Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074

by Zhuang Bifan

  "What should we do, then? Should we just kill everything that comes our way…"

  "We could do that too…" Lin Li's eyes lit up at this absolutely tempting idea. The breakthrough just then had allowed him to gain new insights and confidence about battling between life and death. However, Lin Li had to put away his excitement reluctantly at the thought of how weak Mason was. How would Mason be able to endure such extreme conditions? He continued, "But we'll do that next time… Let's just complete the mission for today.

  "Help me catch an animal," said Lin Li as he reached for a glass bottle from his pocket. It was sky-blue in color.

  "Alright!" Mason's eyes lit up after hearing this order. He left at once in excitement before Lin Li could give him any more instructions. After all, he was still a level-nine Mage! Although his skills were far behind his two teammates', the simple task of catching small animals would not be hard for him. In a few minutes, he came back with a wild rabbit in his hand, and a face beaming with pride.

  Lin Li took the rabbit from Mason. One of his hand pinched the mouth of the rabbit, while the other opened the cap of the glass bottle. Then, he poured two drops of liquid into the mouth of the rabbit.

  "Felic, what's that?" Mason asked curiously as he looked at the mysterious potion.

  "Emerald Dream," Lin Li replied Mason patiently as he estimated the dosage, "It is a potion that could turn mages into Druids. I will drink some myself too; then, I would be able to converse with the rabbit."

  "That's so interesting! Could I try it?" Mason asked in fascination.

  "Of course." Lin Li passed the bottle of Emerald Dream to Mason without any hesitation. After that, he reminded Mason, "It has a very strong effect, so only a few drops will do—"

  Mason had lived for more than 20 years, yet he had never drunk such a high-grade potion. Excitement took his rationality away as he emptied the bottle even before Lin Li finished his sentence. It was too late.

  "W-what would happen now?"

  "Nothing much, the effects will just last longer."

  "Phew…" Mason heaved a sigh in relief as he waited eagerly for the potion to take effect.

  Seeing how enthusiastic Mason was, the two teammates went ahead to find a place to sit down as they waited for him.

  After around 10 minutes, Mason was seen coming out from the bushes and walking towards them.

  "So, what information did you gather?"

  "There's too much," said Mason with an exaggerated look,"but the rabbit had told me everything. It said that it was true that an old man with goat-like beard hid something in this place. Look, the Emerald Dream is such a powerful potion—the rabbit even revealed the hiding place to me, not that far from here! I can bring you there now. Hahahaha! Macklin would never expect that we'll find the treasure through such a method!"

  "…"

  It was the first time that Mason talked to animals. That made him even chattier than usual. "That little rabbit was so interesting; it even told me that it lived at the northern side of the jungle, and it has at least 10 siblings at home, and—"

  "Hold on…" Just as the exhilarated Mason was telling them about his encounter animatedly, Lin Li sensed a strange magical wave lurking by.

  "Someone's here." Orrin nodded.

  "Who?" Mason asked them in a daze as he looked around.

  Orrin glanced at him in irritation. Just when he wanted to speak, faint footsteps could be heard.

  The three men looked toward the source of the sound instinctively. There were a few men dressed in long robes walking towards them. Among them, two were familiar faces, whom they had met the day before.

  "It's them…" said Lin Li as he got distracted for a moment. He still remembered that those two fellas were the ones with Matthias then, and were also the sc.u.mbags who injured Orrin.

  However, Lin Li could not recognize the middle-aged man who was with them. He was a gentleman around 40 years old; his sharp and dignified features, as well as his well-built figure, were completely different from that of Macklin. Donned in the same black robe as Macklin, Lin Li knew that he was a mentor from Alanna.

  "Mentor Aeron, it's the three of them!" The two men stirred uneasily as they saw Lin Li from afar as though he was a ghost.

  "Oh?" the middle-aged man replied in a husky voice, but when his stern gaze fell on Lin Li's gang, even Lin Li felt a chill down his spine.

  "Hey, look… that guy seems familiar…" Mason whispered as he hid behind Lin Li.

  "You are right…" agreed Lin Li. Just like Mason, Lin Li felt that he had seen the man somewhere before.

