"Why is the world so unfair to me?" Walter roared in pain.
However, just then, a miracle occurred.
The injuries in William's body started to heal rapidly, and in just moments, his entire skull recovered.
Only the remains of burnt skin remained, indicating the existence of a wound. If it weren't for these remnants, it might have appeared as though William never had a gaping wound on his head. Slowly, William opened his eyes, observing the cascading snow falling to the ground.
Inside William's mental space, the golden text floated with an even more vibrant color. However, after healing William, it started to dim slightly.
Walter was stunned by the occurrence, but being an old, experienced fighter, he instantly moved near William and chopped him at the back of his neck.
Before William could emerge from his state of haze, the old man's eyes started to shine, and his hand, executing a chopping motion towards the back of William's neck, caused him to faint and fall to the ground with a thud.
Seeing this, Walter heaved a sigh of relief, but in his eyes, a hint of greed inevitably passed.
"This guy's talent is already terrifying, but how many secrets does he have?" Walter muttered while strangely looking at William.
The forbidden spell he had used was enough to slay a beast of tier three when he used it multiple times, but this brat, who hasn't even entered the true realm of the wizard (tier one), was able to almost block his attack?
"And what was that woman's voice I heard from him? No matter what it is, I will soon get all of his secrets..."
Walter laughed, with his withered countenance trembling with a smirk.
He eyed William with greed and dragged the boy's body against the ground while running.
However, his strength now couldn't get him far. With almost ten steps, Walter paused with a frown on his face.
"This is going to take a long time."
With a thoughtful expression, he took out a metal plate from his storage bag and threw it in the air.
Boom!
Instantly, light enveloped both Walter and William as they disappeared into thin air.
With a thud, the metal plate fell to the ground and soon turned to dust, carried away by the wind.
Noah, despite his formidable abilities, found himself unable to prevent the explosion. The speed and intensity of the blast left him with insufficient time to react and cast a protective spell.
The damage inflicted by Walter on the village was undeniable and irreversible. As Noah surveyed the scorched landscape, this thought filled him with rage.
"Walter is dead." Noah thought as if he was stating a fact.
The aftermath revealed a scene of shock and devastation, with the land scorched and melting in certain areas, trees broken and scattered, and evident signs of intense fighting.
Noah, retaining his cold demeanour, extended his hand, and his eyes gleamed with light from a spell. He began casting an unknown spell, the air around him charged as the mana became unusually active in the area.
For ten intense minutes, Noah's eyes gleamed before he finally reclined his extended hand.
"He has teleported using an artefact," Noah declared in his cold tone, sending a chill through the air. The three elders accompanying him displayed varying expressions, reflecting a mix of concern, anticipation, and readiness.
"I can determine his location from the traces of mana left," Noah continued, his eyes locking onto the subtle remnants of magical energy. He looked at the three elders with a commanding presence. "Follow me."
The three elders nodded in unison, their expressions serious and determined.
Despite the formidable strength of the other elders, these three stood out as the pinnacle in combat prowess, second only to Noah himself. With their leader leading the way, the four figures disappeared simultaneously.
...
Walter sneezed, prompting him to rub his nose reflexively.
"Who is thinking about me?" he pondered, but the thought soon elicited a chuckle from him.
"Must be that hypocrite Noah..." The mere mention of Noah's name stirred a flash of anger in Walter. His journey had been rife with injustice, and his ascent to power had given him a profound understanding of Noah's character.
"After I run away, seizing William's body, I will come back for my sweet revenge," Walter schemed, already envisioning a future confrontation.
Shaking his head to dismiss the thoughts, Walter surveyed his surroundings. The room was filled with countless magical devices and capsules, all meticulously arranged. However, his attention was drawn to the centre of the room, where William lay on a bed with closed eyes.
William remained unconscious, his hands and feet securely bound to the bed, rendering him immobile.
Walter advanced slowly towards William, an evil smile playing on his lips. He began creating a circle around William using a strange black substance, which he referred to as the "blood of the devil."
"These devilish fluids should serve as sufficient preparation," Walter mused, his sinister intentions evident in his expression.