Fire Mage

Twenty years ago, he had nearly lost his life. If not for a mysterious woman named Sasha, he would have died and become history.

But Sasha resurrected him, binding his soul to his body with a soul link. Though forced to sign a slave-like abyssal contract with her, Marcus never regretted it.

In fact, he'd gained much from the pact.

I became a Legend Rank powerhouse! he thought grimly.

Though still Rank-5 [Reality Warper] in his Main Class, his anomaly Sub-Class had made a breakthrough.

I control souls like puppets on strings, bending them to my will. My soul spells have grown stronger. Even if a Grim Reaper appeared, I wouldn't fear.

The crystal in his hand suddenly vibrated, glowing bright blue.

"Oh? Lady Sasha is calling? Something happened?" he muttered and activated the communication crystal.

A vivid vision flickered before him—a beautiful young woman, more than a simple image, a divine-like projection.

Her gaze pierced his soul as she scanned the surroundings, drawn toward the dark book on the table. Curiosity emanated from her, as if the book held some secret.

"Red Prince's authority?" she asked softly.

The woman looked to be in her late twenties, with long auburn hair framing her face. Her deep blue eyes were close-set and full of emotion. Delicate brows and an elongated nose gave her an elegant, ethereal beauty.

Her glorious blue gown sparkled with gems, enhancing her otherworldly aura. She held a distinctive flute, its design hinting at origins beyond this world.

"Lady Sasha!" Marcus bowed deeply. "I don't know much about this book, my lady. I obtained it after killing a woman named Edith."

"Not interested in your story," she interrupted coldly. "It's time for you to do your part. The time has come."

She glanced once more at the mysterious book, then added thoughtfully,

"Also, 'he' has returned from death, stronger than before. I won't be able to help you this time. Kill those four brats and seize the Legacy for me. Meanwhile, I'll settle the score with Charles once and for all."

"Charles? You mean that old man I fought twenty years ago?" Marcus asked.

"They're the same," Sasha replied. "But you should worry about yourself. Unlike back then, all four of those kids have grown strong enough to face even a Legend Rank Mystic. I've even heard rumors that a young kid named Noel managed to kill a Legend Rank member of the Unseen Legends."

"Prepare everything and be at Dreamforge City in thirty minutes," she ordered, then cut the connection. The illusory projection dissolved into particles of light.

The crystal snapped back to normal, and Marcus slowly turned toward the black-covered book. He had taken the grimoire after defeating a woman named Edith two decades ago. Since his resurrection, he had focused on his subclass and studied the mysterious artifact.

After several attempts, he discovered it was a grimoire belonging to a higher being.

"I haven't used it yet—too afraid of curses or madness. But it seems I have no choice but to gamble," he muttered, stepping closer and picking up the book.

"Usually, awakening this kind of grimoire demands a sacrifice—a portion of one's life force—to make a contract with the higher being that owns it. If the being accepts, I'll gain tremendous power, but at the cost of my soul." He paused, recalling he had already signed a slave-like pact with Sasha. Whether or not he sold his soul, he was bound to her like a puppet for life.

Haa, he sighed. Better ask the professors to assemble and prepare the teleportation array circle.

From his space ring, he retrieved a silver ring and contacted someone through a spiritual imprint.

A female voice answered seconds later.

"Hello, Lord Marcus! Do you need something?"

"Liana, can you gather the other professors and prepare the teleportation array circle? I must be in Dreamforge City in thirty minutes for an urgent matter," Marcus said solemnly.

"Y-Yes, Lord Marcus. I'll call them right away." Without waiting for a reply, the mage Liana ended the call.

Should I bring the professors along? Marcus wondered, then shook his head. They wouldn't stand a chance against a normal Rank-5 Mage and would only slow him down.

Now, I need more trump cards to survive this.

He pulled a knife from his space ring, made a small cut on his palm, and let a few drops of blood fall onto the black-covered book.

Within seconds, the blood was drawn into the grimoire, which began to tremble faintly.

Suddenly, a sharp headache exploded in his mind, nearly toppling him. Around him, the surroundings cracked, then shattered—swallowed by absolute darkness.

In a blink, Marcus stood in an empty void, his heartbeat pounding like a drum.

"Are you the one who awakened me?" a chilling male voice echoed through the void. Though the language was foreign, Marcus understood the meaning.

He bowed quickly. "I am a mortal from Edhen World, Your Excellency. I do not know who you are, but I seek your help to save my miserable life."

"I am but a fragment of my Will, bound within this book." The voice paused, then added, "Why do I sense Sasha's power within you? Use me wisely. Help her."

