The battle ended in barely five minutes.
The arrival of Fire Child became the final straw that broke the Black Scale Lizardmen's defense. Wherever the fiery creature passed, the scaled warriors turned into living torches, their bodies engulfed in searing flames as they writhed and screamed before collapsing into blackened husks.
Even the mighty Black Scale Lizardman Chieftain, feared for his strength, only lasted a little longer before Fire Child's relentless blaze consumed him as well.
For beings who fought only with brute strength and lacked Battle Qi, the elemental creature was their natural nemesis.
When the flames finally died down, silence fell across the battlefield. The soldiers, still trembling from the sight, began clearing the area.
Every man who passed by Magus looked at him with unconcealed awe.
Fire Child was terrifying enough, but the one who could summon such a being inspired an even deeper reverence.
The soldiers who had never fought alongside him before were particularly shaken. To them, the frail-looking Young Master Magus had always seemed more scholar than warrior. None had expected such overwhelming power from him — power that, in their eyes, might even surpass the Lord's own.
Only now did they truly understand why the Knight Generals treated Magus with such respect. It was not courtesy — it was reverence.
"After today's battle, there's no way to keep my identity as a Wizard Apprentice secret," Magus thought, noting the stares surrounding him.
But he dismissed the concern. Sooner or later, the truth would come out. As Blackstone City's Knights grew stronger and the Black Rock Cavalry Regiment became more active, rumors and investigations would naturally follow. Keeping a low profile was no longer possible.
Among the enemy camp, around sixty or seventy Black Scale Lizardmen remained — the elderly, the women, and the children. Rune chose not to slaughter them. Instead, he ordered that they be bound and brought back to Blackstone City, intending to keep them alive as a steady supply of blood.
The bodies of the slain Lizardmen were also not wasted. Their blood was carefully drained and sealed in preservation containers for transport.
Even the Giant Lizard Variant — the enormous beast that had fought fiercely before being subdued — was tied up and brought along. Compared with the lesser Lizardmen, the variant was far more valuable as a blood source. It carried within it a trace of true Dragon Lizard bloodline.
On the road home, the soldiers' spirits were high. Rune's face shone with a satisfaction he couldn't conceal.
This campaign had wiped out the Black Scale Lizardmen completely — a long-standing menace finally eradicated — and the price was fewer than fifty casualties. Such a result was nothing short of a miracle.
And all knew whom they owed that miracle to.
Magus had single-handedly slain seventy or eighty Lizardmen, including nearly ten elite warriors of Knight-level strength.
It was a decisive victory — one that would be remembered.
More importantly, Blackstone City now possessed a steady supply of materials for producing Sub-Dragon Blood Potion. Rune could already envision the future: the ranks of the city's Knights swelling, strength multiplying, and his domain flourishing.
When the victorious army marched back through the city gates, the streets erupted with cheers. The citizens, having lived for years under the threat of Lizardman raids, welcomed them like heroes.
When the people saw the bound Black Scale Lizardmen captives, the uproar grew deafening.
Many among the crowd had lost family members to those creatures. Their grief turned to fury; stones flew through the air toward the prisoners.
The soldiers did not intervene. They pretended not to notice, allowing the commoners to vent their hatred.
Back in the inner castle, Rune ordered Old Geller, the butler, to prepare a feast in celebration.
The Knights, led by Jorton, raised their voices in agreement, and before long, the halls of the castle rang with laughter and the clinking of goblets.
That night, Blackstone Castle was filled with the light of victory.
With the war over, life in Blackstone City quickly returned to its usual rhythm of growth and rebuilding.
Magus, however, became busier than ever.
When not meditating, he devoted himself entirely to crafting Sub-Dragon Blood Potions.
Day after day, fresh Lizardman blood was delivered to his laboratory, only to emerge as gleaming crimson potions.
Each bottle represented the birth of a new Knight.
Almost every sunrise brought news of another breakthrough among Blackstone's warriors.
