The City of Machines, seventh floor.
This should have been the most prestigious area in the entire mechanical capital, the top floor.
Before the fall of the mechanical city, it was inhabited by high-ranking figures who wielded both power and influence.
The buildings are magnificent and luxurious, with rune corridors running through them, and even the air is filled with precise and stable energy fluctuations.
However, at this moment, all that came into view was a desolate wasteland.
The earth was riddled with potholes and cracks, and the remaining metal structures were crushed and turned into twisted fragments that were deeply embedded in the strata.
There is no trace of its former glory left here.
Of course, this is not the result of the erosion of time.
The real reason lies high in the sky.
At this moment, several figures were suspended in mid-air, clearly divided into two rows, facing each other.
Invisible spiritual forces intertwine and collide between heaven and earth, keeping the energy field of this area constantly on the verge of chaos.
On one side was the human Morning Star Wizard camp, led by the Spirit Eye Wizard.
On the other side was the Morning Star Wizard of the Elven race.
On the human side, only three people truly descended to their true forms: the Spirit Eye Wizard, the Ice Heart Wizard, and the Earthshaking Fist Wizard.
Iceheart Wizard is a Morning Star Wizard who specializes in the rules of the ice element.
His body had already undergone a profound transformation; his skin was crystal clear, as if sculpted from ice, and his body exuded a chilling aura.
Even though it was just hovering there quietly, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
The Earthshaker Wizard is a Morning Star Wizard whose core element is earth.
A thick wizard's robe draped over his massive frame, completely obscuring his face.
Only the occasional wisp of energy could give people a vague sense that it was a terrifying power capable of shaking the very foundations of the earth.
Although on the human side, only three Morning Star Wizards were present.
But at the edge of this space, faint fluctuations of spiritual energy lingered and wandered.
That was the human Morning Star Wizard who had not yet appeared.
They did not descend to their physical bodies, but kept a close watch on this place with their spiritual will.
If a conflict at the Morning Star level were to actually break out here, they could arrive in a very short time.
This is why the dozen or so elven Morning Star wizards opposite them, despite having the numerical advantage, never made any rash moves.
The atmosphere was extremely tense.
Just then, a cold voice broke the silence.
"The Spirit-Eyed Wizard".
An elven witch spoke slowly, her tone filled with undisguised displeasure.
The elves are blessed with exceptional beauty, regardless of gender, and their spiritual power far surpasses that of ordinary races.
This witch was a mature and beautiful woman with a captivating charm in her eyes and brows.
However, the spiritual aura emanating from her was sharp and fierce, like a fully drawn bowstring, making her someone not to be underestimated.
"My elven race has come from afar to assist your Meteor Council in conquering the Nightmare Rift."
"The operation has now come to an end..."
Her gaze turned slightly cold as she stared directly at the Spirit-Eyed Wizard.
"Is this how your Meteor Council treats allied reinforcements?"
"Now that things have come to this point, fellow elves, please stop saying things like 'we don't know the cause'."
The Spirit-Eyed Wizard spoke in a calm tone.
"The real reason is clear to everyone present."
"Therefore, there is no need to raise any more banners. The alliance between the Meteor Council and the Elven race is an established fact, and it cannot be torn apart by a few words from you and me."
As he spoke, his gaze casually shifted to the young elven witch, his tone remaining calm, yet carrying a hint of deeper meaning:
"Lord Sel has not spoken, and Lord Flett has not yet expressed his opinion."
"you……"
"Could it be that he/she can speak on behalf of the entire Elven race?"
These words, once spoken, were like an invisible, sharp blade.
The young elven witch's beautiful eyes narrowed suddenly, and the color drained from her pretty face, clearly indicating that her vital point had been hit.
She snorted coldly, her lips twitching slightly, but she couldn't utter another word. She could only suppress her anger and retreat back into the elven ranks.
The alliance between the Elven race and the Meteor Council was not a verbal agreement.
That was an alliance personally established by two sixth-level Morning Star Wizards, Sel, the leader of the Meteor Council, and Lord Flet of the Wind Elf race.
The Spirit-Eyed Wizard's words were clearly a question about whether she was qualified to speak on behalf of Lord Fletcher.
This is blatant overstepping of authority.
Even though she was unwilling, she would never dare to continue dwelling on this matter.
After all, the Spirit-Eyed Wizard was right.
The current situation has nothing to do with most of the elven Morningstar wizards present.
The true root cause has always been only one: the Shadow Berserker Wizard.
The young female sorceress intervened only because she was resentful.
