What Is Your Choice?

The recent weather seems to be making people rather unpleasant.

It was already late autumn, but the weather was unusually hot and humid, which made the residents of Korte City even more upset. This was not only because of the annoying weather, but also because of the tall mage tower that stood in the center of the city. As the center of the Mages' Association, few people in the city dared to mention its existence.

Korte Municipality was just a small city, and its residents, like people elsewhere, were extremely fearful of mages. If they could, they would never want to live in the same city as mages—but unfortunately, political issues never require popular vote. The Five-Nation Alliance, wanting to control the mages, naturally wouldn't let them live in the wilderness; otherwise, who knows what those guys would do in private. Such a dangerous existence naturally needed to be kept under close watch.

The orders from above were not open to questioning, so the residents of Korte City had no choice but to accept them. The only thing that gave them peace of mind was that the Temple's paladins were constantly monitoring these evil mages, which was why the residents dared to continue living there. After all, the Temple had always had a good reputation, and their paladins had indeed publicly executed several mages, which had reassured the people.

Although this is the headquarters of the Mages' Association, mages are rarely seen in the entire city. This is because no merchant in Korte City will entertain a mage, and no hotel will allow a mage to enter. Everything a mage needs is transported through the Temple. They are not even allowed to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary, and even if they do go out, they will never let others know that they are mages.

Within the Five-Nation Alliance, the treatment of mages varied, but only the Korte City treated them most harshly. After all, this was the mages' stronghold. From the perspective of the Five-Nation Alliance and the Temple, as long as the collars were secure, their struggles were futile. Therefore, mages here actually held less status and prestige than those elsewhere who could serve as court mages or even occupy a place in the city.

The residents of Korte City had forgotten that they hadn't seen a mage for centuries; only the towering, terrifying mage tower served as a reminder that an undeniable evil lurked in the city. But on this day, the residents were astonished to find a man dressed in a mage's robes swaggering through the streets of Korte City.

"The environment is nice."

Gazing at the tree-lined Korte City, Li Lin strolled leisurely along the gravel path, speaking to Nia beside him. Nia, also dressed in a white robe and holding her ever-present staff, followed beside Li Lin. Although her beauty still drew admiration from everyone, their presence here was a blatant declaration. "We are mages."

In Korte City, where mages are highly sensitive, this was undoubtedly like the appearance of two tigers.

"I didn't expect these guys to find such a great place. Looks like they know how to enjoy life."

Li Lin seemed completely oblivious to the disgust, anger, and fear in the eyes of those around him, leisurely sighing as if taking a walk after breakfast.

"It's really beautiful here... In fact, I really like it here."

Nia responded with a gentle smile, waving her staff in her hand.

"Well then, how about we go grab a drink? It's so early, they probably haven't even gotten up yet."

As Li Lin spoke, he stopped in front of a tavern and then pushed open the door.

The once bustling tavern fell silent the moment Li Lin pushed open the door. Everyone stared at the two who had entered, hardly believing their eyes.

These... aren't these mages? How dare they show up here?! Where are the paladins?

Although everyone clearly showed unfriendly expressions, Li Lin seemed completely oblivious, slowly walking to the bar and gently tapping the table.

"Two glasses of good wine, please."

"Get out of here!!"

Just then, the bar owner slammed his hand on the table.

"Get out! You evil mage!! We don't sell wine to mages here, not for any amount of money! You bastard, did you hear me?! We don't sell wine to you, you bunch of evil bastards!"

"That's right, get out, mage! This is not a place for you!!"

"Get out! Get out of here!"

"If you don't leave now, we'll call ourselves paladins, you hear me? You bastard?!"

Faced with the sudden outburst of anger in the bar, Li Lin simply shrugged and asked again as if he hadn't heard anything.

"You really wouldn't sell it no matter how much money they offered?"

"Not for sale! I said, you little bastard, are you getting out of here or not? Evil mages should be locked in cages, what kind of hellhole did you come from...?"

