin sent the soldier who had come to send the order away, and then glanced at the parchment paper with an enchanted imprint on it. He smiled as if thinking about something.

Individual strength was rather powerful in the World of Gods, especially the city guards of Silverymoon. It had a powerful army made of practically all sorts of Professionals. Having the authority to command over 200 people was already rather powerful.

If this was times of peace, Leylin would never get this role. However, they were expanding the army in preparation for war, and Leylin was considered an 'old soldier' from before, which gave him an advantage.

From this appointment, Leylin could smell the war that would soon arrive.

-x-X-x-

To be given the title of baron, as well as receive a hereditary title, it was usually necessary to meet with the city's ruler. To tell the truth, Mystra's Chosen was also the Lady of Hope from legends— Alustriel. Leylin was rather excited to meet her.

In his two years within Silverymoon, he had never met with her. He had only caught sight of her a few times from the sidelines. Rumour had it that this lady had a very good temperament and even enjoyed blessing the celebrations of ordinary citizens randomly. She was even willing to help beastmen.

Leylin's judgement of her was like this: A political idiot, an empty-headed and hot-blooded fellow like Rafiniya who, if not for her formidable power and the elders and the city hall wiping her ass would bring down the entirety of Silverymoon.

Leylin felt that Alustriel was more suited to be a humanitarian than a politician. Her naive and natural personality was ill-suited for politics and court, just like Rafiniya. That hot-blooded and righteous lady knight was a very good companion and friend, but she was not a good superior. If she was allowed to run a city, it would all end in disaster!

Now however, Alustriel governed Silverymoon City properly, and the most impressive thing was that she possessed even more formidable personal power. In times of peace, everything had been good. However, Silverymoon now faced the orc invasion which amplified every flaw in her governance. Leylin gradually grew aware that a great calamity would soon be upon them.

Court etiquette was a very big problem for newly-promoted nobles. They could not be lacking in manners during the ceremony to confer titles as well as their audience with the city's ruler, else the other nobles would mock them. Nobles who had risen from nothing had always found this process very difficult.

It was also the main reason why those old nobles despised the new ones. In their eyes, those country bumpkins did not deserve such a position, and neglected the vitality that came with interactions between different social classes. In the end, they had only slowly declined.

Fortunately, Leylin had received instruction from an etiquette teacher. He had learnt it quickly and after a single afternoon, the etiquette teacher, who had been specially sent by the court, had left satisfied.

Alustriel also wanted to meet him before the ceremony. This sort of private meeting did not matter much to him, as he did not feel she would be able to see through his false identity unless he was face-to-face with her god's true body.

...

Leylin had seen Silverymoon's imperial palace in the distance several times. However, he did not care much about any outstanding wealth in the palace. He was only interested in the rumoured legendary spell resources that it could contain.

However, once he truly entered the palace, he drew his spiritual force firmly back into his body and did not dare to carelessly investigate.

'There were at least five high-ranked magic probes at the gate. There will be many more high-ranked wizards guarding the palace itself…' Leylin lowered his head but something flickered in his eyes.

Silverymoon's palace and the Wizards' Guild were the most well-defended and strict places. It was rumoured that the strongest in these places could not be bribed, and even Legends did not dare to provoke Silverymoon City, who had the backing of the Goddess of the Weave.

However, Leylin never had the intention of robbing the place, and was thus very calm. He was currently clad in the splendid attire of a noble, the clothes which were embroidered in gold thread stifling him. He looked like a peacock who had spread its feathers.

There was nothing that could be done. The clothes of a noble were rich and garish, as if they wished to put everything he had on display. Leylin normally wore robes or leisure clothes at home, but it would certainly be inappropriate to wear those now.

"Her majesty the queen wishes to receive her guest in the side palace hall." At this moment, a female official trotted over and announced in a steady voice. Leylin then followed her to a separate part of the palace.

"Here it is!" Leylin was not left waiting for long. In a moment, he felt the security around him had increased to its utmost, and there were even two powerful soul forces near him. He immediately contemplated them inwardly.

"Good day, Sir Leylin Faulen!" A peal of laughter rang out like a silver bell, and Leylin finally saw Alustriel.

Her eyes were like moonlight, and she seemed like the very embodiment of beauty. She only wore a simple gown, but she was naturally breathtaking.

"I do apologise for my lateness. I went to Uncle Cooper's roast meat banquet, and I brought a blueberry pie that he personally baked for you. It can't be a more appropriate congratulatory gift for you…" Alustriel fixed her gaze on Leylin with a smile on her face, passing a basket of roast meat to Leylin.

"Your majesty!" Leylin rather speechlessly accepted the gift, and respectfully bowed exactly as he had been taught by the etiquette teacher.

"Your majesty, how could you see your vassal in such a manner! There are still a few more items on today's schedule to address as well…" A white-bearded old man chased after Alustriel into the palace, with thick sheets of parchment and quills in hand. After seeing Leylin, he even smiled helplessly.

'Scholar Buren, full name Buren Eustace. Alustriel's clerk and the leader of the elders, as well as her most trusted subordinate. He's actually the prime minister of Silverymoon…' A string of information flashed across Leylin's mind.

Naturally, what drew his notice were the powerful magical undulations coming from both Alustriel and Buren. It meant that they had both broken through mortal limits and had entered to realms of Legends.

Alustriel's body possessed a trace of divinity from the Goddess of the Weave, and it in particular attracted a deep interest from him.

'I really want… I really want to devour her! Such a pity. If I did that, the Weave Goddess will be the first to hunt me down…' Leylin sighed in his heart.

"Haha, Baron Leylin! You don't need to be so formal and stiff, you don't seem like a 20 year old youth at all!" Alustriel undeniably had an aura that was as refreshing as a spring breeze. Conversing with her made Leylin loosen up considerably. Her charisma was great.

"Your title ceremony will be held in three days' time. Tell me Leylin, tell me like a friend; do you have any requests?" Alustriel gently said as she looked at the wizard before her.

"If it's like this," Leylin took a deep breath as his eyes filled with determination, "I hope I can freely read through the court's collection of wizard resources…"

"You may!" Alustriel agreed very readily, surpassing Leylin's expectations and filling him with astonishment. Hey, hey! Wasn't she meant to ask him to climb to her inner circle before finally being allowed to peek at those documents? Was it really alright to give it to him so happily?

