The vision darkened further, showing the kingdom in ruins. Its grandeur reduced to a crumbling wasteland, the once-thriving civilization left in shambles.

    "We—" Valtheris began, but his words were cut off as the clarity in his voice faltered. His glowing blue eyes flickered and shifted back to red.

    "Humans! You still live?!" the Lich roared, the chamber shaking as the illusion vanished. Leon and Roselia found themselves back in the dimly lit room, facing the enraged Archmage once more.

    {New Quest}

    {Stall the Lich until clarity returns.}

    {Time Limit: 3 minutes}

    {Reward: Continuation of Quest.}

    "Here we go again," Leon muttered, gripping his staff tightly. A barrage of spells erupted from the Lich, forcing Leon to counter once more.

    "Stay on your guard!" Roselia called, preparing to assist if needed.

    Leon unleashed a series of carefully calculated counterspells, dodging and blocking as he battled to stall the Lich without harming it. "It''s going to be a long three minutes," he sighed.

    Leon moved with calculated precision, each motion flowing seamlessly into the next as he continued to stall the Lich. Despite the Archmage''s immense magical strength, Leon''s intelligence and skills made the task look almost effortless.

    {2:45...}

    The Lich unleashed a flurry of Fire Bolts, its skeletal hands glowing with crimson energy. Leon raised his staff, calmly countering with Water Barrier, extinguishing the incoming flames before they could even reach him.

    "Predictable," he muttered under his breath, sidestepping to dodge a shadowy tendril aimed at his flank.

    {2:10...}

    The Lich roared in frustration, casting Lightning Chain, but Leon countered with a smirk. A flick of his staff summoned Grounding Field, dispersing the electricity harmlessly into the ground.

    "You''ll have to do better than that," Leon said, his voice steady as he moved to reposition himself.

    Roselia, standing at a safe distance, watched in quiet admiration. Leon wasn''t just holding his own—he was controlling the entire pace of the battle. Every spell the Lich cast was met with a precise and efficient counter, leaving no room for escalation.

    {1:35...}

    The Lich tried to shift tactics, summoning spectral swords that hovered menacingly in the air. They shot toward Leon with deadly speed, but he countered with Mana Wave, a burst of energy that shattered the spectral weapons before they could reach him.

    Roselia called out, "Need help?"

    Leon glanced back and shook his head. "Not yet. I''ve got this under control."

    {1:00...}

    The vision grew darker as the Lich''s voice cracked with regret.

    "But his son escaped. Years later, that boy returned, not as an Archmage like his father, but as a Magus King—a rank far above ours by three times. With power beyond anything we could comprehend, he cursed our kingdom''s nobility, binding us to endless torment and twisting the very magic we once wielded against us."

    The scene faded, and the Lich looked directly at Leon and Roselia. "My name was Valtheris von Raon, and this is the penance I pay for my arrogance and cruelty."

    Leon nodded, his face solemn, but before he could respond, Valtheris''s eyes glowed red once again, and his skeletal frame trembled with dark energy.

    "Humans! You dare mock me by lingering here?!" the Lich roared, his voice losing its clarity as he raised his hands to cast another spell.

    "Not again," Leon sighed, gripping his staff tightly.

    Roselia readied her weapon, stepping back to let Leon handle it. "You''ve got this, right?"

    Leon smirked, though his weariness was starting to show. "Of course. Let''s get through this... again."

    And just as before, another quest notification appeared in front of him.

    {New Quest: Stall Time Until Archmage Regains Clarity}

    {Time Limit: 3 Minutes}

    {Reward: Continuation of the Story}

    "Here we go again," Leon muttered, bracing himself for another round of carefully calculated spells and counters.

    After another three minutes of intense battling and stalling, the Lich finally regained his clarity. "Thankfully, you are here. This means you have the power to help me," Valtheris said, his voice steady as sanity returned to his skeletal frame.

    "I want you to kill the Magus King Myrian and break this curse," he stated, turning his glowing red gaze toward Leon.

    Leon''s lips curled into a mocking grin as he laughed, his tone dripping with contempt. "Ahahaha! This is your penance? You killed his entire family, burned his home to ash, all because of your pitiful pride, even when they gave you shelter? And now, you want me to release you from your punishment?"

    Raising his staff, Leon scoffed. "Then why don''t you just die already?"

    [ Quest Updated ]

    [ New Quest: Kill Valtheris ]

    Reward: Valtheris''s Legacy

    Penalty: You will not be able to leave the mansion.

    Valtheris''s skeletal face twisted into an eerie grin. "Kwahahaha! Pitiful humans. In my madness, I do not even use 20% of my full power and wisdom. Do you really think you stand a chance against me? Now that I am at my peak?"

    His decrepit form began to shift, the worn and cracked bones transforming. His skeletal structure gained a regal, ominous appearance as white, gleaming bone was marked with intricate glowing blue sigils. Red veins of energy pulsed across his body as his tattered robe turned into an elaborate cloak befitting a royal mage.

    "I was not just any Archmage," Valtheris declared, his voice carrying a deep resonance. "I was the Golden Duke, master of Metal Magic, a force unmatched in the kingdom''s history."