Chapter 47: Archmage Helen (Please follow, bookmark, and recommend)

Chapter 47

The Azure Moon Plateau, the heart of the Crucible Army.

Amidst a burst of brilliant light, Lynn stood facing a man clad in robes.

The man was white-haired with a beard as snowy as frost; his gaze beneath his spectacles was as sharp as a blade, filled with a cold, aggressive edge.

A powerful aura erupted from him like a storm, instantly sealing off all surrounding information, as if the entire world were bowing its head to the existence of this powerhouse.

Lynn knew that the man before him was the leader of this Crucible Army, Helen—a terrifying Tier 3 Archmage.

During the conversation with Helen, Lynn felt a wave of intense dizziness. Merely making eye contact caused his mental strength to be violently drained, as if invisible iron chains were tightly binding his consciousness.

At this moment, Lynn realized clearly that under such immense mental pressure, even the slightest lie would fail to escape Helen's insight.

If he lied, his mind would be instantly crushed by this oppressive force.

However, Lynn had no intention of lying.

He knew that facing such a powerful mage, any concealment was equivalent to suicide.

Without reservation, he told Helen everything he knew, especially regarding the matters of the Emerald Island Great Forest.

Lynn understood deeply that hiding any detail could invite disaster; therefore, he truthfully recounted how he had escaped the Nightshade Bunker and the arduous journey he took to reach the Azure Moon Plateau.

Lynn did not even hide the fact that he had participated in a treasure-hunting squad and possessed two spatial artifacts.

But to a Tier 3 Archmage, mere spatial artifacts were of no consequence; what mattered to him was the fact that Lynn had not withheld anything.

After more than ten minutes of dialogue, Helen finally withdrew his sorcery. The surrounding light gradually dimmed, and the vast mental strength slowly receded back into his body.

The oppressive feeling in the air gradually vanished, and Lynn felt as if he had been released from beneath a mountain.

Had it not been for that mental clash just now, Lynn might have mistakenly thought that the Helen before him was merely a learned old man.

But now, he understood that this Archmage's terror lay far beyond mere superficial wisdom.

"Something happened to Astrid?" Helen muttered to himself, a complex light flashing in his eyes. "Three Tier 3 Archmages were able to defeat Astrid?"

Helen's gaze was profound. After a moment of thought, he did not doubt Astrid's strength; after all, despite her extraordinary talent, she was ultimately only a Tier 2 Mage.

What truly caused Helen's suspicion was the black dragon by Astrid's side.

That black dragon was the Lord of the Crucible's most effective combat weapon, unrivaled among Tier 3 Mages. Perhaps saying it could take on ten at once was an exaggeration, but it was impossible for three Tier 3 Mages to take down the black dragon.

Yet, even such a powerful existence had failed to protect Astrid's successful escape. There was undoubtedly an unspeakable mystery hidden within this.

Clearly, the situation in the Emerald Island Great Forest had spiraled out of control. Some troublesome variables had occurred, even causing a Tier 3 Archmage like Helen to feel unprecedented pressure.

While Lynn was still lost in thought, Archmage Helen muttered something under his breath, and subsequently, several phantom figures began to coalesce before him.

Each phantom emitted a powerful aura; clearly, these were the commanders of other Crucible fronts, all of whom were Tier 3 Archmage-level existences—symbols of the Crucible's profound foundation of power.

Archmage Helen gave a brief account of the situation in the Emerald Island Great Forest. After listening, the other Archmages exchanged glances and eventually reached a consensus.

"Fine."

Helen spoke in a low voice, and before his words had even settled, the communication session was declared over.

However, Lynn remained standing to the side, feeling a sense of estrangement and confusion, because the dialogue between these Archmages had not occurred through spoken language, but through sorcerous communication; not a single sound escaped the surroundings.

Just as Lynn fell into silence, Archmage Helen suddenly turned toward him, smiled, and spoke gently

"Your teacher is Rosalind, correct?"

"Yes, Lord Helen."

Lynn nodded immediately. Although he tried his best to remain calm, facing the powerful aura emanating from Helen, he couldn't help but feel an instinctive pressure, causing his demeanor to become somewhat stiff.

It wasn't intentional; rather, that aura caused his body to react naturally—a subconscious defense mechanism against a powerful existence.

Helen gave a light laugh, seemingly unbothered. He waved his hand and said slowly

"There is no need for that. How about this: you come with me."

This sentence caused Lynn to pause for a moment, realizing he might have misheard. Once he recovered, he asked instinctively

"Lord Helen, are we going to the Emerald Island Great Forest?"

However, Archmage Helen shook his head, his tone flat and calm

"No, back to the Crucible. This matter is not something I can handle at my level."

Lynn's heart tightened. He had originally thought Helen would personally handle the affairs of the Emerald Island Great Forest, given that the situation there could not be ignored.

But unexpectedly, Helen did not choose to take action personally; instead, he decided to report the issue and return to the Crucible.

Clearly, he did not intend to take risks and had opted for a more secure plan.

This reaction made Lynn marvel; indeed, an Archmage like Helen knew exactly how to preserve himself—he was steady and cautious.

It was no wonder he could climb to the status of a Tier 3 Mage within the Crucible and live for so long.

"By the way, Lord Helen, will there be any issues with the contract I carry..."

Lynn suddenly remembered a crucial question.

He knew that returning to the Crucible was a good thing, but if it triggered the "contract" mechanism and he was deemed a deserter, that would be trouble.

After hearing Lynn's words, Archmage Helen's brow furrowed slightly, and doubt arose in his heart.

What exactly had happened in the Emerald Island Great Forest to make Lynn mention the "contract"—the trump card between the Crucible and its apprentices?

Usually, unless one intended to make the other party die voluntarily, the Crucible had no need to use contracts to restrain apprentices.

After all, "interests" and "fame and fortune" were better tools; a contract actually seemed somewhat low-level.

However, despite these thoughts, Helen was not in a hurry to make a judgment.

He was, after all, a very responsible mage, especially since the young apprentice before him was the only one to have successfully escaped from the Emerald Island Great Forest.

Helen did not want Lynn to fall into "unnecessary trouble" due to some misunderstanding or oversight.

Thus, Helen carefully inspected the contract on Lynn's person, and then gave an answer that put Lynn completely at ease

"Rest assured, Lynn. Even if you no longer participate in combat after returning to the Crucible, there will be no contract backlash."

Hearing this, Lynn breathed a sigh of relief, and the heavy stone in his heart finally dropped.

The problem caused by that Black Dragon Witch had finally ended because he had delivered the message to her.

(End of Chapter)