"You know the rules of the Coil, young magus," said the old man. "A summoner cannot call forth serpents that are stronger than them."
"Even if I provide a large quantity of sacrifice?" Adam pressed.
Considering the situation unfolding in Blackshore, he was desperate for options that could increase his strength in the short ti that he had.
However, the old man adamantly refused. "Rules of the Coil cannot be broken. Not by man, beast, or spirit."
Seeing the youth's shoulders slouch in disappointnt, Lord White asked, "These enemies you are about to face. Just how strong could they possibly be?"
"Rank 3 - Mana Vortex Magi," Adam smiled bitterly.
Lord White snorted in ridicule, "You need help to deal with a re bunch of Mana Vortex insects? Perhaps, I might have overestimated your abilities."
"My Lord…" Adam couldn't help but protest, "I fear there will be several Rank 3 Magi that I'd have to go up against. They're more than I can handle in my current state."
"You don't have allies?" Lord White frowned.
"Well, that's what I'm here for," said the raven-haired youth ekly—and shalessly, one might add.
"Absolutely not!" Lord White sternly reprimanded him. "You've signed the sacred Scroll of Coil with your mana. You cannot break its rules!"
Adam remained silent, his head hung low. At this point, there was nothing else he could do. It's not like he could argue with such an ancient and powerful entity.
The reason why he had approached Lord White in the first place was because this ancient serpent was the most benevolent being among all the truly powerful entities residing in the Coil of Eternity.
He was so warm and kind that even soone as evil, cruel, and ruthless as Magus Syvrain Ven'mir had nothing but respect and admiration for him. Of course, Lord White's strength and magical prowess also played a crucial role in it.
Damn it, do I really have no other choice then? Adam thought to himself in great disappointnt.
Right at that mont, the ancient serpent spoke up, "You are but half a step away from advancing to the Mana Vortex Rank. If you are about to be attacked by enemies of the sa rank, then I do not understand what is stopping you from advancing?"
He paused for a mont, asking in slight confusion, "And from the looks of it, you have placed the serpent's seal on yourself for a little while now. What is the reasoning behind such absurdity?"
Adam raised his head and gazed at the old man with embarrassnt. He didn't even know how to begin explaining.
Alas, the old man's piercing gaze left him with no other choice but to begin talking about the main reason why he had refrained from advancing to the next rank.
Several minutes later, Lord White spoke with a look of scorn on his face, "Man's greed truly knows no bounds! Hmph!"
"My lord, please!" Adam hurriedly bowed, touching his head on the ground. "Please, don't get mad. I admit that I'm a greedy man. I just… I apologize!"
The old man sneered, "Hmph! You disappoint , Adam Constantine of Tron! To halt your advancent, and even risk your life, over a re arcane tournant in so backwater alley? Truly Disappointing!"
Adam felt like that insult had pierced his heart with a poisonous arrow.
Calling Ravenfell a backwater alley? Are you serious?! It is one of the Four Pillars of the Acadian Empire! Adam cried inwardly.
"Man chains himself not with iron, but with desire," Lord White stated. "In his greed to possess more, he binds his own hands, fearing loss more than he craves freedom."
Adam's lips quivered when he heard that. And he knew it in his heart that what the old serpent had just said was absolutely right.
He had paused his arcane progress just so he could participate in a magus tournant that took place every thirty years.
For what? Precious treasures that the Four Pillars of the Empire and the Baja High Forest had pooled together and set up as rewards?
Adam felt deeply complicated when he ca to this realization.
When did riches and treasures beco more valuable than my love for magic?
He lifted his head from the ground and looked directly into the ancient serpent's eyes. "My Lord, you are right. I have been short-sighted. Because of my… greed, I overlooked the one thing that I cherish more than life itself—magic."
Seeing the sincerity in the youth's eyes, Lord White's tone softened, "For a Magus, nothing should be more important than magic. The mont they place anything above magic is the mont they cease to be a Magus."
Adam deeply ruminated over the old man's words, repeating them in his heart over and over again until he had carved them on it.
He looked at the ancient being and sincerely smiled, "Thank you, my lord. I shall rember those words till the day I die."
Perhaps it was because Adam was Syvarin Ven'mir's successor, or simply because the old serpent enjoyed the youth's company. Or perhaps both.
Whatever the reason, Lord White chose to grant Adam sothing that would aid him, not only in his upcoming battles but perhaps for the rest of his life.
"Hmm, I suppose that thing should belong to you anyway since you're his successor," the old man murmured.
"Huh?" Adam was confused.
What does he an? What thing? Whose successor? Is he talking about Syvarin Ven'mir?
Before the youth could even ask about it, he saw Lord White raise his wooden walking stick, before lightly tapping it on the ground.
And then… the entire scenery shifted and the two had teleported to an unknown location sowhere in the Coil of Eternity!
"What?!" Adam found himself kneeling on an endless grassy plain, and in the near distance, he saw a colossal mountain range. Its massive structure was unlike anything he'd ever seen before.
He rose to his feet in shock—partly because of the sudden teleportation, and partly because of the monolithic mountain before him—and asked, "My Lord, this… what is this place?!"
Lord White stretched his hand, making a grasping motion toward the mountain range.
"The place where Syvarin's weapon is sealed."
RUMBLE!
From a simple motion made by Lord White, the entire mountain range shuddered.
Then…
BOOM!
A deafening explosion split the air, shaking the skies as a blinding streak of power tore through the mountain peak.
Like the wrath of judgnt, a magical weapon erupted from the heart of the mountain and rocketed toward the ancient white serpent!
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