869 Cooperators (1/2)

It had been many years since the Union of Sorcerers started to dig the City in the Sky. The central area had been cleaned, and a lot of magic towers and houses had been set up. If it weren't for the research value of the other debris, the first scene Douglas saw would have definitely not been as dilapidated as this. Right now, a magic tower near the relic of the central magic tower sent out the sound of a bell being hit. According to the deal, it marked the beginning of the meeting.

The sorcerers who were having a huge fight in the square reluctantly shut their mouths, unsatisfied that the rare opportunity to unleash their complaints was over. They slowly surged to the five-story tall magic tower.

”Those old men must've exchanged their opinions in private…” Fernando mumbled. The real agreements had almost always been reached before the meeting, and the meeting was only an occasion for announcements.

Douglas watched the sorcerers come from all directions; his eyes deep and thoughtful. It was not until the square was cleared that he finally sighed. ”Let's go in.”

”Do you feel helpless about their argument? In such a time of peril and despair, they still refuse to let go of their biases and selfishness. To be honest, I have zero confidence in their future after seeing the fight just now.” Fernando moved forward while complaining.

Douglas shook his head and said in a low voice, ”Everybody is selfish. So, a sincere cooperation is not based on the complete abandonment of selfishness, but on the demonstration of your strength, so that everybody understands that it is in their best interest to fight by your side.

”I don't mean the strength in the regular sense. It means so much more. For example, even if we are not strong enough yet, as long as we can convince other people that our path is hopeful and we can lead them on it, it will also be our 'strength'.”

He was solemn and did not have the slightest desperation or anger.

”Isn't it the process to build up their confidence in us through various approaches? It's a sophisticated skill in the school of illusion,” Fernando derided Douglas out of habit.

Douglas turned around to look at Fernando. ”You know the school of illusion very well?”

Personally, he was not good at the theories of the school of illusion. He was capable of a lot of illusions, but he never studied them deeply.

”My teacher was a great scholar. Before he was killed, he had been in touch with many archmages of the school of illusion. So, I know a lot of sorcerers who specialize in that.” Fernando mentioned his teacher but did not seem to be close to him.

Douglas did not keep asking because they had reached the magic tower. A middle-aged man who was wearing the arcana badge of the Union of Sorcerers was waiting by the door. ”Are you Mr. Douglas? Mr. President asked you to go to the living room in the wing on arrival.”

He recognized Douglas through Fernando.

”Alright,” Douglas replied politely.

It slightly surprised the middle-aged man, because archmages were mostly very arrogant in his impression, even including someone as kind and amiable as President Arnold.

Many stone chairs had been raised in the hall. Douglas and Fernando stepped into the living room.

”Douglas, let me introduce you,” Arnold greeted him with a smile like a kind old man.

Douglas was as steady as before, but Fernando chuckled in a low voice. Judging from the old fox's good mood, the negotiation must have gone really well.

Hearing Douglas' name, the dozen sorcerers in the living room all looked over. Some were wary, some curious, and some were hostile. Was he the archmage who was capable of ”Time Stop” and who killed the Predator?

Arnold put his hands on Douglas' shoulder and pointed at a fat old man. ”This is Nielson, leader of Red Eye and an archmage. Even though he looks fat, his body is as sturdy as that of a gold knight.”

Douglas immediately understood what Nielson was good at. Perhaps his every body part had been fixed with a certain special ability. His current appearance was nothing but camouflage.

Besides his body figure that left a deep impression, Nielson's ruby eyes were also very attractive. When he smiled, the fat on his cheeks jiggled. ”I've always looked forward to Antiffler. The archmages from there are truly remarkable.”

He said that he looked forward to it, but there wasn't any earnestness in his tone.

Understanding the feud of the two empires very well, Douglas nodded with a smile, not bothered by Nielson's attitude.

Pretending that he did not hear Nielson's indication, Arnold continued, ”This is Amanata, a student to the Master of Shadows and one of the leaders of Shadow Singers.”

Amanata, covered in a black magic robe, sat in a shadow in the corner. He merely nodded as a greeting after Arnold's introduction. If it weren't for his male name, Douglas couldn't have even told his gender.

Arnold joked, ”Shadow Singers always favor shadows.”

Not far away from Amanata, there was a sorcerer whose air was cold and gloomy. He was wearing a black glamorous robe, and his head only had the white skull left, with needle-like dim red fire bouncing in his eyes. He was a classic lich.

”This is Congus, the archmage who single handedly created 'Supreme Soul'. He was praised by the Master of Shadows in person, who said that he is very likely to become a legendary sorcerer.” Arnold introduced the lich who was no weaker than Nielson or Amanata.

Congus opened his mouth. His voice was so unpleasant that it sounded like someone whetting a rusty sword. ”My friends in Antiffler never mentioned you.”

He seemed very close to Antiffler.

”Because there were too many sorcerers stronger than me in Antiffler,” Douglas replied modestly. ”Also, I was a weirdo.”

”Still, Antiffler was destroyed by the pope,” Nielson interrupted.