"Cough cough… Your Majesty!" At this moment, the saviour of the show appeared. Scholar Buren coughed with all his strength, attracting Alustriel's attention over.

"Although Baron Leylin is a genius, legendary spells will only pose difficulties for his current state. For his own good, we can give him those resources that are below the rank of Legends."

"Oh, I apologise! I've forgotten that point," Alustriel looked at Leylin, "Because of the rigid nature of Legends, the Legend-ranked resources would not be beneficial to your growth now. I can first give you those resources below that rank, and once you advance to become a high-ranked wizard…"

"Cough cough…" Scholar Buren looked at this failure of a queen and began to cough like he was choking to death.

"This is more than enough already. Thank you, Your Majesty," Leylin smiled as he bowed, and his elegant demeanour astonished even Buren. Disappointment had indeed flitted across his heart, but he did not show it at all.

For those wizards below rank 15, research materials at or above the legendary realm really was too complicated, and Alustriel had meant well when she restricted them. However, Leylin was different. He was not some low-ranked wizard, and he could even understand information on godhood if it was given to him. However, he could not admit this.

Buren's actions could also be understood. If this sort of thing was handed out now, then how would he be rewarded for outstanding service in the future?

Just because he could understand the reasoning behind the forceful interruption did not mean Leylin's heart was not ill at ease. After chatting with Alustriel for a while and receiving the visitor's pass for the palace library, Leylin left the palace.

It had to be said that Leylin had developed a new understanding of Alustriel after meeting with her. It could be said that he had a favourable impression of her, but maybe not of Buren.

"What did you think of him, Buren?" Alustriel asked with interest as she cupped her face with her hands. Even if she was naive, she had changed with the polish of many years of experience, although the changes were not particularly big.

"He did not have any traces of evil intent or the aura of a devil on him," Buren's eyes turned crimson, looking extremely terrifying, "And his thirst for knowledge is sincere, not faked!"

"If it's like this, then how come you didn't allow me to give him the authority to view those resources?" Alustriel said, feeling hard done by.

"Resources ranked legendary or above must be exchanged for contributions, this rule is the cornerstone that protects our Silverymoon City!" Buren looked at Alustriel, who was acting like a little girl, with a helpless and bitter smile.

"Also, giving an insignificant wizard like him those high-ranked and above resources is more than enough. After he reaches rank 15 and swears the oath of eternal loyalty to the Styx, then we can pass on the legendary-ranked resources…"

"Alright, alright," Alustriel waved her hand, "You can make the decisions. Oh, tonight I have to attend Mister Nudu's dinner party."

"Please forgive me, but I must remind Your Majesty that as the ruler of our Silverymoon City and the alliance, it is highly inappropriate for you to suddenly turn up at the party of our ordinary citizens…"

-x-X-x-

Buren's warning was serious, but Alustriel seemed to have had enough of him. She waved her arms, and a teleportation gate flickered into existence as she disappeared.

"She's so…" Watching this irresponsible queen, Buren could only roll his eyes speechlessly.

Under the terrifying magic formation in the castle, only the Chosen of their goddess could make use of teleportation gates at will. Even though Buren had already reached the realm of Legends, there was nothing he could do.

...

Leylin used this period well, staying in the library to copy all of the information on under legendary magic. After a series of long and complicated arrangements, he was conferred his title.

He obtained some uncultivated land next to the Moonwood. He changed its name to the Violet Territory, and he became the Violet Baron.

There was no way around it. All lands that were fertile, rich and safe had long since been taken up by the nobles. Getting them to spit it back out was far from an easy task. The area surrounding the Moonwood was filled with danger and the frontlines for the battles with the orcs. That was why it was being given out.

However, it was only a wasteland now. The only good thing about it was that because the intention was to compensate Leylin, the area was two times larger than the land given to normal barons.

'I have no plans to live here permanently anyway, so it doesn't really matter…' Leylin thought as he fiddled with the noble coat of arms he had designed himself. The main body was a violet with intricate plant decorations around it.

If Baron Jonas were to know of this, he would definitely be delighted. A title and land was something the upper class people in the World of Gods desired the most.

Leylin could not only gain the title as Baron Faulen, but also be the master of the Violet Territory. Once he had a son, he would let the boy take over and help the Faulen Family branch out. That would count as expanding the power of the family.

With joint marriages and swallowing up of families, there would be changes and exchanges in titles. Once the scattered territories linked together, a huge noble family would be formed, maybe even a kingdom. Such a rise usually took a few centuries.

Of course, the possibility of such a thing was very low. At most, the later generations themselves would begin to bicker amongst themselves.

This had nothing to do with Leylin. The only thing that left him more satisfied was that he was now a true noble, and no longer had to work in the name of the next in line. The power and treatment a true noble and an heir had were completely different.

He was quickly appointed as a captain of the city guard, and he was assigned a complete troop. The army expanded from the 5th legion, and had 200 Professionals and about the same number of troops and commoners. Altogether, there were about 500 of them.

'This power is sufficient for me to do a lot of things. Of course, compared to the orc army that's coming, it's not much…' Leylin observed the dark clouds in the horizon, his brows gradually furrowing together. With the orc tribes maneuvering, the gloom of war was already enveloping the northern lands.

Shops had closed permanently even in Silverymoon, and pedestrians were moving hastily. The Sunrise Mountains and the orc tribes were practically synonyms of savagery and war. Not only were these orcs born with powerful bodies, but the also had the protection of their own god. Their god was powerful.

In the World of Gods, orcs and humans were huge races that each did not lose out to the other. Their gods had powerful divine force, comparable to peak rank 8 Magi. This was practically the limit of what the universe could accommodate.

Without the protection of a powerful god, the treatment one was given in the World of Gods was entirely different. Under the huge incoming threat, even the fall of the entire northern lands was likely. Leylin had intel that the members of the mobilised tribes were very powerful, and it wouldn't be trivial like the simple fights and robberies before.

With so many tribes banding together, there was a sense of a fledgling empire taking shape. If left unchecked, an orc empire would rise up!

If they wiped out the Silverymoon Alliance and took over the northern lands, then this empire would form atop the corpses of their enemies. Perhaps this too was a hope of their god.

