Wizard Bloodline

"Roar!"

As the bald man finished speaking, a deep, ancient growl, tinged with savagery and cruelty, echoed from afar.

The previously quiet atmosphere of the secret realm was shattered. The black wasteland was swept by fierce winds, dispersing the thick fog as if a stagnant pool of water was beginning to boil.

"My little pet has awakened."

The bald man stood up slowly from his metal chair, squinting into the distance, murmuring, "The last one escaped too quickly... this time, you can have your fun."

The oppressive feeling in Ronan's chest, the sensation of being watched, had reached a peak, causing him to pause instinctively.

"Whoosh—whoosh—"

Strange, thunderous sounds came from ahead, like something breathing heavily and frequently. The fog on the wasteland surged and parted.

The next moment.

"Roar!"

A gust of foul, hot wind blew from the front, accompanied by a savage, oppressive roar. The rolling sound waves swept away all the surrounding fog in an instant.

And beyond the cleared mist, the vague outline of a small mountain was revealed in full clarity.

It was no mountain, but a terrifying giant beast lying on the ground!

It resembled an enormous stone-armored insect, its massive body composed of hard rock plates, covered in deep brown and gray scales, with faint red light flickering between the gaps.

Its back was lined with spiny ridges resembling steep mountain ranges, each spine made of dark yellow crystals, emitting waves of energy that shook the air.

The huge stone-armored insect had eight sturdy legs anchored firmly to the ground, each leg covered in root-like rough patterns, with massive, sharp claws at the end.

Its broad, flat head, with horn-like protrusions, was facing Ronan. Six small, deep red eyes fixed on him, and its crack-like mouth opened, revealing rows of sword-like stone teeth.

Ronan stared blankly at the terrifying stone-armored giant beast before him, feeling the tsunami-like pressure crash over him, making his robe billow violently.

After a few seconds, Ronan snapped out of his shock and, without hesitation, turned and ran!

He chanted a short spell, his mental energy flowing like water, a flash of light beneath his robe at chest level, and a thin armor of frost formed around him.

First-level spell [Ice Armor].

The energy fluctuations from the spell seemed to completely enrage the terrifying stone-armored giant beast, which let out another low roar and charged at Ronan.

Despite its mountain-sized bulk, it moved with astonishing speed. Each step shook the black wasteland like an earthquake, tearing up huge swathes of earth and rock.

Ronan tensed, pulling Laura's flight ring from his pocket and quickly turning it.

An invisible force lifted Ronan shakily into the air, but before he could gain distance, he felt the stone-armored giant beast stomp heavily behind him.

"Buzz!"

A deep yellow energy wave swept across the wasteland.

Ronan suddenly felt his body sink, as if weighed down by countless iron bands, becoming cumbersome and heavy, even beginning to fall.

"Damn it!"

Ronan's expression changed, "Gravity! Anti-flight?!"

First-level magical beasts could manipulate their internal energy particles, releasing innate abilities similar to wizard spells.

The stone-armored giant beast behind him was clearly an outstanding first-level beast, not only massive but also possessing a gravity-like ability akin to earth spells, severely limiting first-level flight tools, creating an anti-flight effect.

"Boom!"

As Ronan landed, he pushed off the ground, leaping just in time to avoid a massive, segmented leg that crashed down where he had stood, piercing the earth like a hot knife through butter.

Ronan's entire body operated like a powerful, precise machine, his master-level [Ascetic Body Training] unleashing his extraordinary physique, transforming him into a blurred gray shadow, weaving skillfully through the terrifying blows!

"[Frost Howl]!"

Ronan pointed, summoning a storm of snow and ice to envelop the stone-armored giant beast's head.

The frost that could easily tear through ordinary first-level beasts merely produced a "crackling" sound like hail on stone when it hit the giant beast.

The stone-armored giant beast roared, charging through the howling snowstorm.

"Ice Spear!"

A sharp, long ice spear shot forth, wrapped in cold, spreading frost, aimed at the giant beast's flat head.

The crystals on the beast's back glowed, releasing a shield-like energy that blocked the frost's assault, while it continued its relentless advance, inching toward Ronan.

Ronan stepped back, sensing energy fluctuations behind him as a small pit exploded at his feet.

He turned sharply, realizing he had unwittingly retreated to the starting plaza, with the "safe" rune array just tens of meters behind.

Within the light screen, the bald man lounged lazily in his metal chair, a mocking smile on his face.

Beside him, the middle-aged wizard held a mercury-like black sphere, the source of the pit at Ronan's feet.

The wizard watched Ronan coldly, his gaze a clear warning: retreat further, and he would face more than just the giant beast.

Ronan suddenly realized he couldn't even voluntarily "forfeit" the test.

He stopped, seeing the beast with frenzied red eyes crush the ice spear, growling as it charged.

At this moment, Ronan found calm.

He had anticipated the test's difficulty, but not to this extent.

This wasn't meant for a first-level wizard.

Nor was it merely a test.

