Gondor was indeed a master craftsman, but given the rarity of the material, naturally, he’d never handled an entire dragon carcass before.

Yet, he possessed the knowledge handed down from his ancestors. There weren’t many precedents, but in ancient times, some dragons had donated their bodies for the betterment of the world. Most of the remains left from these dragons had been processed by the hands of dwarves, and the knowledge from those times was passed down to later generations like Gondor.

“If you desire armor infused with the latest technology, it would undoubtedly be Exid,” he declared.

Even as they discussed Eugene’s request, Gondor did not rest his hands. The once tarnished Ring of Agaroth was swiftly polished, shining like new. Gondor wasn’t particularly fond of Exid, but he acknowledged its performance. Moreover, while he didn’t care for it much, he had near-perfect knowledge concerning its creation.

“But crafting Exid takes too long. Especially if we use materials from a dragon, it might take several months at least,” Gondor commented as he continued polishing the ring.

There were also concerns about the available tools. Though he had turned this room into a makeshift workshop, it paled in comparison to his true workshop on Hammer Island. While Sienna and Eugene could assist in firepower, the rest of the tools were lacking.

“I don’t expect Exid immediately. Just scale armor to protect the torso will do,” responded Eugene.

“Is it for you?” Gondor inquired.

“No,” Eugene shook his head.

Armor made from a dragon’s corpse? It certainly was tempting, but he felt no immediate need for a hastily crafted set of armor. It was better for him to simply cast an Aura Shield around himself.

“It’s for Ciel and Dezra. I’ve already told them about it,” said Eugene.

Who knew what perils lay at sea? While those two could certainly fend off most dangers, considering their upcoming battle with Iris as a mere ‘danger’ would be overly presumptuous.

In a week’s time, a punitive force would set out from Shedor, one of the central islands of Shimuin. This force would sail for over a month to reach the Solgalta Sea, the territory of the Pirate Empress. Moreover, there was always a possibility that the group might encounter Iris even before reaching the Solgalta Sea. However, Eugene believed such a thing was unlikely. No matter how foolish Iris might be, she wouldn’t leave the advantage of staying in her home territory.

“Scale armor…” Gondor mused while scratching his chin in thought.

It wasn’t Exid, nor was it full plate armor. It wouldn’t take long to craft if it was just armor to protect the torso.

“A week on land…. That’s hardly any time. I might have to continue working even on the ship,” Gondor said after making some mental calculations.

Various designs floated in his mind. He had never imagined a day when he would work with an entire dragon carcass, especially materials from Raizakia, the dragon that had oppressed his kin and enslaved them in the Demon-Dragon Castle!

Gondor could hardly contain his excitement and grinned broadly.

“Come out.” Eugene motioned, and Raimira stepped out with a look of confusion. When she sensed his intentions, her expression grew more complex.

“Benefactor, first and foremost, this lady bears the bloodline of the Black Dragon,” said Raimira.

“So what?” Eugene questioned.

“Hmm…. The idea of using this lady’s dragon breath as a heat source for the forge… isn’t it a bit blasphemous?” questioned Raimira.

“Since when were you the dutiful daughter who concerned herself with such matters?” retorted Eugene.

Raimira couldn’t argue, and her expression became sullen. Of course, she held no filial piety towards her deceased father. Now that she knew the entire truth, she harbored only disdain and contempt for the dreadful demonic dragon.

“Think of it as revenge,” Eugene suggested.

“Benefactor is too cruel….” Raimira complained.

“If you truly object, I won’t force you. Both Sienna and I will be busy for the upcoming week, and there’s no one else I could ask….” Eugene let his words trail off deliberately.

“Ah, ah, ah…!” Raimira just couldn’t believe what she heard.

She was deeply touched and stared at Eugene with wide eyes and trembling shoulders. She swiftly approached Eugene and clasped both his hands.

