Dusk was fast approaching, the blood-red sunset slowly fading, swallowed by the night's inky darkness.
The battered battlefield seemed to showcase the terrifying aspect of a battle between two Gold-level Mages yet every battle ultimately has an outcome.
"Lord Wendell, do you have anything else you wish to say?"
Lis heard the system's prompt by his ear but he did not open the system to check it; instead, he gently asked the Gold Mage Wendell, who lay on the ground breath growing fainter.
"Nothing else, ah, even my final wish has been fulfilled!"
Wendell sighed as he spoke, the fresh blood at the corner of his mouth staining half of his collar, but his eyes sparkled even brighter.
"Truly worthy of being a disciple of the Judgement Flame...cough cough... Perhaps someone like you can reach that higher realm."
"It's a shame I won't be able to see it."
"Perhaps it's just as well..."
Wendell slowly closed his eyes and after waiting for a moment, Lis saw the body of the Great Mage gradually turn into sand, eventually dispersing on the spot.
Without any ceremony, Wendell used his last bit of strength to leave himself forever within the lands of Boditch.
Lis watched everything transpire in silence, neither intervening to stop it nor helping Wendell heal his wounds.
All that had happened was Great Mage Wendell's own choice, Lis had no need and no place to stop Wendell from embracing the end he had chosen for himself.
Truth be told, how many people could be like Wendell?
Whether he had chosen to help the Boditch Kingdom or defect to the Feis Kingdom, his status, power, and authority would not have waned in the slightest, yet in the end, for the land and people he loved, he chose this path.
Perhaps this was for the best, maybe in the end, he could once again see the Boditch Kingdom he adored in his childhood!
Lis shook his head, somewhat moved.
He had not known Wendell previously, nor had he paid attention in his previous life to this ex-leader of the Boditch Royal Mage Group, but the man's choice had truly shaken him.
This thrilling battle was indeed unforgettable, giving him a deeper appreciation of the demeanor of a Gold High Order Mage.
Yet, Wendell's serene acceptance of death made an indelible impression on Lis.
At least, if the Feis Kingdom ever faced the same peril, Lis would choose to resist, but should he be powerless, he would slip away after giving his all to save his own life.
Truth be told, since being reborn into this world for a year, everything he had seen was constantly providing him with new experiences.
Each piece of land he traversed, every friend he made, and every event he experienced left a profound memory.
Unknowingly, the bonds between him and this world had grown increasingly profound!
Will there come a day in the future when I will fight so desperately, sacrificing everything for something?
Lis pondered in his heart as the Jade Wand tapped lightly on the ground.
The ground where Wendell had been just a moment ago cracked open under the influence of the Earth Element, swallowing up everything Wendell had left behind deep under the earth.
There might have been valuable magical Equipment and items among Wendell's belongings, but Lis, his emotions stirred, did not wish to claim Wendell's legacy.
Better to let them rest with Wendell in the land.
"This is rather unlike me!"
Lis laughed mockingly at himself, as in the past, he would never have missed an opportunity to loot.
But Lis didn't regret it, if only as a sign of respect for Wendell.
After completing the spell, Lis swayed, barely able to stand upright.
His Magic Power was almost completely depleted, and the only reason he remained standing was due to his body's strength, equivalent to that of a Gold-level Warrior.
The battle with Wendell had been too intense, both had fought without holding anything back until the very last moment.
Wendell was exceedingly mighty, with his spellcasting skills honed to perfection.
But Lis was no less formidable than Wendell; although his breakthrough to the Gold Level had not been long ago, in his previous life as a player, he had been a Gold-level Mage, fighting with natural ease.
Even so, Lis had been breached by Wendell multiple times in his Defensive Magic.
Had it not been for his robust physical condition, Lis wouldn't have fared much better than Wendell now.
Yet the final victor was still Lis!
Even though he was weak and wounded, Lis felt extremely gratified at that moment!
Defeating a seasoned Gold-level Mage like Wendell was a testament to Lis's strength, securing his place among the Gold Level elites!
However, the road ahead for Lis was now completely alien.
After all, in his previous life, not a single player had managed to break through to the realm of Legend, with no clues on how to approach it.
Take it slow, no rush!
Lis, with a good mindset, was not in a hurry; by now, he had the confidence to have the means to protect himself before the arrival of the many disasters and chaos.
Pulling out a bottle of high-level recovery potion from his storage ring, he poured it into his mouth, feeling the bitter taste spreading across his tongue, and he plopped down on the ground without minding his image.
Now he didn't have enough Magic Power to use the [Teleportation Technique] to return to camp, it was best to recover first.
Lis casually summoned the system panel, and a multitude of information appeared in front of him.
[Triggered limited challenge mission!]
[Objective: Defeat Gold Mage Wendell]
[Reward: Dependent on the completion of the mission]
[As the battle progressed, your mastery of the Extraordinary Domain has deepened!]
[[Extraordinary Domain·Storm] Level One (30%) increased to (40%)!]