"Is this because of Benigo?"

Ronan pondered briefly, then his eyes turned resigned.

"No matter."

"If I've come this far..."

Ronan muttered, the foul wind from the beast ruffling his gray hair, his silver-gray robe billowing like a sail.

The beast's roar grew closer, its mountain-like shadow enveloping Ronan swiftly.

Yet he seemed oblivious.

He slowly lifted his head, speaking clearly.

"Then there's nothing that can stop me!"

In that moment, his eyes shone a clear azure, cutting through the surrounding darkness like a blade.

Beneath his robe, his hands moved, a deep blue light flaring between them!

The [Permafrost] sigil, previously anchored three times, flickered a fourth time, the ice ring on his chest glowing.

As the giant beast loomed over Ronan, his cold voice rang out.

"Desperate Freeze, Domain of Despair."

In an instant, an almost endless cold erupted from his slender frame.

A vast whiteness swallowed the colors of the black wasteland, mysterious and terrifying energy currents surged, deep blue streams like the veins of eternal permafrost, the auroras of the northern sky.

Beneath the magnificent, haunting beauty was a rapidly growing despair.

"Boom!"

On the plaza, the massive black metal chair exploded, turning into flowing metal.

The bald man, who had been lounging, leapt up, ghosting to the violently fluctuating rune light screen, staring through at the wasteland now covered in pure white.

Beside him, the middle-aged wizard's metallic sphere spell quietly dissipated, leaving him standing in shock.

Time seemed to stretch before the white haze finally faded.

As the scene cleared, their pupils contracted sharply, shock and disbelief etched on their faces, lingering.

---

In the now completely white wasteland stood a giant ice sculpture, as large as a small mountain.

The sculpture encased the stone-armored giant beast, frozen in a menacing pose with its limbs outstretched.

A handsome youth in a silver-gray robe leapt from the sculpture's top.

As the youth landed, the massive ice sculpture behind him cracked, fissures spreading rapidly until—

"Crash!" The sculpture shattered, collapsing into a tide of ice and snow.

"How is this possible?!"

A whispered voice broke the silence of the empty plaza.

"Tap—tap—"

Footsteps echoed.

Everyone in the room instinctively turned toward the test entrance.

"Almost two minutes."

The fiery-marked young wizard Fire Condor checked the time, frowning, "Honestly, slower than I expected."

But seeing the figure emerging from the test door, Fire Condor's frown vanished, replaced by a sneer, "That kid probably never left the rune's protection, just quit outright."

The youth exiting the test door appeared almost unchanged.

His silver-gray robe was pristine, without a single tear or wrinkle, not even dirtied or disheveled, unlike someone who'd just fought.

The youth seemed to notice Fire Condor's sneer, casting him a cool glance, which Fire Condor met unflinchingly.

Once poised to become "core," Fire Condor had been relegated to mere member status due to his guarantor's "private" issues, leaving him simmering with anger. Unable to confront Bazel, he sought an easy target to vent on.

"Enough, Fire Condor."

Bazel cut off Fire Condor's "childish" behavior, giving the youth a cursory glance, "No need to waste your energy on insignificant people."

Fire Condor snorted, falling silent.

At that moment, a shadowy figure exited the test door.

A middle-aged wizard with a sullen expression, he fixed his gaze on Bazel, coldly announcing, "Today's test ends here. Wait for further notice for the next test."

Bazel's face darkened at the words, ready to speak.

Suddenly, the air before the test door twisted, something terrifying seemed poised to burst out.

"Boom!"

A vast mental force engulfed the room. A figure shot out from the test door, surrounded by flowing black metal like semi-coagulated oil.

The shadow blocked most of the room's light. Before Bazel could react, a massive hand gripped his collar, then his throat, like an iron vice.

"Bazel!"

A face marked with black lines pressed close, its second-level wizard aura crushing the surrounding wizards to their knees.

The bald man's eyes blazed with fury and murderous intent, his voice as cold as a winter wind.

"You've outdone yourself, Bazel!

"Finding a genius like that, an early first-level with such domain power, instantly killing a near-second-level Terra Beast!

"Do you know how much effort and cost I spent to acquire that Terra Beast?"

The bald man's rough hand traced Bazel's face, grinning coldly, "You dare cross me?

"Then I'll play along.

"Let's see who outlasts whom."

With that, the bald man tossed Bazel aside like a ragdoll.

Bazel staggered back, still reeling, his mind echoing with the bald man's words—

Genius!..

An early first-level with domain power!

Instantly killing a near-second-level Terra Beast!

The one who had incensed Tulpa so was—

Bazel's gaze shifted, instinctively locking onto a tall, handsome youth.

Him?!

"Boom!"

Bazel felt as if struck by lightning, his body trembling slightly.

At this moment, he finally understood.

The "big fish" he'd failed to find over a month ago had been "hiding" under his very nose!

Standing by the test door, the youth stared coldly at Bazel, just as he had when Bazel had refused his request, silently watching him leave.

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