Chapter Summaries

Merlin returned to Wilson Castle and reunited with Shirley, Avril, Celia, and Consine, learning that Great Mage Bels had previously forced his way into the castle. Earl Sailin then invited Merlin to his castle, and Merlin set out to meet him.

• Merlin returned to Wilson Castle, where Yagesi recognized him and brought him inside to meet Celia and Consine.
• Shirley and Avril reunited with Merlin and told him that Lebis City-State tensions had reduced the territory’s tax revenue and that Great Mage Bels had forced his way into the castle.
• Shirley explained that Great Mage Hill had driven Bels away, though Hill’s condition had since worsened.
• Earl Sailin learned that Merlin had returned and sent guards to invite him to the castle, while Bels eagerly anticipated meeting him.
• Merlin accepted Earl Sailin’s invitation and left Wilson Castle with the guards.

Merlin returned to Pujias City and killed Bels after learning of his abuse of the Wilson Family, warning Count Sailin to prevent it from happening again. Count Sailin explained that the Lebis City-State was preparing for conflict, and Merlin pressed him to reveal what made Longadi so confident.

• Merlin arrived at Count Sailin's castle and met Great Mages Frey and Bels.
• Merlin trapped Bels and Frey in Dark Mist, then killed Bels with five Fireballs.
• Merlin spared Frey and warned Count Sailin that Bels's actions against the Wilson Family must not be repeated.
• Count Sailin agreed and described Longadi's military buildup, provocations, and occupation of a Pugas City-State town.
• Count Sailin said the Eighth Prince had blocked his request for Royal Family arbitration after Longadi pledged allegiance to him.
• Merlin asked Count Sailin what advantage, besides military strength, made Longadi so confident.

Merlin promised Earl Sailin that he would handle the First-level Spellcaster threatening Pujias City, then went to visit Mage Hill. In the opposing camp, Mage Hegar learned Merlin had returned and planned to kill him for his Dark Spirit Ring so he could enter the Dark Spirit Domain.

• Merlin assured Earl Sailin that he would deal with the enemy’s First-level Spellcaster, then left to visit Mage Hill.
• Earl Longadi learned that his Elemental Swordsmen monitoring Pujias City had been killed by a Spellcaster.
• Longadi told Mage Hegar that Merlin, a member of the Dark Spirit Domain, had returned to Pujias City.
• Mage Hegar welcomed the news and explained that Merlin’s Dark Spirit Ring was the prize he wanted to claim.
• Mage Hegar said the Dark Spirit Domain would not avenge the death of a provisional member like Merlin, but would hunt down anyone who killed a formal member.

Count Longadi prepared to attack Pujias City while Hegar plotted to use the other Spellcasters to weaken Merlin and seize the Dark Spirit Ring. Merlin returned to Mage Hill and gave him a Purple Stone Powder Potion that temporarily stabilized his Spell Models, then offered to prepare more using the formula he had obtained.

• Count Longadi ordered his Spellcasters to prepare for an attack on Pujias City at dawn, and Hegar secretly planned to let them weaken Merlin before taking the Dark Spirit Ring.
• Merlin examined the Dark Spirit Ring he had taken from Mage Neil and considered how other wandering Spellcasters might target him for it.
• Merlin visited Mage Hill and learned that driving Bels away had destabilized Hill’s Spell Models, leaving him near death.
• Merlin gave Mage Hill a Purple Stone Powder Potion, which improved the stability of his Spell Models after two hours.
• Merlin told Mage Hill he had the potion formula and ingredients to prepare more Purple Stone Powder Potion.

Merlin returned to Wilson Castle after helping Great Mage Hill by preparing Purple Stone Powder Potion, and reunited with his family. As tensions with the Lebis City-State threatened war, Merlin agreed to help defend Pujias City and ended the night practicing the fourth relief’s posture.

• Merlin prepared eight batches of Purple Stone Powder Potion for Great Mage Hill, demonstrating the process before returning to Wilson Castle.
• Merlin reunited with Commander Pula, who had grown strong enough to rival a Third-Level Elemental Swordsman.
• Merlin told Old Wilson that he had killed Bels and warned that war with the Lebis City-State seemed unavoidable; he agreed to help Count Sailin protect Pujias City.
• Merlin spent the night with Shirley and Avril, then reflected on his growing physical strength and his practice of the fourth relief’s posture.
• Merlin maintained the fourth relief’s posture on the bed until his mind became blank.

