The Final Magic Experiment

An eerie silence fell over the room. Irene and Belserion stared wide-eyed at the silver-haired boy standing in the hall, their eyes wide with disbelief. The three remained locked in this tense standoff for a quarter of an hour. After a quarter of an hour, Belserion, his nerves completely overwhelmed, let out a howl, turned and ran, only to crash into the wall and pass out.

Thanks to Belserion's sacrifice, Irene was finally awakened. She shook her head frantically at Sordil and shouted, "This can't be! This can't be!"

Sordil did not defend himself, but instead kept repeating some of the things he had said before.

"I'm so sorry, Your Her Majesty Irene! I've been feeling dizzy all day and have trouble concentrating."

"I wouldn't dare trouble Your Her Majesty Irene with your worries. I'm just heartbroken because I miss someone."

"This person? He's standing right in front of me right now!"

"Teacher Irene, I have a question for you!"

"Teacher Irene, I'd like to ask, what time is it now?"

"Of course I'm in a hurry, because this is the beginning of our happiness, and I can't be late!"

Familiar phrases, spoken by someone both familiar and unfamiliar, assaulted Irene's fragile nerves, pushing her to the brink of collapse. After a quarter of an hour, unable to bear it any longer, Irene shouted at the people below, "Enough! Stop talking!"

"You believe me now?"

"Believe you? Believe you of what? Believe you are Oddek, or believe you are Sordil?"

"Irene, I didn't mean to hurt you, I just..."

"Just what? Tell me!"

"I only wanted to foster an alliance against the dragons of the Western Continent; I didn't mean to deceive your feelings."

"You didn't mean to deceive my feelings? Then why did you go to such lengths to pursue me?"

Faced with the goddess's question, Sordil hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "I... I just wanted to cheer you up so I could properly teach me Augmented Magic, that's all!"

Letting tears stream down her cheeks, Irene roared in a trembling voice, "Augmented Magic! Augmented Magic again! Am I just a tool for learning Augmented Magic in your eyes?"

"Yes! I'm merely a tool for learning Augmented Magic. I have absolutely no feelings for you... for you... for you!"

After uttering those words against his will, Sordil turned and walked out of the hall. Just as he was about to leave, he said to Irene with his back to her, "Irene, you are a good girl, but we are not suitable for each other. I wish you find someone you like soon."

Watching the figure disappear through the palace gates, Irene instantly lost all strength and collapsed to the ground. After an unknown amount of time, Her Majesty the Queen staggered to her feet and walked dejectedly towards the central courtyard. Just then, Irene noticed a few drops of water on the floor in front of the palace gates.

"Huh? This is..."

Irene stared in astonishment at the water stains on the floor. After a long while, she suddenly burst into laughter. As she laughed, two teardrops slid from her swollen eyes and dripped onto the floor, forming similar water stains.

"You liar! You clearly have feelings for me, why won't you admit it?"

After muttering to herself, Irene looked up and around, hoping to see that familiar figure, but apart from the empty palace, nothing appeared in her eyes.

Kaldiz's Residence

Seeing the large group of people suddenly appear in front of him, Kaldiz asked in surprise, "Sordil, Diphiya, Murellia, what brings you all here?"

Sordil smiled at Kaldiz and said, "Look at what you're saying, uncle. Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong?"

"You? Give me a break! Every time you contact me, it's because you need me to do something for you."

After Kaldiz finished speaking, Igneel, who was standing behind Sordil, nodded in deep agreement and said, "This old man is right. Whenever Sordil asks for someone, it's always because he wants help!"

Grandiere his eyes at Igneel and said irritably, "Last time, someone volunteered to help, not Sordil."

Looking at Grandiere who had 'betrayed and surrendered to the enemy,' Igneel retorted sarcastically, 'Sigh! A woman with a sweetheart is different; she values love over friendship!'

"Igneel, what nonsense are you spouting? I'll beat you up!"

Igneel made a face at Grandiere, then turned and ran, with Grandiere in hot pursuit.

"Ha ha!"

Everyone burst into laughter at the sight of the two joking around. After the laughter subsided, Sordil steered the conversation back to the main topic, saying to Kaldiz, "To be honest, uncle, I have something to discuss with you today."

Seeing that Sordil was being lenient with him, Kaldiz laughed and scolded, "I knew you were up to no good, buddy! Just tell me!"

"Here's the thing, I hope you can help me complete a magic experiment."

After Sordil finished speaking, Kaldiz's expression tightened. After a long silence, Kaldiz spoke, "Sordil, it's not that I don't want to help you, but you know my constitution is special; ordinary magic is ineffective against me. So I'm worried..."

"Uncle Kaldiz, I know perfectly well what you're worried about. But I still have to try, otherwise I'll regret it for the rest of my life!"

"Fine! Since you've put it this way, then I, Kaldiz, will risk my life to keep you company!"

After the two reached an agreement, Sordil did not casually apply the added attributes as he had done before. He first switched to Wise Dragon Mode, then used the Wise Dragon Power to raise his Augmented Magic to its limit. Only after completing these preparations did Sordil begin to apply the added attributes.

Crimson Augmented Magic Power shot from Sordil's hand, rushing towards Kaldiz. Suddenly, a surge of black power erupted from Kaldiz's body, relentlessly resisting the Augmented Magic Power's advance. Left with no other option, Sordil increased the intensity of the Augmented Magic Power, but Augmented Magic Power strengthened, so did the black energy. As time passed, the struggle between the two intensified, Bobo of energy emanating from between them and spreading outwards.

Seeing Sordil and Kaldiz covered in sweat, Diphiya asked worriedly, "Brother Metalicana, was it like this when Brother Sordil conducted experiments with you?"

"No! When Brother Sordil imbued my attributes, I only felt a strange power flowing into my body. Then, this strange power enveloped a trace of magic and soul power within me and flew outwards. The entire experiment went smoothly, and there was no power conflict!"

Sensing the overflowing energy, Igneel and his companion, who were playfully fighting, stopped what they were doing, and everyone stared nervously at Sordil and his companion.

"Uncle Kaldiz, things are getting complicated. I need to increase the Augmented Magic Power. You must take good care of yourself!"

"Don't worry, brat! I'm tough as nails, come at me!"

"Alright! In that case, I'll have to take my leave! Unleash the full Holy Dragon Power, and Limit Augmented Magic!"

"Buzz"

A white light shone from Sordil's body, followed by an even more powerful Augmented Magic Power that erupted from within him and joined the battle. With the addition of this magic, the situation finally changed; the black energy gradually retreated and was eventually forced back into Kaldiz's body. However, the battle between the two was not over; the battlefield had simply shifted from outside Kaldiz's body to within it.