CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 54: DON’T BE RECKLESS

As for his own strength, the old Mage Hubert was quite confident.

This is just Wildfire Town in the Inner Sea Desert, after all.

It’s not the ’Scholar’s Fortress,’ the world’s center, a place with hidden dragons and crouching tigers, the holy land for Earth Fire Mages.

Nor is it a super city like ’Warm Fire City’ or ’Royal Court,’ second only to Scholar’s Fortress.

It’s not even comparable to ’Hunting Wasteland City’ on the northern edge of the Inner Sea Desert, which connects the Inner Sea Desert and the outside world and is quite important in its own right, a fact Wildfire Town couldn’t come close to.

So even though he was seriously injured and his level had fallen to between an Advanced Magic Apprentice and an Official Mage, almost the same level as his apprentice Cook,

Hubert knew very well his achievements in Earth Fire Magic and techniques: he was still at the Grand Mage level, with a hint of the Magic Guide Sorcerer (though he had truly failed to break through to become one)!

"My specialty is the ’Puppet Fire Series,’ although it’s not quite suitable for direct combat, as it’s too biased toward defense and survival,"

Hubert mused, "Next to the ’Puppet Fire Series,’ the Magic Series I am best at is the ’Trap Series’."

The gigantic "Fire Serpent" Magic Life was, in fact, an Earth Fire Magic from the ’Trap Series,’ called the "Fire Snake Trap."

Earlier, in his laboratory, Hubert had used this "Fire Snake Trap" to kill Barbara’s subservient, extremely powerful Scarlet Knight Order.

The difference being:

The laboratory is his home ground; the laboratory’s "Fire Snake Trap" was not purely magic but a "Magic Array" honed after being infused with various Magic Materials, possessing almost half of his peak strength!

Now, with only one "Fire Snake Trap" beside him, its power surely couldn’t match the array.

But it was more than enough to deal with three annoying pests!

"Speaking of which, fighting until now, I actually feel like this big dog-like Desolate Beast doesn’t quite seem like a Desolate Beast."

Hubert slightly frowned, "In terms of aura, compared to a real Desolate Beast, this dog is actually somewhat different.

But Ivan’s strength truly surprised me!"

When Ivan defeated Sally earlier, his "appearing right but actually left" body technique transformation, Hubert had seen it clearly.

"It should be the ’Mirror Image Assassination Technique.’ I didn’t expect Ivan to know such a relatively high-tier Inheritance Combat Technique of a Desert Hunter."

Hubert smiled slightly, feeling completely in control, not at all concerned about the supposed restraint Desert Hunters had on Fire Element Mages.

This was because Ivan hadn’t broken through the Desert Hunter’s ’that boundary.’

Hubert thought silently.

As someone who once hoped to become a top Magic Guide Sorcerer, Hubert’s knowledge was indeed very extensive.

He knew clearly:

"Desert Hunters do indeed somewhat restrain Fire Element Mages. Their restraint on us Earth Fire Mages is even stronger than on Warm Fire Mages.

But there is a premise: the realm of a Flame Mage is below the Grand Mage.

Once a Fire Element Mage reaches the Grand Mage level, they’re not afraid of Desert Hunters’ assassinations anymore."

Hubert sighed in his heart, "Because of the existence of ’that boundary,’ there is no Desert Hunter equivalent to the level of a Grand Mage.

And the so-called restraint ultimately has to be based on the same level and grade conditions.

Desert Hunters never reaching the comparable level of ’Grand Mage’ would never pose a truly fatal threat to Grand Mage level and above Fire Element Mages.

And I was once a Grand Mage who knows how to guard against, and even counter, Desert Hunters’ assassination techniques."

There have indeed been exceptions in history.

It seems that a long time ago, there did appear a Desert Hunter who ’broke through that boundary.’

That madman, lunatic, after breaking through the boundary, brutally assassinated one Earth Fire Mage from the Magic Guild after another, even accidentally injuring many Warm Fire Mages from Warm Fire Commerce Association.

That person almost treated Earth Fire Mages as Desolate Beasts to hunt!

Yet after that person headed to the ’Outer Battlefield’ and then disappeared without a trace, has there been a second Desert Hunter breaking through the boundary all these years?

There hasn’t; instead, the whole Desert Hunter group has become weaker and more marginalized!

It seems in a few years, even ordinary Fire Element Mages below the Grand Mage would no longer need to pretend to hire Desert Hunters or build a good relationship with them at all.

There simply won’t be a need for it soon.

"Get lost, you bug-like guys."

Hubert was somewhat tired of Ivan’s successive "Mirror Image Assassination Technique."

He wielded a hint of his most proficient ’Puppet Fire Series’ Secret Technique.

Then he let Ivan’s blade cut on his neck afterward.

With a whoosh!

A mass of dark red flame spontaneously emerged from behind Hubert’s head, directly melting the short blade!

If Ivan hadn’t reacted very quickly and decisively—letting go of his grip on the blade instantly—he might not have been able to keep his arm gripping the blade.

"Ah, in fact, for the sake of my body, I shouldn’t use magic so continuously."

Hubert also knew well, "But it’s been so long... so long since I last experienced such a wanton display, the feeling of controlling the battlefield! It was fine when at Scholar’s Fortress; one could relive the joy of battle in the virtual Fire God Realm. But Wildfire Town doesn’t have an entrance to the virtual Fire God Realm at all." Hubert was somewhat melancholy.

Fortunately, his lungs would soon be healed.

If all went well, he might soon leave this godforsaken Wildfire Town, return to Scholar’s Fortress, and perform a ’War God Returns’ act!

With a boom!

Hubert once again repelled the Desolate Beast and Ivan and finally looked at Andrew, who had already come before him.

Speaking of, did you think I hadn’t noticed, kid—there’s a powerful aura on your left index finger.

But my specialty is the ’Puppet Fire Series,’ do you think you can really hit me?

Even if you hit me, can you hurt me?

Even if I stood still to let you attack, you couldn’t harm a hair of mine!

Ah, during such times, I miss the virtual Fire God Realm even more, where I could flash a dog tag of provocation and then quietly enjoy that bewildered expression of opponents attacking me yet having no effect. It was extremely delightful, simply addictive.

"Don’t force me to kill you, brat."

Hubert spoke up, "My control isn’t what it was before the injury. Careless moves may not kill you, but could well cripple you."

Andrew slowly lifted his head, with some fatigue on his face.

But his mouth slightly curved up, looking at Hubert: "Would you please check your physical condition before showing off?"

Andrew naturally didn’t understand Hubert’s mental activity, finding it somewhat incomprehensible why the other was so unrestrained: "Although you’re really strong, isn’t this a bit too reckless?"

"Hmm?"

Hubert was taken aback and looked down.

He saw Andrew’s finger still virtually pointing at his chest.

Even the previous lava head-kill hadn’t stopped Andrew.

As for Hubert’s own chest, where Andrew pointed, it was now... nonexistent.

When Hubert looked down, he saw a gigantic void in his torso.

No remaining flesh, no leftover internal organ fragments, no broken ribs...

There was nothing at all!

The center of his torso seemed to have been blasted into oblivion by an invisible heavy cannon, leaving only a large vacant hole!

Yet on the outermost edges of the torso, where it connected the limbs and head-neck, some body tissues remained.

It was precisely these seemingly disconnected bones and broken flesh that barely held the old Mage’s body together in one piece.

Maintaining a fragile balance ready to collapse at any moment.