Chapter 66

After specializing in his studies, Gordon casually checked his character experience and found that the 10,000/15,000 figure had indeed turned gray. He could no longer allocate the experience points from the experience pool to his character experience.

"Sure enough, I can't level up anymore. It seems I have to complete the Alavera Sunrise Legacy mission first to obtain the 'Extraordinary Elite' character template."

Dorn walked up to Gordon and scanned him with a curious gaze.

Gordon felt uneasy under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Is there a problem?"

"I'm just a bit puzzled." Dorn's left hand rested on his chin, deep in thought. "I noticed that the magical aura around you has changed. Have you advanced in level?"

"I've already touched the third layer of the magic net." Gordon lied without changing his expression.

"You freak!" Seeing Gordon's calm demeanor, Dorn couldn't help but exclaim, "I've only heard of warriors, sorcerers, or priests suddenly breaking through in battle or receiving divine blessings to advance in level. But how can a wizard do it?"

In the orthodox arcane education Dorn received from a young age, wizards deepen their understanding of the magic net through daily spell practice and research, and then through meditation, use their mental power to further touch the magic net and understand the essence of the source energy. Over time, they can gradually sense the next layer of the magic net.

Moreover, even if a wizard senses the third layer of the magic net, they cannot immediately be called a third-level wizard. They must at least learn a third-level spell and be able to master and use it proficiently to earn the corresponding title.

These are not things that can be achieved overnight. How did all the magical norms break down when it came to Gordon?

"Out of a hundred magic apprentices, only ten can become formal wizards. Reaching the third level at the age of 35 is the average level according to the Wizard's Guild statistics. Even if a wizard reaches the third level at the age of 40 or 50, it's just a matter of slightly inferior talent. But you, my friend, have already become a third-level wizard at the age of 20. This achievement is enough to make most people jealous."

Gordon smiled, "Young Master Dorn, I think you should find a mirror and look at yourself. Speaking of geniuses, you are already a fourth-level wizard at the age of 20."

A hint of unnoticeable disappointment flashed in Dorn's eyes, and he shook his head, "I just started from a higher point than others."

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Gordon pointed to the prominent bulge between Dorn's legs, "You, who pride yourself on being a gentleman, shouldn't you take off the Ring of Vigor?"

Noticing that the daughter of Julian and the beautiful half-elf lady were looking at him with strange eyes, Dorn's face turned red for a rare moment. He canceled the spell enhancement of the Ring of Vigor and shrugged, "I can't be blamed. Who made the Ring of Vigor so effective, whether in bed or in battle, I find myself almost unable to do without it."

"Alright, as you wish."

After a brief rest, the group was about to leave the room filled with corpses when a sharp, high-pitched squeak came from the gap in the stone wall.

"Again?"

Gordon and Dorn exchanged a glance, their hearts tightening. They both stepped back and assumed casting stances. Although Gordon's mana had been replenished after leveling up, the mental fatigue from the previous battle had not yet recovered. In battle, wizards must concentrate, use complex dragon language and precise gestures to cast spells, and constantly be on guard against enemy attacks. Although they don't sweat and pant like warriors, the accumulation of fatigue is equally astonishing.

Dorn was busy casting various spells on himself, while Gordon listened intently to the approaching sound of the Abyssal Fierce Rats, silently counting down.

Three, two, one.

The icy energy of "Dasson's Chilled Prison" was released at the gap in the wall at the perfect moment. The Abyssal Fierce Rats, like moths to a flame, fell into the freezing trap.

This small technique of calculating the lead time for spells was something Gordon had honed to perfection in "The Ancient Epoch." Just as he was about to finish off the Abyssal Fierce Rats, he suddenly saw, in the darkness, fifteen black-armored warriors forming a wall of steel, advancing towards them. These black-armored warriors had inhumanly red eyes, casting cold gazes, and their movements were somewhat sluggish and mechanical, but full of power.

"They are constructs," Dorn, who had cast Arcane Vision on himself, immediately saw through the true nature of the enemies.

Gordon added, "They should be animated armors."

Although both are constructs, animated armors are different from golems, which are driven by elemental souls. Animated armors operate purely through magic arrays and runes engraved inside, making them a lower-end, mass-produced expendable item.

Gordon noticed that these animated armors, wielding two-handed greatswords, were the same ones he had seen when leaving the hall. It seemed that he and Dorn had caused quite a stir, making the Trisaint Baptists abandon their surveillance of the frenzied orgy in the hall and mobilize all their forces to hunt them down.

