Age of Adepts

“…you must understand where I stand. My White Ghosts are already stationed in the Plane of Randen. In fact, they are engaged in conflict with the intruders there as we speak. What about the Stonedragons? That’s impossible. They have to guard our clan headquarters. If they leave, the headquarters will be completely vulnerable.”

“I am very sorry, Andrew. I really want to help you, but things are just as tight on my end. Therefore……”

The anger burning in Andrew’s heart was close to erupting as he watched Nicolas with his expression of pity in the magical crystals. However, the only thing he could do was cut off the communication and make that ugly old face vanished from his view.

The only light source in the room dimmed, and the room turned dark again, much like how he currently felt.

There were different social circles amongst the Fourth Grade adepts. Andrew had contacted three of his ‘companions’ that he was on the best terms with, but all of them had rejected his call for help.

Andrew knew that those three would never easily hand over their forces, even if they had any idle troops lying around. The magic surge would last for a hundred years. Every clan would have to dedicate all their resources just to survive. There was no way that anyone would be willing to help another clan.

Even if they had the military force to spare, they would be more inclined to hold it in their grasp as a mobile unit in response to any unexpected changes. That was why his act of calling for aid was utterly in vain. He had put his face out there so the others could trample on it.

A small magical rune still hovered in the dim communication crystal. It was the magical brand with which to contact the Crimson Clan. He could contact the legendary fire adept, Greem, whose name had spread across the Central Lands with just a single tap.

For some reason, his outstretched right hand hesitated for a moment. It hovered in the air, refusing to press the crystal.

Andrew knew full well what would happen once he pressed this button. It was very likely that the Ahlden Clan would lose all its independence henceforth. If he were to survive this calamity by borrowing the power of the Crimson Clan, how was he supposed to return a favor this huge?

However, everything happening in his territory left him no room to decide otherwise. If he were to bring back all adept forces stationed across the lesser planes to reinforce the clan, he might have a chance of repelling the enemies and allowing the clan to survive this first wave of the magic surge.

That said, it would plunge the three lesser planes into chaos. It was possible that the three planes would forever fall out of the Ahlden Clan’s control.

Moreover, there would still be a second wave, a third, and a fourth. Even if the Ahlden Clan survived the hundred years of the magic surge, they would be badly bruised, and their foundations would be shaken.

That was why Andrew only hesitated for a moment. In the end, he reached out and tapped the rune.

The negotiations with Greem were straightforward and easy. So much so that Andrew couldn’t help but doubt his ears.

The first batch of magical machines would arrive at the mega-rift in seven hours. Versailles, the Crimson Fleet flagship that carried the magical machines, would be responsible for wiping out the demons that had broken into Ahlden territory.

As for the price? If the corpse of a Third Grade starbeast could be considered a price, then Greem was honestly not asking for much. It stunned Andrew, who had, in truth, prepared to hand over authority to half his clan’s territory.

After ending the communications, Andrew personally summoned his most trusted Third Grade adept, Hahn. He had him bring the corpse of the Third Grade starbeast to Fire Throne.

Five hours after the messenger set off, a silver ship that covered half the sky slowly drifted into Ahlden territory. It did not change course to pursue the demons scattered all across the land. Instead, it headed straight for the mega-rift.

…………

Dark red plumes of smoke were spreading near the mega-rift.

The earth rotted and the rocks crumbled wherever the power of corruption reached.

The chaotic and disordered Abyssal laws clashed with the World of Adepts’ planar laws, devouring and neutralizing each other, leaving countless pieces of law fragments in space.

At this moment, the mega-rift was like a portal that led straight to the Abyssal World. Every so often, the mega-rift shimmered and trembled before spitting out a hundred magical creatures of various grades.

Most of these were low-grade demonic creatures, with a few resilient longhorn demons or vrock scouts mixed among them every so often.

Unfortunately, the numerous spatial faults and spacetime fragments near the mega-rift shredded most of these demons to pieces before they could even see where they were.

However, their relentless efforts were not in vain.

As more and more demon blood scattered across the land, the earth around the mega-rift began to degrade quicker and quicker. Now, even the wind itself carried a hint of the Abyssal World’s unique heat and madness.

There were also monsters from other worlds teleported over through the mega-rift alongside the abyssal demons. However, they were clearly enemies with each other as well. The first thing they did upon arriving was to fight each other.

