Pad, pad, pad . Link walked down the tunnel within the icy peaks . The constant soft footsteps. .h.i.t the walls on either side and bounced back, creating overlapping echoes in his ears .

This was the only sound in the ice tunnel .

After around 50 steps, there was a cross-section . The place was quite wide . It was an open area of a few hundred feet wide . There were many sword-like stalagmites piercing into the sky . All of them overlapped and crisscrossed like a huge ice flower .

Suddenly, Link felt in his heart a strange aura coming from a huge ice flower on his left .

That moment, Link's senses sped up dramatically . He felt time slow down . Instantly, the basic information of this abnormal aura flashed past Link's mind .

Two hundred forty feet to the left, Level-13, dark, power is consolidating, about to erupt, danger!

Each fact was short, but they were indispensable in battle . As for other things, such as the attacker's ident.i.ty, method, and more would need deduction to figure out . Link didn't have that in his mind . He didn't think either because that would cost additional reaction time .

In a battle like this, the faster he reacted, the more advantages he had!

After another instant, around one-thousandth of a second, a solution flashed past Link's mind . Give up defending and attack immediately!

The other was at Level-13, but Link had much magic equipment . Defending against this attack would be hard but not impossible . However, if he used a defense tactic, he would fall into an awkward disadvantage .

He would use up much Realm Essence to block a Level-13 spell, and he wouldn't be able to recover . Even if he won, he would have lost a lot . This was disadvantageous towards later battles .

And once he started defending, he would enter a stalemate even if he succeeded . Then that would cost even more power . So if he wanted to win and get the Book of Creation piece, in the end, he only had one option: fight to attack first!

During the instant decision, the Ode of a Full Moon was unsheathed at the same time . As the sword flashed, the consolidated Realm Essence flowed like a river . It seemed smooth, but there were undercurrents that rushed into the sword .

The entire sword glowed . The light didn't just come from its surface . It shone from deep inside, turning the sword translucent like crystal .

The glow was like moonlight . It poured into all directions, instantly was.h.i.+ng the entire tunnel in frosty white .

At the same time, a rune halo appeared around the sword's tip . There were smaller halos inside this halo . The countless rings vibrated and turned at the same time . It was detailed and precise to the point of not being able to see it clearly .

The next moment, a black vortex appeared before the Ode of a Full Moon's halo . The sword tip buried into it and reappeared 240 feet to Link's left . That moment, countless runes flew at the tip . The silver moonlight was cold as frost . This was Link's strongest attack spell: Time .

As time flew by, seas could turn to land .

The sword soared for around one-thousandth of a second and moved 30 centimeters before hitting something soft .

There was a stalemate for around three-hundredth of a second .

In the first one-hundredth of a second, Link could clearly feel the powerful repulsion force from the soft object . It kept resisting the Ode of a Full Moon, wanting to push the sword out . This strength was impossibly powerful and completely surpa.s.sed Link's limit . He almost lost control of the sword .

But this only lasted for one-hundredth of a second . After that, the power of time came into effect . Under the extreme pa.s.sage of time, the soft object's power decreased rapidly . It entered the stalemate period . This lasted another one-hundredth of a second .

The opponent continued to weaken . The Ode of a Full Moon began to get the upper hand . During the last one-hundredth of a second, the other's power collapsed completely . The sword stabbed in .

Squelch . That familiar sound and feeling was of a sword piercing flesh .

In the Orida Fortress, Link had personally used his sword to kill more than 5000 people . He was very familiar with the feeling of a weapon entering flesh, so he felt it at once . Realm Essence flowed through the sword and rushed into the opponent's body .

It didn't simply rush in . When it flowed past the sword, it started forming Mana structures . Because of Realm Essence's perfect controllability, the speed was at the maximum speed .

Instantly, it formed a destruction spell: Ball of Destruction .

