At present, there were a few foreign Spell Casters gathered in Fort Udon. Based on the robes they wore, they were not Wizards of Fort Udon. If one was familiar with the Spell Casters of the Kurdmansla Islands, one would be surprised to discover that they were in fact Wizards from Wizard's Tower and Gray Wing Alliance.

On the entire Kurdmansla Islands, the three colossal factions practically controlled everything on the islands. Furthermore, the three factions each possessed about the same level of strength and were always in competition at any given time.

Wizard's Tower was slightly better off as everyone who joined them were Fourth-level Spell Casters or higher. Therefore, the resources they needed were very precious and were usually located in the vast ocean. As a result, the competition between them and Gray Wing Alliance or Fort Udon was not that fierce.

However, it was different with Gray Wing Alliance and Fort Udon. There were many overlapping areas between these two factions, and small conflicts often erupted between them, leading to a tense relationship.

Today, the fact that people from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower had shown up in Fort Udon could be considered a rare occurrence.

"Wizard Umo, your Fort Udon must've gotten the news too. Speak, for this is a matter of life and death for the entire Kurdmansla Islands!"

A Spell Caster with short red hair spoke coldly.

Wizard Umo, as one of the three fort leaders in Fort Udon, was naturally well-respected, but he was not angered even when he heard the blunt words of the Wizard with fiery red hair. Instead, he began contemplating.

After a long time, Wizard Umo raised his head and narrowed his eyes, which glinted with a steady light. He said in a low voice, "The movements of the sea beasts this time are unusual. Since you have all come, I'm sure you understand the situation clearly. However, there's something which you might not have known – the sea beasts have sent two black sharks which are king beasts!"

"What? Black sharks which are king beasts? Two of them – how is that possible?"

The faces of the Spell Casters from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower changed greatly. They knew very well what the king beasts, these black sharks, signified. In the vast ocean, the true rulers were not Spell Casters like them, but these interminable sea beasts!

Moreover, among these sea beasts, the most terrifying ones were the king beasts. Perhaps, there were even stronger sea beasts, only they were not yet discovered. The king beasts themselves were comparable to the Great Wizards of Spell Casters.

Fortunately, these sea beasts usually acted separately. Each king beast had a predetermined region as its territory, in which no other king beasts were allowed. If one approached, it would even draw the frantic attack of the other king beast.

King beasts belonging to the same group might be slightly friendlier to each other, but even then, they were not allowed to encroach into each other's territory.

The current situation where two black sharks which were king beasts joining forces was really an uncommon event.

"What's impossible about that? The two king beasts, which are black sharks, have formed a group, and they have divided a large area as their territory. Unfortunately, our Kurdmansla Islands is right within the territory which the two king beasts have marked. We will suffer from non-stop attacks from the two king beasts unless we move away. Previously, when the surrounding islands of the Kurdmansla Islands were successively attacked by the sea beasts, it was, in fact, the tentative warning attacks of these two black sharks."

Wizard Umo laughed coldly. He would not be too obliging toward people from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower.

The expressions of the Spell Casters from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower were rather sour. There was only one way that the two kings like the black sharks would join forces, and that was if the two king beasts formed a group.

If that was really the case, then the Kurdmansla Islands was truly in danger. Two king-beast level black sharks were equivalent to two Great Wizards. The king beasts were the absolute overlords of the vast endless sea.

"Wizard Umo, what do you think the Kurdmansla Islands should do?"

The Spell Caster with short red hair fixed his gaze on Wizard Umo as he spoke. Thereafter, all the present Spell Casters looked toward Wizard Umo.

Still, Wizard Umo remained unperturbed, and said coldly, "What else is there to do? Your Gray Wing Alliance is well aware that at this point, we can only ask for the help of the Great Wizard Kansu. If he can take this on, we might still have a slight hope of holding onto the Kurdmansla Islands. Otherwise, others may leave, but the foundations of all three major factions are on the Kurdmansla Islands. Once we leave, the Kurdmansla Islands will no longer exist. Without our foundations, we'll become roaming Wizards!"

The faces of the Wizards from Gray Wing Alliance and Wizard's Tower darkened slightly. Others could leave, but they, the Spell Casters from the three major factions, could not, because once they left, the foundations of the three major factions would cease to exist. They had spent no small effort to establish these factions. If they continued developing for over a century, they might acquire a heritage which was akin to a spell casters' organization's.

Conversely, once they left, they would become roaming Wizards. Most Spell Casters in the three major factions used to be roaming Wizards, and they had first-hand knowledge of how difficult it was being a roaming Wizard. Naturally, they must not give up their foundations on the Kurdmansla Islands so easily.

"When Wizard Kansu first came to the Kurdmansla Islands, he made it clear that he was only here temporarily, and he didn't join any factions, let alone set up one. He can leave anytime he wants."