Initially, everyone fought their own battles. As more and more monsters appeared, two distinct factions began to form– the abyssal demons and all the other monsters.

The abyssal demons gathered together and launched a vicious attack against the non-demonic monsters. Figures could be seen all over the edge of the mega-rift engaged in a gruesome battle. Tattered corpses and colossal silhouettes were everywhere.

Of course, many individual creatures couldn’t be bothered with this ‘civil war’ between the demons and the monsters. They broke free of the conflict and strode toward the forest of war towers in the distance.

After a month of constant fighting and destruction, several gaps had appeared in the formerly tight array of adept towers and war towers. Over a hundred of the twenty-meter-tall war towers had been destroyed. A mountain of monster corpses piled around each of their smoldering remains.

It was evident that the abyssal demons had also paid a tremendous price for breaking the Ahlden’s defensive line. However, such losses were minimal compared to the entirety of the Abyssal World, which was hundreds, if not a thousand, times larger than the World of Adepts in size.

The Abyssal World had regularly launched foreign incursions on other worlds. All the wealth, resources, and souls they obtained were converted into part of the Abyssal World, perpetually strengthening that corrupted, evil, and twisted world consciousness.

Any single Great Abyssal Lord of the Abyssal World possessed sprawling territories and armies comparable to the World of Adepts. Their armies stretched across mountains and plains, and they fed upon the flesh of otherworldly creatures. That was why the only thing that Andrew faced was endless warfare and destruction.

The rate at which demons emerged from the mega-rift hastened even further, as if they had sensed the impending arrival of war.

Finally, as ripples spread across space, a Fourth Grade minor demon lord broke free of the spatial restraints and arrived in the World of Adepts.

The demon lord had just emerged from the spatial rift when his massive and vicious body was bound to the spot by law chains reaching out of thin air. The planar suppression instantly weakened his overwhelming aura.

Fernus roared furiously, his four short and thick hooves stomping against the black earth. His massive body, as large as a dragon, struggled violently with all his might. The countless spikes on his body were snapped and crushed by the chains, inflicting unprecedented damage to Fernus’ body.

However, as he continued to rampage and struggle, he started to gain more ease of movement.

When that fearsome executor’s blade with its jagged edge and blazing abyssal flames appeared in Fernus’ hand, the World of Adepts’ suppression was reduced to its lowest degree!

Fernus lifted the executor’s blade above his head and let out a beast-like howl at the planar consciousness that managed this world. Its vicious and ugly appearance, the massive sword burning with purple flames, and that mouth full of sharp teeth. This creature was a perfect personification of the unique cruelty and violence of the abyssal demons. A murderous Demon’s Aura instantly appeared around him.

Was it already taunting the planar consciousness of the World of Adepts upon appearing?

It was the first time Commander Locke had seen such an arrogant, unreasonable, and foolish individual. He moved the monitoring crystal and observed the powerful abyssal lord from every angle. Locke clicked his tongue in awe, all while giving out combat orders to his many subordinates in the command center.

Just a monster from another world. Why are you so arrogant?

The next moment, a dark red light flashed where Versailles was. A three-meter-thick beam of light cut across the battlefield and blasted against the body of the abyssal lord.

Abyssal Lord Fernus turned his wrist and placed the giant blade in front of him in response to this sudden attack. The Light of Annihilation fired by the giant magic energy cannon clashed with the abyssal flames blazing on the sword, giving off a blinding light.

When the light finally disappeared with the Light of Annihilation’s dissipation, the proud figure of Abyssal Lord Fernus appeared before the mega-rift once again.

A visible, one-meter hole had appeared on Fernus’ body and sword. You could see the scorched earth behind Fernus through this hole, along with his purple blood and the nearly-burned organs in his body.

It was obvious that the abyssal lord had not managed to block the full might of the giant cannon. In the end, the Light of Annihilation had been able to injure its mighty body.

However, while such injuries might have been enough to kill any living being ten times over, it was no more than a severe wound to Fernus!

Fernus roared furiously with his hideous face, letting out a deafening cry at the Mothership in the air. As he shouted, several unusual and powerful figures emerged from the mega-rift. They beat their black and red wings as they charged at the Mothership.