Since the animated armors had appeared, their controller must be nearby. Gordon ordered the Blade Golem to go forward alone while he remained on full alert.

After all, compared to the Blade Golem, the animated armors were just low-end mass-produced goods, like the difference between a MiG-21 and an F-22 fighter jet. The Blade Golem should be able to hold off the enemies on its own.

Gordon did not join the battle, but Dorn maintained a bold fighting style that didn't match his handsome appearance. He drew a gesture in front of him, recited dragon language, and a frosty ice spear formed in his hand. He threw the spear at the enemy, taking advantage of the gap created by the ice spear to charge forward.

Gordon watched the battle. Suddenly, he saw one of the fifteen animated armors roll nimbly, dodging the Blade Golem's whirlwind attack, and then roll under the Blade Golem, breaking through the defense.

"Trouble! That's not an animated armor, it's a human!" Gordon's heart raced. He hadn't expected the enemy to be so cunning, with the controller of the animated armors also wearing similar armor and mixing in with the group to launch a surprise attack.

Gordon saw the enemy raise his hand and throw two gems in quick succession.

Gems are excellent containers for storing arcane energy. High-level wizards can use specific techniques to store spells within gems, creating one-time-use magic items. Unlike magic scrolls, which require the user to have a certain level of arcane expertise, anyone can use gem items.

The first black gem accurately embedded itself in the recently deceased black-armored warrior's body. The fresh corpse, still warm, began to swell dramatically, as if a large number of unknown creatures were breeding inside, moving grotesquely.

Gordon felt a chill, sensing something ominous. This disgusting scene was clearly the effect of the necromancy spell "Putrid Cyst." In the battle with the necromancer Mendoza, the opponent had used this spell, but Gordon had dodged in time and avoided it.

However, the effect of the "Putrid Cyst" planted in the corpse was several times more exaggerated than usual. Gordon suspected that the "Putrid Cyst" spell stored in the black gem had been enhanced.

The enemy's action of throwing the two gems was almost instantaneous. After the first black gem planted the "Putrid Cyst" in the black-armored warrior's body, the second green gem immediately embedded itself in the swollen corpse, which looked like an inflated balloon.

The corpse erupted with tentacle-like, sickly green light. At almost the same moment, Gordon recognized the spell stored in the second green gem.

"Putrid Cyst Bomb!" Gordon shouted.

This fifth-level necromancy spell can detonate a corpse or living being planted with a "Putrid Cyst" like a bomb, causing massive damage and spreading a terrifying plague.

The power of the "Putrid Cyst Bomb" is extremely great. If it detonates successfully, everyone in the room will die. Upon hearing Gordon's shout, Dorn immediately took out a pink pearl and crushed it.

The flash of the stored spell in the pearl instantly removed Dorn from the battlefield, and he placed Miss Julian behind him for protection.

Gordon was even quicker, hugging Shalaya in his arms and turning his back to the "Putrid Cyst Bomb." It was now impossible to stop the spell, so they could only brace for the impact.

"A bunch of fools!" The controller of the animated armors, Koyan Grubles, sneered from behind his heavy full-face helmet. In his view, the measures taken by Gordon and Dorn were futile. The power of the "Putrid Cyst Bomb" was so great that at such close range, even their flesh and blood could not withstand it.

Six months ago, the radical necromancy cult "Gray Scythe" used a "Putrid Cyst Bomb" to carry out a suicide attack on the Lord of Kaling Port, Baron Manshaka. Despite the loyal guards using their bodies to shield the Baron, the explosion's powerful shockwave and dark energy still penetrated their bodies like paper, killing Baron Manshaka.

Gordon recognized the voice of the enemy, finding it somewhat familiar, but now was not the time to consider other matters. He knew that his own flesh and blood could not protect Shalaya, and he would die as well. However, he still had a last resort that he hadn't used.

At the critical moment, Gordon took out a glowing light purple crystal from his dimensional bag. This was a gift from the Dawn Temple's battle priest Jude Frey after the battle with Mendoza and the appearance of the demon lord Akatu Tefan.

Like the gem the enemy used to cast the necromancy spell, this crystal also stored two spells. One was a shield that could absorb damage, and the other was a portal that could summon reinforcements from the Dawn Temple.