  …

  Chapter 124 - Arrest

  Lin Li remembered who the middle-aged man was at once.

  The man before them was the one in charge of matching students to their respective mentors in the guild hall the day before. Since then, he already seemed familiar to Lin Li, although Lin Li still could not make out where exactly he first met him.

  He walked out from the thick growth, eyes fixed in a deadly glance as he looked at Lin Li.

  "You are Felic?" he asked.

  A sense of superiority could be sensed from that hoarse voice as though it was an interrogation.

  Despite feeling indignant, Lin Li repressed his anger. Then, he replied politely, "Yes, mister." The man was still a mentor after all!

  He nodded his head, and did not continue further. Yet, his harsh gaze intensified.

  "Mr. Aeron, that's the brat! He's the bastard who injured Matthias!" The two fellas were good in reading the facial expression of their mentor. Thus, they grabbed this opportunity to tell on Lin Li. Their behavior now was a complete opposite from their obsequiousness the day before. If Lin Li had not witnessed how these traitors betrayed Matthias previously, he might have thought them righteous and loyal friends to Matthias.

  Unfortunately, the kicks they gave Matthias had already revealed their true nature…

  "Mage Felic, is that true?" Aeron asked in a harsh tone.

  "That's right, Mr. Aeron."

  Lin Li admitted it right away.

  With the witnesses and evidence, it would be futile to deny his actions.

  "Today's youngsters indeed have a greater potential than us old men! Hahaha…" the middle-aged man said as he started laughing out of a sudden. Still fixing his glare on Lin Li, he continued, "Mage Felic, did no one tell you that it is clearly against Alanna's rules for mages to fight among themselves?"

  "Is that so?"

  "Seems like you do not have a memory. But , don't worry. When you get to the underground prison of the Guild of Magic, I'm sure there will be ample time for you to recall it… Now, as the arbitrator of Alanna Guild of Magic, I am arresting for your act of injuring your fellow mage. If you have any other words to say, we can slowly discuss it in jail. You are going to be in there for a long time."

  "You have no right to bring Felic away!" Mason said firmly as he stepped forward, bringing Lin Li behind him.

  Orrin stepped forward without saying any word, trying to protect his teammate from Aeron as well.

  "I presume the two of you are Orrin and Mason from Rotterdam and Chevan City, respectively?" Aeron asked with disdain. Smirking, he continued, "Are you interested in joining him in the prison?"

  "F*ck. If you are abiding the law"—Mason pointed at Aeron in a fury—"then why wasn't Matthias arrested when he injured Orrin? And now, when it comes to Felic, you are saying that he harmed his fellow colleagues?"

  "He got injured by Matthias? Mason, could you tell me where did he suffer his injuries?"

  "His right arm! Matthias used Arcane Missiles on him!"

  "You are saying that… Matthias broke Orrin's right arm with Arcane Missiles before Felic retaliated with the same technique to break his four limbs?"

  "That's right!"

  "Orrin, could you show me you right arm?"

  Mason fell in a daze immediately.

  Since they lived under the same roof, how would Mason not know that Orrin's right arm had completely reco
vered after consuming that potion? What are they going to show Aeron?

  "There's no need to," said Lin Li as he came forward. While staring firmly on Aeron's right hand, he spoke, "Mr. Aeron, I injured Matthias myself, and it's got nothing to do with my teammates. I could go back with you, but allow me to ask a bold question. Who is Bathrilor to you?"

  There was a ruby ring of Aeron's right hand, and that gem was radiating faint magical waves.

  "I'm Bathrilor's father."

  "No wonder…" Lin Li commented as he nodded his head.

  He was clear on everything at that moment.

  The reason he thought the middle-aged man looked familiar was not just that he looked alike with Matthias. That particular ruby ring on his finger had long since engraved itself deeply in his mind when he was nearly killed by its owner during the banquet at the Castellan Mansion.

  Everything—Matthias or the laws of Alanna—were just excuses…

  Even if he did not break the four limbs of Matthias, Aeron could very well find other excuses to avenge his son. After all, Alanna Guild of Magic was Aldwin's territory. If the son of the president wanted to create trouble for Lin Li, nothing could stop him.