Being pressured in person by so many human Morning Star wizards would inevitably make anyone angry, no matter who it was.
But would she really have to risk her life for this and fight a fierce battle with the Morning Star Wizards of the human race?
She's not crazy yet.
This trouble was ultimately caused by the Shadow Berserker Wizards, so why should these innocent Morning Star Elf Wizards take the blame?
Moreover, conflicts between Morning Star wizards are never minor skirmishes during the formal wizarding stage.
The two sides had not actually made a move yet; they had merely released a portion of their rule power to test and clash with each other.
Even so, the towering buildings that once stood below have collapsed under the impact of the rules, turning into the devastated wasteland that is now full of pits and craters.
If a full-scale war were to break out, the seventh floor of this mechanical city would likely be completely breached and destroyed by the combined power of the many Morning Star Wizards present.
………………
Rumble!
A deafening roar suddenly came from afar, like thunder exploding on the horizon, or like the earth itself cracking and groaning.
The dull, continuous tremors spread along the earth's veins, even causing the already shattered ground on the seventh floor of the Mechanical City to undulate slightly.
Such an anomaly naturally attracted the attention of all the Morning Star wizards on both sides of the confrontation.
"Um?"
The Spirit-Eyed Wizard's brow twitched slightly, a hint of wariness flashing through his mind.
He cultivated the art of spiritual vision, which gave him a perception far superior to that of ordinary people.
At that moment, his eyes flickered slightly, and his originally pure white pupils quickly turned into a deep, dark abyss, like a night that swallows up light.
In the next instant, he took in the entire scene in the distance.
It was a gigantic tree-man whose size was comparable to a small mountain.
With each step its massive body took, the ground thudded with muffled "thump, thump," as if a heavy hammer were falling.
The figure, hundreds of meters tall, slowly advanced through the ruins, carrying a primitive and savage sense of oppression.
And on that tree-like shoulder stood a petite elven figure.
It was Lori, the princess of the wind spirit race.
"This is... a powerful figure from the Elven race?"
The mind of the Spirit-Eyed Wizard raced.
It wasn't just him.
Iceheart Wizard, Earthshaker Wizard, and all the Morning Star Wizards present clearly felt the heavy tremor that swept in from afar.
However, unlike the human wizards' surprise and doubt.
In the elven camp, the Morning Star wizards almost simultaneously changed their expressions, their hearts sinking.
It was as if a name they least wanted to face was about to be revealed.
Seeing this, both the Iceheart Wizard and the Earthshaking Fist Wizard frowned slightly, clearly puzzled. Noticing the Spirit Eye Wizard's unusual behavior, the two asked in hushed tones:
"Spirit-Eyed Wizard, what's that over there?"
The Spirit-Eyed Wizard didn't say much, but simply flicked his finger.
Buzz!
A wisp of spiritual energy rippled out, and a clear scene emerged:
It was that enormous tree-man that was approaching this place step by step.
"This is……"
Before Iceheart Wizard and Earthshaker Wizard could make a judgment, the last shred of hope in the heart of Morning Star Wizard, who was not far away, was completely shattered the moment he saw that figure.
Lord Fletcher did not arrive, but he did alarm another truly heavyweight.
Lord Iroh.
Thinking of the deep, almost symbiotic relationship between Ilo and Lord Flett.
Considering the power and status that Ilo himself represented, the expressions of these elven Morning Star wizards became more solemn than ever before.
Among the entire wind spirit race,
Only the three leaders and a handful of key figures could truly surpass Ilo in status.
Looking at the entire Elven race, Iro remains one of the top figures at the pinnacle.
Within the Wind Elf race, his status is enough to firmly place him among the top ten.
This is why, when the treant, as large as a mountain, truly appeared, the Elven race displayed such solemn, almost instinctive, awe.
What's more, these elven Morning Star wizards had never been this nervous, even when facing Lord Fletcher directly.
The reason is simple: although Lord Fletcher is strong, he is always easy to get along with, reasonable, and willing to give the Morning Stars of the clan some face.
But Lord Iro is different.
Yiluo's attitude towards juniors who have not yet reached the Morning Star realm can often be described as gentle, or even tolerant.
But once they truly reach the Morning Star level, in his eyes they are no longer "seedlings" that need to be protected, but "adults" who should be self-disciplined and take responsibility.
Ilo, on the other hand, has always been demanding of "adults" in a way that is almost cold-blooded.
This may also be related to his racial origins.
The Tree of Ilo cannot develop true intelligence unless it reaches the level of the Morning Star.
