Black Hearted Mage

As the sun shines in front of the quiet stone house, little Amy and her mother are holding brooms and carefully cleaning every corner of the house.

At this moment, a faint sound of footsteps came from afar. Rodman, wearing a sturdy leather armor, slowly approached Caesars, led by a fat puppy.

The puppy tightly gripped a piece of fragrant dried meat that Caesars had thrown. Its eyes widened as it stared warily at the little black snake beside it, as if afraid that its beloved food would be snatched away by the snake.

Rodman sat down carelessly on a sturdy chair, then frowned and asked Caesar with a hint of dissatisfaction: "Hey, Caesar, why did you send such a fat dog to pick me up?"

Caesars smiled slightly and patiently explained, "Rodman, you don't know that we have a few more golden-eyed black snakes here. These guys are not easy to deal with. You are not familiar with them, so you can only let Fatty lead the way for you."

After hearing this, Rodman nodded in sudden realization, but then he couldn't wait to ask, "What is that great news you told me about before? Stop keeping me in suspense!" As he spoke, he rubbed his hands unconsciously, his eyes flashing with excitement and anticipation.

"Rodman, I have a safe and easy gold-earning mission for you. Not long ago, I found some items in the Saint Laurent Empire and would like to entrust you with selling them. Once you're done, 30% of the proceeds will be yours!"

Kaisas said with a smile. This time, there are so many things and they are so diverse, it will probably take several days to sell them all.

Upon hearing this, Rodman's eyes widened and he asked excitedly, "Caesars, you actually went to the Saint Laurent Empire? But then again, with your elemental wings, there really is no place that can stop you. Speaking of which, what kind of treasure do you need to sell?"

Seeing Rodman's impatience and anxiety, Caesars reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of storage rings without saying a word. Then, he casually tossed them, and they rained down on the table in front of him, making crisp clinking sounds.

"All the things are placed in here, including these storage rings, which will be sold together. After the transaction is successful, you can get a full 30% profit. As for how to distribute this 30% profit, it is up to you to decide. I will not interfere!" Caesars explained in a relaxed tone.

Rodman quickly stepped forward, picked up one of the storage rings, and carefully opened it. After just a few glances inside, he was completely stunned. After a long moment, he regained consciousness, as if waking from a dream. With a look of astonishment on his face, he gave Caesar a thumbs-up and exclaimed, "Oh my God, Caesar! Did you... tear down the church?"

Facing Rodman's exaggerated reaction, Caesars appeared very calm. He shrugged and replied nonchalantly, "Rodman, don't make a fuss. I just demolished a church and robbed the treasures of several major church families!"

After receiving the definitive answer, Rodman took a deep breath and tried to calm his excitement. He then assured Caesars with a solemn promise: "Don't worry, Caesars! I'll take them to Fire Maple City right away. These things will definitely be easy to sell. If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to return before winter arrives this year!"

Rodman was smiling. He quickly put away the storage ring on the table, said hello to Caesar, and left in a hurry.

After only a few days of peaceful and leisurely days, the old elf of the crater gave Kaisas a new task, asking him to go to the endless forest in the south to look for traces of lizardmen.

The people from the Thorn Flower Trading Company brought Caesars a white boat that looked like the skull of some magical beast. The puppy seemed to have discovered something and began to crawl on the ground, imitating the movements of a salamander. Seeing the puppy's twisting and wiggling, its funny crawling, Caesars guessed what the boat was made of.

"You idiot, this isn't a salamander, it's the skull of a ground dragon!"

On the backyard lawn, a rugged boat sat, its tusks intact, even the earth dragon's. Its bottom had been reinforced with alchemical materials. Inside the boat sat a box of potions, crafted from solid oak, its surface grain clearly visible and gleaming with age.

As Caesars gently opened the box, a pungent odor assaulted his nostrils, causing him to frown. Inside, neatly arranged bottles of the super-strong acid—the undead rot—were placed in specially crafted, transparent crystal bottles. The liquid was an eerie gray-green, shimmering with a faint green light in the sunlight, as if concealing endless danger and power.

Just as Caesar was about to put the box away, the communication stone he wore at his waist suddenly vibrated slightly. The stone, engraved with mysterious magic patterns, normally remained silent, but upon receiving news, it would alert its owner in this special way. Caesar was momentarily startled, then quickly removed the stone from his belt. It turned out to be the three old elves from the crater, calling for him, their voices clearly transmitted through the stone.

"Caesar, be sure to bring the lava dog with you when you go out." The first to speak was Crassus. His voice was steady and powerful, with an unquestionable majesty.

"Lizardmen are descendants of demons, and demons have a trace of demon blood. They are the favorite food of lava dogs." Krasus explained patiently, as if he had already foreseen what Caesars might face next. He knew that lava dogs, with their powerful combat capabilities and special preference for demon blood, would be a powerful ally for Caesars in his fight against the lizardmen.

Then, Old Ethan's slightly hoarse but concerned voice came from the communication stone again. "Kaisas, the lizardmen shouldn't be in the forest. They should be on the edge of the great swamp in the west."

There was a hint of certainty in Old Ethan's tone, as if he knew the habits of the lizardmen very well.

"They like to live in rock caves or caves. Nighthawk only found the footprints of lizard people, not the lizard people. You have to be careful!" Old Ethan continued.