The bar owner's words were cut short. His large face turned bright red, his mouth gaped open but he couldn't utter a single word. At that moment, a hand radiating magical light gripped his throat tightly, slowly lifting his massive body.

"I'll give you my life, will you sell?"

Li Lin remained leisurely seated in his chair, watching the tavern owner float higher and higher in front of him, and continued to ask questions.

At this moment, the tavern fell silent once more. The furious storm that had just erupted seemed to have never happened; everyone stared wide-eyed at the unimaginable scene before them. Although they lived in the same city as the mages, due to the Temple's strict oversight, these people had almost never seen any magic. Magic like this was utterly unimaginable to them. The only sound in the tavern now was the owner's soft breathing.

"... Ah... ah..."

"Sell or not?"

As Li Lin continued to question him, the shopkeeper's voice grew even weaker. He could only struggle desperately, trying to break free from the irresistible force. His struggle also served as a reminder to the other customers.

"Quickly! Go and inform the paladin! There's an evil mage here who's gone mad!"

The patrons hurriedly tried to leave the tavern, but as soon as they took their first step, a bright light enveloped the entire tavern. Then, they felt their bodies become as stiff and heavy as stone, unable to move an inch. Just then, Nia put down her staff and sat back down beside Li Lin.

"It seems they're unwilling to sell, so I'll have to resort to robbery."

As he spoke, Li Lin extended a finger and beckoned, and a bottle of fine red wine flew to his side. Then, Li Lin took out two glasses, filled them with red wine, and pushed one of them in front of Nia.

"Come and have a taste. Although the cooking skills may not be as good as they were back then, it looks more natural."

"The blueberry wine from Korte City is somewhat famous, but unfortunately it's not blueberry season now."

Nia took the wine glass that Li Lin pushed towards her and gently swirled it, admiring the not-so-pure reflection inside.

"Just a casual drink, I'm just out for a walk anyway."

Li Lin didn't mind. Aside from magic, he didn't have any particular hobbies, and he was pretty much the same with everything he drank. So he finished the red wine in his glass in just a few sips—the brewing technique was indeed not very refined, but the large amount of fruit juice added to compensate for this gave it a rough and delicious taste. It was like a nobleman who was used to eating fancy food suddenly encountering a roughly roasted pork leg—a strange kind of enjoyment.

"Let's go, the mages should be up by now."

With a casual wave of his hand, the already lifeless body of the bar owner fell heavily to the ground with a loud thud. Then Li Lin stood up and walked out of the tavern. Nia followed behind him, and only after Li Lin left the tavern did she turn around, look at the crowd still frozen in place inside, smile, raise her staff, and gently tap the ground.

A chilling, negative energy swept through the entire tavern in an instant, extinguishing all sparks of life.

From then on, Li Lin and Nia encountered no further obstacles, as everyone who looked at them would tremble in fear and avoid them, requiring Li Lin to say anything more. Soon, the two reached the foot of the Mages' Association Tower—and then, for the first time, they were stopped.

"State your names and affiliations, Master!"

Two fully armed paladins blocked their path, drawing their weapons and coldly staring at Li Lin and Nia.

"Roll."

Faced with such an obstacle, Li Lin merely uttered a single sentence. Then, without even waiting for the two paladins, their eyes wide with astonishment and seemingly unable to believe what they had just heard, he casually waved his hand. A massive gust of air instantly swept up the two unfortunate knights, slamming them heavily against the mage tower's gate. With a deafening crash, the heavy gate shattered and flew apart upon impact. Then, Li Lin looked at the mage tower before him and sneered.

Nia.

Upon hearing Li Lin's summons, Nia immediately raised her staff high, and the three crystals at its tip burst forth with dazzling light, from which magical runes shot into the sky, then suddenly erupted, enveloping the entire mage tower.

Li Lin shrugged as he looked at the constantly spinning runes in the sky, then walked into the mage tower.

But as soon as the two entered the tower, a sudden storm and sandstorm blocked everything.