In Ilo’s view, those who have not yet stepped into the Morning Star are like children, and even if they are naughty, they can still be forgiven.
But if someone becomes a Morning Star Wizard and still acts recklessly and causes trouble, then in his eyes, that is an unforgivable dereliction of duty.
Therefore, the Morning Star Wizards of the Elven race were well aware of this.
Even if you do nothing, as long as you are singled out by Yiluo, you will most likely be found to have a few "flaws".
Not to mention the current situation.
The real trouble was caused by the elves themselves.
One can imagine the fury Lord Iro will feel when he finally arrives.
Rumble!
The heavy, rapid roar continued to approach, and the enormous figure, as large as a small mountain, was already close to everyone's sight.
Just as everyone held their breath, the giant tree-man figure suddenly moved!
As if casually discarding something useless, a dark shadow was suddenly thrown from his shoulder and tossed straight down.
Boom!!!
It was like a meteorite falling to earth, or like a cannonball exploding.
Even though everyone present was a Morning Star Wizard, they couldn't see what was being thrown out in that instant.
The next moment, the figure slammed into the ground.
The earth collapsed, rocks flew everywhere, and dust surged up like waves, instantly forming a huge, bottomless pit.
"That's...?!"
The Spirit Eye Wizard, the Ice Heart Wizard, and the Earthshaking Fist Wizard all felt a chill run down their spines, their power of rules quietly activating, ready to strike at any moment.
But when their mental energy swept across the area below, the three of them froze.
The person who was publicly "thrown out" was none other than the instigator of this whole incident.
Forest Shadow Berserker Wizard.
However, at this moment, he was no longer the arrogant and domineering Morning Star he once was.
His wizard robes were tattered and torn, like shredded rags;
The body was twisted and deformed, clearly having suffered an extremely terrifying crushing force;
That once cold and cruel face was now completely distorted, its eyes tightly closed, showing no reaction.
If it weren't for the extremely faint rise and fall of his chest, anyone would probably subconsciously think that this elven Morning Star Wizard had already perished on the spot.
The Spirit Eye Wizard and the others were still processing what they had just witnessed, their hearts filled with astonishment and doubt.
Meanwhile, the elves all gasped in shock.
"hiss……"
"Lord Ilo... is indeed truly enraged."
"Sen-ying Berserker is courting death... and he's dragging all of us down with him!"
Low gasps of breath spread through the elven ranks, and for the first time, a genuine sense of fear filled the air.
Clearly, the oppressive presence emanating from Lord Iro was far greater for these elven wizards than for the human Morning Star wizards.
boom!
Suddenly, a deafening explosion tore through the sky.
Immediately afterwards, the air was forcibly compressed and shattered, and layers of sonic booms exploded in the sky like continuous thunder.
Elona's massive body, as large as a small mountain, shot towards where everyone was in an instant!
At terrifying speeds, the air along the way was compressed and exploded, creating a distorted and collapsed vacuum region.
Even the many Morning Star Wizards facing off high in the sky all had their expressions change drastically.
Without any hesitation, everyone leaped back, their power of rules and their magical instincts driving them to barely avoid this brutal collision.
Just then, Yiluo's voice, like thunder, crashed down from the sky.
"snort!"
A cold snort seemed to strike the spirits of every Morning Star Wizard like a heavy hammer.
“Human Morning Star Wizards, I already know why you have come.”
The voice was deep and resonant, carrying a sense of supreme control.
"This time, it was indeed Senying Kuangzhan who was wrong."
The tone shifted, and Ilo's massive tree trunk tilted slightly, its gaze seemingly sweeping over the disheveled figure below.
"Now, he has become like this."
"Are you... satisfied?"
The seemingly calm question actually contains naked power and pressure.
On the human side, although several Morning Star Wizards were monitoring the area remotely with their mental powers, only three actually arrived:
The Spirit Eye Wizard, the Ice Heart Wizard, and the Earthshaking Fist Wizard.
And the moment Iro appeared!
A vast, powerful spiritual force, brimming with ancient life force, suddenly spread out, like an invisible forest collapsing, instantly locking onto the three of them.
It wasn't a deliberate attack, and not even witchcraft was used.
It is merely the natural outward manifestation of spiritual energy.
However, this casual glance caused the three Spirit-Eyed Wizards to simultaneously tremble.
My thoughts seemed to be held down by an invisible force, my mind became sluggish and my ideas became frozen, and for a moment even thinking became difficult.
It was as if I had been forcibly pushed into deep water.