As for the human faction, Leylin had also heard about something that did not mean well for them. The Silverymoon alliance was too powerful, referring to Alustriel in particular. She was a Legend who was also the Chosen of the Goddess of the Weave. The influence of Silverymoon had risen in recent times, and there were more and more cries proclaiming her to be the Empress.

The Silverymoon Alliance was an alliance amongst the northern lands' organisations. This included all the human cities in the northern lands, as well as a few other large territories. At the beginning, the intention was to fend off the orcs more effectively, and they had built up offensive and defensive strategies.

Alustriel had used her personal charm and the great strength of Silverymoon to keep her position as the head of the Silverymoon Alliance. With her lifespan and reputation, she could very well integrate the scattered federations in the next few centuries and form one terrifying empire!

This was obviously something the orcs did not want to see. Of course, there were many amongst the nobles in the northern lands that approved of this and even helped to achieve it. Meanwhile, there were those strongly against it, doing what they could to hinder it in secret.

'How interesting… The accumulation of these conflicts is now allowing the orcs to invade them?' Leylin chuckled as he glanced at the castle behind him. Powerful spell rays lingered eternally on the walls and magnetic bricks, giving it a unique beauty.

'The conflicts between humans and orcs, the contradictions of whether to be unified or to split, and even the conflicts between gods… With this spiral of events, I wonder how long the beautiful and fertile Silverymoon can last…' Leylin's eyes flickered with wit.

[Beep! High-ranked wizard information has been recorded. Spell model database is now complete. Constructing host's wizard spells.]

The A.I. Chip suddenly showed this prompt. After he spent a lot of time scanning through all information below the rank of Legend in the palace, the Chip's database was now complete. At the very least, Leylin would not be hindered before he became a Legend.

'Good! A high-ranked wizard, at rank 15, is publicly known to be someone powerful. A.I. Chip, how long will I take to reach that point if I meditate as I do now?' Leylin asked.

[Beep! Mission established. Checking compatibility with host. Proceeding with theoretical tests…]

The A.I. Chip quickly calculated, numerous 0 and 1s flashing by in front of Leylin's eyes. In a few seconds, it gave an answer. [Based on host's current stats, estimated time to reaching rank 15 is in 731 days 13 hours.]

'Around two years? That's probably the time that the orcs will attack…' All of a sudden, Leylin's expression changed as he looked towards the north.

"This undulation… It's from a legendary spell! And it's at the fort of the Sunrise Mountains! Could it be…"

...

North of Silverymoon, Sunrise Mountains!

This was a huge mountain range that extended through the humans' northern lands and the boundless wilderness of the orcs. It allowed for a clear divide between the worlds of the two.

The humans in Silverymoon had used spells and a lot of manual labour to construct a large defensive fort, and they deployed their military to guard it. Atop the black steely wall was the newest results of Silverymoon's research: the Automatic Magic Cannon.

The troops stationed at the garrison were the most powerful of Silverymoon. There were over 20 high-grade wizards there, and there were even rumours that there was a Legend in charge.

Over these many years, this fort alone had forced the orcs to return with their tails between their legs. No matter how crazed the attacks were, the fort had stood tall like a reef in a tsunami.

For this reason, the original name that had been complex and awkward had been discarded. In its place, it was given the beautiful name of 'Unfallen Moon Fort'. It represented the silver moon flag of Silverymoon that, at the front of the city in the fort, would never fall!

*Pak!* However, at that moment, the beautiful and intricate silver moon flag had slowly descended into the burning flames, turning entirely into ashes.

*Roar!* *Roar!* Numerous snarling werecreatures shouted crazily as they crawled up the walls that were said to never fall. Werejackals, werelions, wereleopards… There were even gigantic behemoths, snakemen, and foxwoman priests.

Numerous orcs with varying appearances arranged themselves in a square-shaped formation, crowding around a golden werelion as they cheered enthusiastically, "Saladin! Saladin! Emperor of the orcs! Emperor of the orcs!"

This orc called Saladin had fur that pointed up like steel spikes, and his eyes were electric. Numerous Legends, heads of their respective races, could only prostrate themselves before him.

He was Saladin, emperor of all orcs, and the Chosen of the orc god Gruumsh. He who possesses the divine weapon of the orcs, the Thunder God's Hammer!

With the power of the divine weapon, he had destroyed the fort's defences in an instant, and even killed the human Legend.

"I, Saladin, emperor of the orcs, king of all kings, shall conquer the northern lands as a jewel on the crown of my god!" Saladin snarled, and the many orcs cheered together.

Calendar of the gods, year 37665. Unfallen Moon Fort fell to their enemies, after being completely invaded by orcs on all sides.

-x-X-x-

With their huge numbers, the orcs had many peak experts. The fort quickly changed hands. There weren't even many magic warnings issued, allowing them to have the time to lay low in wait for the reinforcements once the original guard was taken care of.

After a few rounds, the teleportation rays no longer flickered, and the orcs controlled the fort with ease, setting up their own teleportation spell formations. The Unfallen Moon Fort had its own arrangements for escape routes. The wizards had left themselves teleportation gates that would allow for convenient access for assistance. The orcs in turn had messed up the spatial undulations here and sealed off all teleportation.

Just as the camp was in a frenzy, a pair of golden eyes looked down from above. In that moment, the Weave within tens of kilometres seemed to rebel, and powerful thunderclouds formed silently.

"Mystra, what's happening? Are you trying to go against our contract?" A gruff voice sounded, and the thunderclouds in the sky dissipated to reveal shining moonlight. The orcs below did not even realise that they'd been at death's door, and they all silently gathered their loot.

The dim golden eyes did not make any more movements, and instead seemed to streak through the sky and focus on an orc.

"Gruumsh!" The owner of the golden eyes called out the name of the werebeast, the flames of her fury growing.

"You saw that. I didn't make the first move! It's a result of the guys' fight!" The orc god chuckled, sounding gleeful.

"Furthermore… We've gotten the support of many gods, for instance the guy who's been following you…" Gruumsh reported another piece of news and then was satisfied to see the anger in Mystra's eyes.

The powerful conscient left, looking exasperated at seeing such a conflict happen so close.

"I can't suppress someone as powerful as the Goddess of the Weave even at my peak. However, the competition on this path is ruthless. Whether in the dusk of the Magi and Gods, or now…" Gruumsh mumbled, and then he disappeared after sending down a powerful oracle. With their priests, the maddened orcs seemed to spread throughout the north.

