On the clearing of the ancient forest.
Specks of sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, casting fragmented shadows around Merlin. The gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and his face bore an expression of utter disbelief.
Having weathered countless ages and uncovered many mysteries of the world, it was rare for anything to truly move him. Yet, in that instant, he found himself genuinely unnerved.
Ian's silhouette appeared exceptionally clear under the blazing sun. He held in his hand a seemingly ordinary magic wand, but the gleam at its tip made Merlin's heart palpitate. It was the unique magical pulse of a legendary wizard, powerful and profound, as if it contained endless mysteries and the power to upend the world.
"What the hell!"
Under normal circumstances.
Merlin was a well-mannered gentleman who rarely swore, but this was clearly not a normal situation. Ian suddenly unleashed a powerful magic, like a surging torrent, proving to this legendary wizard that he indeed possessed the capital to challenge him. His youthful or perhaps callow face was strikingly conspicuous.
"This..."
Merlin's mouth opened slightly, wanting to say something, but was choked by the sudden shock, leaving him frozen in place as if immobilized.
His mind was consumed by a single thought—how could this be possible? Merlin muttered softly, his eyes full of disbelief. He had seen countless geniuses, but never one who could match his own existence.
In any case, this must have instilled a sense of pride within Merlin's heart; countless prodigies in the world were not worth even a fraction of himself. To Merlin, his pride was a completely reasonable mindset.
However.
Now.
A young boy, appearing to be just over ten, and likely genuinely just a teenager, stood before him. Merlin never expected the opponent to also be a legend.
A legend in their teens?
Ten years or more ahead of himself?
This guy started researching magic from the womb!
Even if this were the case, it would be quite exaggerated!
"So this is the reason why you dare to challenge me." Merlin's pupils flickered slightly, still deeply shaken within, though he understood why the little wizard dared to initiate a wager with him.
It's not about courage.
But because... the latter wants to test their edge against the senior. As for the gem the little girl beside him mentioned, Merlin felt that no legendary wizard would be moved by such.
An excuse.
It should merely be an excuse.
As Merlin's thoughts fluctuated, Ian had already moved. He first lightly tapped his magic wand, and with the appearance of rune runes, an invisible imprisonment spell instantly formed, securely locking the struggling shadow creature in his hand. The shadow creature emitted a sharp screech, but it didn't prevent Ian from casually tossing it to little Morgan.
Carrying such a thing into combat with a wizard of equal rank, Ian couldn't help but feel uneasy, as no one knew what sneaky tricks such an eerie creature might pull during the battle.
It better not affect his receipt of his three great gemstones. Of course, there was the time converter too, which Ian found hard to determine which he valued more.
"Watch over it," Ian spoke softly.
"Okay, teacher," little Morgan accepted the shadow creature, curiously wanting to play, but soon her attention was captivated by Ian's subsequent actions, making the magical life in her hands lose its charm.
Suddenly.
Ian wielded his magic wand once more, this time with greater speed and fierceness. A searing flame burst from his wand's tip, instantly transforming into immense fire dragons.
They roared and thundered toward Merlin. The blue fire dragons seemed capable of devouring souls, symbolizing the consuming fiery fire and the powerful transformation technique.
Fiery fire spread at an astonishing speed, ruthlessly swallowing everything it touched. The surrounding robust trees, under its assault, were swiftly ignited, crackling loudly and turning to ash in mere seconds. Thick smoke billowed and quickly spread, enveloping nearly everything in darkness and terror.
Seeing this scene deeply shocked little Morgan.
Meanwhile.
It also allowed Merlin to glimpse an entirely different magic system.
"Look at what I've encountered, a teenage legend." Merlin had already been fully prepared, his courtesy as a senior was the reason why he let Ian take the initiative.
Seeing fiery fire spread everywhere, blocking every area, a trace of amazement flickered in Merlin's eyes. He hadn't taken any action, as fiery fire approached his figure, yet passed through amidst golden ripples.
This was some kind of magic.
It might also stem from the power of bloodlines.
At the moment fiery fire was poised to engulf him, his body suddenly became ethereal, at times clear and tangible, as if within reach; at other times vague and ephemeral, like an elusive phantom. Seamlessly merging with the surrounding air, fiery fire passed through him without inflicting any damage.
Magic cannot touch what doesn't exist.
"Such astounding talent... do you hail from the Age of Gods?" Merlin, gazing at the fiery fire encircling Ian who resembled a demon god, began speculating about Ian's origins. It's no wonder Merlin entertained such an idea, having sensed the discordant pulse within Ian, aware that Ian didn't belong to this segment of time.