Black Hearted Mage

Early in the morning, the sun had just risen, its gentle rays shone upon the towering walls of Fire Maple City. This bustling city welcomed a new day, and its several gates were already bustling with people. Long lines stretched out, seemingly endless.

Numerous mercenaries arrived here one after another, carrying hopes and dreams. Some came in groups of three or five, chatting and laughing; others were alone, silent, but their eyes sparkled with determination and expectation.

Furthermore, several large and renowned mercenary groups were also waiting at the gates of the imperial capital, quietly awaiting the moment to enter. Each of these mercenary groups was well-equipped, heroic, and exuded an awe-inspiring aura.

At that moment, a figure quietly appeared at the north gate. It was none other than Caesars, cleverly disguised. He kept a low profile, trying not to draw attention. Dressed in ordinary mercenary attire, he blended into the crowd and successfully entered Fire Maple City. However, this was only the beginning.

After entering the city, Caesars quickly made his way to a secluded corner. Here, he once again used the elven transmogrification mask, undergoing a complete transformation. In the blink of an eye, the middle-aged mercenary in leather armor vanished, replaced by an elderly sorcerer with white hair and a gloomy face. He wielded a dragon's bloodwood wand inlaid with magical gems and wore a magnificent robe, looking mysterious and majestic.

Afterward, Caesars stopped a passing carriage and rented it for a very low price. He leisurely rode in the carriage, heading towards the bustling Grand Plaza in the outer city. Along the way, the streets were lined with shops, and the sounds of hawkers rang out one after another, creating a bustling atmosphere. But Caesars's mind was completely elsewhere; he simply wanted to reach his destination as quickly as possible.

Not long after, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the large square. It was early autumn, and although only a few days had passed, the weather in Fire Maple City was still somewhat hot and unbearable.

The entire Imperial Plaza was bustling with activity. Looking around, hundreds of stalls were neatly arranged throughout the plaza, each one protected by a simple awning, like blooming flowers adorning the bustling landscape.

Kaisas didn't build a sunshade like the others, for he possessed a precious magical item infused with an ice circle. As long as it activated, even under the scorching sun, he wouldn't feel the heat at all. He calmly walked to a relatively open area, spread out a soft animal hide, and carefully placed the treasures he was selling on it.

Shortly after Caesars finished his arrangements, the attention of many people was drawn to him. Curious, they gathered around, eager to see what strange and bizarre treasures this mysterious old magician had brought with him. For a moment, discussions and exclamations filled the square, and the atmosphere became even more heated.

In the bustling square, the old wizard lay before him a remarkable array of objects. Dozens of staffs, stacked in a chaotic arrangement, some long, some short, some thick, some thin, emanating a faint, mysterious glow. Next to the staffs lay forty or fifty storage rings, quietly nestled amidst a rough hide, gleaming with a faint aura. Furthermore, a dozen or so unmarked magic steel bows leaned against the side, their cold bowstrings and sharp arrowheads radiating a chill.

However, the most eye-catching thing wasn't the aforementioned treasures, but a few unremarkable black flowers. These flowers were dark in color, with slightly curled petals, as if they had weathered countless storms. At this moment, an old wizard with white hair and a haggard face carefully placed these black flowers before him.

At this moment, a young mercenary who was setting up a stall not far away suddenly exclaimed: "Oh my God, so many storage rings!" His face was full of astonishment, and he couldn't help but reached out and pushed an old mercenary next to him who was nearly fifty years old.

For most mercenaries, a storage ring is undoubtedly a luxury, a coveted treasure. With it, they can easily carry a variety of precious items and equipment, greatly enhancing the convenience of adventures. Unfortunately, due to its complex production process and scarce materials, the price remains high, leaving many mercenaries with only the hopeless and endless regret.

"Hey, kid, don't make a fuss!" The old mercenary glared at the young mercenary and whispered, "What's that storage ring? Look at what that wizard is holding in his hand. It's the legendary dragon blood wood staff! Look at that red staff, it's completely transparent. This staff is worth at least a million gold coins!"

Hearing this, many mercenaries gathered around and carefully examined the items on the old wizard's stall while whispering to each other.

Some marveled at the sheer number of storage rings, wondering what bloody stories lay hidden behind them. Others marveled at the dozens of staffs, secretly speculating which powerful magicians they once belonged to. Still others were curious about the small black flowers, trying to discern any clues from the old wizard's expression. The entire scene suddenly became noisy and chaotic, with everyone's attention focused on this small stall.

"How many gold coins are in a storage ring?"

A courageous middle-aged mercenary, wearing half-new leather armor, came to the old magician's stall.

"Seventy-five thousand gold coins, no bargaining!"

"Seventy-five thousand?"

The middle-aged mercenary thought he had misheard, and he confirmed the price with the old magician.

"Yes, the price of the storage ring is 75,000 gold coins!"

Caesars, disguised as an old magician, took out a wooden board and marked the prices of several goods on it. If everyone came to ask the price, his throat would be smoking in no time.

In the Magic Guild's magic shop, the price of a storage ring was as high as 100,000 gold coins. If you asked a familiar magician to help you buy it, there would be some discounts, but it would not be more than 20,000 gold coins.

"I'm buying a storage ring!"