Survival and reproduction were the two main goals of living beings. The orcs were like locusts as they looted all that they saw, and much blood was spilt. The states that were lucky to survive in the northern lands sunk into an arduous battle after being summoned by Silverymoon. The situation was in a deadlock.

On one hand, the land that the orcs obtained needed to be governed, and the soldiers needed to be reorganised. On the other, with the sudden attacks, the Silverymoon Alliance had suffered continuous losses and desperately needed some respite.

Another great wave of attacks could burst forth, and small skirmishes were a constant thing these days. The mercenaries, adventurers and even dreamers of the human world risked their lives to come to the northern lands, hoping to get some part of the glory. More merchants and commoners fled, which was a huge headache for the country.

In this chaotic world, a name that had been in the shadows before began to grow in intensity and shone in the battle with the orcs, thus earning the name of a hero...

...

Unwittingly, a year passed. Year 37666 of the calendar of the gods, Silverymoon City.

A handsome black horse galloped along the road, its bloody hooves evidence of it having passed through a battlefield. The troops following behind it held orc ears, proof of merit and rewards. The knight at the head was astonishingly a female!

"It's the Knight of Light, Rafiniya!" An adventurer along the road saw the female knight, their eyes filled with obvious admiration and worship.

"Mm! I heard that the lady became a high-ranked knight at a young age. She's been shining in battles with the orcs as of late." A young girl's eyes twinkled, "Even more worthy of admiration is the fact that Lady Rafiniya is the personification of justice. She treats commoners and nobles all the same and does her best to protect the interests of the weak… Just like the city master…"

"That's why so many adventurers are coming from all over the world!" Someone who was obviously the leader beside the girl supplemented, though he was critical on the inside, 'Few agree with the city master's ideals and want to participate in battle. Most people prioritise benefits.'

Although he knew this, he wouldn't say such a thing out loud. Merit was the best way for adventurers to become nobles. The city master of Silverymoon was known for her generosity, so what harm was there in keeping mum?

'Her commander, Baron Violet, seems to be a great example of this…' The adventurer leader thought inside and urged his people on, "What are you looking at? Go to the Mercenary Guild and get the rewards from the mission!"

Due to the war and the surge of many mercenaries and adventurers, Silverymoon strangely seemed to be prosperous. The citizens who had lived calm and comfortable lives had disappeared, and in their place were mercenaries and adventurers who reeked of blood.

Besides hotels and the shops at the sides of the streets, there were many shops that sold all sorts of steel weapons and low-grade potions and the like. In general, they were items that would raise one's battle might. The Mercenary Guild's business was going so well that they were filled with adventurers every day.

'Mercenary missions can only give money… Who knows, after a period of time when the war eases up, I'll want to take a walk amongst the city guards…' The leader was still considering his plans for the future. These were the true thoughts of unimportant characters in a chaotic world. They did not care who was in charge and only bothered about their own benefits.

...

The female knight naturally did not care about this group of adventurers by the road, this was a common thing in Silverymoon.

The procession entered one of the camps, and Rafiniya took off her armour to change into a casual outfit. She entered Leylin's tent. He was blanked out while looking at a huge map of the northern lands, as if he hadn't noticed Rafiniya entering.

Upon noticing this, Rafiniya suddenly had a mischievous look on her face and sneakily ran to Leylin's back.

"Stop playing around, Rafiniya!" Leylin spoke unenthusiastically, causing Rafiniya to deflate like a ball.

"Come on, can't you just let a girl have her way? What happened to your gentlemanly attitude?" Rafiniya expressed her discontent to Leylin, who seemed to have grown a pair of eyes on his back.

'Haha… With the spiritual force of a wizard, she wouldn't be able to escape the detections of the A.I. Chip no matter how cautious she was, unless she was a high-ranked assassin or thief.'

"Have you completed your mission?" Leylin was now the main commander here, and Rafiniya was his underling.

"Yes! I've completely wiped out that group of scouting orcs. What bastards! They massacred three whole villages!" Rafiniya exclaimed, feeling indignant. This had always been a life or death struggle between two races, and Leylin merely raised his eyebrows a little but did not say more.

In addition, he had another thought in mind.

'They're killing so much in the areas of their enemies!' Leylin sighed. His intel said that old, ill, weak, and disabled orcs were already entering the areas that had been taken over, and clearing the land for cultivation. They had scattered seeds and were clearly trying to restore life to the land.

What surprised Leylin more was that these orc villages already had signs of human slaves.

'There's someone capable among the orc invasion…' This was not a short term policy, and that caused fear among the higher-ups of Silverymoon. Leylin, however, was unperturbed. As their desires and goals were different, their worries varied. Watching those nobles down on their luck, Leylin even felt refreshed.

'A.I. Chip, show me my current stats!' Leylin commanded. The A.I. Chip loyally carried out Leylin's orders, and showed a group of stats.

[Leylin Faulen. Age: 21. Race: Human, Rank 14 Wizard. Strength: 12. Agility: 11. Vitality: 10. Spirit: 14. Status: Healthy. Feats: Sturdy, Erudite, Elementary Perfect Body. Spell Slots: Rank 6(3), Rank 5(5), Rank 4(7), Rank 3(???), Rank 2(???), Rank 1(???), Rank 0(???)]

[Progress of analysis of Weave: Level 0: 100%, Level 1: 100%, Level 2: 100%, Level 3: 100%, Level 4: 68.88%, Level 5: 37.91%, Level 6: 12.36%!]

Leylin had risen by a rank in the past year, which the other wizards found unimaginable. If not for the war, he might even have advanced faster. Given his continous outstanding military service, he'd even obtained Legend-ranked information.

It had to be said that the World of God's structure of the high-grade magic strength system was still a great inspiration to Leylin.

'I've already checked the Nether Mountains a few times, and can confirm that the red dragon's cave and the ruins of the arcanists are there…' Leylin's eyes glowed brightly.

-x-X-x-

Leylin had never forgotten his original objective. His long-term goal in the World of Gods was to ascend to godhood and allow his main body to enter this world. On the other hand, his short-term goals included advancing to the rank of Legend as quickly as possible, and obtaining enough power to protect himself.