“Benefactor trusts this lady so much! Shouldn’t this lady reciprocate that trust!?” Her voice sounded emotional.

“Yes, yes.” Eugene nodded his head as if this was only natural.

“You needn’t worry, Benefactor. This lady will collaborate with the dwarf as you’ve requested, and Benefactor, you can focus on your tasks,” Raimira said. Her long horns swayed gently before Eugene’s eyes as she gave a slight bow.

He hesitated for a moment, then patted her head as she wished. Only then did Raimira turn around with a satisfied expression.

She then addressed Gondor, “Little dwarf! This lady’s name is Raimira. This lady will provide the flames for the forge. You just focus on your hammering.”

Gondor was taken back. He couldn’t find the right words to respond with. The bloodline of the Black Dragon?

Did that mean the petite horned girl before him was a hatchling of the Black Dragon?

“I’ll leave you to it then,” said Eugene.

He left the room after retrieving Agaroth’s Ring and placing it on his finger.

Only a week remained before their departure. It wasn’t enough time. They would be sailing for over a month on the sea.

He wished to conclude everything within this week.

Eugene traversed the corridor, descended the stairs, and glanced outside a window. He saw Ciel and Dezra teaming up against Carmen in a friendly spar. He watched their duel for a brief moment before continuing his descent.

The mansion’s basement was originally a small storage room for food supplies. That was not the case anymore. Its structure had been magically expanded and fortified.

Eugene removed his cloak. He was about to toss it aside carelessly, but Kristina, who had approached unnoticed, caught it with both hands. She held the cloak close while giving a faint smile. Without a word, she took several steps back.

“It’s almost done.”

Sienna sat in the heart of the chamber with Mer at her side. Uncharacteristically pensive, Sienna moved her hands with deep concentration.

Whoosh!

Dozens of intricate magical circles floated before her to overlap and form a fist-sized orb. This orb embodied the magic formula that constituted Mer.

Sienna carefully manipulated the adjusted formula while observing its rotations.

“Hmm.”

The formula she had envisioned since her days at the Lionheart estate was finally complete. With a satisfied expression, Sienna gently stroked Mer’s head. The orb, which had been suspended in mid-air, slowly descended before merging into Mer’s chest. Mer did not immediately open her eyes. The addition to her existing formula was both vast and intricate.

Watching the formula adjust to the familiar’s physique, Sienna spoke, “I’ve added my Signature to Mer.”

Empress Rule.

It was a Signature that had once toyed with the Green Tower Head, an Eighth Circle Archwizard. Sienna had trifled with him as if he were but a child. This magic interfered with and dominated any spell within a designated space.

Although Empress Rule could not grasp control over black magic, it could still interfere with it — after all, black magic was still magic at its core. It was just the source of the power that differed.

When Sienna herself employed it, Empress Rule could dominate any magic below the Ninth Circle. Throughout history, only Sienna had reached the Ninth Circle. This meant she held a significant advantage in any duel against other wizards.

Of course, this fact only applied when Sienna was using Empress Rule directly. Even if Mer was a finely crafted familiar, she couldn’t harness Empress Rule on par with Sienna.

/p>

“I’ve made Mer a kind of trigger. Think of it simply, Eugene. Haven’t you always received magical support from Mer? Now, added to that support is the Wise Sienna’s Signature,” Sienna said, sounding pleased.

With a mischievous grin, she leaned closer. Mer was linked to Eugene, and in future battles, Mer could employ Empress Rule at Eugene’s will.

“The mana required to activate it is substantial, but you should be able to handle it with ease. Let’s see.… Its range? Roughly this mansion’s expanse. It can be extended, but there’s hardly a need. Simply being within its domain allows for interference. Within this domain, any wizard weaker than you can never kill you with magic,” explained Sienna.

“The term ‘weaker than me’ sounds vague, doesn’t it?” questioned Eugene.