Only when the supply of blood from the battlefield ran out — forcing him to rely on smaller, daily extractions from the captives — did Magus's production rate begin to slow.
It was then that his attention turned to a more promising subject: the Giant Lizard Variant.
The creature's vitality was extraordinary. Within ten days, the burns left by Fire Child had healed completely.
To contain it, Magus had used black-stone iron to forge an enormous reinforced cage. Each day, he cast a Touch of Fatigue spell on the beast to keep it subdued.
Now, whenever the creature saw him approach, its eyes filled with instinctive dread.
Inside the cage, under the pitiful gaze of the bound Giant Lizard, Magus performed the same ritual as always. He drew a thick vial of blood, then sealed the door and locked it behind him.
Testing the samples, he found the Dragon Lizard Blood concentration to be 18.35 percent — even higher than expected.
Using ordinary Lizardman blood, he would have needed roughly twenty times the volume to reach the same concentration.
"With blood this pure, my work will go much faster," he murmured.
Before him on the experimental table stood rows of jars filled with crimson liquid — several days' worth of extracted blood.
If he had relied on the captives, it might have taken months to collect this much high-grade material.
"This should be enough."
Taking a deep breath, Magus began the process of synthesizing Sub-Dragon Blood, then refining it further into Sub-Dragon Blood Potions.
His constant practice had paid off: his Potion Making proficiency had long surpassed 2000 points, leaving only 800 to reach Level 3. His success rate had risen above 30 percent — an impressive figure for a mere Level-1 Wizard Apprentice.
After more than half a day of intense work, over twenty bottles of the potion glittered on his table. Three were even of medium quality.
Magus carefully placed the completed potions into his mysterious Rubik's Cube. When he inserted three medium-quality and five low-quality potions, the synthesis interface suddenly changed — the light of transformation flaring across its surface.
A new description appeared:
Dragon Blood Potion (Tier 1 / Low Quality) — Enhances physical strength; the effect varies by user, with weaker constitutions gaining greater benefit. Repeated consumption reduces effectiveness. Usable only by those with Physique ≥ 5.
Magus smiled in satisfaction.
If he tried to brew Dragon Blood Potion directly, his success rate would be in the single digits, and the materials would cost six or seven times as much. Synthesizing from lower-tier potions through the Rubik's Cube was far more efficient.
Without hesitation, he completed the synthesis and drank the potion himself.
At that moment, his physique was 5.61 — just above the required threshold.
A searing heat spread through his body, erupting like molten metal in his veins. It surged through every limb and bone, bringing both agony and exhilaration.
His muscles felt as if they were being reforged in fire; his bones rang with power.
When the sensation finally faded, he exhaled slowly, sweat streaming down his face.
He could feel it — his body was heavier, denser, overflowing with vitality.
A quick glance at his status panel confirmed it:
Physique — 11.46
He had gained nearly six full points.
"As expected of a Tier 1 potion," he said with a bright smile.
Now, in terms of sheer physical strength, he was the equal of a mid-level Knight. In fact, his physique even surpassed his spirit power, which stood at 11.35.
For a Wizard Apprentice, that was a rare feat. It was far easier to strengthen the body than to deepen spiritual power.
"My Star Ring Meditation technique still needs over 3000 proficiency to reach Level 4. At this rate, another month should be enough."
The thought of soon advancing to Second-Level Wizard Apprentice filled him with quiet excitement.
After a moment's rest, Magus used the remaining Sub-Dragon Blood Potions to synthesize another Dragon Blood Potion.
This one, however, he set aside.
He didn't plan to drink it himself — it was meant for Rune.
"A person can safely take only four or five bottles before the effects stop working," he calculated. "But even that much should be enough for Rune to ascend to Great Knight rank."
Magus sealed the potion, its deep red liquid swirling like living fire, and placed it among his finished works.
A faint smile crossed his face. The war might have ended, but a new chapter of growth had only just begun — for him, for Rune, and for Blackstone City itself.
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