His main purpose in coming to the north was to find the inheritance of the arcanists, as well as information on legendary spells from Silverymoon City.

Compared to these goals reputation, territory, nobility, and riches were nothing but dog shit.

Although he now looked as if he was pursuing those things, it was only to give others the wrong impression. When it was time to abandon it all, he would do so without the slightest trace of hesitation. What were those things compared to eternal life and freedom anyway?

"I always thought you were a fellow with a lot of secrets," Rafiniya mumbled to herself as she glanced at Leylin, sitting down with a melancholic air.

'Such keen perception… She really is a first-rate tool,' Leylin inwardly smiled to himself, but it was a pity that this lady knight had such an exceedingly pure soul. She had not seen past the facade into his true nature, else she would have been scared to death, forget daring to stay by his side.

"Alright, what are you looking at the map for? Is it time for us to act?" Rafiniya nibbled at an apple, propping up her toned and slender legs directly on the table. After serving in the army for a year, this lady knight had thrown her aristocratic grace and reserved nature away to the outer seas.

"Mm, it looks like we're in trouble," Leylin replied, adding emphasis on 'trouble'.

"Is it that Cassley? I want to chop him up!" The lady knight exclaimed.

"The day will soon come," Leylin stuck a small flag onto the map, marking down several lines of letters.

"Tell me, how is he going to trap us this time?" Rafiniya rolled her eyes.

"It can't really be called a trap… He needs troops to go and defend the territories of several noble families near the Moonwood, those orcs are acting up again. There have even been rumours of the Blackblood tribe colluding with the Orc Empire…"

"Then why is he demanding that we go? He's asking us to die!" Rafiniya shouted. Just the Blackblood tribe was enough to challenge Silverymoon City, and if orcs were added into the mix then it would be a complete deathtrap.

"We don't have a choice, those nobles whose territories are being threatened are getting anxious. Additionally, my Violet Territory is also near there…" Leylin's lips curved into a mocking smile.

If he was truly a minor noble, then it would have been imperative for him to go. Otherwise, neither Silverymoon City nor Cassley would let him off. The secular world's shackles as well as strict martial law could not be joked around with.

In Leylin's view however, what did they matter? Naturally, he'd put some effort in on the surface. He also had no choice in actually going to the moonwood, but it was entirely up to Leylin whether he wanted to fight sincerely.

"Send the command, all personnel have had their holidays cancelled. They must go into standby mode, prepared to set off at any time." With Leylin's order, the entire barracks was immediately thrown into chaos. Against such powerful enemies, even the officers trembled in fear.

However, Leylin didn't bother with his subordinates. After he had gave the command, he mounted his horse and travelled alone to his residence in Silverymoon City.

"Mister Leylin!" Only Bessany remained in the vast residence's laboratory. She appeared to be very cold and cheerless. After the news of the great war had erupted, Ena and her sister had been strictly ordered by their families to return. Only Bessany had stayed.

"I'll run the bath for you, sir. Also, the funds from the previous business deal have already been transferred to your bank account. Here is the receipt," Bessany immediately left the alchemy table and bowed to Leylin. She had kept everything in good order while he was gone.

It had to be said that this young lady took her work quite seriously and worked hard. 'After all, she's a seedling that I raised myself,' Leylin thought.

"No need for that," Leylin waved his hand, "Bessany, I have something that I would like to ask you." Leylin looked at Bessany attentively. She had grown up very well, and had even reached the realm of a rank 5 wizard.

It was a shame that her power was nothing but a speck of dust in front of the great army of orcs.

"Please tell me, Sir." Bessany clasped her hands and seemed rather ill at ease.

After spending such a long time with Leylin, she naturally understood that he was enigmatic and impossible to predict. Questions that even the high-ranked wizards of the colleges could not answer were easily solved by him.

She had only been able to break through to a rank 5 wizard under his guidance. Compared to her, Ena and her sister were still lingering in the realm of rank 3 wizards!

For all this, Bessany knew that she had to pay the price. It was only that when the moment came for her to do so, she seemed rather uneasy.

"With the orcs pushing the battle closer to this place, Silverymoon City will become very dangerous. Don't you wish to go home to your family?" Leylin looked at his apprentice and asked with great interest.

"My family?" Bessany smiled rather bitterly, "I don't want to go home! I want to continue walking the path of a wizard and advance. If I go home with my current strength, I'll have to serve my family until I die…"

As a low-ranked wizard and alchemy apprentice, Bessany's family would absolutely not allow the goose who laid golden eggs to marry out of the family. Bessany's only future was to be a sacrifice for her family, and silently devote her life to them until she died of old age.

Or perhaps her family would want to carry on the bloodline of a wizard, and adopt several men she disliked into the family.

Just envisioning this sort of life made Bessany feel like she was going insane.

"Then… Do you wish to continue receiving my instruction?" Leylin asked, looking deeply into Bessany's eyes.

"If… If that's possible, then my gratitude will know no bounds!" After hearing the thing she wished for the most, Bessany felt that she was the most fortunate person in the world, and almost fainted in happiness.

"Alright! I would now like to hire you as an alchemist for the Faulen family. Have a look at this contract," Leylin passed a scroll of parchment to Bessany.

"A contract?" Bessany opened the parchment, looking at the contract which had been written in black ink. It stipulated that she needed to serve the Faulen family for 50 years, and through that obtain Leylin's financial assistance and advice as a wizard.

It was a spirit-binding contract, and there was a beautifully intricate pattern around the parchment.

"I have no problem with this. I agree!" Bessany scanned through the contract and confirmed that she had no issues before gritting her teeth and agreeing.

"Alright, then sign your name in your own blood." This demand was a little strange, but Bessany still bit her thumb and signed her name at the end of the parchment.

*Crash!* In the blink of an eye, the entire scroll floated into midair and spontaneously combusted. Bessany's eyes grew dazed as she felt herself losing something she could not name. However, she also felt like nothing had really happened.

"Good, the contract has been established. On behalf of the Faulen family, I welcome you into our ranks," Leylin smiled as he placed several items down on the table.