It entered the opponent's body next . Then, Link retracted his sword . During this process, he'd already started retreating at full force . His body flashed and then hid behind a thick stalagmite .

It wasn't enough to block the opponent's attack, but it could hide him, making the opponent lose their target momentarily . This was to prevent their last attack before death .

While Link did all this, less than one-tenth of a second had pa.s.sed . Link couldn't do this before . He would have needed at least two-tenth of a second to perform it completely .

This was all thanks to the Beastman Legendary battle technique, Soul Furnace .

Just as Link hid behind the ice pillar, a tragic cry came from his near distance . Following it was an explosive boom . Then, a power aura with fire and darkness traveled over .

Link turned to take a glance . He saw a dark purple flame billow from behind a stalagmite . Around the fire were pieces of blood and flesh . Amongst it, Link saw a b.l.o.o.d.y skull . Judging from the hair color, it was Dark Magician Eugene .

Now, Link realized belatedly that his sneak attacker was this Dark Magician . He'd taken care of it with one strike . Eugene was weaker than he'd imagined .

A semi-transparent shadow flew up from the ruins at an incredible speed, rus.h.i.+ng into the sky . It should be Eugene's soul . If he'd flown a bit slower, Link wouldn't mind adding another strike to shatter the soul . He couldn't do that now though .

Eugene must be skilled in soul spells . After leaving this time, he will definitely use some method to be reincarnated . At that time, I'll have a new nemesis . I must be careful about this .

Of course, Link didn't have any regrets . In the previous situation, it was life or death . Since Link could kill Eugene once, he could do it a second time! He wouldn't underestimate Eugene's destructiveness because of this though . Eugene was a true Legendary Magician . Fighting face to face wasn't his strong point, but if Eugene chose to stay in the shadows and plotted, that would be truly horrible .

After composing himself behind the stalagmite, Link walked to Eugene's corpse . After looking around, he found an extraordinary dark wand and some magic items . This included a spatial ring . Opening the ring, Link couldn't help but shake his head .

So many good things . As expected of an old Legendary Magician .

Collecting all of them, Link checked his own state . That attack had seemed fast, but it had cost a lot too . In that instant, he'd used up more than 5000 Realm Essence points . This was close to 30% of his total power .

I still have more than 70%, and I should only have the Light Magician left . I can deal with him!

Link continued on with that in mind .

He walked for more than ten minutes along the tunnel . Then he suddenly saw someone leaning against a huge stalagmite up ahead . Looking, his heart jumped . It was none other than the Red Dragon Queen Gretel!

She'd transformed back into human form and was covered in blood . A crystal spear that kept flas.h.i.+ng with golden lightning was in her waist . Her head rested weakly against the stalagmite . Her fiery hair fell messily around her . Behind her, the pool of blood had flowed for more than three feet . The view was tragic .

Perhaps due to a dragon's strong vitality, Gretel hadn't died . Her chest was still rising slightly . Hearing the footsteps, she opened her eyes and saw Link . That moment, she smiled bitterly . She opened her mouth to say something but didn't in the end . She'd just sighed and closed her eyes again .

She knew that this human wasn't the human she'd imagined . He was a lord . Perhaps he looked warm on the outside, but inside, he was fierce, cold, and cruel . They may have been friends, but they had different paths . He wouldn't help her .

Though her logical mind told her this, Gretel still had some hope in her heart .

Tap, tap, tap . The footsteps got closer; they were about to reach her . Gretel couldn't help but open her eyes . But what she saw dashed all hope .

Link didn't seem to see her . He acted as if she was a cold corpse and walked past without even turning his head .

I was right, but that's alright . I have nothing to miss in life . Gretel's heart had given up . The lightning spear had destroyed her body . All she could do now was wait for death .

Tap, tap, tap . Link's footsteps faded into the distance… A teardrop rolled down from Gretel's closed eyes . This was the second time she'd shed tears for Link . It would be the last time too .

But then something happened .