“It refers to the Circles, but willpower also plays a major role. After all, magic is the manifestation of will through mana…. Strictly speaking, Eugene, you aren’t a true Eighth Circle Archwizard. But your willpower and a mix of other elements put you on par with one.”

Sienna rose while cradling Mer in her arms. Kristina approached Sienna and took Mer from her. She wrapped the still-unconscious Mer in her cloak and retreated to a corner.

“That’s why your current challenge isn’t simple,” commented Sienna.

“In a week, I’ll break through it.” Eugene frowned in frustration. Indeed, as Sienna mentioned, the task was far from easy.

Eugene’s White Flame Formula.

At present, Eugene’s White Flame Formula bore Six Stars. Through the trial of the Dark Room, the White Flame Formula transformed to resonate perfectly with Eugene, evolving into a flame of a deep violet hue. Mingled within Eugene’s mana was the Lightning Flame that took shape from the spirits of the World Tree.

Such elements alone made Eugene’s White Flame Formula special. However, there were even more elements integrated into his technique. Eugene had seen the Eternal Hole through Sienna’s Witch Craft. It had already been four years since Eugene created the Ring Flame Formula after being inspired by the Eternal Hole.

‘It feels like it’s on the brink of a breakthrough, yet it is not,’ he mused.

Eugene narrowed his eyes and placed a hand over his heart. To be frank, it wasn’t a time to complain about any lack. While Eugene’s White Flame Formula had Six Stars, when combined with Lightning Flame and the Ring Flame Formula, it could exert firepower far surpassing its original level. Additionally, Eclipse and the Empty Sword enhanced the amount of damage he could inflict on his enemies.

And what if he considered the overlapping effects of Prominence and Ignition? Although he only had Six Stars, Eugene’s power might rival that of the Seventh or even the Eighth Star White Flame Formula.

‘I can’t be completely sure,’ Eugene kept mulling over the problem.

Unfortunately, he had no choice but to accept the fact that in the three-hundred-year history of the Lionheart clan, only Vermouth had reached the pinnacle of the White Flame Formula. Among his descendants, the highest anyone achieved was Seven Stars.

‘I am definitely stronger than Seven Stars. As for the Eighth Star… I’ve neither seen nor heard anything about it, so it’s hard to be sure.’

Both the late Doynes Lionheart, the previous Head Elder, and Carmen Lionheart had reached the Seven Stars in the White Flame Formula. Eugene had never seen either of them at full power, but still, he never felt that their flames were stronger than his.

‘Vermouth.’ Eugene’s thoughts finally stopped on his old comrade.

Vermouth was the only point of comparison. Back then, the term White Flame Formula didn’t even exist. But the pure white flames that surrounded Vermouth — even thinking of them now was overwhelming.

It was the same in the memories Sienna showed him. Sienna had been holding back because she had been against Vermouth and since they had been in Hamel’s tomb. Even so, there had been an evident disparity of power between Sienna and Vermouth.

The powerful magic of the Eternal Hole had barely posed a threat to Vermouth. On the contrary, an unknown spell from Vermouth had shattered Sienna’s magic, leaving a gaping hole in her chest.

“Ahem.” Sienna let out a soft cough, noting the seriousness on Eugene’s face. She stretched out her hand, and Frost appeared in her grasp. A soft glow emerged beneath her feet with a simple swing of her pristine white staff.

Click.

Sienna raised the tip of her foot. The pool of light beneath her feet spread wide, painting both the floor and the walls of the room. Characters carved within transformed the entire room into the epicenter of a complex magic circle.

“Shall we begin then?” she asked.

Eugene nodded and began to move.

The only time he felt a lack of power had been in his battle against Raizakia. Had he held on a little longer, just a tad more, he might’ve slain Raizakia by himself. No, not just holding on. He might have won if he had fought a bit better.

‘Raizakia wasn’t even at his peak,’ Eugene thought, frustrated at his own lacking performance.

In fact, he had been weaker than he had been three hundred years ago.