"Here's a hundred gold coins, as well as several scrolls and magic items. Take them with you just in case. Tomorrow, you will go to the south, to the Faulen Islands. There you will find wizard Ernest, who will set up arrangements for you…"

"Scrolls? Alchemic materials?" Bessany gently stroked the magic scrolls with her fingers, and the powerful energy in them made her quake in fear. Leylin had personally smelted these magic items, and they were absolutely priceless. Compared to that, the gold coins were worthless.

"Why must I leave? Could it be that Mister Leylin is not optimistic about the future of Silverymoon City?"

"Mm," Leylin answered without the slightest hesitation. His answer made Bessany's body sway on the verge of collapse.

"How is that possible? The city is under the protection of the Goddess of the Weave…"

"Our enemies have their own gods. Additionally, only the ruler of our city can survive. It doesn't mean that you ordinary people will," Leylin's cold voice shattered her delusions, "Of course, after Silverymoon City, it won't be possible for the battle to spread further south. Your family won't be in danger, so there is no need to worry."

Sending this rather distracted young lady away, Leylin smiled as he looked at his right hand. A trace of the purest soul origin force had arrived in his palm.

Even if Bessany died now, her soul would belong to him. This was the power of a devil!

"My young lady; if you don't pay attention when you sign a contract, it's difficult for you to not lose out…" Putting tricks into a contract was the favourite method of many devils from all dimensions. The decorative border around the parchment was the simplest trick.

Naturally, even if Bessany had heard of such a thing, she didn't regard Leylin as a devil. As a result, she most likely had not even considered that he would do such a thing.

'It's just child's play, whatever happens will happen…' Leylin could easily educate many alchemy students to her level, but since it seemed that Bessany was innately gifted, and her luck was rather good, he didn't mind helping her a little.

"Silverymoon City…" Leylin sighed softly. What he had said earlier wasn't just fear-mongering. The possibility was real.

'The Silverymoon Alliance has already threatened the central human kingdom, and those kings do not wish for a powerful human kingdom to rise in the north. There are many nobles who share this thought in the north, and as a result the support that the Silverymoon Alliance will receive is limited…'

This was still the material plane after all, the gods of human factions could not unite in solidarity. Mystra could only rely on herself to take on all the orc gods. Even with the assistance of several gods she was on good terms with, the city did not have hopeful prospects.

-x-X-x-

Leylin could be at ease while the gods held petty, conflicting views. Were they to be united, there was no way he would be able to survive and grow in the prime material plane. His alternatives would be the deep abyss or hell itself.

'The slumber of the World of Gods' World Will, the Overgod, has encouraged many gods to harbour their own agendas.' Leylin recalled the World's Will of the World of Gods. The gods were the children of the world, and the World's Will was their leader, the one and only Overgod!

In Leylin's opinion, the World Wills of the Magus World and the World of Gods had reached the realm of rank 9. Omniscient and omnipotent, they were but one step away from eternity. It wasn't just the gods and Magi who'd traded blows in the final war, the Wills had participated as well. Both sides suffered, and entered a heavy slumber.

Before its slumber, the Will of the World of Gods had completely sealed the world in a crystal sphere that isolated it from any communication. This move had effectively protected the World of Gods and allowed new gods to grow. However, once they were done dividing up the faith, the limit in number of worshippers had caused great internal conflict. Having lost their foreign enemies, the gods were now infighting.

At the very bottom of his heart, Leylin held a strong conviction that there were gods who coveted the seat of sovereignty. After all, they would fall if their worshippers dwindled in number. The only way was to extract world origin force and surpass the existence of a god.

The only thing standing in their way was the World's Will!

'Isn't this ironic? To nurture a child that would eventually oppose you…' Leylin's eyes narrowed with a gleam of determination.

...

Outside the city walls, Leylin bumped into an entirely unexpected person.

"Wizard Cassley, good morning!"

"Good morning, wizard Leylin," Cassley nodded at him, "Perhaps I will ride out with you and your troops, so when the time comes I hope you will cooperate."

'Cooperate?' Leylin's eyes narrowed, but the smiling expression on his face did not change as he slowly left.

Although he was a little weaker, the two were almost equal in status. He no longer had to give way to the other wizard as he had been forced to in the past. Since the troops were mobilising, coordination was purely between the mid-ranks and not an order given by the higher ups.

It was important not to underestimate this point, as it could be used to devastating effect in the midst of true battle. At the very least, it would put an end to Cassley's informal and unnecessary orders, and eliminate the possibility of him sending the troops off to die.

"Damn!" After Leylin's back disappeared from view, Cassley's gently smiling expression completely collapsed. It was substituted with the most chilling intent.

Leylin Faulen! This name had grown offensively conspicuous ever since the orc invasion. Most notably, Cassley's several retaliatory attempts against the wizard had all been played off, and even served to enhance the other man's reputation.

In the end, many people had gradually come to lump him and Leylin together, likening the two of them to the brightest new stars in the sky. From Cassley's point of view, the fact that they had gone as far as to place someone from the younger generation on the same level as him was a bald-faced insult!

Additionally, after he had suffered the defeats, the faction backing him had gradually withdrawn their support. This was something that he absolutely could not stand. There was only one way to resolve this mess, and that was to make the source of trouble, Leylin, disappear entirely from this world.

'I look forward to the face you'll show me before you die…' A trace of darkness flashed across Cassley's eyes, and he returned to Silverymoon City without looking back.

...

Two days later, nearly a thousand troops slowly left Silverymoon City.

"I've always found that Cassley an eyesore, and now he's even deliberately riding out with us. He's trying to make trouble for us, I'm sure!" The lady knight seethed next to Leylin.

"I'm afraid that he won't simply cause trouble for us," Leylin was well aware of the murderous intent that his companion was so clearly radiating. "Only… I'm not sure what will happen in the end," A strange smile formed at the edges of his lips.

"We're entering dangerous lands, stay alert!" As they drew closer to the Moonwood, even Cassley became even more vigilant. Werecreature attacks were a possibility now.

After the orc invasion, the forces near Silverymoon Alliance began to get restless, especially the Blackblood tribe who immediately occupied the entire Moonwood. Patrolling rangers had been able to routinely enter the place and gather information before, but now that was a death sentence.

An alliance between the werebeasts and the orcs now seemed entirely possible. After all, humans all thought that they had similar looks and characteristics.

Working together was natural when the conditions were right. Once the Blackblood Tribe joined the orc faction however, Silverymoon City would suffer an inconceivable setback.