Link's voice suddenly sounded . "Halino, I see you . Come out . "

Chapter 597: Instant Battle of Life or Death. Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Pad, pad, pad . Link walked down the tunnel within the icy peaks . The constant soft footsteps. .h.i.t the walls on either side and bounced back, creating overlapping echoes in his ears . This was the only sound in the ice tunnel . After around 50 steps, there was a cross-section . The place was quite wide . It was an open area of a few hundred feet wide . There were many sword-like stalagmites piercing into the sky . All of them overlapped and crisscrossed like a huge ice flower . Suddenly, Link felt in his heart a strange aura coming from a huge ice flower on his left . That moment, Links senses sped up dramatically . He felt time slow down . Instantly, the basic information of this abnormal aura flashed past Links mind . Two hundred forty feet to the left, Level-13, dark, power is consolidating, about to erupt, danger! Each fact was short, but they were indispensable in battle . As for other things, such as the attackers ident.i.ty, method, and more would need deduction to figure out . Link didnt have that in his mind . He didnt think either because that would cost additional reaction time . In a battle like this, the faster he reacted, the more advantages he had! After another instant, around one-thousandth of a second, a solution flashed past Links mind . Give up defending and attack immediately! The other was at Level-13, but Link had much magic equipment . Defending against this attack would be hard but not impossible . However, if he used a defense tactic, he would fall into an awkward disadvantage . He would use up much Realm Essence to block a Level-13 spell, and he wouldnt be able to recover . Even if he won, he would have lost a lot . This was disadvantageous towards later battles . And once he started defending, he would enter a stalemate even if he succeeded . Then that would cost even more power . So if he wanted to win and get the Book of Creation piece, in the end, he only had one option: fight to attack first! During the instant decision, the Ode of a Full Moon was unsheathed at the same time . As the sword flashed, the consolidated Realm Essence flowed like a river . It seemed smooth, but there were undercurrents that rushed into the sword . The entire sword glowed . The light didnt just come from its surface . It shone from deep inside, turning the sword translucent like crystal . The glow was like moonlight . It poured into all directions, instantly was.h.i.+ng the entire tunnel in frosty white . At the same time, a rune halo appeared around the swords tip . There were smaller halos inside this halo . The countless rings vibrated and turned at the same time . It was detailed and precise to the point of not being able to see it clearly . The next moment, a black vortex appeared before the Ode of a Full Moons halo . The sword tip buried into it and reappeared 240 feet to Links left . That moment, countless runes flew at the tip . The silver moonlight was cold as frost . This was Links strongest attack spell: Time . As time flew by, seas could turn to land . The sword soared for around one-thousandth of a second and moved 30 centimeters before hitting something soft . There was a stalemate for around three-hundredth of a second . In the first one-hundredth of a second, Link could clearly feel the powerful repulsion force from the soft object . It kept resisting the Ode of a Full Moon, wanting to push the sword out . This strength was impossibly powerful and completely surpa.s.sed Links limit . He almost lost control of the sword . But this only lasted for one-hundredth of a second . After that, the power of time came into effect . Under the extreme pa.s.sage of time, the soft objects power decreased rapidly . It entered the stalemate period . This lasted another one-hundredth of a second . The opponent continued to weaken . The Ode of a Full Moon began to get the upper hand . During the last one-hundredth of a second, the others power collapsed completely . The sword stabbed in . Squelch . That familiar sound and feeling was of a sword piercing flesh . In the Orida Fortress, Link had personally used his sword to kill more than 5000 people . He was very familiar with the feeling of a weapon entering flesh, so he felt it at once . Realm Essence flowed through the sword and rushed into the opponents body . It didnt simply rush in . When it flowed past the sword, it started forming Mana structures . Because of Realm Essences perfect controllability, the speed was at the maximum speed . Instantly, it formed a destruction spell: Ball of Destruction . It entered the opponents body next . Then, Link retracted his sword . During this process, hed already started retreating at full force . His body flashed and then hid behind a thick stalagmite . It wasnt enough to block the opponents attack, but it could hide him, making the opponent lose their target momentarily . This was to prevent their last attack before death . While Link did all this, less than one-tenth of a second had pa.s.sed . Link couldnt do this before . He would have needed at least two-tenth of a second to perform it completely . This was all thanks to the Beastman Legendary battle technique, Soul Furnace . Just as Link hid behind the ice pillar, a tragic cry came from his near distance . Following it was an explosive boom . Then, a power aura with fire and darkness traveled over . Link turned to take a glance . He saw a dark purple flame billow from behind a stalagmite . Around the fire were pieces of blood and flesh . Amongst it, Link saw a b.l.o.o.d.y skull . Judging from the hair color, it was Dark Magician Eugene . Now, Link realized belatedly that his sneak attacker was this Dark Magician . Hed taken care of it with one strike . Eugene was weaker than hed imagined . A semi-transparent shadow flew up from the ruins at an incredible speed, rus.h.i.+ng into the sky . It should be Eugenes soul . If hed flown a bit slower, Link wouldnt mind adding another strike to shatter the soul . He couldnt do that now though . Eugene must be skilled in soul spells . After leaving this time, he will definitely use some method to be reincarnated . At that time, Ill have a new nemesis . I must be careful about this . Of course, Link didnt have any regrets . In the previous situation, it was life or death . Since Link could kill Eugene once, he could do it a second time! He wouldnt underestimate Eugenes destructiveness because of this though . Eugene was a true Legendary Magician . Fighting face to face wasnt his strong point, but if Eugene chose to stay in the shadows and plotted, that would be truly horrible . After composing himself behind the stalagmite, Link walked to Eugenes corpse . After looking around, he found an extraordinary dark wand and some magic items . This included a spatial ring . Opening the ring, Link couldnt help but shake his head . So many good things . As expected of an old Legendary Magician . Collecting all of them, Link checked his own state . That attack had seemed fast, but it had cost a lot too . In that instant, hed used up more than 5000 Realm Essence points . This was close to 30% of his total power . I still have more than 70%, and I should only have the Light Magician left . I can deal with him! Link continued on with that in mind . He walked for more than ten minutes along the tunnel . Then he suddenly saw someone leaning against a huge stalagmite up ahead . Looking, his heart jumped . It was none other than the Red Dragon Queen Gretel! Shed transformed back into human form and was covered in blood . A crystal spear that kept flas.h.i.+ng with golden lightning was in her waist . Her head rested weakly against the stalagmite . Her fiery hair fell messily around her . Behind her, the pool of blood had flowed for more than three feet . The view was tragic . Perhaps due to a dragons strong vitality, Gretel hadnt died . Her chest was still rising slightly . Hearing the footsteps, she opened her eyes and saw Link . That moment, she smiled bitterly . She opened her mouth to say something but didnt in the end . Shed just sighed and closed her eyes again . She knew that this human wasnt the human shed imagined . He was a lord . Perhaps he looked warm on the outside, but inside, he was fierce, cold, and cruel . They may have been friends, but they had different paths . He wouldnt help her . Though her logical mind told her this, Gretel still had some hope in her heart . Tap, tap, tap . The footsteps got closer; they were about to reach her . Gretel couldnt help but open her eyes . But what she saw dashed all hope . Link didnt seem to see her . He acted as if she was a cold corpse and walked past without even turning his head . I was right, but thats alright . I have nothing to miss in life . Gretels heart had given up . The lightning spear had destroyed her body . All she could do now was wait for death . Tap, tap, tap . Links footsteps faded into the distance… A teardrop rolled down from Gretels closed eyes . This was the second time shed shed tears for Link . It would be the last time too . But then something happened . Links voice suddenly sounded . Halino, I see you . Come out .