He had no idea how many days he had been trapped in that wooden boat.
At first, it hadn't felt like much, but as time dragged on, the torment began to wither his spirit.
One could play games for a day or two and stay excited and positive.
But what if you were forced to play at high intensity for months on end, without a single moment of rest?
That wasn't entertainment; it was torture!
Even a beloved game would become unbearable under those conditions, let alone this wooden boat, which was specifically designed for his suffering.
Bombarded by TNT and harassed by zombies, the Black Mage had grown numb.
Even when he had been imprisoned in an obsidian cage by the Ender Dragon, he hadn't felt this dead inside!
After all, that cage only sealed his magical energy and restricted his movement.
Compared to his current situation, that place had been paradise!
Now that he finally saw someone who could be considered an acquaintance, he didn't care about anything else.
The Black Mage only wanted a quick release.
"Destroy this boat for me! I'll do anything you want afterward, I beg you!"
The Black Mage looked at the Wandering Mage with pleading eyes.
Knowing his old friend's personality, he could guess why he had come.
With his kindness and helpful nature, he would surely save him... wouldn't he?
"So, you've been trapped."
The Wandering Mage took in the Black Mage's surroundings, understanding the situation.
It appeared to be a specifically designed punishment, and a very clever one at that.
Even the Wandering Mage, an old caster who had seen many grand sights, couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration.
"Haha, it seems to suit you quite well."
Dropping his magical shield, the Wandering Mage chuckled.
As fellow mages, the Black Mage hadn't committed any truly heinous crimes, but his reputation had never been exactly stellar, and his methods were far from righteous.
A little punishment wasn't a bad thing.
"I wasn't the one who locked you up. Given your strength, I doubt any Chunk Lord would refuse your service."
"But a lowly thrall? Are you really going to become his servant?"
"Under the current circumstances, we desperately need a leader. If he's suitable, it's not out of the question."
As they broached this topic, both fell silent.
Shaking his head, the Black Mage's gray face was a mask of exhaustion.
"Stop dawdling. I don't want to discuss this. He's coming—looks like there's no way you can save me in secret now!"
Nearby, Galen Yu approached out of curiosity.
He had been building his chunk when he suddenly heard voices coming from the Black Mage's direction.
The voice was unfamiliar; it didn't belong to the Black Mage or the Architect.
'Is it a new zombie variant?'
Driven by curiosity, he decided to investigate.
When he saw the newcomer, Galen Yu was surprised.
"Robes, a staff... another mage?!"
Was this another mage? A reinforcement for the Black Mage?
Drawing the Tsukumo Kai, Galen Yu grew cautious.
"Don't be nervous, child."
Noticing Galen Yu's posture, the Wandering Mage spoke in a gentle tone.
To show his sincerity, he stepped forward and waved his staff.
Whether for helping or for disciplining the Black Mage, Galen Yu had earned his respect.
Three diamond blocks, a stack of slime blocks, a stack of lapis lazuli, and half a stack of redstone appeared on the ground.
"I am a Wandering Mage. I have come to help you better survive the Crisis!"
Galen Yu raised an eyebrow as he picked up the resources.
Looking closely, this man was nothing like the withered, treacherous-looking Black Mage.
This mage had a very gentle appearance, giving off the vibe of a kindly grandpa from next door. He didn't seem like a bad person.
Besides, the resources were real. Diamond blocks, slime blocks, and the rest were indeed a generous gift to Galen Yu.
Seeing him pick up so many resources right upon meeting, the countless viewers were shocked.
"Is this for real? Are those actually diamonds?!"
"Holy crap, it really is diamonds! And the most precious kind—diamond blocks!"
"I know this! You need nine diamonds to craft a diamond block. One block is worth a set of diamond armor and a sword!"
"Slime blocks and lapis are both rare, and he just gave them away like that!"
"Damn, God Yu is incredible!"
"What's wrong with the Wandering Mage? Why give stuff to Galen Yu and not to our Ronan Mountwell!"
"Baka! Our Mountwell saved you, and he didn't get a single gift!"
"They just met! This is unbelievable!"
The Wandering Mage had never proactively given items to any of the players he had encountered before.
Galen Yu was definitely the first!
And the gift was so substantial that the audience watched in envy.
The one most devastated, however, was the Blonde Elder.
"Oh my god! Does Galen Yu have some kind of magic?"
Ronan Mountwell had saved the mage, yet he had barely received a hint in return.
Though in the end, the Wandering Mage had exerted great effort to save Oakmoor and Soren Park, exhausting the favor owed.
But they just met!
They hadn't even spoken a few sentences, and he handed over all that loot!
"Is Galen Yu some kind of incubus?!"
Slumping into his chair, the Blonde Elder fell into a stunned silence.
He was completely out of ideas!
Collecting the resources, Galen Yu was certain that the Wandering Mage before him was different from the Black Mage; he was a good person.
He didn't need to be so guarded, so he moved his hand away from his SlashBlade.
"Hello, I'm Galen Yu."
After a brief introduction, he glanced at the Black Mage.
Since they both came from advanced chunks and were just talking, they clearly knew each other.
Sensing Galen Yu's thoughts, the Wandering Mage explained with a smile.
"Don't overthink it. I do know him, but we are no longer friends."
"Just now, he wanted me to destroy the wooden boat to rescue him, but I believe it's better if you're the one to decide that."
"He just asked me to break the boat to save him, but I think that decision should rest with you."
Glancing at the Black Mage, Galen Yu knew the Wandering Mage wasn't lying.
If he had really wanted to save him, he had plenty of time before Galen Yu arrived.
Feeling Galen Yu's gaze, the Black Mage snorted coldly, still unable to drop his haughty act.
"A guest from afar is always welcome. Please, come in."
Since the man had come to help, Galen Yu couldn't be rude.
He smiled and invited him onto the Sky Island, ignoring the haggard Black Mage.
After a few steps, the Wandering Mage suddenly remembered something.
"I heard the sound of TNT from outside. Tell me, do you really have that many resources?"
He was truly curious about this.
"Oh, that? It's nothing much, really."
Because of the fog, the Wandering Mage couldn't see clearly into the sky.
Galen Yu signaled for him to follow and began building up with blocks toward the sky platform.
The fog would dissipate eventually anyway, so it didn't matter if he saw it now.
Waving his staff, the Wandering Mage didn't need to build; a breeze rose beneath his feet, lifting him into the air to follow Galen Yu to the platform.
As they ascended and the Redstone Cannon came into view, his eyes widened.
This was the first time he had ever seen such a structure.
Indeed, even in the advanced chunks ruled by mighty dragons, nothing like this existed.
What kind of principle was this based on?
He could see the redstone circuitry, and with every cycle, TNT was pushed down to explode.
There was clearly only one underneath the fence, yet it produced infinite explosions!
Before seeing it for himself, he had imagined many possibilities.
Perhaps villagers were up there lighting and pushing them, or perhaps it was something more advanced like a dispenser.
"This... this is unbelievable!"
Even with magic, the Wandering Mage found it difficult to explain or comprehend!
...
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