Ararat’s fortress had a massive field that was cleared. The trees were burned and cut down which gave a clearer view of the area. The fort stood on the front of the mountain, giving the base a tremendous advantage.

It would take an army to attack this fortress, and with the numerous levels that gave them the high-ground advantage, the spells of these wizards would easily wilt down any army that attacked.

The Mage Commanders continued to check the various scanning spells that watched over the land to see if there were any anomalies and creatures detected through the various spells that were set up.

“How luxurious of us to send all these tools and make such a fortress in this desolate land.” One of the mages sighed.

“Our enemies managed to defeat someone as strong as Lord Baalzebub! This is just expected.”

“But it’s too much! The defenses alone should be enough, but they had to assign a high-ranked wizard here. They have already moved their entire study here! Are we going to be here for a long time? I just got married, and now I am sent here?! And this place is even kept secret so that I can’t tell my wife where I am!” The mage complained.

“Why are you so angry? Better here where this Diablo and Mephistopheles are, and our only troubles come from a renegade group of fighters from a Mid-Leveled town than to be in the front lines where the death rate is higher!”

“I guess you have a point. Hey. What’s that? Isn’t that Sturak’s flag?” A mage frowned.

A young boy, barely a teenager, rode a giant yellow bird as he ran through the open field and held the flag up high.

“Is that a Sturak messenger?”

“Well, we were expecting them. Call Commander.” The wizard ordered, and soon the Commander came to the front lines to see the bird moving.

“I don’t know what kind of a bird that is. But it seems to be quite powerful. As expected for Sturak and their beast.” The Commander nodded and gave orders not to shoot the boy.

The young boy looked nervous as he moved closer and closer to the fort. Soon, the boy and the yellow bird arrived right in front of the force field of the entire fort.

The wizards looked at Dyne more clearly and were amazed at his very youthful appearance.

“Why would they send a young boy like that?” One of the wizards asked.

“It must be an errand boy sent to give us a general report. Just let him in.”

The massive shield that stopped Dyne disappeared, and Dyne slowly and nervously ordered the bird to move. Dyne even closed his eyes in fear.

The wizards were laughing at the cowardice of the boy.

“Don’t be too harsh on him. It’s probably his first time being sent to something like this. Either he is bullied, or this is a test, and he is one of those geniuses.”

“I’d say genius. Try using Detect on him. He’s level 10!”

“Ten?! Was he scaling a level every year? What a genius!” The other mage was amazed and also used Detect.

Dyne approached and reached the walls. The doors opened, and it was clear that the doors had magic.

The Commander watched as Dyne moved into the doors marveling at the sights around him.

“Woah! This place is amazing! And what is that strange smell?”

“KWEH!” Choco complained and made some sneezes.

“Choco! Calm down! I’m sorry. Whatever that smell is, it’s causing Choco some allergic reaction.”

“Allergic reaction?”

“Yeah. It smells nice here! Back in camp, there are dinosaur droppings, odors of different animals, and not to mention the manure pile to grow the plants.”

“… In short, this place is too clean?”

“Erm… I guess so?”

“What message do you bring, scout?” The Mage Commander asked.

“Um… Yeah. I am Dyne of the Valliant scouting brigade, and we’ve scouted the area, and through our beasts, we have located the undead army being led by the king of Martsirt.”

“What?!” Everyone exclaimed.

“Yes. Some of our men died as they had strange people in their forces. I was told by my dad to retreat.”

“Your dad?”

“Oh! I mean, Captain! My Captain told me.”

The mages shook their head. This boy was a genius but was clearly not experienced.

“The location of the base is found on this map.” Dyne brought out a map.

“But… Da- Captain said that it’s alright that I can stay here for a while. My dad’s- I mean, Captain is strong, so I’m sure he’ll live since he managed to push back a strange knight.”

“It’s that knight.” The mages knew of which knight Dyne referred to. Jaden was a powerful knight whose defenses could stop a fireball! He was so strong that the mages even convened a meeting on how to kill him.

“Your father was able to fight that man?!”

“Given this boy’s cultivation, it’s natural that his father will be this strong. While we respect your father, we are not exactly allies. Our two nations are at war, and we are only here because of our service to our Lord, who is also in a temporary alliance.”

“Dad- I mean, Captain said you’ll say something like that. He offers a special weapon in exchange for my temporary residence here. The undead men marked me as I received a Soul Weapon containing one of the Captains of Diablo. This was how the enemy got strong. They captured one of Diablo’s men, and when we got it back, this soul weapon liked me.”

“WHAT?!” Everyone exclaimed at the words of the boy.

“A Soul Weapon?!”