If he failed to vanquish a foe like Raizakia by himself, how was he to face the likes of Noir Giabella or Gavid Lindman, who were clearly much stronger? And what of the Demon King of Incarceration waiting atop Babel’s peak or the Demon King of Destruction, who was lingering silently in Ravesta?

Still, there was no need to battle alone. As it had been three hundred years ago, he would be joined by allies in combat when he faced such adversaries. However, Eugene had no intention of using the presence of his comrades as an excuse to turn a blind eye to his own weaknesses and frailties.

If he was deficient, he had to compensate. If he was feeble, he had to grow stronger.

‘Even more than Vermouth,’ Eugene declared to himself.

Eugene sat at the heart of the magic circle. Sienna stood behind him. She focused her energy while raising Frost high above her head. With a resounding roar, another vast magic circle appeared behind her.

Creak, creak.

The characters forming the magic circles intertwined and began to rotate slowly. A smaller circle also appeared around Sienna at its center.

“This reminds me of my previous life. Do you remember?” Eugene asked.

“I don’t think it’ll be as easy as it was back then,” responded Sienna. Taking a pause, she reiterated, “No, definitely not. The mana technique you practiced in your past life was rather rudimentary and crappy. But the White Flame Formula… and the Ring Flame Formula you crafted…. Even to my astute eyes, they seem exceptionally perfect. Honestly, there’s not much to adjust on that end.”

Sienna reached out to Eugene while maintaining the Eternal Hole. She continued with the explanation, “Rather than adjusting… hmm, it’s more like breaking through. Or should I say shattering?”

Hearing this, Eugene couldn’t help but warn her, “Be careful. If the Core were to get destroyed—”

“Don’t fret. Do you really think I can’t control her power to that extent? Trust me,” Sienna interrupted him, sounding displeased.

“To be honest, I trust Anise and Kristina more than you,” Eugene said while glancing at the wall. Catching his gaze, Kristina grinned and waved.

“Worry not. Whatever happens, we will ensure you don’t perish,” said Kristina.

“Right….” His trust was well-placed in her words.

With resolve, Eugene closed his eyes.

Eugene’s White Flame Formula had long lingered at Six Stars. It felt as though it was on the brink of evolving yet remained steadfast in its current form.

By his own reckoning, he lacked the necessary power. The White Flame Formula, now optimized with the addition of Lightning Flame and the Ring Flame Formula, boasted power that far surpassed any others with Six Stars. Thus, advancing beyond required even greater power.

It was for this reason that he sought Sienna’s aid.

Using the expansive magic circle etched throughout the room, they examined the entirety of the mana flow within Eugene’s body. However, such an expansive magic circle wasn’t necessary for merely observing the mana flow. It was designed not only to observe but also to interfere. Sienna concentrated intensely as she reached out.

Eugene and Sienna’s consciousness synchronized. Eugene first activated his White Flame Formula.

Whoosh!

A violet flame enveloped Eugene, with crackling currents flowing across it. Feeling a tingling sensation on her skin, Sienna placed her hands upon the flame.

“If it hurts, let me know,” Sienna whispered. Instead of responding, Eugene clenched his teeth and closed his eyes.

Booooom!

The sound echoed from within his mind and body. It was the noise of Sienna’s magic, her mana, and the Eternal Hole, all striking at Eugene’s Core.

Boooom!

The same noise reverberated once more. The cycle of the Six Stars was disrupted by the impact of the brute force.

Boooom!

Eugene’s teeth shattered, and blood dripped from his clenched fists. Agaroth’s Ring began to emanate a soft red glow after becoming drenched in his blood.

Eugene withstood the onslaught without uttering a scream.

‘It’d be better to die.’ That thought resonated within him. Judging by the state of things, it seemed he’d have to endure this hundreds of times over the next week….

Boooooooom!

The next jolt wiped away Eugene’s thoughts entirely.

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