Longadi's army surrounded Pujias City, and Merlin, Earl Sailin, and Great Mage Hill agreed to fight rather than surrender. Pujias City's first charge failed, and as the defenders retreated behind the gates, Merlin asked Great Mage Hill how lower-level Spellcasters had fought in the Slaughterhouse war.

• Old Wilson told Merlin that Longadi's army had reached the outskirts of Pujias City, and Earl Sailin summoned Merlin to the castle.
• Earl Sailin, Commander Cook, Great Mage Hill, and Merlin agreed to fight the Lebis army, and Earl Sailin ordered the city's forces to prepare for battle.
• Merlin confirmed that Great Mage Hill had regained his ability to cast Spells after taking Purple Stone Powder Potion, then joined the others on the city wall.
• Earl Sailin sent twenty thousand knights out to attack, and Old Wilson led his Heavy Armored Knights into the charge.
• As Pujias City's knights began to lose, Earl Sailin ordered them to retreat; Merlin watched Old Wilson return safely and asked Great Mage Hill what lower-level Spellcasters had done in the Slaughterhouse war.

Merlin left Pujias City alone and raced through Longadi’s army to reach the enemy command post, hoping to kill Count Longadi and end the siege. He broke through the soldiers’ arrow barrage, but still faced the Spellcasters protecting Longadi.

• Great Mage Hill recalled how armies had killed low-level Spellcasters during the Slaughterhouse War and warned Merlin about facing tens of thousands of soldiers.
• Merlin persuaded Count Sailin to open the gates so he could use the Gale Spell to reach Longadi and kill him, and Sailin promised noble titles for Merlin and his father if he succeeded.
• Merlin left Pujias City, and Longadi and Great Mage Hegar realized that Merlin was targeting the command post.
• Merlin cast Gale Spell and raised repeated Earth Guardians to withstand the army’s arrow barrage.
• Merlin used the enhanced Gale Spell to speed past the soldiers and break through their blockade as Sailin, Hill, and Old Wilson watched from the city walls.

Merlin survived the Spellcasters’ barrage and killed five of them with Dark Mist and Thunder Web, leaving Great Mage Hegar as Count Longadi’s sole defender. Hegar remained confident and activated an ancient Spell scroll against Merlin, who hastily raised an enhanced Guardian Monument.

• Merlin withstood the Spellcasters’ attacks by repeatedly casting Guardian Monument.
• As the five Spellcasters rushed toward him, Merlin used Dark Mist to trap them and Thunder Web to kill them.
• Great Mage Hegar avoided the mist, while Count Longadi asked him whether he could defeat Merlin.
• Hegar vowed to kill Merlin and produced an ancient Spell scroll.
• Merlin cast an enhanced Guardian Monument as Hegar activated the scroll.

Merlin defeated Mage Hegar and Count Longadi, allowing Count Sailin’s forces to rout the Lebis City-State army. While searching Hegar’s ring, Merlin discovered a golden booklet titled “Magic Energy, Extreme Ice Finger!”

• Mage Hegar attacked Merlin with an Ice Cone scroll, but Merlin’s enhanced Guardian Monument absorbed its power.
• Merlin trapped Hegar in an enhanced Dark Mist illusion and killed him with a Fireball, then killed Count Longadi.
• Merlin sent the agreed signal, and Count Sailin ordered the city gates opened so the Pugas City-State forces could attack.
• The Lebis City-State army collapsed and fled as the Pugas knights pursued, with Mages Frey and Hill targeting enemy commanders.
• Merlin searched the Spellcasters’ rings, stored their Spell Models with Matrix, and found a golden booklet in Hegar’s ring titled “Magic Energy, Extreme Ice Finger!”

Merlin learned that Extreme Ice Finger was a form of Pandora Demon Energy requiring Solidifying Ice and Centuries-Old Cold Marrow, then returned to Pujias City as Count Sailin’s army conquered Lebis. After boosting his mental power with potions, Merlin prepared to choose another first-level spell to construct.

• Merlin read that Extreme Ice Finger required the Solidifying Ice spell and Centuries-Old Cold Marrow, and considered cultivating it if he found the rare material.
• Merlin returned to Pujias City with Old Wilson, while Count Sailin pursued the defeated Lebis army and later captured the entire city-state.
• Count Sailin promoted Merlin to viscount and Old Wilson to baron, raising the Wilson Family’s standing.
• Merlin tried to brew Phantom Demon Potion and Blueberry Potion, succeeding with one batch of the former and three batches of the latter.
• Merlin consumed the potions and increased his mental power by nearly half before reviewing first-level spells to choose his next construction.