Although Ilo has not yet reached the level of a sixth-level Morning Star, he has already reached the perfect state of a fifth-level Morning Star Wizard, and is only one step away from the legendary Morning Star realm.
Beings at this level, even without doing anything, are enough to crush the vast majority of fourth-level wizards.
Fortunately, the level four permanent magical imprints within the three Spirit-Eyed Wizards simultaneously activated spontaneously at this moment.
The ancient and stable magical runes lit up, dispelling the terrifying mental pressure, and the three people's consciousnesses returned to clarity.
But this moment of passive defense clearly demonstrated the gap between the two sides.
Ilo didn't even make a serious move; while they had to use their most treasured resources just to barely keep their composure.
The three Spirit-Eyed Wizards were all filled with dread.
From the earlier whispers of the elven wizards, they already knew that this terrifying elven being was named Iro.
After a brief silence.
The Spirit-Eyed Wizard slowly raised his head.
Those pale eyes stared directly at the towering tree-man figure before them, which resembled a small mountain. Their expression was calm and restrained, and they did not flinch in the slightest despite the other party's oppressive aura.
"Great Elven warrior, Lord Iro."
His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the vibrations in the air.
"The Shadow Berserker Wizard has paid the price for his actions."
At this point, the Spirit-Eyed Wizard paused slightly, his gaze becoming increasingly focused.
"But our purpose in coming here is not limited to this."
"We hope..."
"We can retrieve those human wizards that he took away."
"Human wizards? Hmph!"
Ilo gave a low hum, her voice devoid of any warmth.
That massive face, etched with the deep furrows of time, remained stern, its lines, like the rings of an ancient tree, exuding an unshakeable majesty.
The next moment, he did not look at the Spirit Eye Wizard and the others again, but instead used his mental energy to quietly transmit his voice to Princess Lori, who was standing on his shoulder.
"Little Lori".
Ilo's mental state was low and steady.
"You mentioned before that you had sent people to take control of Senying Kuangzhan's residence."
"Now, send people to bring over all the human wizards who are still alive."
Upon hearing this telepathic message, Princess Lori immediately nodded, her expression serious, without the slightest hesitation.
Immediately, she also used her mental power to transmit commands downwards, and subtle yet swift mental fluctuations quietly spread out.
A moment later.
Ilo raised her gaze again, looking down at the three Spirit-Eyed Wizards.
"The human wizards will soon be brought here."
His tone was indifferent, as if he were simply stating something perfectly ordinary.
However^
His mental energy remained firmly locked on the three wizards: the Spirit Eye Wizard, the Ice Heart Wizard, and the Earthshaking Fist Wizard, showing no sign of letting up.
Just as the three of them calmed down and were about to respond.
Ilo's voice rang out again.
"but!"
"This time, it was indeed Mori-kage Berserker himself who caused the trouble."
"He has paid a heavy price for his actions."
Ilo’s tone was cold, but in the next instant, his tone suddenly changed, and a chilling coldness appeared in his voice.
"But you human Morning Star wizards, why are you making such a big fuss and coming directly to the upper echelons?"
"Isn't this a gross underestimation of the Elven race?"
The moment the words fell!
boom!
An even more terrifying surge of mental energy suddenly erupted!
The vast spiritual power swept across the sky like a raging storm, layer upon layer, pressing down as if to crush the entire sky.
The expressions of the three wizards, Spirit Eye Wizard, Ice Heart Wizard, and Earthshaking Fist Wizard, changed simultaneously. The magical imprints within their bodies vibrated once more, and the power of rules flowed instinctively, barely managing to stabilize their figures.
at the same time.
High in the sky, the mental energy fluctuations of the human Morning Star Wizards, who had originally been observing from afar, suddenly became restless at this moment.
One after another, star-like spiritual projections appeared and disappeared in the void.
The dazzling starlight twinkled incessantly, as if it might coalesce into a real form at any moment.
Although they were facing a level 5 Morning Star Wizard from the Elven race, the human wizards of the Meteor Council showed no fear or hesitation, not because they were particularly loyal.
In this situation, the three Spirit-Eyed Wizards represent the entire Meteor Council. If the three are besieged by the Elves, the Morning Star Wizards of the Meteor Council will not stand idly by.
If the great war truly begins, then one after another, human Morning Star Wizards will forcibly descend upon this place.
Between the human Morning Star Wizards and the elven Morning Star Wizards.
That already taut string has now been stretched to its limit.
The great battle seemed to be just one insignificant spark away from erupting completely. (End of Chapter)
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