Old Ethan's warning rang like a warning bell in Caesar's ears, reminding him of the danger of this mission. The western edge of the Great Swamp was an unknown and dangerous area, rife with swamps, poisonous gas, and a variety of ferocious beasts and monsters. The Lizardmen were adept at hiding and ambushing, and they were likely lurking in some dark corner, awaiting Caesar's arrival.

Just as Caesars was listening carefully to Old Ethan's words, the voice of the old elf Destro came from the communication stone again. "Caesars, the lizardmen are afraid of strong acid. If you kill them, bring back all the bodies!"

Destro's voice tinged with eagerness and anticipation, as if the lizardmen corpses held a special purpose for him. Caesars wondered, what value did these lizardmen corpses hold? Could they be used to craft magical potions, or as samples for studying demonic bloodlines? However, the most important thing now was to complete the mission and find the lizardmen's lair.

The puppy was fine when diving into the lava, but its diving ability was much worse. This time, it had to take a golden-eyed black demon snake out with it.

In the distant Saint Laurent Empire, Caesars murdered several prominent families in Holy Glory City, robbed them of their wealth, and spread the image stones that were detrimental to the Church. This did not seem to cause a major stir, and the Saint Laurent Empire's royal family stopped holding the Church accountable, and the two sides have now returned to peace.

In Violet City, when the first ray of dawn the next morning gently sprinkled on the city's scattered roofs, the warm golden light was like a gentle hand, slowly unveiling the mystery of a new day in the city.

In a delicate little courtyard, little Amy emerged early from her soft, warm bed. She was wearing a light blue floral dress, the hem of which fluttered with her cheerful steps, like a flower swaying in the breeze.

Emily, also wearing a beautiful dress, beamed with a brilliant smile. The two of them, of similar age, were like two young yet vibrant fruits. In the few short days they'd spent together, chasing and playing in the courtyard, sharing little secrets, they had become inseparable playmates, sharing everything.

At this moment, little Amy excitedly took Emily's hand and chattered about the interesting dream she had last night. The two walked shoulder to shoulder, like two cheerful little birds, towards Rad's small building in the next yard.

Caesars had also risen, wearing a fine leather magic robe. This robe was carefully crafted from the hide of a legendary monster and was emblazoned with defensive magic patterns. Those patterns shimmered faintly in the morning light, as if imbued with endless magical power.

Caesars carefully packed up all the things he needed in the room. He put the magic potions, magic scrolls and other items neatly into his space ring one by one.

Once everything was ready, Caesars walked out of the mansion's tall, imposing gate with steady, confident steps. The streets were still sparsely populated in the early morning, and the sunlight filtered through the branches of the tall trees lining the streets, casting dappled shadows. Caesars didn't call for a carriage; he preferred the leisurely pace, enjoying the fresh morning air and the unique tranquility of the city. With his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes a look of deep thought, he walked towards the west gate.

As he passed the Thorn Flower Trading Company, its large, exquisite sign shone brightly in the sunlight. Caesars paused involuntarily, narrowing his eyes slightly. After a moment's thought, he stepped inside. The shop was filled with a dazzling array of goods: magical gems gleaming with a strange light, ancient books emanating a mysterious aura, and exquisite magical instruments. Caesars walked straight to the shelf displaying crystal bottles. The crystal bottles sparkled and shimmered captivatingly under the light. He carefully selected them and purchased a few high-quality bottles at a discounted price.

He kept four golden-eyed black demon snakes, each one brimming with life. Their venom was invaluable, not only potent but also imbued with deadly magical energy, making it an excellent tool for self-defense and enemy destruction. The venom from these golden-eyed black demon snakes had accumulated to a considerable degree, and Caesars was considering purchasing some crystal bottles to preserve it.

As soon as he exited Violet City's tall, imposing western gate, Caesars spotted a lush forest not far away. This forest, located on the outskirts of the southern Endless Forest, felt like a gateway to an endless, mysterious world. Towering trees, their branches intertwined, formed a vast sea of ​​green. Occasionally, the clear song of birds and the deep roar of wild beasts could be heard, as if revealing the forest's countless unknown secrets.

At the edge of the forest, a broad north-south road ran. Paved with hard stone, it had been worn smooth by years of foot traffic. Heading south, the road snaked like a giant dragon, extending into the vast swamp. Thick fog shrouded the swamp, hiding dangerous creatures and mysterious magical traps.

Going north, the road led to a majestic crater. The crater was towering and steep, and at its foot lay a vibrant landscape, rich in rare and magical plants. Caesars stood beside the road, his head slightly raised, his gaze fixed firmly to the southwest.

The Great Shaman of the Gray Ogres, Trum, once spent a night in this forest when he was targeted by six or seven White Ogres, who treated him as food. The Great Shaman even tried to communicate with the White Ogres, but found that he could not communicate with these fat white creatures. In anger, Trum killed several of them.

Gray ogres are similar to humans and possess a high level of intelligence. White ogres represent savagery and bloodshed. Not only are they low in intelligence, but they are also extremely greedy. White ogres are defined by the elves as being tainted by demonic blood because they eat the corpses of demons.

The puppy sniffed at the edge of the forest, searching for wild game. The little black snake followed Caesars, swimming slowly among the thick fallen leaves.

A strange atmosphere permeated the forest, making Kaisas feel a little strange. Although the trees here were thick and tall, they were full of holes of varying sizes, and some of the trunks had huge warts.

The lively puppy came running from a distance, holding what looked like a stick in its mouth. When the puppy got closer, Caesars saw clearly what it was holding - a human thigh bone with many scratches on it.