"Grandpa Doehring." After spending more than half an hour trying to cast magic, Linley looked a little dejected. "Am I really that untalented?"
Linley looked at his hands, his expression utterly despondent.
He had spent more than half an hour at it, and his throat was nearly hoarse from shouting, yet he hadn't managed to cast a single spell.
"Hahaha, don't lose heart, Linley." Doehring chuckled and stroked his beard. "It's only been half an hour. Magic isn't that simple. Don't worry, your talent is quite good—not bad."
Before Doehring could finish speaking, his expression changed slightly, and he vanished from in front of Linley.
"Linley, hide quickly." Doehring's voice rang out in Linley's mind. "A Saint-level expert is coming."
Doehring's words left Linley frozen in place.
"Linley, don't just stand there." Seeing this, Lin Ke reminded him, "Two Saint-level experts are about to fight over Wushan Town. Hurry and hide."
Inside the System Space, Lin Ke frowned as he examined the many awakened items.
He'd almost forgotten about the two Saint-level experts who had killed Bebe's parents.
One was a warrior, the other a mage.
Based on the rankings of Saint-level strength, Rudy should be at the Saint-level Peak.
But Dillon had only just entered the Saint-level, putting him near the bottom.
Even so, he was still a Saint-level expert.
To Linley, the two Saint-level experts were now utterly unbeatable.
As Lin Ke finished speaking, a winding black dragon, over a hundred meters long, flew into view above Wushan Town.
Its black scales glinted with a cold light, and its massive wings spanned a hundred meters.
A Level Nine Magical Beast—the Black Dragon!
It was midday in Wushan Town, and most people were inside their homes.
Even so, some people saw what was happening in the sky.
Linley was on the outskirts of Wushan and could only just make out the Black Dragon's silhouette.
But in the next moment, the System Panel opened before Linley, and the image in the sky rapidly zoomed in.
A gray-robed figure stood atop the winding, hundred-meter-long Black Dragon.
Facing him was a middle-aged man in a green robe, a longsword strapped to his back.
"Dillon, hand over the Shadow Mouse, and I'll spare your life."
To Linley's amazement, the system didn't just zoom in on the scene; he could hear the two men's conversation perfectly clearly.
The one speaking was the gray-robed man standing atop the Black Dragon.
"Rudy, are you dreaming?"
The man in green scoffed and drew the longsword from his back.
"Dillon, a Level Nine Shadow Mouse isn't something a Sword Saint who has only just reached the Saint-level can covet. Hand it over."
"Rudy, come and take it if you can. Let's see if you're really stronger than me."
"Dillon, you're asking for death!"
After only a few words, the two had already clashed.
"Do you see that, Linley?" Doehring's voice rang out in Linley's mind. "That Saint-level mage is using the Earth Guardian Sacred Armor, the strongest defensive Saint-level spell. I told you about it before."
Doehring was already treating the Saint-level battle as an instructional video.
But he seemed to have forgotten that, with Linley's eyesight, all he could make out was a dark shape in the sky.
"Yes, Grandpa Doehring." Linley didn't think anything was amiss and nodded. "The Earth Guardian Sacred Armor is a growth-type spell."
As Linley watched the battle on the System Panel, a glimmer of anticipation appeared in his eyes.
"The fifth- and sixth-level armors are made of rock, the seventh-level armor is made of jade, the eighth-level armor is made of crystal jade, and the ninth-level armor is made of white gold. Once you reach the Saint-level, the armor is made of diamond, making its defensive power unparalleled."
"Exactly." Doehring chuckled from inside the Coiling Dragon Ring and nodded. "Now watch this move—it's Meteor Fall."
As Doehring spoke, countless boulders took shape in the distant sky.
Each one was as large as a house, and they hurtled toward the man in green.
But the man in green wasn't the least bit flustered. He swung his longsword.
Countless sword gleams shot out.
The boulders shattered and plummeted toward the ground.
Some were two or three meters across; others were no bigger than a human head.
But stones falling from a thousand meters up could cause casualties even if they were only the size of a fist.
"Oh no." At the thought, Linley's face changed dramatically. "Father, Wharton—I have to go back."
"Linley."
Lin Ke and Doehring spoke in Linley's mind at the same time.
"Linley, what can you do if you go now?" Doehring hadn't noticed Lin Ke's presence, and his tone turned stern. "You haven't even reached the first level. What can you do while two Saint-level experts are fighting? Get in the way?"
"I..."
Linley's lips moved, and he lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa Doehring." Linley's voice was a little subdued. "I acted rashly. I'll—I'll stay here."
Although Linley said that, his fists were clenched tight.
Yesterday, witnessing the battle between a mage and a mercenary squad had only given Linley the desire to pursue strength.
But today, faced with sudden danger, Linley's heart truly began to change.
Strength!
I need strength!
I want to become powerful.
Only strength could protect his father and Wharton.
"Big Brother Lin Ke." As Linley answered Doehring's questions, he also spoke to Lin Ke. "Why didn't you scold me like Grandpa Doehring did?"
"Because I understand you." Lin Ke slumped into the sofa, a bottle of Guojiao in his hand. "You can be impulsive, but you're not a fool. Caring about your father and little brother is only natural. Besides, Linley, you're only eight. If you were still like this at eighteen, I would've given up on you long ago."
But then Lin Ke shook his head and corrected himself. "That's not right. If you were eighteen and still couldn't instantly kill those two pieces of trash, then I'd have to give up on you."
Lin Ke's words made the corners of Linley's mouth lift slightly.
He was clever, so he naturally understood what Lin Ke meant.
Ten years.
In just ten years, he could grow strong enough to fear no Saint-level expert?
"Rudy, if I can't have it, neither can you!"
High in the sky, the man in green roared.
Linley saw clearly as the mouse the man had been holding in his hand exploded.
The gray-robed man then attacked in fury, summoning a ten-meter-tall, ocher-colored giant to fight the man in green.
"Rudy, you can't kill me. The Magical Beast is already dead, so I'm leaving."
The man in green spoke as his longsword knocked the ocher-colored giant aside. Then he flew off into the distance.
The gray-robed man watched him fly away, his brows knitted tightly.
But after just a few breaths, the Black Dragon beat its wings and flew off in another direction.
The two had fought for only a few minutes.
Yet Wushan Town and its surroundings had been left in ruins.
The residents of Wushan Town had suffered heavy casualties, and Lord Hogg was already overwhelmed.
But what worried Hogg even more was this:
Linley was missing.
Wharton had been frightened earlier, and the butler, Hiri, had to look after him.
Hillman was currently counting the injured throughout the town.
"Linley, please be safe!"
Hogg prayed silently.
"Achoo!"
Linley sneezed as he struggled toward Wushan Town.
Rubble littered the way, so Linley could only proceed with great care.
At the same time, the System Panel appeared before Linley, and a new task showed up.
[Task: Contract the God-Eater Rat "Bebe"] [Task Reward: 100 White Energy Points]
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