As the mercenary spoke, he quickly reached into the pocket of his leather armor. After a brief rummaging, he carefully pulled out several smooth, scratch-free silver metal cards. A closer look revealed they were all high-value gold coin prepaid cards! You know, these prepaid cards can only be used directly within the Roland Empire. Furthermore, if the holder needs them, they can go to the Imperial Bank and exchange them for real gold coins.

At this moment, the middle-aged mercenary held tightly in his hands only seven silver metal cards. In other words, his entire fortune amounted to a mere 70,000 gold coins.

It was common knowledge that prepaid cards worth up to 100,000 gold coins were gold. However, the nobles seemed unimpressed by such items. Rather than taking large sums of gold coins to the Imperial Bank and exchanging them for thin sheets of metal, they preferred to neatly stack the glittering coins in their spacious vaults.

But it was obvious that seventy thousand gold coins were far from enough to meet the immediate needs. Thus, the middle-aged mercenary, brow furrowed, anxiously began to rummage through the worn purse he carried. After a moment of anxious searching, he finally succeeded in extracting from the depths of the purse a magical gemstone, its hue as vivid as fire. This gemstone was pure fire obsidian, a type of fire magic gemstone. According to market estimates, it was worth around two to three thousand gold coins.

Even so, the required amount was still far from enough. The middle-aged mercenary, anxious as an ant on a hot pan, could no longer care. He simply gritted his teeth, turned the entire purse inside out, and poured out everything inside. Instantly, several attributeless magic crystals appeared on the ground, along with dozens of gold and silver coins scattered around.

"Can I see the magic crystal?" Caesars asked curiously.

His eagle-like gaze fixed on the magic crystals before him. Drawing on years of experience and keen intuition, he quickly detected something unusual about them. They seemed to harbor an unstable magical energy, which, under the sunlight, continuously refracted a dazzling array of intricately colored light.

At this time, a middle-aged mercenary hurried forward and said cautiously: "Master Mage, you have to be careful. These magic crystals are not very stable!" As he spoke, he respectfully handed the magic crystal in his hand to Caesars and could not help but remind him again: "Be very careful!"

After receiving the three magic crystals, Caesars didn't rush to use his magic to explore their secrets. He knew full well that these were three extremely unstable magic crystals, often called explosive crystals. Once touched by magic, they would likely explode.

He examined the crystal in his hand carefully, as if trying to penetrate its crystalline surface to discern the secrets hidden within. After a moment's silence, Caesars suddenly raised his head, looked at the middle-aged mercenary, and asked, "Where did you get this thing? If you can tell me the exact location where you found it, I can give you a discount of 5,000 gold coins on your storage ring!"

You know, for most people, exploding crystals have always been a dangerous thing. However, tens of thousands of years ago, the great arcanists of the Elven Kingdom had already conducted in-depth research and exploration of this magical substance.

The Archmage skillfully utilized his profound knowledge and exceptional skills to successfully transform the explosive crystals into powerful alchemical bombs. It is said that it was with these incredibly powerful alchemical bombs that the elves, in their fierce battles with the demons, blew up countless ferocious and evil enemies.

Five thousand gold coins was no small sum. Without hesitation, the middle-aged mercenary produced a hide map with the location of the magic crystals marked on it. Caesars used the Power Word to explore, and after obtaining the desired result, the transaction for the storage ring was complete.

With a good start, Caesars' business took off like a bonfire. The items he sold were not only attractively low in price but also of superior quality, rivaling even the most expensive goods. Consequently, numerous customers flocked to his shop, vying to buy his wares.

On Caesar's dazzling stall, a few unremarkable black flowers were displayed. However, what was astonishing was that each flower was priced at a whopping 100,000 gold coins!

Such exorbitant prices left many people at the stall bewildered. After all, for most ordinary people, such exorbitantly priced flowers were not necessities. Only experienced alchemists would have a keen interest in and demand for them.

Meanwhile, news of the mysterious old magician's reappearance spread like wildfire, spreading rapidly as if it had wings, and eventually reached a small meeting room in the Magic Guild. Those present were eager for the incomparably precious black flower.

"The price of this black steel flower is ridiculously high, but we must find a way to get it no matter what!"

An elderly magician with wrinkled face and graying hair paced anxiously, muttering to himself. This black steel flower was the main ingredient for refining a potent potion for strengthening the body, crucial to their research and experiments. It wasn't that this highly respected master alchemist was unwilling to pay such a large sum of gold coins; it was simply that he was short of money.

"Master Drogba, please think twice! That old wizard is not someone you can easily mess with. As far as we know, he comes from the North Tower and is a powerful dark magician. You must have heard about those two horrific corpses last time, right? Judging from the traces left at the scene, the spells he cast were extremely lethal, and his killing methods were extremely efficient and cruel! If we are not careful, I'm afraid we will all be doomed..." Another younger magician looked worried and reminded in a serious tone.

"Listen, it's not that I want Black Steel Flower. The Magic Guild's library contains records from ten thousand years ago, which contain the secrets of becoming a magician." The old Drogba deliberately closed his mouth and looked around at the people in the conference room.

The Grand Elder of the Magic Guild, Keynes, said nothing, simply listening quietly. He had already read the records, but he had a question before him.

"It's not that we can't be promoted to a mage, but our physique isn't strong enough to meet the requirements. And most importantly, we don't have the alchemical formula for a potent physique potion, so even if we have Black Temperament, it won't be of much use!"