An Old Acquaintance (Part One)

Hiss.

Merlin easily broke the Rune Formation protecting the Abbes Stronghold. The Three-Headed Demon Dragon struggled to its feet. It had suffered a few injuries, but nothing serious.

Merlin patted the Three-Headed Demon Dragon on the head and said softly, "Go. Unleash your fury and destroy the Abbes Stronghold!"

The Three-Headed Demon Dragon roared. All three heads sprang to attention, and with a spread of its wings, it flew toward the Abbes Stronghold behind them.

Without its defenses, the Abbes Stronghold could not withstand the Three-Headed Demon Dragon's attack. Merlin reached out and bound all eleven Ninth-level Spellcasters in place.

"Tell me. Which of you knows where Osum Headquarters is?"

Merlin still needed to find Osum Headquarters, and these Ninth-level Spellcasters might know.

None of them spoke. Merlin smiled and asked no further questions. Instead, he released an invisible wave of mental power, plunging the Ninth-level Spellcasters into an illusion.

"Where is Osum Headquarters?"

Merlin spoke softly. Within an illusion, his words could coax Spellcasters into telling the truth. But he had not reached the Illusion Heart Realm and could not control them outright. Anyone with a strong will and powerful mental strength could resist.

Only three of the eleven Ninth-level Spellcasters answered. All three gave the same response: they did not know where Osum Headquarters was.

Osum had always been deeply secretive. Even when the three major Spellcaster Organizations still existed in the Southern Spellcaster World, little was known about it. Later, as Osum gradually gained control of the entire Southern Spellcaster World, it established countless strongholds large and small. Yet its headquarters remained a mystery.

According to the Ninth-level Spellcasters, only Archmages knew where Osum Headquarters was. Even Ninth-level Spellcasters stationed at major strongholds like theirs did not know.

Merlin looked at the others, most of whom had