  "You have guessed it right…" Underlying the smile of Aeron was a sense of satisfaction. From the day he returned from Jarrosus, avenging his son was always his top priority.

  Matthias was his only son. He prized him like a treasure ever since he was born. Aeron would never bear to scold or beat him up, or even speak to him in a harsh manner.

  How could he had expected that his son would return from Jarrosus with two broken fingers? If his father, Aldwin, did not stop him, Aeron would have gone down to Jarrosus in person to avenge his son.

  Heaven wasn't blind…

  To his joy, Jarrosus had sent Felic to represent their Guild for the trial held by the Supreme Council.

  Now, Aeron did not intend to let him leave Alanna alive…

  He had even devised a cruel scheme to ruthlessly torture him to death in the dungeon…

  "Yes, I had indeed guessed it correctly…" Lin Li replied, and smiled as he took out his magic staff.

  At this juncture, actions would speak louder than words.

  If he had not known Aeron's identity, he might have been willing to go back with him for investigation. Now that he was certain that Aeron was the father of Bathrilor, how could he allow himself to fall into their hands? Even with the help of Aldwin, once he fell into the hands of Aeron, there would be a thousand ways for himself to be killed by him…

  "It seems that you are going to go against me." Aeron took a glance on Lin Li, than his gaze fell on Mason and Orrin. "What about both of you? Also fighting back with him?"

  "Moron." The word left Orrin's mouth along with a cold tone.

  "HAHAHA, you are right!" It was rare that Mason would laugh so wholeheartedly when he heard that word.

  Aeron was not triggered by this laughter. With his high status and magnificent abilities, only the culprit who messed with his son would be a provocation to him. He nodded, and said, "Since you want to be imprisoned with him, I can give you the chance."

  Right after he finished his speech, the three men were surrounded by a strong gush of pressure. It was emitted by Aeron, who now appeared to be more powerful than before.

  Even Lin Li, who had just progressed to level-13, felt suffocated by that pressure. It was a spell to suppress the strength of enemies. Aeron did not recite or summon anything. His pure exertion of his mana was enough to restrain the three young but strong mages.

  "That's… at least level-17…" Lin Li cried painfully. He realized that Aeron had lived up to his status as the son of Aldwin—he was incomparable even with Old Merlin.

  "You…" Lin Li opened his mouth. He wanted to warn Mason and Orrin of the danger they were putting themselves into.

  It was a level-17 Archmage they were trying to defy!

  Yet his half-started speech transformed into a bitter smile.

  'Let's just leave it to fate…'

  What the level-17 Archmage possessed was beyond human capacity. His sheer exertion of mana alone could provoke a huge mana storm in the jungle. Fallen leaves rose into the air, while sand and soil hit them like knife blades. Standing in the center of this havoc, Aeron fell into delirium. He could finally avenge his poor son!

  Aeron grabbed onto his magic staff, and a long and complicated recitation reverberated in the forest…

  The terrible feeling of the frantic force of mana caused Lin Li's heart to sink down. With his level-13 skills, he did not have any ability to stand up against or even stop that spell of at least level-15…

  Suddenly, Lin Li heard the voice of an old man.

  "You are going overboard, Aeron."

  …

  Chapter 125 - Andoine

  It was as though that hoarse voice carried something magical, as though an invisible hand came and grabbed onto the throat of Aeron. His recitation came to an abrupt stop, while the raging magical elements he'd created also vanished immediately.

  The leaves that flew up into the air also fell back gently to the ground. The forest regained its serenity and peacefulness.

  Everyone looked towards the source of the sound.

  They saw a frail-looking elder walking out from the bushes ahead. He was a senior aged around 60 or 70, and had a face full of wrinkles. The grayish-white robe he wore was crumpled and dirty like it was not washed for decades. The moment he emerged from the thicket, everyone could realize a heavy smell of medication coming from him…

  As the old man got closer, Lin Li's eyes lit up.

  "How are you, did you get injured?" the elder asked with great concern.