The mage tower was dimly lit. The mages stared in terror and astonishment at the two figures before them, completely bewildered by what had happened. Just moments before, they had felt their arcane power, which they had always possessed, suddenly and utterly severed. No matter what they tried, they could no longer reconnect with their own power. Even the magic arrays within the mage tower had completely lost their effectiveness. And then, Li Lin and Nia burst in, naturally giving the mages a bad feeling. This was especially true when they discovered that magical light was surrounding them.

"Who are you people?"

A mage who appeared to be of high status roared and questioned, his gaze trembling as he looked at the paladin who had fallen to the ground, lifeless.

"How dare you God of Death! You have no fear!"

"Shut up, you piece of trash."

Li Lin's cold, angry voice immediately interrupted the old mage.

"Those who have lost their self-respect and honor, and are only fit to be watchdogs, have no right to be called mages... I won't waste words with dogs. Call your Mages' Association president out to see me."

"..."

"..."

Li Lin's arrogant words left all the mages speechless with astonishment. Although they had indeed been suppressed by the Temple and the Five-Nation Alliance, such blatant contempt was still hard for them to bear. They opened their mouths wide, but found themselves unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. The anger burning in Li Lin's eyes also forced those mages who had intended to roar in protest to shut their mouths.

Who exactly is this young monk?

Just then, a voice from the darkness answered the questions in the hearts of all the mages.

"Temporary Mythal... I never expected that Dominator Luoxia, one of the thirteen Arcane Mage of the Magic Empire, would actually come to our little mage tower on her own initiative. It's quite a surprise."

Along with this sound, an old man slowly floated down from the sky and stood in front of Li Lin. Looking at the young man before him, he bowed deeply and performed the most solemn ritual of a mage.

"Greetings, great Arcane Mage, the current president of the Mages' Association, Shuradin Shears."

"It seems there are still some not-so-useless people in the current Mages' Association."

Li Lin didn't care at all that the other party had revealed his identity. After all, the Mages' Association was probably the most concerned about the Magic Empire. He had activated the floating city, destroyed the Capital of the Magic Empire, and stolen the "Hymn of Destruction" right in front of them. Mages weren't fools; it was normal for them to guess his identity. However, the current president of the Mages' Association seemed to be quite powerful. Nia's "Temporary Mythal" had the condition of "restricting the spellcasting abilities of all mages below the legendary level." Being able to cast spells within this Mythal meant that the president before him already possessed the strength of a legendary mage.

You're joking.

Although outwardly maintaining composure, the president of the Mages' Association felt a chill run down his spine. In fact, ever since he sensed the energy of the entire mage tower being cut off, he had a pretty good idea of who the newcomer was. Under these circumstances, the president was absolutely unwilling to confront Li Lin head-on. After all, the opponent was a mage from the Magic Empire era, and a top-tier Arcane Mage at that! Not to mention, as the president, he possessed far more information than others, making him acutely aware of Li Lin's power. Temporary Mythal was an incredibly powerful barrier spell that only he could use, and in fact, if Li Lin wished, he could even change the condition to prevent any other mage from casting spells. At that point, these mages, including himself, would be powerless to cast spells and could only watch helplessly as they were slaughtered. Although the opponent hadn't yet revealed his signature Magic Tattoo and the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, for the Mages' Association president, it was still best not to see them... risking his life for that was not worth it.

"Then, Arcane Mage, what is it you need? Perhaps we could..."

I didn't come to see you because I needed something.

As Li Lin spoke, he snapped his fingers.

"Call."

Just then, the once-dark mage tower brightened up again, the magical flames providing light and illuminating the entire space once more. Seeing this, the guild leader's previously smiling face stiffened.

How could they have taken over control of the mage tower in such a short time? Are all Arcane Mage monsters?!

"I'm here to speak with all the monks."

Li Lin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout the entire mage tower. At this moment, the Mages' Association president's heart was even heavier. He knew very well that this wasn't some kind of magical effect; the other party had forcibly activated a magical communication system that only he could use, allowing communication between all mage towers. Now, his words could be heard not only within the Mages' Association but also in every mage tower across the continent.

"First, let me introduce myself."