'The queen of the city, her majesty Alustriel, must be in distress…' Leylin indifferently thought to himself.

A loud chirp sounded abruptly, coming from a grey and white eagle. This was an animal companion of one of the druid scouts.

"Baron Andrew's castle is under siege!" The druid immediately reported to Leylin.

"A siege?" Leylin furrowed his brows. He could faintly see smoke and ash rising at the edge of the horizon, "By werecreatures or goblins?"

"It's the werecreatures! I'm very certain, I saw the Blackblood tribe's flag there!" The druid nodded vigorously.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Rafiniya drew her longsword. Ever since she had seen the orcs and goblins massacre entire villages, she had become a resolute believer of human superiority.

"Wait, we should at the very least inform Cassley," Leylin helplessly grabbed Nick's reins and let an orderly inform their allies. There was a rather begrudging expression on his face as he said, "I've known you for so many years already, but you haven't even matured a little…"

Before long, the orderly had already brought back Cassley's reply.

"Commanding Officer Cassley says that he is in charge of the defence corps, and he will leave these matters for you to resolve!" The orderly announced loudly, and bowed as he left.

Before they had set off, he had not known what tricks Cassley had employed, and in the end he had unexpectedly obtained the mission of defending a few nobles. The mission Leylin had received was to attack and push the orcs' frontlines back into the Moonwood.

Far behind the front line, Cassley was in charge of defence. He had even incidentally blocked his grain supply channels.

The impression would be that Cassley would defend the area when Leylin completely failed. His mission was similar to defending the city walls, but Leylin had been the pioneer who had taken the initiative to attack.

'This fellow is already thinking of an unthinkable outcome behind my back…' Leylin shook his head. If an ordinary person was in his position, perhaps they would die playing Cassley's game. It was clear how deeply Cassley hated him from how readily he had issued the command.

'Those who are meant to back me haven't supported me at all. Is it a question of loyalty?' Leylin sighed a little. He had risen to power too abruptly and had not truly won their trust. Otherwise, they wouldn't have behaved so passively.

'Once a wizard of Silverymoon City reaches rank 15, they sign a very powerful contract to pledge their loyalty. The effects can even extend until they reach the realm of Legends…' Leylin suddenly thought of a rumour. Now, it seemed to be true. 'Once I reach rank 15 and become a high-ranked wizard, something similar may fall to me. Cassley's already signed the contract, which is why he's so easily trusted…'

The troops under Leylin saw a look of unswerving determination on their leader's face.

"Onwards!" Leylin finally issued the command.

A besieged castle rapidly appeared before them, the village next to it already burnt to the ground. There were corpses strewn everywhere, and many of them were badly mangled.

"Charge! Leave none of them alive!" At the sight of this scene, the soldiers immediately saw red. Leylin duly issued the command to attack.

"Kill!" Rafiniya led the way on horseback as the captain of a small squadron of knights. She and her subordinates fiercely advanced like black jackhammers into the werecreature army. The people in the castle let out a cheer at the sight of the reinforcements.

"There aren't many werecreatures here, and they're spent after the attack on the castle. If we coordinate with those inside the castle, they'll have no luck in defeating us," Leylin's gaze swept across the entire battlefield as he demonstrated his natural leadership. The army made up of 200 Professionals became the most precise and accurate of tools in his hand, calmly and efficiently reaping the lives of the werecreatures before them.

When Cassley finally arrived from the rear, he only saw the scene of the auxiliary troops sweeping the battlefield clean. His eyes narrowed at Leylin's abilities, and afterwards a dense killing intent leaked from him.

"I am Baron Andrew, I thank you all for coming to our aid!" At this moment, the securely shut castle door was flung open. A middle-aged noble walked out with his retainers, a trace of fear still lingering on his face.

"I am Cassley from Silverymoon City. You and your people have been saved," At this moment, Cassley stood at the forefront and willingly took the credit. He looked as if he had no qualms about doing this, and Leylin's subordinates were extremely angry at the injustice.

'Haha… This is reality. Even geniuses must be restrained by the rules,' Cassley had absolutely loathed this rule in the past, but now he felt very carefree.

-x-X-x-

At the sight of Cassley stealing his credit right in front of him, Leylin subtly lowered his eyes and concealed the strange expression within them.

"Then I have to express my thanks towards you, sir! I have already prepared a banquet to welcome everyone as well as rooms. Please come back to the castle with me and rest." Baron Andrew naturally would not be able to tell what had happened in a single glance, and attentively received the guests.

After following the Baron into his castle, Leylin saw many refugees within with panicked expressions on their faces.

"These damned werecreatures, our harvest this year is ruined…" Baron Andrew grumbled as he walked in front of them. Afterwards, he instructed his housekeeper and his wife to make preparations for the feast.

A magnificent feast was held within the castle's enormous great hall. Roast chicken which looked a little scorched, wine as red as liquid ruby, and mountains of white bread were brought out. It could be said that to host Leylin and the men, this Baron Andrew had taken out what remained of his store of quality items.

Naturally, no matter how the world changed, the lifestyle of those in the upper classes would always be much better than those below them. Leylin swayed his wine glass and watched the dark red wine swirling within it, a strange smile on his face.

"Please be assured, Baron Andrew. Silverymoon City will not sit idly by and watch these werecreatures attack. The tax exemption is an entirely different matter, and you will need to contact the city hall…" In the position of the guest of honour, Cassley was cheerfully chatting with the baron. His manner of speaking made Baron Andrew nod slightly, looking completely convinced.

Even those young ladies near him who were clearly his daughters had peculiar looks in his eyes.

"Wizard Leylin!" Just at this moment, Cassley called out Leylin's name.

"Lord Cassley, how can I help you?" Leylin did not move from his seat and nodded slightly to indicate he had heard. His action filled Cassley's eyes with dissatisfaction.

'This fellow, he should have died long ago!' Cassley raged within his heart. On the surface however, he still wore the smile he had on earlier, "According to military command, I will organise the nobles' defences in the rear. I'll leave the fighting on the frontlines to you!"

Baron Andrew looked at Cassley then at Leylin, his eyes filled with astonishment. He wasn't a slow-witted person, and now he seemed to see something different..