“A sentient soul weapon?!”

“Yup. This one.” Dyne revealed his Wild Arm.

“It likes me. So you have no choice but to keep me here. And Dad said you guys are free to take it and try to master the soul weapon, but Dad said you’d probably die. Dad- Er... Captain called this a Wild Arm.” Dyne said with child-like innocence.

“A Wild Arm?! What a strange name for such powerful energy!” The Mage Commander saw the terrifying fire energy in it.

“It’s like standing before Lord Baalzebub himself! This is a powerful weapon containing the soul of a demon!”

“Yeah. That’s what Dad said. Even he didn’t want to touch it. The Wild Arm also liked me because I was strong but said he would transfer to another if he found someone stronger. Right now, he said that you all shouldn’t bother because you can’t… Ermm… Ifrit, I can’t say those to them… Oh alright. But won’t they get mad?” Dyne began to act out a scene of him communicating with the Wild Arm.

“Eh? I don’t want to say that.”

“What did the Wild Arm say?”

“Erm… It’s hurtful. You might get mad at me.” Dyne shook his head and didn’t want to answer.

“Oh? I’m curious what insult this Wild Arm has for me, a Martial Formation Mage of the Sixth level!” The Commander frowned.

“He said that someone like you, who carries a large scepter because he’s too shy of his small wand, can never wield him. He wants men to carry him and not some tiny worm of a man. He says your Formation is a joke. You are not even aligned to your real affinity but chose Fire because it was the cheapest one. He laughed at your decision to invest in your scepter rather than your skill making you a mediocre mage among martial formation. He also said that with my affinity and physical constitution, I’d be able to reach your level at half my age and would only need a quarter of the things you purchased. And if you don’t believe him, you should try holding him, but you would die.”

Dyne answered and had a confused expression.

The blood of the Mage Commander rushed to his head, and he was turning red in anger.

“I didn’t understand what he just said. Something about me being bigger than you as he checked your martial powers in your body. I don’t understand what impotence is. He said you are supposed to cultivate Ice. But you cultivated the opposite, leading to your little icicle being in a melted position.”

There was pin-drop silence. None of the mages nearby even dared to breathe at the horrifying things that Dyne said. What was strange was that it was all true!

The Mage Commander was trembling in rage.

“Master, That was brilliant!” The Afarit laughed and communicated with Dyne secretly.

“Why is everyone looking like what Master Dyne said is true?” Jedo was confused,

“Because he is correct,” Strafe answered.

“From the books that he managed to learn, it seems that Dyne has enhanced his knowledge and understanding of the concepts of Mind Cultivation. And with his Eyes of Destiny, his sensing prowess through Soul Cultivation, he deduced everything.” Strafe explained.

“Horrifying.”

“That… gun! Give it to me!”

“Umm… Mage Commander, I have to warn you that you will die. Could someone else hold it first?”

“Allow me, Commander!” One of the mages quietly strode to the front.

“This weapon thinks he is something, but he doesn’t even compare to the worth of my Soul Weapon! Let me teach him the power of enchanters and how we make rebellious souls submit!”

The wizard moved closer, and a strange bright power with glittering words appeared before him.

Dyne could tell it was Runic power. But his was very sloppy.

“This is a Soul Link Formation! With this, I will link my soul to that Soul Weapon, and I will tame it!” The mage enchanter declared.

“Woah! That’s amazing!” Dyne was amazed. The sloppy rune was actually useful!

“If I could do this, I could leave more spell slots on Serus! That’s amazing!” Dyne was truly happy at what he saw.

Strafe sighed. He didn’t want to give Dyne this idea, but now it seemed the kid would be dabbling in other off-shoot paths that could make his cultivation journey easier.

The mage enchanter reached for the gun.

The moment his hand connected, he was brought into a strange world.

He saw the Afarit standing and Jedo next to him.

Among the two was Dyne’s soul that appeared. There was a Zenoir hidden in the space along with the other souls of the Serus he caught.

The moment he saw everything, the mage enchanter was scared stiff. His real body collapsed, and a pool of water formed below him. But even then, his hand could not budge off the Wild Arm.

“What an idiot. He initiated a soul link without the slightest defenses to his own soul. I severed his connection, and now his soul is being sent in here. I guess his soul could be offered and turned into one of the undead warriors you have prepared.” Jedo suggested.

“Help! No! No!” The soul began to feel great anguish as his connection to his body disappeared.

“Great idea! An undead mage! That sounds like Diablo 2. I heard that the Necromancer could summon skeletal mage!” Dyne was happy.

Back outside, the mage died.

Everyone was shocked. That enchanter was a Martial Formation Expert of the fourth level!