Li Lin flexed his fingers and looked at the mages standing on the stairs, their eyes filled with surprise, fear, and awe as they gazed at him.

"My name is Luoxia Cathe Ellan, one of the thirteen Arcane Mage of the Magic Empire... Perhaps these things mean nothing to you anymore, mages. You have forgotten your traditions, forgotten the fate our Magic Empire once suffered. You have learned the civilization and skills left behind by the Magic Empire, but forgotten the suffering it endured. You have wagged your tails and become the lackeys of the Five-Nation Alliance, your contemptible slaves. Is it out of fear? Or out of powerlessness? Or are you simply a bunch of cowards? Open your eyes and see what your concessions have brought you? No one will give you respect, and no one will appreciate what you have done. You are nothing more than pawns in the hands of the Five-Nation Alliance and the Temple, mere watchdogs."

Li Lin paused for a moment before continuing.

"Are you willing to accept this fate? As mages, as users and inheritors of arcane art, why don't you stand up and resist this treatment? Are you even mages anymore? All the knowledge you've learned is a product of the Magic Empire era, yet now you use these spells to serve those who destroyed the Magic Empire!?"

Li Lin's voice grew louder and louder, increasingly angry.

"This is what a mage is? You dare call yourselves mages? You're nothing but a bunch of trash! No one respects a defeated man who licks the boots of the victors. This is what you look like now! Filthy, utterly shameless!"

Li Lin forcefully swung his fist, while the mages could only stare at him in shame; they dared not say anything, nor could they say anything.

"Of course, you will defend yourselves, saying that this was unavoidable, that the Mages' Association was still very weak, and that you could only endure humiliation... I don't want to hear these excuses. Humans are born to make excuses; there is no such thing as an excuse. Well then, I'll give you a chance."

Inside the mage tower, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"The Magic Empire will return to this continent."

That single sentence was enough to nearly give half the mages a heart attack.

"We are not people who will simply take a beating without fighting back. We will launch another attack on the Five-Nation Alliance. We will repay them tenfold for how they treated us back then... Mages, or rather, I'll allow you to call yourselves mages for now, now is your time to choose. Will you die alongside your masters, or become subjects of the Magic Empire —I don't need your answers, I only need your actions. As for what you should do, I think you should know perfectly well."

The flames of magic died down, and darkness once again enveloped the entire mage tower. Then, the mages felt their power return, and at the same moment, the power of the mage tower itself was activated again, illuminating the dim tower.

The association president sighed deeply, staring solemnly at the ground before him—it was now completely deserted.

"Association President..."

The old mage, who had just been reprimanded by Li Lin, walked to the association president with a livid face and asked with difficulty and bitterness.

"What... what should we do?"

What to do?

The association president glanced at the old mage before him, his heart filled with bitterness.

You ask me what to do? Who am I supposed to ask? I originally thought this Arcane Mage would at least sit down and discuss things privately, but I never expected him to be so blatant and brazen as to expose everything to the public! Right now, not only the Mages' Association, but probably all the mage towers on the continent are in chaos. What do we do now? How am I supposed to know what to do? What's worse, this Arcane Mage actually killed two Temple knights right off the bat. He's fearless, but what about himself? What about the Mages' Association?

Thinking of this, the association president sighed and slowly and hesitantly issued the order.

"Immediately... contact all the inner-ring mages and summon them to the Inner Circle Council. This time it's the highest level! Don't tell anyone! Now, immediately repair the gates of the Mages' Association and seal off the entire association. No matter what the Temple or the Five-Nation Alliance asks, you must stall them!"

For now, it seems that this is the only way...

"Li Lin, is this really alright?"

Standing on a distant hillside, gazing at the small town below, Nia asked softly.

"Only in this way."

In response to Nia's question, Li Lin revealed a vicious smile.

"The Mages' Association won't change so easily, so let's force them to change with the whip... After all, what they're learning is the culmination of our hard work, so it's only natural that they'll use it for our purposes... How's the situation with Angela?"

"Miss Angela and Anna are about to reach their destination; the 'recruitment' of soldiers will begin soon."