A Wizard from Gray Wing Alliance frowned while speaking.

The Kurdmansla Islands were indeed overseen by a Great Wizard, who was called the Great Wizard Kansu! Nevertheless, only the higher-ups of these major factions, who held core positions, knew of this. The Great Wizard Kansu, in reality, was merely on the Kurdmansla Islands on a temporary basis and had no obligation to help the Kurdmansla Islands defend against these sea beasts.

Wizard Umo stood up and his eyes sharpened instantly. He said heavily, "It's true that the Great Wizard Kansu had made that clear at the start, but we only need to lend more weight to our persuasion. We, three factions have been operating on this island for so many years, I believe we all have precious treasures stowed away. Hehe, this time, it won't be stowed away any longer. No matter how precious your treasure is, can it compare to the very foundations we have on the Kurdmansla Islands? As long as the Great Wizard Kansu gets items which he's satisfied with, he'll assist us quite naturally."

"Very well, we shall request authorization for this!"

Wizard Umo nodded, following which the Wizards hurriedly turned and left.

"This is the biggest calamity faced by my Fort Udon, even the entire Kurdmansla Islands…"

A faint, worrisome light shone in Wizard Umo's eyes.

…

"Boom!"

Merlin summoned all his Mind Power to fiercely simulate the Flame Maxim in his Awareness. At that moment, the Flame Maxim finally began changing.

As his Mind Power swept over the Flame Maxim like a wave, Merlin felt as if he was submerged in the middle of a borderless sea of flame. Flames encompassed his entire Awareness, and an unbearable burning sensation spread throughout his body.

Not even Mind Power was able to block this scorching sensation. It even burnt up, shocking Merlin. Mind Power was something incorporeal and was essentially illusory. However, this ball of flame currently seemed likely to burn even his Mind Power.

This was far beyond Merlin's expectations!

A Maxim was something which Merlin had no way of comprehending. Not even Great Wizards were able to grasp what it was, let alone someone like Merlin. He had never intended to refine this Maxim now but instead wanted to discover how this Maxim could possibly be of use to him.

After he endured the searing temperature of the Flame Maxim, Merlin was pleasantly surprised to find that the state of the entire monument seemed to be imprinted in his mind. He had a feeling of being in control of this monument.

The outlines of this monument also appeared in his mind. It looked to be a large ship, and the air bubbles outside were in fact layers of protective energy which was beyond Merlin's understanding, enclosing the entire ship. It was able to freely travel along the bottom of the ocean, even if tens of thousands of years had passed. As long as the monument still had energy, it was able to sustain itself.

This energy required more than just elemental crystal stones. By themselves, these stones would find it hard to sustain such a huge consumption of energy. Besides elemental crystal stones, the ship itself was also absorbing the energy of Fire Element.

Of course, there was no Fire Element at the bottom of the ocean, but there seemed to be faint cracks in space-time all around the ship. The ship absorbed Fire Element through such cracks and used the energy to support itself.

Now, Merlin could confirm that this monument was an extremely mighty alchemy product. It was able to absorb Fire Element from space-time. Not even the Legend Nikola would be able to do this. It must be an unknown, especially powerful Wizard who transfigured this expressly for the Legend Nikola.

Moreover, the thing which controlled this powerful alchemy product was a Flame Maxim left behind by the Legend Nikola. Now that the Flame Maxim had entered Merlin's Awareness, he was able to utilize this Maxim to control this powerful alchemy product even though he did not have the ability to refine the Maxim.

Very soon, Merlin withdrew his Mind Power from the Flame Maxim. He already had a slight understanding of how this Flame Maxim was like. Its biggest benefit was the ability to control this alchemy product which could freely traverse the ocean floors.

This alchemy product was something even the Legend Nikola had treasured, so it must have some wondrous trait. However, Merlin had just begun to understand all these, so he had no way of grasping everything completely. After some time, he might be able to comprehensively control this alchemy product.

Besides the advantage of controlling the alchemy product, the Flame Maxim had another feature which Merlin had taken notice of. Namely, it was able to suppress flames, and it seemed that any flames would be affected by the Maxim's suppression.

"Fiery Collapse!"

Merlin tried casting Fiery Collapse, but as soon as the white flames were produced, Merlin used his Mind Power to fiercely simulate the Flame Maxim. In that instant, Fiery Collapse seemed to fall under a shapeless pressure and was not at all like the mighty flames which used to surge and roar.

"As I thought, Fiery Collapse also succumbs to this suppression… Perhaps I could try forcing Fiery Collapse to merge with my Fire-type spells!"

As he stared at the powerful Pandora Demon Ability suppressed by the Flame Maxim, a bold and daring idea occurred to Merlin.