Merlin chose Berserk Flame as his second First-Level Spell after finding Darklight Domain too complex for his current Mental Power. After successfully constructing and testing Berserk Flame, he realized his Sea of Consciousness was unbalanced and that he needed to advance his remaining Zero-Level Spell Models.

• Merlin selected Darklight Domain and had the Matrix analyze its Spell Model and compatibility with Dark Mist, but stopped simulating it when his Mental Power proved insufficient.
• Merlin considered Solidifying Ice and Berserk Flame, then chose Berserk Flame to balance his defensive Guardian Monument with a powerful offensive spell.
• Merlin spent six hours simulating Berserk Flame's Spell Model and successfully constructed it in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Merlin tested Berserk Flame on ice crystals formed by Freezing Spell and watched it melt them and blast a crater into the ground.
• Merlin concluded that Berserk Flame could break Mage Hegar's defensive spell without relying on enhanced Dark Mist, while recognizing that he needed to construct First-Level Spells on his remaining Zero-Level foundations.

Merlin learned from Mage Hill that the Floating City was a major trading hub where he might find scarce potion ingredients, and he arranged to travel there with him. After returning to Wilson Castle, Merlin saw Old Wilson training trusted men in the Mysterious Relief postures, and Old Wilson asked what Merlin thought of Yagesi.

• Merlin visited Mage Hill and learned that the Purple Stone Powder Potions had stabilized his Spell Model enough for him to cast Spells, though he still needed more ingredients.
• Merlin told Mage Hill that potion ingredients were scarce in Pugas City-State, and Mage Hill recommended the Floating City as a place where Spellcasters traded.
• Merlin recalled that Mage Anliena lived in the Floating City and agreed to travel there with Mage Hill after making arrangements.
• Merlin found Old Wilson teaching the Mysterious Relief postures to Yagesi, Pula, Emmett, and Balbu, whom Old Wilson trusted with the technique.
• Old Wilson asked Merlin what he thought of Yagesi.

Merlin said goodbye to his family and left Pujias City with Mage Hill to visit Floating City. After finding the hidden city through the mist, they used the rune-covered stone statues to enter.

• Merlin approved of Old Wilson teaching Yagesi the Embossed Posture and learned that Yagesi and Macy planned to marry in about half a year.
• Merlin told Old Wilson he would leave Pujias City with Mage Hill and promised to return for Yagesi and Macy's wedding.
• Merlin spent a final night with Shirley and Avril, while Shirley admitted she felt increasingly distant from him.
• Merlin left Wilson Castle the next day with Mage Hill, who warned him that Spellcasters were destined for loneliness.
• Merlin and Mage Hill crossed a misty forest filled with poisonous insects and savage beasts, then discovered Floating City hidden in the clouds.
• Merlin and Mage Hill activated two rune-covered stone statues with their Mental Power and vanished in beams of light.

Merlin and Mage Hill explored the Floating City, where Merlin learned that Alchemists turned ordinary people into powerful, mindless “pets.” When they visited Mage Hill’s old friend Mage Button, they discovered he had become an Alchemist and ordered his monster, Ghost Thorn, to attack Hill.

• Merlin and Mage Hill arrived in the Floating City and walked through its crowded streets.
• Merlin saw Alchemists leading transformed humans and learned from Mage Hill how they created and used their “pets.”
• Mage Hill led Merlin to visit Mage Button, an old friend who could help them find potion ingredients.
• A spiked woman in red attacked Merlin and Mage Hill, but Mage Button stopped her by calling her “Button.”
• Mage Button revealed that he had become a First-level Spellcaster by relying on his Alchemical Monster, Ghost Thorn, and ordered her to attack Mage Hill.

Merlin protected Hill from Mage Button’s Alchemical Monster and defeated Button by immobilizing the monster and trapping him with spells. Button recognized Merlin as a Six-Element Spellcaster and asked Hill why he had come to Floating City.

• The woman in red attacked Hill, but Merlin shielded him with Guardian Monument and drove her back with Fireballs.
• The woman revealed herself as an Alchemical Monster, shrugged off Merlin’s Fire and Dark Mist, and cracked his Guardian Monument with a punch.
• Merlin used Thunder Web to paralyze the monster, then froze her with Freezing Spell and Greater Freezing Spell.
• Merlin trapped Mage Button in Dark Mist and froze him, but the monster broke free and released Button from the ice.
• Mage Button realized Merlin had six types of Spells, including two First-Level Spells, and asked Hill what he had come to find him for.