  Lin Li was touched by the warmth and care the old man showered him with. He smiled, and replied, "I was just shocked…"

  "Master Andoine, what are you trying to do?" Aeron asked while his lips turned purple as though he was recovering from a dire sickness. That was the effect of the bite of mana. The repercussion from having a level-15 spell interrupted would not be that easy to deal with as compared to the lower spells. Even if he was a high-level Archmage, he would need to exert all of his strength to stabilize the mana that went out of control.

  After knowing who the old man was when Aeron addressed him, everyone sighed in admiration.

  Other than Lin Li, everybody was shocked.

  Never would they have expected that the unkempt elderly man standing before them was one of the six legendary Mages—Andoine from the Jarrosus Guild of Magic!

  Mason was completely stunned. He had always heard about this legendary Mage from a young age, yet did not expect to meet an almighty man like Andoine in person. And, it seemed that the relation between the man and his teammate was rather close…

  In that moment, even Orrin's face showed a rare hint of excitement. How would anyone from Felan Kingdom not have heard about the reputable Andoine?

  Matthias' two teammates were totally dumbfounded as well…

  They were extremely surprised with Felic's unusually close relationship with the legendary Mage.

  Right before this, they foolishly stood up for Matthias since they had Mr. Aeron's backing. Now, they were in hot soup… The backer of their opponent was not just any other person, but a legendary Mage!

  Damn… it would be a gone case for them now…

  Actually, they were just overthinking it.

  Why would Andoine invest his time on them? His eyes were just fixed on Aeron in a deadly glare.

  "You have the cheek to ask me?" Andoine shot back furiously. If he did not pass by the area coincidentally, Felic could have died from Aeron's level-15 spell.

  How could a mere Archmage deal with the rage of a legendary Mage?

  Right after Andoine finished his speech, a surge of energy covered the entire part of the jungle they were in. Under that pressurizing force, Aeron's face turned as pale as a white sheet of paper.

  "Ma-Master Andoine…" Aeron stammered.

  How could he
have expected that that old man was so easily provoked, and totally would not treat him like the son of Aldwin? Aeron was totally astounded by looking at the limitless magical elements before him. He absolutely could not comprehend what was so special about Felic that made Andoine feel so triggered.

  Andoine's facial expression was so familiar to Aeron's. When Bathrilor came back wounded from Jarrosus, that was the exact shade of wrath shown by himself. He understood that that degree of rage would only be shown by kin.

  Felic and Andoine might be…

  "Let me tell you what I meant!"

  A surge of an unspeakable force of mana was released instantly.

  "AHH…"

  How could Aeron hide from such a legendary force? The force flung him off, and he crashed into a tree.

  "THUD!"

  The impact was so hard that the tree shook when Aeron crashed onto it. Lying on the ground, Aeron felt as though he was smashed into pieces. A buzzing sound echoed in his mind, and as he struggled to stand up from the ground, he felt nauseous. What followed was a hot gush of fresh blood coming out from his mouth…

  "Do you understand it now?" Andoine said coldly as he walked towards Aeron. Even after striking Aeron with the Power of Repulse, Andoine did not intend to stop.

  Aeron felt utterly terrified as he watched how Andoine got closer and closer to him.

  He knew that the old man was not joking with him…

  "A-Andoine, you cannot kill me!"

  "Why can't I? Because of your father, Aldwin? Hmph. That old man is going to get it from me after this. His dear son almost killed the man I asked him to take good care of!"

  Seeing how serious Andoine was, Lin Li could not help but tremble in fear. He did not expect Andoine to have such a hot temper.

  Lin Li walked towards the man reluctantly, hoping to stop him.

  Aeron was Aldwin's son, after all. If Andoine were to kill him, he might get himself into unwanted trouble. Since Lin Li was not hurt by Aeron, there was no reason to blow up the matter…

  Just when Lin Li wanted to speak, he heard a strong gust of wind coming from above.

  He looked up into the air with curiosity. There, he saw Macklin rushing over at top speed while supporting himself with his Levitation Spell. Maintaining his flying speed, he shouted, "Master Andoine, please step back!"