'This wizard Leylin, he seems to have rather good standing. However, he seems to have some conflict with high-ranked wizard Cassley,' Baron Andrew would normally exploit this relationship for his own gain, however he was now worried.

'In these times, infighting will just exacerbate the wear and tear on one's own troops. What are those fellows in Silverymoon City thinking?' Baron Andrew grumbled, and at the same time thought of his previous actions. Only until he had confirmed that he had not neglected Leylin and his faction did he secretly let out of a sigh of relief.

At the same time he also decided to disregard the situation between Leylin and Cassley.

"Of course, that is my original mission after all," Leylin very readily agreed to Cassley's demand, which went completely against his expectations and left him feeling rather astonished.

"Then, I'll ask you to go towards Vaughan Village and station the men there," Cassley replied, as if this was all as a matter of course.

"Please forgive me for this, but you have no right to interfere. The front line is under my command," Leylin smiled as he rejected him, which made Cassley flush bright red.

"Very well…" After rudely huffing a few times, Cassley began to forcefully pressure him, "However, to maintain our line of communication, I need to send a contact member out with you. Your troops also need support in terms of rations from my group."

This was a restriction and also an unspoken threat.

"I can agree to this," Leylin expressed his approval after thinking for a bit.

Cassley watched Leylin's troops slowly depart from the top of the castle, his expression immediately becoming malevolent.

...

Two days later, amongst Leylin's troops.

"Lord Leylin, I feel that we should not continue towards Cade village," A gorgeously dressed fellow broke formation and came to Leylin, a highly arrogant look on his face. Rafiniya watched him walk over with a look of loathing, and urged her horse ahead to leave them behind.

This fellow was named Malfoy, and he was the communication liaison that Cassley had forced on him. He reportedly was the heir of a Marquis and was well-placed in Silverymoon City. Unfortunately, he had Cassley backing him so he was rather unscrupulous. He did not even address Leylin with the minimum amount of respect.

"Oh? What do you propose?" Leylin calmly looked at this impertinent fellow.

"I believe we should follow Lord Cassley's previous proposal, going to Vaughan village is the correct decision," Malfoy replied fearlessly. He had the backing of a formidable faction and was a knight of Silverymoon. How would a bumpkin like Leylin dare to do anything to him?

"I refuse," Leylin looked at this fellow with a trace of ridicule. Perhaps the strength of a faction would be useful in times of peace. Since they were in an era of war, however, the man who held greater military might would be the stronger power. This fellow who couldn't even understand that would just die.

"What?" Sir Malfoy's anger was out of this world, "You actually dare…"

His fingers trembled as he looked at Leylin, as if he was seeing his greatest enemy. Malfoy never thought that he would meet such a rude person, and thoughts of Cassley flew out of his head. Perhaps he did not realise that his life lay in Leylin's hands. In this situation, how could Leylin dare to rebel against him?

*Thump thump!* Right at this moment, an enormous dust cloud swept over them. The dust had been kicked up by a great number of troops and their horses.

"Stay alert!" The alarm rang. Malfoy almost fell to the ground in fright, his face paling rapidly. His behaviour made those knights around him smile disdainfully.

The deafening sound of hooves clopping against the ground was followed by a huge squadron of troops appearing in their field of view. The purple flag of the Violet family was dazzling as it hung on the carriages.

"It's the Violet flag! The insignia of the commander's family!" The soldiers all cheered.

"This… This is…" Malfoy trembled as he saw the massive squadron ahead slowly integrating together with their own troops. An old man who looked like a housekeeper even personally came to pay his respects to Leylin.

'Almost 500 personal troops, as well as so many carriages full of grain…'

Leylin's carriages were full of elite soldiers, and there was even an enormous cart in the fleet with sacks filled to the brim with grain.

'At this point, his power is really…' Malfoy's face grew pale. With this assistance as well as Leylin's original 200 Professionals and 300 auxiliary troops, he commanded over 1000 soldiers. He could even provide rations for his troops by himself, and he did not need to Cassley's support at all.

'The most frightening part is that if these men only answer to Leylin, and if they decide to rebel with him, then perhaps it's enough for them to…' Malfoy grew even more frightened, and his voice grew shrill, "No, that's impossible! How do you have so many men?"

"Perhaps you've forgotten that my Violet territory is here?" Leylin taunted him with a smile.

"Violet territory?" Malfoy stared at him blankly, and immediately thought of Leylin's fiefdom which was only a huge wasteland. Even savages did not live there.

Looking at Malfoy's stunned expression, Leylin laughed inwardly to himself. Although his Violet territory indeed possessed nothing, it served well to boost his position and aid his pretense.

After receiving this title, Tiff and the others in the organisation all became Leylin's vassals. They could even transport their previously hoarded resources and rations, as well as weapons and other military materiel to this place.

Everything had happened in one go, resulting in this.

"Young master, we've received the news," Tiff's expression grew sombre as he murmured into Leylin's ear.

"Oh, that? I understand…" Leylin looked at Tiff, who had broken through his limits to become a Legend.

"Spread word of my command, we will go west. Our target is the Nether Mountains!"

"What? What?" Malfoy was the first to blurt out, "Lord Leylin, please take note of the orders you are under! Don't tell me that you're thinking of disobeying Silverymoon's army?"

"Even if I disobey, what can you do?" Leylin smiled as he ridiculed the man, watching as blood drained from Malfoy's face.

"Did you really think that martial law and Silverymoon's noble title would tie me down?" Originally, Leylin's subordinates were all Silverymoon's men. Whatever plans he had could not be realised unless he left by himself, and he would become a wanted criminal.

Now, everything was different. The private vassals of a noble would be absolutely loyal to him alone. With this power in hand, Leylin could now completely coerce all his subordinates.

In the beginning, he secretly controlled over half of this unit. After a year of leading them, he now no longer had any problems.

"What? You dare to disobey orders?"

"Mm, I've always found you an eyesore. Drag him down and behead him!" Leylin waved his hand as if he was swatting a fly.

Two bulky and muscular vassals immediately hoisted Malfoy up from under his arms, wringing him like a chick.

"Since you're about to meet the god of death, I'll tell you some news," Leylin drew closer to Malfoy, a malicious smile on his face, "The orc hordes have already launched a surprise attack on Silverymoon City, and have completely surrounded it. In other words, that privileged noble status which you have been so intensely proud of is about to disappear…"