The void cracked again, and Marcus found himself back in the underground hall.

Before he could even open his eyes, an eerie black flame enveloped him, burning relentlessly.

"Argh!!" Marcus screamed in pain, but no sound escaped through the metallic door. He collapsed slowly, struggling to brush off the invisible flames.

Yet, no flames were visible—only the searing pain remained, torturing him as he clutched his head and sank to his knees.

Blood dripped from his nose and mouth, staining the concrete floor.

The agony persisted for over fifteen minutes before finally subsiding.

Marcus lay there, exhausted and vomiting blood, sensing a profound change within.

Though his body showed no outward sign, his senses felt sharpened beyond measure.

"What did that strange voice do to me?" Fear crept into his heart.

He stood slowly, peeling off the bloodied grey robe, and glanced at the wooden table, searching for the book.

But the table was empty.

"W-What happened?" He closed his eyes tightly. Suddenly, a similar book appeared floating inside his mind.

At the same time, a foreign power flooded his thoughts, transmitting knowledge about the grimoire.

It's hiding in my dark space? he realized.

Even more astonishing were the details about the book's new abilities.

It was a Destiny Series Grimoire, linked to a higher being's authority. He could borrow its power in life-or-death situations, though each mysterious spell could only be used once per month.

Destiny Life – Revive. Destiny Life – Heal. Destiny Life – Nullify. Destiny Life – Sacrifice. Destiny Life – Thoughts Dissary.

Though he hadn't yet tested their strength, Marcus resolved to use them only in emergencies.

"I know the artifacts I have won't help against those kids—or Charles." He sighed deeply and headed for the exit of the underground basement.

He entered the long corridor of the Iron Tower, climbed the staircase, and took flight toward the seventh floor.

Unlike the Rebirth Tower, the Iron Tower lacked artificial spirits or teleportation circles between floors.

Without rune technology, the Iron Tower had lost many talented mages and mystics.

Shaking off the thought, Marcus reached the top floor, where over ten blue-robed mages stood in the teleportation hall.

Nine mages guarded the corners of the array circle, chanting in an ancient language.

At the center, a brown-haired woman in her late twenties wore a unique red robe. She carefully inscribed strange numbers onto the floor using blood-red ink.

Next to her lay a fist-sized blue crystal, glowing as the chants intensified and thick spatial-elemental energy filled the air.

"Lord Marcus, the coordinates to Dreamforge City are set. Everything is ready," she said as Marcus entered the grand hall.

Moments later, she finished writing and hurried away from the array circle.

The gathered energy condensed at the center, warping space until a small crack appeared.

A mysterious power pulsed from the blue crystal, scanning the circle, mingling with the energy.

The crack widened, forming a portal two meters wide.

"Thanks for your hard work," Marcus said quietly, waiting until the portal stabilized before stepping through.

He reappeared more than 400 meters above the ground, beginning to fall.

Expecting this, he released his wisdom power, balancing himself mid-air.

His gaze swept downward, tracing his descent until it landed on the sprawling city below—Dreamforge City.

A massive city enclosed by walls six to seven meters tall stretched before him.

Unlike Iron City's metallic sprawl, Dreamforge City featured a single gate instead of multiple entrances.

Surrounding the city were vast waterways resembling a great river, though careful eyes would spot mutated crocodiles and strange marine magical beasts lurking beneath the surface.

"They're already mobilizing an army," Marcus muttered, weaving his wisdom power as he moved toward the fortress-like entrance.

Marcus soon arrived before the fortress entrance and spotted a woman with auburn hair standing on the battlement, speaking with seven figures cloaked in black robes.

She wore shining silver battle armor, a young woman whose presence radiated strength and grace in equal measure. The intricately crafted breastplate, made of shimmering silver plates, formed a protective shell that accentuated the curves of her figure.

Beneath the armor, a vibrant red silk top peeked through, its bold color sharply contrasting with the silver.

Her hands were encased in gauntlets forged from the same silver as her breastplate, offering both agility and defense. Golden edges trimmed the gauntlets, adding a touch of elegance to the otherwise practical armor. Matching shoulder pads, also gilded, rested firmly atop her shoulders.

Rising majestically behind her back were wings—metallic yet ethereal, their steel-like structure lending an otherworldly air to her presence.

A gown-like dress flowed gracefully from her armored waist, pooling softly at her feet. This seamless extension of silver and gold embodied both strength and beauty in its sweeping lines. Golden boots covered her lower legs, combining style with function.

"She looks more like an angel from fairy tales," Marcus murmured, stunned by her divine figure. For a moment, he felt as if he were gazing upon a messenger of the gods.