Merlin, Mage Hill, and Mage Button visited Mage Vlad to seek potion ingredients, but Merlin discovered that Vlad’s repeated failures to prepare the Alkaline Earth Potion came from his crude glassware rather than his technique. The chapter left Vlad testing Merlin’s precise test tube as he prepared the potion again.

• Mage Button agreed to help Merlin and Mage Hill find potion ingredients, then led them through quiet alleys to Mage Vlad’s courtyard.
• Mage Button explained that Vlad was a talented First-level Spellcaster and potion master who spent his time researching potions.
• Merlin observed Vlad’s Alkaline Earth Potion preparation fail again and used Matrix to record and analyze his process.
• Merlin told Vlad that inaccurate glass vessels, not his steps or ingredient proportions, were causing the failures.
• Merlin lent Vlad a precise glass test tube, and Vlad began preparing the potion with it.

Mage Vlad successfully concocted the Alkaline Earth Potion, which temporarily boosted an Alchemical Monster’s abilities severalfold. Merlin obtained Blueberry Potion ingredients from Vlad, while the ingredients he needed for the Phantom Demon Potion remained unavailable.

• Mage Vlad used Merlin’s precise test tube and corrected process to successfully brew the Alkaline Earth Potion.
• Mage Button gave the potion to his red-clothed Alchemical Monster, which grew stronger and smashed a large tree with one punch.
• Mage Vlad explained that the potion enhanced Alchemical Monsters’ attributes for two or three hours, and Mage Button asked to buy more.
• Mage Button introduced Merlin and Mage Hill to Vlad, and Merlin listed the ingredients he needed for two potions.
• Mage Vlad gave Merlin his remaining Blueberry Potion ingredients for free but lacked the ingredients for the Phantom Demon Potion.
• Merlin, Mage Hill, and Mage Button left Mage Vlad’s residence.

Merlin improved his Blueberry Potion brewing and explored the Floating City with Mage Button, visiting the Silver Tower to inspect its casting tools. There, his seemingly useless Bell Pendant suddenly grew hot, leaving him alert to a change in the pendant.

• Merlin used nine sets of materials to brew four Blueberry Potions, greatly increasing his Mental Power, but decided to wait before constructing another Spell.
• Merlin learned that Mage Hill would remain in his room for at least half a month while preparing Purple Stone Powder Potions to stabilize his Spell Models.
• Mage Button accompanied Merlin around the Floating City and took him to the Silver Tower, whose members received resources comparable to those of official Spellcaster Organization members.
• Merlin found the Silver Tower's thousand-Elemental-Crystal robes too expensive and followed the saleswoman to an area with cheaper casting tools.
• Merlin's Bell Pendant suddenly emitted scorching heat as he approached the shelves of casting tools.

Merlin bought a mysterious pendant from the Silver Tower after the Bell Pendant reacted strongly to it, then learned that the Tower had been founded by the still-living Silver Great Mage. Back in his room, Merlin discovered that the two pendants appeared to fit together, and their union began to glow with dazzling white light.

• Merlin sensed the Bell Pendant’s heat leading him to a similar-looking pendant and bought it from the Silver Tower for fifty Elemental Crystals after negotiating the price down from five hundred.
• Merlin examined the Silver Tower’s potion materials and found ingredients for both the Blueberry Potion and the Phantom Demon Potion, though they were expensive.
• Mage Button told Merlin that the Silver Tower had been founded by the Silver Great Mage and had grown powerful enough to rival some medium-sized Spellcaster Organizations.
• Merlin returned to his room and compared the new pendant with the Bell Pendant, realizing they seemed to be two halves of one object.
• Merlin placed the pendants together, and dazzling white light enveloped them as they began to change.

Merlin fused the two pendants into a rare amplification-type casting tool and discovered that it could raise his enhanced Guardian Monument to the power of a Third-Level Spell. Needing Elemental Crystals to use it and fund potion ingredients, he decided to ask Mage Vlad for advice on preparing and selling potions.

• Merlin learned that the fused pendants were part of Mage Bell’s rare combination casting tools and that the bow-shaped tool could amplify one Spell.
• Merlin tested the tool on his enhanced Guardian Monument and raised its power to the level of a Third-Level defensive Spell, at the cost of two soil-element Elemental Crystals.
• Merlin realized he needed to earn Elemental Crystals and decided that preparing and selling potions was his best option.
• Merlin went to Mage Vlad’s residence to ask about potions, and Mage Vlad invited him inside.